Lately I’ve been having this strange sensation. After leaving the house and arriving at wherever I’m going, I say to myself, “Did I remember to wear pants?”
Seriously! I actually check myself to see. Although, by the time I arrive at my destination it’s probably a bit too late.
I’m not sure what this is all about, but it’s somewhat alarming. And it seems to be part of a trend, rather than an isolated incident. I think it’s probably due to the fact that my head is so overwhelmed with life I can barely stand. Like all of you, I’m trying to juggle a family, a job and my own personal journey. This is tough to do, very tough. In fact the only way to survive this is to get rid of things.
Picture yourself on a hot air balloon that is descending quickly because of too much weight. What do you do? You start chucking stuff over the side. What goes first? Things that you brought that you really can’t use on a hot air balloon. Maybe a toaster, baseball bat, your knife collection or whatever furniture you thought would make the ride more cozy.
I’m not saying that my pants would be the first thing to go, but maybe it’s because they are something I really do need, that I fear I may have forgotten them. This is similar to dreams where you can’t find your classroom for your final exam, or forgetting to put your newborn IN the car, but instead leaving them on TOP of the car.
So many sweet moments come and go every day and I’m panicked that I’m missing them. Or I fear that they’ll never actually stick in my memory and then be long forgotten in the sea of lost moments. To me, that is TERROR, far scarier than any horror movie. Because memories are what make every wonderful moment last forever.
So maybe it is time to get rid of some things that aren’t important and “unclutter” my brain. That way I’ll be more PRESENT in everything that I do! And maybe I’ll actually start remembering things again.
And if this “uncluttering” process requires some sort of sacrifice, then why not My Pants! It seems like a small price to pay to get my memories back.
What would you be happy to sacrifice so you can remember again?
“ONE of THE GUYS”
Ahhhh yes…to simplify ones life…is so the key to being able to remember ones pants
Seriously…if you have come to that point in your mind…then it is time to get out the human vacuum cleaner and clean up.
Carpe Diem….it is all about…
… seizing the day and/or moment.
… stop and smell the roses…
… instead of running…… stop & stroll!!!
I can give you so many more ways to simplify your thoughts.
As in anything to do with the mind…the bottom line is to take action with your thoughts.
Instead of wasting energy on worrying about missing something…DO something about it.
Use the word ‘balance’…as it is my favorite brake when my mind tends to become 2 steps ahead of me…
Just remember… live in today….. not in tomorrow or in yesterday!
I think going pantsless is a small price to pay. Really, for anything.
I think it is like waiting for a bad show. You know eventually it will happen, so when it happens early on, it is a relief, and you can get on with the business of making music. So maybe just embrace your worry and go out without your pants. Just make sure you are wearing your good underwear.
I think the age of the computer has brought many of us to this point. A little less screen time & a little more real time can do a body good! Stop & see reality for a bit…take a deep breath, and just feel….ahhh!
..,the memory part is a whole other issue!
Yes, it would be great to simplify my life:) We are doing it now, because we
Great post Guys!!! In this time of multi-tasking we all have to remember too much!
We had to go through our stuff and decide what we wanted to keep! If you want a more aggravating job I can’t think of it:) I have carried a lot of useless paper items that had significance for me and other seemingly useless items like a varnished piece of wood with the signatures of my last class of kids in Buffalo!
I had to throw out those things and it tore my heart. The memories are there, but the things help to remind you when you see them. Simplifying my life is not easy and for someone who is a hoarder it is doubly difficult:) I’m going to do it in stages. When we unpack I will try to throw out more:)
I’m having déjà vu while writing this. That’s just weird. Coincidence?
I hope you don’t mind if I share on of my favorite lines from Schopenhauer:
“What has been exists no more; and exists just as little as that which has never been. But everything that exists has been in the next moment. Hence, something belonging to the present, however unimportant it may be, is superior to something important belonging to the past; this is because the former is a reality and related to the latter as something is to nothing.” – The Emptiness of Existence
“What would you be happy to sacrifice so you can remember again?” – I’d be happy to sacrifice everything (and I mean everything) just so I can remember who I am. Honestly, I don’t think anything makes sense as long as one is in a state of spiritual amnesia. But that’s just me. =)
Anyhow, your post is just awesome. I just love it when people talk about life in a seriously funny way. Kudos to you… and your pants! ^_^
25+ years out of college and I STILL have the dream where I forgot about going to a particular class (usually math) and exams are approaching. Why is that still rattling around in there?
As for leaving the baby on the roof of the car, I can totally see myself doing that, as I’ve already done it with a soda, a box of donuts and my briefcase. (not all at the same time) Good thing I’ve never managed to reproduce… saves all those visits from Child Protective Services.
The brain is a wonderful first alert device. When we need to simplify our lives, it gives us wonderful hints. Things that make go Hmmm. For me it was the fear (when I was a new mother) that I’d forget my baby on the bus. I was so terrified that I bought one of those shoulder packs and wore it in the front so my daughter rested on my chest.
But that’s when I started down the “what else have I will I forget” train of thought. Soon enough I got to the point where I realized “Gee you got a lot of crap going on in your life. Time to cut back.” I did and life became more manageable.
I think we all go through this periodically. It’s a good thing. So don’t worry about giving up your pants. I bet there are other things in your life that seemed important, that really aren’t. Start there and remember to cherish life as well as memories.
I once wore two different boots to work. They were both black but one had a 3 inch heel and the other was a 4 inch and I didn’t notice til I’d been there a couple hours.
What a great post! And another coincidence (you listing “Shawshank” yesterday as one of your fav movies, being the first), I was writing my “this week’s post” right along these lines when you’d left your comment.
I too, was once at this point where I was thinking along your lines, “Did I remember to wear pants?” (It was not my pants, but “did I feed the cats,” “turn off the water” etc.) It was the time in my life when my mind was so preoccupied that I was moving through the “routine” tasks without even noticing having done them. It was scary!
I found I really had to slow it down. What I let go of was “control” and “worry.” My mind was everywhere but where I was at the moment and none of it was doing any good. I was creating more problems by not staying in the moment. And like you said, we want to remember moments!
Everything else can wait and if someone is hurrying you while you are practicing being the moment, you’ll just say, “Keep your pants on!” And you’ll also be confident yours are in place
Hehehe wouldn’t mind sacrificing me panties but it’s still cold here .On a more serious note thinking of de cluttering am not too sure of what I particularly want to sacrifice at this point in time .From family to work and the lot all seems to hold one value or the other … Think me want to eat my cake and have it and just continue multitasking . Great post Guys……
Thank you everyone for sharing your insights and wisdom on this topic.
I agree that it’s time to start sifting through the muck and discarding stuff.
The hard part is figuring out what I can do without….besides my pants!
Hmmm….I would be willing to sacrifice canned beets, a really ugly hunter green recliner, and a black velvet glow-in-the-dark Lynyrd Skynyrd poster.
Oh, were we talking about something else?
How about 50 pounds of cellulite?
Oh, alright, I’ll go along with pants, too.
I love this! I think pants are over rated at times!! great post!!!
Or maybe its totally dementia, you know that shit happens when you get old…
Hey, everybody else is thinking it, I just happen to be the only one that has big enough balls to say it!!!
And if shit starts falling out of the sky in Kansas tomorrow, I’m going to know it’s not Dorothy coming home (that’s soooooo what I would’ve figured!) I’m going to know one of the ‘GUYS’ have escaped the Alzheimer’s facility and I’m going to be pissed!
Suck it up, your pants are on! And god help you, hopefully if you ever DID happen to forget your pants that HE blessed you with something worth looking at!
Great post as usual Guys
. We do multi tasking most of the time……. hence very natural that we forget certain things.
@charlie……thanks. Yes, they are.
@shabnam……you’re too kind.
@ashley……..now that’s where my balls went?! Damn! Now I definitely need to keep my pants on!
@ethelmae……..we’ll trade you for the green recliner……..and maybe some cellulite…..it’s cold around here! We LOVE Lynard Skynard!
@fatima……..our pants for your panties? We’d have to say….um….YES!
@bonnie…….exactly! Just cruising through and not noticing. Like turning off the stove, etc. Scary to miss so much. Like that sensation when you’re driving and you realize you just daydreamed for the last 5 miles. Shit!!!
@vange……..would have liked to see that……you probably didn’t do any power walking that day.
@naughtie…..I love the way you describe the brain. “Wonderful first alert device.” So true. And it’s easy to go down the “What else did I forget” road. Ahh!!!
@bluzdude……yep, I have that one too. Is that a guy thing?
@ryhen……I’ve often thought of music this way. How do we hear it? The whole thing? Moment by moment? How does it actually work?
@barbara……yes, you are right in the thick of it. Moving, or in your case, having to move, forces you to make tough choices.
@gogo……..good advice. We’ll have to take you up on that.
@sugarsnow…….embrace your worry and move on. Good advice. We hope your music is thriving.
@dorothy……yes, live in the day. Seize the moment. Be present. Good advice! And of course wear attractive underwear on the off chance our pants are missing.
(Reference to Sugar Snow)
Well, I kinda like to keep my pants…and every other article of necessity clothing, but there is a lot of other stuff that could go starting with hubbies collection of fishing equipment. ;o)
Well, maybe someone scared the pants off you! I’m just trying to help you out here with a little rationalization.
I decided several years ago to simplify my life and it makes things much easier. I must confess, though, that I should but stock in Post-its. The office is littered with them!
Hey Guys!
Thanks so much for checking out my blog today! I’ve been nosing around your place hoping to gain some insight into the four males (one big male and three little MITs: males-in-training) sucking up the oxygen in my house. A testosterone cloud has taken up residence above the roof, and I need all the help I can get.
The brain clutter gets worse with age and each time a child is added to your family. When my daughter was about five years old, I drove all the way the home after a meeting one night before realizing the car seat behind me was empty, so don’t sweat the pants.
@tammy……hubbies fishing equip or other collections seem to be a reoccurring theme here!
@askcherlock……very possible. Simplifying life is the way to go. We use recycled scrap paper. Of course this makes our office a virtual recycling dump!
@distracted…….yes, worse with age for sure. Not because of age so much, because we keep cramming more and more on the hard drive. But unfortunately there’s no restarting us. Knock on wood!
I’ve had a dream for years, where I fly into the sky and get going higher up then I can control, I wake up out of breathe and manage to save myself, it’s really weird, thus, I understand your frustration…. I find dreams so fascinating..
great post..
Dorothy form grammology
grammology.com
Wow sounds like you must have a lot on your mind and that is probably why you are experiencing this. Maybe try to take a day for you. Try to get things in order and then relax. Perhaps something in your life is unorganized and that is leaking over and causing the no pants freak out!
Or maybe you just need a beer and then a good nights sleep
lol
good luck! Sorry no great words of wisdom to offer!
I totally love the way you think! Because its all true.
And now I have an anxiety about forgetting to wear my pants… so Im subscribing to your blog to find out how you go with your uncluttering!!
Great post lol
What would I be happy to sacrifice so I can remember again? My job! The guys always make me laugh.
Sounds like you really DO need to unclutter your head, and make room for the happier things. Instead of being panicked all the time!
I sacrificed pants.
Seriously, I do the school run, shopping and anything else I can get away with in my pajamas. I work from home and am not getting all dressed and made up for a ten minute event.