Should... and AI

Read an interesting comment in Jennifer Louden's ComfortQueen newsletter this morning. The premise was that moving a possibility into the "should" plane took the joy out of an anticipated action. To quote her 3/15/06 newsletter: "The theme is that our desires and needs become contaminated when they are leashed to a 'should,' as in, 'I should write, I should go for a walk, I should eat a salad'- suddenly these possible delights are squeezed into two dimensions." Her blog entry is here.

What a super insight! That "to-do" list robs the joy from things we love. So the conundrum... how to do what needs doing and keep the fun? How to be spontaneous when you DO have to routinize your efforts? More personally, how will I remember all the ticky little details if they aren't on the list?!?

So many of my "shoulds" and "musts" spring from choices I made to further pursue things I love. My continuing to staff Wood Badge, for example, comes from my love of training, my love of Scouting, and the wonderful friendships and camaraderie... but there's no way around it being a huge pile of shoulds, musts, and TO DO RIGHT NOWs!

On another note altogether... if I'd had more energy last night, I would have punched out the television and tossed the digital reoorder. My own fault, of course. I had the DISH digital recorder set for taping American Idol every Tuesday night. Unfortunately, when it moved to a 2-hour show last night, it kept TAPING a 1-1/2 hour show! The recording ended with Ryan saying "after the break, Taylor, Paris and Chris!" AND THEN NOTHING!!!! ARGHHHHHHHHHHH! The paper this morning said all three were great -- but it's hard to get an objective review of Taylor around here, naturally. When is AI going to give up the rest of it and just come to Birmingham to fill out their rosters? Ruben, Bo, now Taylor...