I am a terrific starter but not a very good finisher in art, in home improvement, in writing, in books read, in life in general. (And all the people who really know me are lovingly nodding their collective heads in agreement right now.)
Do you know that point in a job interview where they ask you to tell them your weakest quality and you fidget and say something lame like, "I tend to be a perfectionist and so sometimes this makes me take my work home with me". When what you really mean is "I don't manage my time very well so I have to haul my work home at night which I resent, just to stay current".
My answer would be something like this, "I have a lot of great ideas and wish there were more hours in the day to implement them." When what I really mean is, "I am good at starting projects but lose interest or move on to something else before I finish the first one so I really don't get much done in a day."
One of things I want to do this year is finish a project or two that I've already started. As I type this I am staring at our staircase that we removed the carpet from and discovered beautiful oak flooring that was in need of sanding and a little TLC...in 2011.
It looks
exactly.
the.
same.
Definitely on my list of things to finish. That is just the tip of the iceberg. I have five gorgeous quilt tops that need to be quilted, a bathroom with the wallpaper partial torn down, a vegetable plot with raised bed planters that I begged my husband to build that have been sorely neglected, a guest room/dressing room that has slowly become a storage unit and so much more.
2014 will be the year of finishing things well. I am giving you all permission to question, remind and nag me about my progress. I am going to do my best not to start anything new unless I have finished something old.
This should be
xo, Patty
Sounds pretty normal to me. : )
ReplyDeleteI have the same raised planters, quilts and guest room as you lol................this is my year too!
ReplyDeleteI have the SAME problem! I'm starting to think you may be the more mature version of me... ;) I am a quitter and have loads of good ideas and projects, many that I start and quit partially done, some that never make it out of my thoughts. Let me know if you can solve this riddle ;)
ReplyDeletePatty you are too hard on yourself. We are all like this. Your home is lovely and cozy and warm and welcoming. Unless the walls aren't falling down we are all good. But you are wonderful, kind, warm, generous of your time and a good friend and that is what is most important about you. Never forget that. The sooner we get over the perfectionist thing the better. I gave it up when I was two LOL!!!
ReplyDeleteYeah, I'm there with you. On another blog she said her word of the year is Completion because she never finishes anything. I keep telling myself completion..completion.
ReplyDeleteOh Patty - I so relate! I have kitchen wallpaper torn off of one wall. Maybe we should start a club and/or organization.
ReplyDeleteJudy
Join the club, most of us just don't admit it publicly (if you're quick about it you can delete this post before anyone else sees it! Lol ) but I have plenty of half finished projects, ideas, even dreams that are easier to dream than to begin! We all love you anyway ;>) Now, have you got those stairs done yet?
ReplyDeleteLove this post Patty! I wonder if there is a local "Dropping the Ball Anonymous" in my area?
ReplyDeleteLet me just say "Misery loves company"! xo
I just wrote about that on my Instagram...Skill and completion are the twin daughters of Discipline! One of the two words that He has written across my brain this year! And never, never starting a project, plan, get-together, work of art, line of writing, without first and foremost, acknowledging Him...Oh the time that wouldn't be wasted, and the purposes that would appear with clarity, and the gifting that would be honed into sweet beauty! In ALL my ways acknowledge Him!
ReplyDeletePatty do you hand or machine quilt ? If you hand quilt, I have been joining up with a party called Slow Stitch Sunday over at Kathy's Quilts. Doesn't mean people can sew all day Sunday but each week they link up to show quilting, embroidery, etc and even if I can only do an hour's worth that day it's been helpful to me. It's also been helpful to see that many people have a lot of unfinished sewing projects lol :) You are quite normal :)
ReplyDeleteI am the same way and I decided this was the year to finish all those half done projects.
ReplyDeleteI am guilty too. I have several projects on my studio table all crying out to be finished. I'm sitting here shaking my head thinking of the things I need to finish and wondering why I haven't done it. Thanks for the encouragement to get started.
ReplyDelete~willa~
I know. I am working on a baby blanket, and refuse to start (or finish) anything until it's finally done.
ReplyDeleteI've been guilty of starting and not finishing things. I could show you a basket with an incomplete baby sweater in it, for example.
ReplyDeleteWell they say the first step to recovery is admitting you have a problem. Welcome to the ball dropping club! I just think we make ourselves too busy. I catch myself restating that to people all the time; we do not have busy lives, but rather we choose through the decisions we make to become too busy. We had more time to post on our blog until we decided to have a baby. Now its been months since our last post! Anyone who can solve this problem should bottle and sell it to the rest of us! Here's to hoping everything gets done in 2014! -Tonya
ReplyDeleteIs that all? You're in good company!
ReplyDeleteOh- yeah! I hear you, Patty. That is what I am working on this year, too- Finishing projects- xo Diana
ReplyDeleteOh Patty, I think this could be a blog post for many of us. I have some of the same issues. You do accomplish a lot with your time, I have seen your finished projects both creative and home related. You have inspired me many times with your projects, so we just need to keep on trying to get more done.
ReplyDeletelol. Patty....but, bless your heart...your intentions are good.......hee hee ;)
ReplyDeleteDon't be so hard on yourself . . .we are all in the same boat :)
ReplyDeleteOh Patty, welcome to my world ;-)
ReplyDeletehello! My sister has read your blog for quite a while now though she never comments...but she got such a good laugh out of yours this morning that she read it to me and I just knew this would be a spot I LOVED so I popped over. So glad I did. I read several of your posts and I can soo relate. I will be back for sure! Blessings! Debbie
ReplyDeleteOh Patty, I'm laughing at myself. You have unfinished project like so many of us. My problem is I have to dig out my sewing/craft room to even remember and find my unfinished projects. I just don't know how this happens! It is a year to get organized, ha-ha, blah, blah, hee-hee! You get it, I'm the hopeless ball dropper!!
ReplyDeleteSounds all too familiar, Patty - you're not the only one!
ReplyDeleteone look in my craft room (I keep the door closed) would be shining proof that we are soul-sisters at heart! ;j
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness, this is so me! I get frustrated with myself because I have so many unfinished projects, from sewing to books unread. I hope you accomplish your goals this year and get some projects finished! I think I'll just sit here and rock and keep saying, "I gotta get up and get that done!"
ReplyDeleteOh yes that sounds familiar here too Patty!! I still have some holiday decorations out but have been shuffling about six other projects around :) We should start a support group! xoxo Andrea
ReplyDeleteOne at a time and then do it! I worked with someone who kept a list of unfinished projects. She said crossing one off the list gave her the boost to move on to another one.
ReplyDelete