Thursday, January 1, 2009

One Less Neurotic Tendancy


















OK. If you are finished laughing at my attempt to post these pictures, we can get on with this.

You may all find this hard to believe...but I may have a few "issues". OK, I know, I know.....we all have issues. Perhaps even "neurotic issues". But as of today, I have ONE LESS NEUROTIC ISSUE!

Before I go any farther, I wanted to make sure I was using the word NEUROTIC correctly. I went to dictionary.com and this is what I found out:
Neurotic
1. of, related to or affected with a neurosis.
2. a person suffering with neurosis.
3. a neurotic person.

Why do they do that? If I hadn't already known the definition, do they really think that definition would have helped. OK, in all fairness, they did get a little clearer as I read on....
4. obsessive thoughts.
5. compulsive acts.
6. worries alot.
7. Also called Psychoneurosis.

AND, I suppose it is also a "politically incorrect" term now as it is no longer in scientific or technical use. SO, I went to Psychoneurosis and THAT word is also no longer in scientific or technical use. HHHmmmm.... I think I'll go check out another word....

PSYCHOTIC

Nothing about that one no longer being used. I suppose it is still ok to be:
1. Affected by psychosis
2. suffer from psychosis
3. have hallucinations and or delusions
4. unable to think rationally
5. at a loss of contact with reality.

wow....where was all this going....

OH YEAH.......As of today I have ONE LESS NEUROTIC TENDENCY!

Every year it takes hours and hours to take down my Christmas tree. It also takes way too long to put it up, but no where near as long as the taking down. You see, I have an individual box for every single ornament. No, not just the Hallmark or special edition whatever ornaments but EVERY SINGLE ONE. I did a quick count and there are 197 ornaments! If it didn't come in a box, I found one. Then I would write the date, where or who it came from, and a description of the ornament (so I would know which box held which ornament) on each box. (I also date the ornament itself). Can you imagine how long it took to match up the ornament with the correct box at the end of every Christmas season!

Why did I do that?.......How many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie Roll Tootsie pop? The world may never know.

I was talking to Chatty kelly a few weeks ago and she asked me why I put myself through that. I DON'T KNOW!! Very few of the ornaments are worth any thing more than sentimental value and even if they were, I don't plan on selling them. The cotton and tissue paper keeps them from breaking.

So....This year I DID IT! I broke free from one more neurotic issue!! I threw away the boxes (except for the few that had styrofoam to protect the most delicate.

I took all the ornaments off of the tree today, boxed them up for the attic, and the whole process took less than 1 hour!! I used to spend an hour or more a night for about 3 nights!! FREE!!!! YEA!!!

(I told my other sister, ET what I did and she couldn't believe it. WHY WOULD YOU THROW AWAY YOUR BOXES!!!!......I only had a moment of panic....)

P.S. The writer of the above post takes no responsibility for those of you who throw away your boxes and then regrets it. Also, the writer is not saying you are neurotic if you keep your ornaments in boxes.......after all, you may be neurotic whether you throw them away OR keep them.......that's off the record though....After all, I would hate to be politically incorrect!

Happy New Year!!!

21 comments:

Edie said...

WAHAHAHA! I wasn't laughing til you started typing. LOL!

I hate those definitions that include the word you're looking up too. Who wrote those!? Geeez.

I'm so glad you saved yourself 3 days worth of work! What a great way to begin the New Year!

And it takes 3 licks (and a bite) to get to that tootsie roll. I like the raspberry ones the best. :)

Happy New Year!

Greg C said...

Ok my wife takes the tree apart because she is the only one that boxes the ornaments correctly. So you are not along. Now get out there and retrieve those boxes before the trash man takes them away. I know you want to do it.

Jeff and Valerie Carr said...

I always throw our ornaments into one big box/basket. Which I regretted this year because the hanger things got all tangled and they were useless....grrr...

Kelly said...

Hooray! Freedom indeed. So proud of you. It's only worth boxing them if they are "priceless" either in sentimental or financial value, or if you are planning on reselling them.

Good for you!!!

Leaon Mary said...

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!
I say burn those boxes baby!
Let em GOOOO! Just call me, I'll come over and throw some bubble wrap down in a big plastic tote and quickly wrap each ornie in tissue paper, and gently set them all in there, cover them with another layer of bubble wrap and toss it in your closet til next year. (maybe not toss) THEY'll BE FINE!!!!!!! HEEHEE. Done in no time.
You aren't alone, everyone has issues! I hate phsycobabble definitions too. God created you WONDERFULLY! YOU ARE UNIQUE AND WONDERFUL AND EVERYONE LOVES YA!
I look forward to gettin to know you better this year, and love reading you. You bless me!
Monkeys are funny!
Lea

Anonymous said...

I will have to time myself to see how long it takes to wrap mine. As I keep all the original boxes. My thoughts are, one day I will want to give them to my kids and their family. Each year on Christmas Eve they get 1 new ornament dealing with something that is going on in their life--this year they got soccer ornaments. If I kept them in the original box it will preserve them.
Hopefully, it will be special to them on day.

ET

My ADHD Me said...

I actually went back and forth on saving the "special" ornament boxes. I definitely had to get rid of the ones I made myself. Finally, in the long run I decided to get rid of them all. Also, most of the special ornaments that I have purchased, like the ones for the kids to take, didn't come with boxes anyway.

PLUS.....I have 2 boys. I can see it now. I carefully protect and preserve their ornaments, they grow up, get married, I proudly hand them over to each son and his wife, she oohs and aahs all over them and then I find them at her annual yardsale 2 years later---25 cents each! (lol...she better not!)

Marla said...

I used to save boxes to and it took forever. I gave up on that! No I just throw them in a big box. With some tissue paper strewn around them. So what if a few break, I have more than I need anyway! Happy New Year!!

Mocha with Linda said...

Oh wow, that is hilarious. I am so glad we met through ISWYS. I came over to tell you how your comment made me laugh on MY post, and this post absolutely cracked me up.

I guess you aren't the lady I heard about on the news that puts up 61 Christmas trees in her house, hmm?

My big milestone is that I have quit wrapping the lights around the cardboard. Just rolling them up like a jump rope and setting them in the box, and they stay that way until I pull them out. I can fit lots more in the box that way.

And BTW, I had to do the "how many days" in memory of my dad. He used to come to the breakfast table the day after Christmas and say "Only 365 days until Christmas."

Leaon Mary said...

I JUST LOVE THE PICTURE OF THAT CANE WITH THE BIG RED BOW. YOU AREN'T PUTTIN THAT THING AWAY ARE YA? IT'S NOW A WORLD FAMOUS MOVIE PROP!- AND THE RED BOW WILL STILL GO FOR VALENTINEYS DAY :0

Pam from alertandorientedx4 said...

I LOVE it! I did the same thing this year...actually because the hubs forced the issue and started taking it down. I lept in front of my tree trying to do it 'my way,' but with a newly herniated disc and no time, I had to cave in. But I still have a few boxes in boxes...I use a few old canning jar boxes that have the dividers in them and then put several in each little slot. With tissue where necessary. And the really fragile ones have their own little nests. And I do the same thing for the kiddos too. (dates and all). If any of my kids ever do a matchy-matchy tree, I'll be so sad...
WHERE did you get the violin? I have 3 guitars, a piano, and even a set of hi-hat cymbals that really have a little kick that works, but I play the violin and would love one just like it. You've probably had it for years and have no idea, right? Because I can't remember where I got my musical ones. But they are dated 2004...sigh...

Greg C said...

I had to come back and tell you this. Yesterday DW was taking the tree apart and she started freaking out because one of "the boxes" was missing. LOL

Anonymous said...

You go, girl! I started something years ago which helped alot. I use one large box and line it with that "popcorn" that comes in packages. One layer of ornaments, a layer of popcorn until it's full. Very fast and nothing has gotten broken! I do put a few of my antique ones in a special box to be handled with extra care. Happy New Year!

My ADHD Me said...

Greg- haha Been there. Done that!

Karen Hossink said...

Let's hear it for FREEDOM!!! *grin*
I have one or two ornaments that receive special attention, but everything else just goes in the box!
Your comment about issues remended me of what my brother said the other day (in playful jest) about his wife. He started to say,
"She's got issues." But then quickly added, "No! She's got the whole subscription!" LOL

Edie said...

I like your snowflakes and the violin. I love violins, I would love to learn how to play. I love your Christmas tree too. It really looks pretty.

Most of your ornaments look like they would be just fine without it's own box. I wrap a lot of my ornaments in tissue paper and put my most fragile ornaments together in a box. The non breakables will either get wrapped in tissue paper or I'll place several together in ziplock bags.

Edie said...

Oh, and I wasn't laughing at you, just at the comical way you write. (just in case there was any doubt)

I love that I can always come over here and find something to laugh about no matter how I might be feeling.

Have a great day!

Kelly said...

Okay, I don't get your comment on my blog tonight...Explain.

Kelly said...

So you can move over the Rainbow with me, right?

Heaven said...

Wow! I cannot imagine the years of torture you must have put yourself through!!! Very proud of your new-found freedom:) Looks like your New Year's is starting off incredible with remarkable results:)

Maybe it's a spiritual connotation that you are letting God out of the box this year to fit and mesh and mold your life however He pleases. Yeah for freedom!!!!

Heaven

The Equipped Life said...

YAY for you... You're carrying less baggage into the new year!

I'm something of a Christmas junkie: I LOVE Christmas, I LOVE decorations.

I generally have a traditional tree for my kids and another tree for me: one year - music, one year - balsam bears and bows, one year - blue, silver and white (evolving into a snowman tree), currently rich tones of russets, greens, golds and deep burgandy-reds. I have ALL of the ornaments from EVERY phase I went through.

This year, my husband pulled down 19 large plastic tubs along with 9 separate boxes that have only one item in them. My recently married daughter came and took the balsam bears and a few of the traditional ornaments that she had laid claim to, for their tree.

Although I did not use everything (ie some of the blue and silver, it still took me 7 1/2 hours to take down Christmas this year. While I do not individually BOX every ornament, I do wrap almost all of them individually in paper... and in addition to two trees, I had 12 good sized nativities out and about and a LOT of little ones.

LOL! I just don't think I'm ready to let go of my Christmas neuroses ('e' instead of 'i' indicating plural) yet.