a word I hate

Lots of things drive me up the walls. Humble bragging, not saying "please" or "thank you", and backhanded compliments are some of them. But there is one word in particular that stands out:

"Sometime".

Where I hear it

It frequently comes up when making plans with others; "Yeah, I'd love to sometime". Okay, when is this, "sometime"? I understand using it as a polite way to decline, I'd do that as well. But I can't help but think that it shows a certain degree of indifference, like you haven't bothered to check your schedule, or are shelving in the back of your mind for a second choice.

Of course, taken out of context, my vendetta against the word seems a bit extreme.

Does it benefit you?
I believe that if you'd like to do something, whether it be seeing an old friend, finishing a project, or getting anything done really, tacking on the word "sometime" allows you to put it off even more.

Because when you don't assign a specific time frame to something, you can't hold yourself accountable for doing it. I said I was going to do my laundry sometime, and so what if I didn't do it today? Tomorrow still counts as sometime too.

Then, it can just drag on and on, where you start to reason with yourself, "Well, if I've made it this far without doing it, maybe it's not essential anyways."

But whatever it was, you wanted to do it for some reason! Things don't just stick in our heads just because; they benefit us or those we care about in some way. So really, you owe it to yourself or your close circle, to get on it.

What to do about it
Instead of saying sometime, assign a time frame. It doesn't have to be a date, but "next Friday", "when I get my paycheck", or even "before I retire" would work.

This summer, my list of "sometimes" includes: getting rid of 80% of the clothes I don't want, finishing my sketchbook, and regularly working out. I'm happy to say I've made progress on all of them!

What does your list of "sometimes" include? Do you find yourself using it to put things off as well? How do you avoid procrastination?

xx
Angelina

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5 min read: conversations in the dark

A sketch of recurring dream I have, in which the fear I wake up with is what stays with me.  A late night conversation with friends. 

    What do I fear most of all?

A conversation starter thrown out in the dark, almost carelessly, but in a thoughtful way that somehow still bears weight.

In the dark, with blurry shadows accenting the bumps and hollows of our faces, we stop to consider this question seriously. There’s something comforting about opening up in the dark that can never be recreated when it’s light out. Maybe it’s that with the muted cool hues all blending together, there’s a sense of protection.

We are safe from scary things that go bump in the night, toddler’s fears of a monster that lurks beneath the bed, feasting on toes.

What we aren’t safe from, though, is the real world. Toes aren’t simply nibbled off, they’re chomped off, with brutality and complete disregard for the being to which said digits are attached to.

I fear the real world, with the very real monsters, and even realer humans. I fear not becoming anything, not doing anything with my life. I fear lost opportunities, chances I didn’t think to glance twice at.

Though on some days, I admit the fear of serial killers lurking behind my shower curtain is more immediate and pressing than this vague fear of the future.

How'd I do?
With the feedback from my last post, I decided to attempt a less wordy, and more abstract piece. I'm thinking of easing these sorts of things into my routine, though I'm on the fence on just how writing based I'd like them to be.

They'll likely be those types of "typical" blogger posts; style lists, routines, etc, but hoepfully a bit more interesting.

What did you think of this post (constructive criticism very much appreciated!)? What do you fear? Are posts like this better for the beginning of the week, or the end?

xx

Angelina

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