The Deja Vu Blogfest has become an annual event hosted by D.L. Hammons. This is the time when bloggers can rerun a neglected or favorite blog post from the previous year in hopes that more will see it.
Looking over the past year, I realize that much of my blogging has pertained to the Battle of the Bands posts. You can find these posts by looking at the first and fifteenth of each month on Tossing It Out. My participation in BOTB has cut back on my visitation stats to some degree though traffic has remained fairly consistent so I'm okay with that for now. After all I enjoy the Battle of the Bands a great deal and I hope more of you will join me for my upcoming BOTB posts and vote on them.
However, I did post about other things as well. My choice for the Deja Vu Blogfest of 2014 is one of my lesser visited posts. The post I've chosen first appeared on March 17th. There were actually quite a few comments so many of you might remember this post. Whether or not you commented then I'll hope you'll enjoy this rerun and leave your thoughts in the comment section.
I Can Hardly Wait Until...
There used to be this lady who worked at the corporate office of the company for which I worked. She'd been working there for several years before I started managing the West Coast operation. She handled things like payroll and accounts receivable and payable. She would email me frequently when she had a question or a request concerning my office. Her tag line before her signature was always "Hurry Friday!"
She was one of those TGIF people who existed for the weekends. I never understood that philosophy. Maybe when I was in high school, but not really. I had favorite TV shows during the week and I did okay going to school. Didn't care for it all that much, but I very easily tolerated it.
Still the "can hardly wait" idiom frequently appeared in my language. "I can hardly wait until my vacation" or Christmas or whatever. I still catch myself saying these types of phrases or even thinking the thoughts. The truth though is that I can wait. I don't want time to hurry any faster than it already does. I'd like to savor every moment. Or a least all the good ones.
I don't really wish such and such a date would hurry and get here. Life is short and I don't need to make it any shorter. Even those times when I feel kind of bored. In reality there's never a legitimate time for boredom as there is something interesting about every situation in every moment of the day. I think of boredom as a stubborn display to reject what we think we don't want to do. Or a tedious time as something I know I don't want to do. The state of boredom is a lie which we begin to believe and if we openly express this lie we become more and more frustrated--or bored.
But I digress. My real point is that we--or I and you if you want to--we should savor each present moment as much as we can. They fly by so it's difficult to catch a moment, but sometimes time seems to pause--just for a moment to wait to see if I've noticed.
"TGIF" or "Hurry Friday!" even on a Monday the lady in our company would end her emails to me. She still had a whole week ahead. Every day would be a "Hurry Friday" day except for when it was "Yay! It's Friday!" day.
You can wait for most things. Sometimes you might need to go to the bathroom after waiting and there may come a point where you can't wait any longer. There are things like throwing up "Blechhhh!" If there's any waiting necessary for that then you can figure that waiting's not gonna happen.
I wait if I have to. What choice do I have in those cases? There's always something to listen to and to look at or at least think about. Waiting can be a blessing. Waiting holds options if we choose to see them. Waiting is not really all that bad. Besides, once we've reached whatever we are waiting for then there's something else to wait for.
That's life. We're all ultimately waiting for something.
Where do you dislike waiting? Do you get impatient or unpleasant in any way when you have to wait? What are you waiting for at this moment?
I get impatient if I'm waiting for something extra-special (e.g. as it gets close to a holiday) but on the whole I'm happy to wait. I agree with you that life's too short to wish it away, so I wait rather than age quicker than I'd like :) x
ReplyDeleteI remember how when I was a kid I'd wish that Christmas would hurry up and arrive. Then it was over and it was back to school. This eventually became my earliest lesson in enjoying the wait.
DeleteLee
"I think of boredom as a stubborn display to reject what we think we don't want to do."
ReplyDeleteI love that sentiment! Over the past couple years I've found myself waiting for a lot of things...either at the hospital or the airport...and because of that I've resurrected my love of READING. A perfect way to pass the time and still be productive!
Excellent selection for DeJa Vu Arlee!
I try to remember these days to bring a book when I think I will have to wait, but even without something to read I try to come up with something to do.
DeleteLee
I'm over the I can't wait part. The older I get, the more I can wait.
ReplyDeleteWe can adapt as we get older, but still I find some people who get antsy and that can make me nervous as well.
DeleteLee
Tossing It Out
I do look forward to my days off (which don't start until Sunday, so no TGIF for me) but it's mostly because I can sleep in and relax, not because I dislike my job. I love my job and am very blessed for that fact.
ReplyDeleteHa! I look forward to that extra sleep time, but then I often wake up at my usual time anyway and sometimes even earlier. Oh well, that's what naps are for when we have that luxury.
DeleteLee
Warren Zevon said: "Enjoy every sandwich".
ReplyDeleteFrankly, I don't give a hoot about that quote, but I just wanted to use it before DiscConnected did ('cause I knew he would).
Honestly, I want to go Home as soon as God is ready for me. I'm never, ever bored, but I'm ready for my flight, and I'm not one of those people who talk about how great Heaven is going to be but will DO ANYTHING and SPEND EVERYTHING to keep from going there.
So, in a sense, I have a different viewpoint on this than you do, BOID BUDDY. I DO want the time to pass quickly (or feel like it, anyway) because I've had enough of "this woild".
~ D-FensDogg
'Loyal American Underground'
I think God put each of us here for a reason and gives each their own special trials as a test or a bit of schooling. Life is God's gift to me and I intend to enjoy it as much as I can and be in wonder of God's creations.
DeleteLee
I started reading your post, and I was all like, "Man -- this is long. I can't wait 'til I get to the end of it..."
ReplyDeleteI'M KIDDING!!! Actually, this is a completely wonderful post, and I'm really glad you revived it for the Deja Vu blogfest, Lee! I love the sentiment and I whole-heartedly agree. Life is all about the journey, not the destination.
Thanks for re-sharing these words of wisdom, my friend! May you long enjoy the wait!
Yes! The journey is the real thing. When we are impatient we tend to miss so many of the wonderful little details that life has to offer.
DeleteLee
I absolutely HATE waiting in line in stores and drive throughs. Watch my blood pressure soar as people take too long to pay or they won't shut up and keep talking to the checker.
ReplyDeleteI'm a 'can't wait' for certain things too. Esp. in 2011 when I was counting the days, minutes and hours before Russell arrived in WA to drive me home. Time seemed to come to a total standstill that spring as I packed my belongings and wrapped up my life on the west coast. That final day that he flew in was torture.
I certainly understand your sentiments, but you would do better to relax. Impatience leads to stress and that's not very healthy.
DeleteLee
When I was young, with everything ahead of me, I couldn't wait to get to the next cool "something". Now the biggest part of my life is behind me and time moves too fast.
ReplyDeleteExactly! Things can all slow down to a crawl as far as I'm concerned.
DeleteLee
I had to pause and think here. I am not a patient person, but I don't mind waiting in lines. I often meet people or get to listen in on conversation, some that can be funny. I realized early on in life that all we have is the present moment. Capturing it and living in it, is another story. Not easy, particularly when you are out there working, stressing, and so on. Good news is ~ It gets easier as you get old. I don't like to look back and I don't look forward either, the way I used to when younger. A worthwhile post to repost.
ReplyDeleteNot savoring the moment is like gulping down exquisite wine so we can hurry up and throw away the bottle.
DeleteLee
At my last job, I always couldn't wait for my day off, but that was probably because I hated my job. I think that's generally the reason for people wanting the weekend to come sooner. As for holidays, I usually can't wait for them to be over...
ReplyDeleteI think one key to happiness is finding something worthwhile about our every situation.
DeleteLee
A great read Lee, Christmas for me is not worth thinking about. I shall think about THE REAL MEANING OF CHRISTMAS, rather than my own miserable plight.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your week-end.
That's a reasonable way to think about the holidays and more of us should probably do just that.
DeleteLee
Interestingly enough, there is a component of boredom that is related to brain chemistry. I think it's serotonin that it's related to, but I may be mis-remembering that.
ReplyDeleteThat said, I've generally been a very patient person throughout my life and would generally like to slow time down rather than speed it up or skip parts.
I would imagine every mental, or physical state for that matter, has some chemical component. Perhaps when we feel bored we should consider those chemical implications.
DeleteLee
Ah, patience is one virtue that I am seriously lacking! I usually attribute it to my being from New York, but I hate to wait. For anything. Your post has given me a new way to view waiting and maybe, just maybe, I 'll find something constructive in my future waits. Thanks for the wisdom! Now, what am I most waiting for? I'm waiting for Publishers Clearinghouse to knock on my door with that big prize money. And I'm getting dang impatient waiting for it! :)
ReplyDeleteI'm waiting for that cash windfall as well, but if it comes then that's a bonus of life.
DeleteLee
Well, at the moment I have a bit of a head cold and I don't feel well, so forgive me, but I think I would like to get better faster . . . :), but yes, on most days, I would like to stretch the moments. I don't want to be a "until the weekend" kind of person although I do say that and think that sometimes.
ReplyDeleteI think we all tend to have that sense of excited anticipation for events for good events to come, but it's important not to overlook the present to allow it to be squandered.
DeleteLee
I don't like waiting in line at the DMV. Maybe it's safe to say I don't like waiting in lines, period. But on the bright side, while I'm waiting in lines, I can look around and do my writerly observations.
ReplyDeleteAin't that the truth! There are so many stories around us when we waiting with other people.
DeleteLee
So right! While we're wishing away our moments, life passes us by. Glad you re-posted this one. I can never get enough reminders.
ReplyDeleteI need to remind myself frequently. I forget easily.
DeleteLee
For the past year or so, I have been working a Monday through Friday, day job. This is actually my first real experience with such a thing. Having worked retail or restaurant work for the first 30 years of my working life, it is strange to get up and go to work at 8 every weekday. Strange indeed. Now this job is utterly boring, and I have no vested interest in it whatsoever, other than that bi-weekly payckeck of course. This is just a way station until my book is finished and (hopefully) published sometime next year. But even so, I am never hoping the weekend gets here that quickly. Personally I wish it were all weekend. Perhaps someday it will be. Who knows. But stil, I'm not going to wish away any day. That just puts us closer to that supposed death day. Though I do have a theory that I am immortal. So far, this cannot be disproved. Fun post. TGIT (Thank God It's Today)
ReplyDeleteKeep on keepin' on. See ya 'round the web. All Things Kevyn
TGIT! I love it!
DeleteLee
As I age, it feels like I'm marching at lightning speed in my senior years. Too fast. And yet I struggle with the need to exercise more patience. The desire to accomplish a lot is overwhelming. Thankfully, my sheltie has the secret power that makes my feet touch the ground and slow down. Thank you for posting. Blessings to you and your family.
ReplyDeleteYeah, me too. Weird how age can speed time.
DeleteLee
I am impatiently filling out job applications and wanting to hurry up and get back to a normal life. Is that too much to ask?!
ReplyDeleteIn all other ways however, the world is sure moving too fast.
I gave up my job search to do other things after I became old enough to collect social security. Now it often seems like I have less of my own time than when I was working for someone else.
DeleteLee
I used to hate going grocery shopping - waiting in line drove me nuts. So I decided to do all shopping before 11 a.m. No traffic to deal with. No long line at the register and I came home in a calm mood, ready to bake or make what I'd purchased.
ReplyDeleteNice post!!
I must be going grocery shopping at the right time these days. I rarely waiting in any line other than maybe 1 or 2 people.
DeleteLee
Savoring the moment - I love that. And if you're "waiting" for something, and it's important to you, then it's important to do all you can to make it happen. I get annoyed by people who say things like "I can't wait until I find a better job", but yet, they aren't even looking.
ReplyDeleteIt's like the saying "You can't win the lottery if you don't buy a ticket." Living requires action even if you're standing still.
DeleteLee
excellent post. I have a lot of friends who do the "I can't wait for my kids to be such and such an age.." and it's crazy to me. Yes, you probably can wait. I find myself doing it on my writing journey. I always said "I can't wait till I have an agent" well, I have one, but now it's "I can't wait till I have a book deal." I'm trying so hard not to do it!
ReplyDeleteThere's always something new to look forward to--better than continually looking behind us. The future will come eventually at its own pace and in its own terms.
DeleteLee
"Everything can change in a blink of an eye" and it's true. My son as born with special needs and we were told he wouldn't live to see three, he lived to see just over ten years! Savor every moment because they are gone way too fast. Great post!
ReplyDeleteYes--the care we give to our lives and the lives of those we love is an investment that can payoff in a big way when we've done it right.
DeleteLee
This is a wonderful post. Unfortunately, many people don't learn to be present in the moment until something like a car accident or serious illness reminds them that life is short. Every day has its gifts. Enjoy it.
ReplyDeleteThough often an accident or illness or some catastrophic event can seem like an eternity packed in a relatively short period of time.
DeleteLee
Age does bring a certain change of perspective on the "can't wait" and "hurry up and get here" front. I'm certainly in less of a hurry for birthdays now than when they were in the single digits! Most of the time, though I do love my weekends (sleep! what a concept!) I'm more wishing time would just slow down a little.
ReplyDeleteRebecca at The Ninja Librarian
Ah, sleep--sweet blessing while at the same time a curse on getting things done. Sometimes I wish I didn't have to sleep, but oh how I love that time of dreams and nothingness.
DeleteLee
Thanks Arlee for this great post. Some things are worth waiting for but other things - like spare parts for the car - waiting for that is a bit tough. especially when it takes longer than was said. I suppose we learn patience ...
ReplyDeleteBooks and imagination were invented to fill the times of waiting and idleness.
DeleteLee
Patience is something we appreciate as we grow in wisdom. It has been a learning experience for me as I've dealt with care personnel and had to wait for hubs recovery. I don't like waiting in lines either, but in a big city it's a fact of life. . .Have a Merry Christmas, Lee! Best wishes for 2015!
ReplyDeleteI've been fairly patient most of my life. Then again, I'm a passionate daydreamer and waiting affords me time for that passion.
DeleteLee
I decided to focus on each day as it comes along. Since becoming a writer I've become used to waiting. Have a Merry Christmas!
ReplyDeleteThe difference between writing and waiting is only one letter.
DeleteLee
During payweek (which is payday Thursday thru next Wednesday), I intensely dislike having to wait for a timesheet that I had sent multiple e-mails to supervisors over multiple days. I had two consecutive pay periods in which supervisors basically passed the buck around and ultimately I had to do two paychecks the extremely hard way (aka doing all the calculations by hand).
ReplyDeleteFather Nature's Corner
Old school can be tedious and slow.
DeleteLee
That's the problem. We're all hurrying up and waiting for something. We should enjoy the moment right where we are, instead of always looking forward.
ReplyDeleteTomorrow will be here soon enough. Here and now is the last time we'll be in this moment so we should savor it.
DeleteLee
I hate waiting in doctors office, in line at the grocery store or at the post office, in line in general, and waiting in a way that wastes my time, as in I don't have the physical ability to do something else while I wait. This is why I hate doctors who make you wait hours for a fifteen minute evaluation. What jerks! (I wonder if this is a type of OCD?)
ReplyDeleteBut I'm with you on not understanding the "I can't wait until ..." mentality. I never want time to rush. I don't have enough hours in a day as it is to do all the things I want to do.
This is the same as the make-more-money mentality, where people work more to make more to get more indebted to have to work more and so on... it's a tiring cycle.
Live in the moment, there are only a few left. I have years worth, but it seems so little given the time of the universe. And now that I have a 13-year-old going on 25, time seems to have sped up overnight.
Happy Deja Vu Weekend!
My doctors always want patients to check in 15 minutes before the appointment and then will typically make then wait 20 to 30 minutes past the scheduled appointment time. That kind of irks me.
DeleteLee
The doctor's office. I'm always wondering what I'm going to catch while I wait for my healthy check up. I've never much looked to Friday either. And during the bulk of my teaching career, I lived for Monday. I loved teaching that much.
ReplyDeleteLiving for Monday--now that's a sign of liking one's job.
DeleteLee
Strange, it seemed my comment got eaten up by your robot checker. Hurray Friday reminds me of a co worker that said Happy Monday. She was almost unnaturally happy. Looking back, I can't complain about someone so positive. But back to your point, I agree that we should savor every moment. Life really is short now... Finally, I came across a podcast where the host checks his mindset when he is waiting in line. Is he in a positive state? If not, he quickly steers himself back so his waiting time is not a negative experience. Easier said than done, but loved his mind over matter approach!
ReplyDeleteMental outlook can make a big difference in every situation no matter how bad it might be.
DeleteLee
Waiting....I can't even say what I'm waiting for. Not out loud. :(
ReplyDeleteDream it and it will come if your dream is strong enough.
DeleteLee