Maybe you don't consider taking the time to match your socks when they come out of the laundry as a feat of self improvement, but I do. I didn't match my socks for years and years. 98% of my socks are white, and they are all exactly the same, so it was easy just to grab two out of the drawer. But then a few years ago I actually started going to the gym, and I bought gym socks (which are shorter so I don't look like a moron). I have a lot of different types of gym socks. Plus, I replaced some of my old white socks with new white socks, and these socks have a different degree of elasticity at the top. It would bug me when I was wearing one oldish sock and one newish sock. So then I would have to hunt around the drawer for a while for socks that matched in their degrees of elasticity.
When I moved out of my college townhouse and into my current house, I made two steps in personal improvement. The first step was that I actually started making my bed, like 3-4 days a week. And by making the bed I mostly mean just pulling the covers up and putting the pillow on the top, but it was a large improvement over my past lifestyle.
The other thing that I started to do was match up my socks after they came out of the dryer. At first I got mad because there were some loner socks, but I just put them in a separate drawer for if I ever get any other loner socks. Matching socks takes a bit of time. But I'm pretty fast at it now. It's sort of like a game. How fast can I do it? Can I match them all up with its partner, or is there going to be an extra?
I feel like a person who matches their socks and makes their bed is a lot different from a person who doesn't match their socks or make their bed. Maybe they are a bit more neurotic, but whatever.
My next goal is to actually start getting out of bed within ten minutes of my alarm going off. I find that listening to an annoying buzzer going off is a really bad way to start your day, so I have the radio go off in the morning. It is also on gentle wake, which means it starts out super quiet and gradually increases to regular volume over the course of a minute. My problem is that I'll listen to two songs, and then think I should get out of bed, but then I'm like "Okay, just one more song." And one more song turns into six. Pretty soon I've got 17 minutes to get ready. I really need at least 30 minutes to look cute, 35 for an excellent hair day. You can understand now why one of my new year's resolutions is to brush my hair everyday. When you've only got 17 minutes in the morning, it's easy to look at your wavy (semi-tangled) hair and say "Okay, I'll just add a few more curls and be good to go." But then you forget to brush your hair for three days, because you keep sleeping in.
Anyway, so I've decided that in effort to get my hiney out of bed, I am going to set the alarm on my cell phone on the most annoying tone, and I will put it in my bathroom. I will set it to go off ten minutes after my happy music alarm goes off, and then I will know that I really need to get out of bed NOW. Hopefully the staggered alarm system will work. I'll let you know how it goes.
But wouldn't you say that a person who matches their socks, makes their bed, and gets out of bed on time is a better person? One who brushes their hair would be even better.
Friday, February 11, 2011
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I feel you are a MUCH better person for matching your socks. I can't stand when people dont. I mean, who wants a drawer full of random socks??? Ridiculous. It makes me sick. Jason does it, and it drives me crazy. But I also fold underwear. I HATE unfolded underwear. I feel like it's dirty. On account of, growing up, my mom folded all underwear, folded all socks, and ironed all skirts and dress shirts (slightly overachiever mother, perhaps, but it was great). However, that habit has carried on to me, which is kind of a curse, because now I am anal about things that maybe don't really matter.
ReplyDeleteAll I know, is I will ALWAYSSSSSSSSS fold my socks AND underwear. I can't stand slobs. So I do think you are a much better person.
But, i'll confess: I don't make my bed very much. That's one thing my mother didn't force me to do. So in light of your realization that folding socks and making beds makes you a better person, I will start making my bed.
ahhh, what an inspirational post.
Wow, I admire your dedication to orderly underwear. Don't sweat the bed thing. I think that if you are in college, you are allowed to not make your bed.
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