Learning so much about you today! Very relieved you sought the help you needed back in 2007, and that you have useful tools to aid you, as needed.
I’ve referred to myself as a “recovering perfectionist” for decades, having also been raised by perfectionist parents. They didn’t know any different, having sprouted from those roots themselves!My mom, striving to keep order in a home with 5 kids and a collie, and my dad, a German civil engineer whose work ethic oozes from the pores of each of his children. Never took one family vacation, as my dad’s busiest time was in the summer. We are not known for vacationing in my family. It’s a luxury - isn’t there always work to do?!?! 🤦🏻♀️
Anyone who knows me well will attest to the orderliness of my closets and kitchen cabinets. One of my favorite ways to help my mom as a child, was to alphabetize and organize her canned goods and spices. My canned goods are rather willy-nilly, as she fed a family of 7, and it’s just me here. But my spices are fully alphabetical, as orderly as my pharmacy shelves always were when I was the owner. It’s just efficient! 😉
Glad you enjoyed it. This one was both fun to write and a bit therapeutic as well. I wrote it shortly after I got home from the drive where the real event actually happened. I do not have a clearly defined writing voice yet but I seem to be trending toward somewhere between Lewis Grizzard, Jr. and Bill Bryson. I have been amazed that now that I am beginning to (hesitantly) consider myself to be a writer, I am also beginning to see potential writing ideas all around me. I capture these ideas in a little notebook I carry or on my cell phone's note app. My writing tends to include actual real events mixed with fictional touches. The tea shop I mention, for example, is run by a redhead but she is neither gorgeous nor big-breasted. I have given myself permission to mix fiction and non-fiction. I am not writing history after all. My writing sense of humor is evolving.
Indeed! Writing truly is fun. Unlike any other activity or job or profession I have pursued, writing lets me be me and at the same time experiment with different versions of me. Besides, who says there only has to be one me? I am enjoying my Elderhood (something else I plan on writing about) and my Elderhood mission is to share my hard-earned wisdom and spread a little joy and kindness in the process. If I can throw in a little history or gentle social commentary that is just icing on the cake. The one place I will not go is politics—there are too many folks dabbling in that already.
In my opinion, you are already succeeding in your mission. Keep it up! Yes, politics is tough. I do read some political substacks but have not written anything political. I'm too afraid of being attacked and losing my joy of writing!
Thank you. I have the same fear, and I have not yet developed the thick skin needed to accept that not everybody will like my writing and some will misunderstand me.
Old Goat, except for the fact that I am in Arizona rather than Alabama, I may have been that damned old lady with the hesitant ass. You've given me the other side of the story to contemplate when I am fuming about the damned impatient drivers who nearly cause a collision trying to get around cautious old me. 😂😂
Wow! We are living parallel lives in many ways. I’m a recovering perfectionist. Raised by 2 alcoholics, I quickly learned that if I made no mistakes, if I caused no ripples in the family’s emotional pool, then I was a “good girl” who avoided punishment. My job was to be as perfect and invisible as possible, which resulted in little praise for my straight A’s. I did everything “right” for 30 years including earning a PhD in English (so I’m kind of a “doctor” too—you should see me wield a scalpel when grading students’ writing).
My path has also led me to Buddhist meditation —I call myself a Presby-Buddha-terian.” And I, too, have walked the dark path of suicide. While I never attempted it, suicidal ideation rears its ugly head every now and then. I’m writing all this just to say you have a fellow traveler by your side. One thing that freed me from much of my perfectionism was when my T’ai Chi instructor said. “Practice doesn’t make perfect. Practice IS perfect.” 🤯. Keep on writing! You have a captive audience.
Took down my first response to your comment. I chronically struggle with over sharing and was a bit embarrassed by it. Don't know if you saw it or not. I truly appreciate your comment and encouragement. Agree with your "Practice is perfect" comment; my meditation teacher says the same thing. Question: What do you mean by "captive audience?"
Learning so much about you today! Very relieved you sought the help you needed back in 2007, and that you have useful tools to aid you, as needed.
I’ve referred to myself as a “recovering perfectionist” for decades, having also been raised by perfectionist parents. They didn’t know any different, having sprouted from those roots themselves!My mom, striving to keep order in a home with 5 kids and a collie, and my dad, a German civil engineer whose work ethic oozes from the pores of each of his children. Never took one family vacation, as my dad’s busiest time was in the summer. We are not known for vacationing in my family. It’s a luxury - isn’t there always work to do?!?! 🤦🏻♀️
Anyone who knows me well will attest to the orderliness of my closets and kitchen cabinets. One of my favorite ways to help my mom as a child, was to alphabetize and organize her canned goods and spices. My canned goods are rather willy-nilly, as she fed a family of 7, and it’s just me here. But my spices are fully alphabetical, as orderly as my pharmacy shelves always were when I was the owner. It’s just efficient! 😉
I am laughing because my spice drawer is alphabetized too!
Lol!! Glad I’m not the only one!!
Glad you enjoyed it. This one was both fun to write and a bit therapeutic as well. I wrote it shortly after I got home from the drive where the real event actually happened. I do not have a clearly defined writing voice yet but I seem to be trending toward somewhere between Lewis Grizzard, Jr. and Bill Bryson. I have been amazed that now that I am beginning to (hesitantly) consider myself to be a writer, I am also beginning to see potential writing ideas all around me. I capture these ideas in a little notebook I carry or on my cell phone's note app. My writing tends to include actual real events mixed with fictional touches. The tea shop I mention, for example, is run by a redhead but she is neither gorgeous nor big-breasted. I have given myself permission to mix fiction and non-fiction. I am not writing history after all. My writing sense of humor is evolving.
I love where your writing voice is headed! It is so fun to experiment. What have you got to lose?
Indeed! Writing truly is fun. Unlike any other activity or job or profession I have pursued, writing lets me be me and at the same time experiment with different versions of me. Besides, who says there only has to be one me? I am enjoying my Elderhood (something else I plan on writing about) and my Elderhood mission is to share my hard-earned wisdom and spread a little joy and kindness in the process. If I can throw in a little history or gentle social commentary that is just icing on the cake. The one place I will not go is politics—there are too many folks dabbling in that already.
In my opinion, you are already succeeding in your mission. Keep it up! Yes, politics is tough. I do read some political substacks but have not written anything political. I'm too afraid of being attacked and losing my joy of writing!
Thank you. I have the same fear, and I have not yet developed the thick skin needed to accept that not everybody will like my writing and some will misunderstand me.
Old Goat, except for the fact that I am in Arizona rather than Alabama, I may have been that damned old lady with the hesitant ass. You've given me the other side of the story to contemplate when I am fuming about the damned impatient drivers who nearly cause a collision trying to get around cautious old me. 😂😂
Wow! We are living parallel lives in many ways. I’m a recovering perfectionist. Raised by 2 alcoholics, I quickly learned that if I made no mistakes, if I caused no ripples in the family’s emotional pool, then I was a “good girl” who avoided punishment. My job was to be as perfect and invisible as possible, which resulted in little praise for my straight A’s. I did everything “right” for 30 years including earning a PhD in English (so I’m kind of a “doctor” too—you should see me wield a scalpel when grading students’ writing).
My path has also led me to Buddhist meditation —I call myself a Presby-Buddha-terian.” And I, too, have walked the dark path of suicide. While I never attempted it, suicidal ideation rears its ugly head every now and then. I’m writing all this just to say you have a fellow traveler by your side. One thing that freed me from much of my perfectionism was when my T’ai Chi instructor said. “Practice doesn’t make perfect. Practice IS perfect.” 🤯. Keep on writing! You have a captive audience.
Took down my first response to your comment. I chronically struggle with over sharing and was a bit embarrassed by it. Don't know if you saw it or not. I truly appreciate your comment and encouragement. Agree with your "Practice is perfect" comment; my meditation teacher says the same thing. Question: What do you mean by "captive audience?"
Captive, as in captivated. Not as in trapped 😉
I just meant that your writing is very interesting and as a reader I can’t wait to read more. It’s just an old expression.