Tuesday, January 10, 2006

Biting Off MoreThan I Can Chew



Blogroll Me!



As little Ms. Britney Spears would sing, "Oops I did it again..." I bit off perhaps more than I can chew.

How many times have you done that -- offered your services or your home or a kind shoulder for someone to cry on and then realized "Akkk, what have I gotten myself into! I thought this was going to be easy, but it ain't. Why did I go and have to open my big mouth?

I'm pretty guilty of often biting off more than I can chew. I'm a rather generous person, which isn't a bad thing necessarily, but once I open my mouth and make an offer or a suggestion, I can't really take it back. I'm locked into servitude. As one of The Three Stooges always said to another (after maybe also slapping him on the back of the head) "Aw... Now what did you have to go and do something like that for...?"

When I realize that I've taken on more than I can handle, I move from generous mode to high-alert, panicky mode. That might happen with freelance manuscripts I take on, with articles I choose to write, with offers to host parties -- you name it, I've panicked over it!

But surprisingly enough, I manage to overcome. I do not want to appear to have failed in my mission, so I sometimes seem to overcompensate to get through it. Whether that means working extra hours and not charging a client for them, whether that means gritting my teeth and pushing myself the extra mile, or whether that means realizing that I will do my best, but that doesn't necessarily mean it's the best.

I often have brilliant but quirky ideas that I'd like to see put into action. Once I verbalize them, they can get thrown back into my face and I'm told to take the first step. That being the case, I now have to get to my parents' house, peruse the photo albums, find a photo of me circa age 10, track down a scanner...and post that pic on my blog or send it elsewhere.


You know, it would be kinda neat to have your readers post their photos from circa age 10 on their blogs, as well. Something different, but eye opening.
Or you have readers submit their photos, you mix them up, supply names and have readers guess "who's who"...but then again, there goes our anonymity out the window.
Posted by:
Pearl at January 10, 2006 06:11 PM

Pearl:
Okay. Great idea.
You first.
Who's next? Cruisin Mom? Lance? Jake? Oh Jake, Your pic with Ten Reasons Why You Should Not Have Posted the Picture.
Posted by:
Robert J. Avrech at January 10, 2006 07:02 PM

And when I've accomplished my "mission," here's hoping you'll be smiling and saying, "Here's looking at you, kid..."

9 comments:

Genendy said...

Why don't you try my approach - I never promise, or commit to anything (and I keep my smart ideas to myself - not that there are many of those) this way, whatever extra things I end up doing are just a bonus.

Anonymous said...

Impressive. Now there's no going back. Seraphic Secret anxjously awaits delivery of your 10 year old photos.

cruisin-mom said...

I like the idea of having to guess whose who

Anonymous said...

Great idea! I hope I can find a picture in my mother's house.

Anonymous said...

I can't believe it! It worked! My first comment on your blog. I will have to make up for lost time by commenting often.

PsychoToddler said...

I've got those picture of me and the rest of my family at age four over on my blog. We're all still pretty good looking at 4. 10? Not so sure.

... Is the Window to Our Soul said...

Hey, I must have been clairvoyant - who knew?

PT...try age 7.

... Is the Window to Our Soul said...

And speaking of childhood pictures and biting off more than can be chewed, why don't we give Pearl a break and come together, as team members, to help create a blog dedicated to that wonderful idea of a Memory Scrapbook of our children's sayings.

Any takers interested in participating (or leading it?)

Genendy said...

Pearl, thank you for the link. :)