I am not a neat person by nature. It's true. Some people I know find this surprising - I suppose, I may give the "air" of someone who is neat and tidy. That air is incorrect. (Note: by neat, I do not mean clean...I figured that this was an important clarification to make!) I remember in Grade 11, my chemistry teacher was teaching us about the Laws of Thermodynamics. I don't remember the 1st or 3rd law, but the second went something like this (to any chemists or physicists out there, forgive me for butchering the exact laws of thermodynamics) - Entropy, or the level of disorder, always increases. To explain this, he offered that we could use it as an excuse for our parents who would nag us to clean our messy rooms by simply saying "I'm just following the second law of thermodynamics". I realize this story proves my, how do you say, nerdiness - but it's one of the few things from that high school chemistry lab room that has stuck with me all these years.
I am constantly at war with my "increasing entropy" tendencies. And I will confess, that it hasn't been until this year that I have actually made conscious effort to make my bed...everyday. I started doing it because I figured if I can make the beds of my patients' at work everyday, I can certainly make my own. And as I departed on this journey towards tidiness I began to realize a few things - Elise's Laws of Tidiness, if you will.
Law One was that with the tidy bed (occupying a good 30% of my room) suddenly the rest of my room stayed moderately tidy. Which, goes completely against our second law of thermodynamics! Tidiness (or order), in fact, was actually increasing!! Take that, Physics!
The Second Law, was that the amount of tidiness was directly proportionate to the chaos of my life. For example, once I started taking a few moments to remain tidy/organized in my room, it would somehow lend towards being more organized in other parts of my life - including homework, errand running, managing of my social calendar and personal appointments, and even finances. On the flip side, if my room became messy, you could pretty much bet somewhere else my life was messy. Interesting, though, how this little effort of being tidy prompted me towards better living, one could even say more godly living.
I just finished spending a good part of my day thoroughly cleaning my room, going through my closets and dresser to get rid of old clothes...a sort of delayed spring cleaning. Admittedly, it had been messy for a while (apart from the made bed) - there had been a lot of chaos as of late (mostly good chaos - family vacation, friends visiting, day trips, and in between all the fun, 12 hour shifts at work). But I'm ready for the tidiness to take over.
Thermodynamics, shermodynamics.
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5 comments:
You're funny! I must remember that entropy argument, if ever I have to use it in my defense around here........ the laundry is all clean, honest! It is just in baskets in every room in the house... and mostly folded, might I add? But not put away - sigh - it would help if I weeded out clothes. I can't get rid of stuff (admission is the first step to recovery, right?) At any rate, I feel your cluttered pain! We would have made messy roommates!
I love your blog... I can just hear your voice in my head as I read it. Oh how I long for the GT days - college and careers upstairs where we all sat around and LAUGHED SOOOOO HARD... oh but wait.... i was bitter and single... hmmm well.. i STILL miss it!!!! i hope we get to see you when we are out and you can meet the little man!
I am EXACTLY the same way! And have made the same bed-making effort since we moved to the new house. ha ha.... It's true. If you can start with the bed, the rest of the house somehow comes together, out of a wish for those rooms to keep up with the bedroom.
(I agree btw re the Jeni/Brooklyn photo...my favourite I think)
Ummmm....posting anything anytime soon?
As of Friday this post will be a month old.
Just thought you should know.
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