I had started a load of laundry and was sitting in the bedroom recliner watching the Packers play the Dolphins – and stain treating a few of Chuck’s t-shirts. You see, Chuck is the ultimate jeans and t-shirt guy, even at work. He wears his tees until they fall to pieces or become stained and untreatable. I tear his old ones to strips to use in the garden. But we were discussing multi-tasking.
I had a stack of four or five t-shirts, mainly Chucks, with stains on them. While the jeans tossed and tumbled in the washer, I used my last bottle of Grandma’s Stain Remover to treat a variety of stains. As the Packers marched down the field, I dripped stain remover on Chuck’s wardrobe.
And I thought of an old post, one that explained what a multi-tasking weekend looks like in my household – from the perspective of the Daisy Reality Show.
The Daisy Reality Show Goes Passive Productive
You read that correctly. It’s not passive aggressive, it’s not passive vs. active. It’s the Daisy Reality Show, starting the composter mom herself, recorded live at the O.K. Chorale. The show’s director has replaced her bumbling assistant with a new, highly motivated, almost hyperactive intern.
Scene: Daisy’s bedroom. Daisy sits quietly in the recliner with her laptop computer,uploading pictures and blogging.
Intern: Daisy, you’re not doing anything! This makes for dull television!
Daisy: Not doing anything? I’ll have you know I’m over achieving right now.
Director laughs and leaves the room.
Daisy: I am multi-tasking, dear intern, a concept dear to the hearts of moms and teachers everywhere. See that cord? I’m charging my laptop. I’m downloading pictures for future blog posts. I’m blogging! And at the same time, the laundry is sorted and the third load – third load, mind you – is in the washer. That’s four tasks at once. Good enough for you?
Intern: Um…but it doesn’t look like you’re doing anything! How can I show this visually? It doesn’t work!
Daisy: I admit, it’s a challenge. But it’s your challenge, not mine. All I do is act like myself. And right now, that self is multi-tasking and resting my weary body at the same time. I feel rather proud of my productivity at the moment.
Intern (stammers): Oh-oh- okay for now, Daisy. (turns to camera operator) Let’s illustrate the various tasks she’s doing right now. Laundry. Charging computer. Can you do that?
Folks, it’s the normal life for so many adults. Get the passive chores started, like the laundry and plugging in the laptop, and then while those items are in progress, work on something else. And so it goes, at the O.K. Chorale.
