Life is so busy sometimes. We have so much to do, such limited time. Sometimes, while commuting or showering, I let my brain relax only to have things pop up that I forgot, one after the other.
Here Come the Thoughts
“Oh! I never made the orthodontist appointment!”
“I really have to order the replacement pink slip from the DMV”
“Shampoo! That’s what I keep forgetting to put on the shopping list!”
This is why my life is so alarming.
Literally.
It’s the only way I can manage it.
Legit Alarming
6:15 am: my first alarm goes off. I’m super tired. And I may wait till my 6:30 alarm goes off, because then I really DO need to get up and get going.
6:30 am. 2nd alarm goes off. Seriously getting up and waking up the kid to get ready.
6:45 am: throw some toast or eggs in the skillet… set an alarm for 2 minutes and run into the bathroom to blowdry some of the kinks out of my hair. If I don’t set the alarm, I will definitely forget and either burn breakfast or set the house on fire eventually.
7:05 am: 3rd alarm goes off, reminding me and my son not to forget his ukelele for school today.
7:20 am: 4th alarm. Seriously, leave the house, people. That’s what this alarm means.
After drop-off, my time is largely managed by my work calendar which alarms me enough half hour by hour to get me to afternoon.
1:55 pm: 5th alarm. ‘Go get your kid from school’, the alarm means. I would love to think I would never forget my kid, but work gets busy, and I have plenty of problems to distract me. It could definitely happen.
3:30 pm: 6th alarm. Has the kiddo done his reading for school? I yell from my cloffice (closet/office) to ask him. “Yes, mom! I already did it!” Okay, but I have to check!
4:30 pm: 7th alarm. Time to go practice basketball, or to get ready for soccer practice (depending). I mean… not me, but time for me to yell at my son, “Hey! Go out and practice!” or “Get your cleats on, we have to leave soon!”
6:30 pm: Set an alarm for… insert cooking item here (rice, taco meat, whatever) or I will surely walk away and see something else to do and totally ruin dinner.
7:30 pm: This is the time I usually set to remember to do something personal that I wouldn’t have time to do during the work day. No, not like something fun-personal.. more like “Pay mom’s property tax bill” or “cancel that subscription service”. Otherwise, the 6:15 am alarm will go off tomorrow morning and it won’t be done.
8:00 pm: last alarm. Time for teeth-brushing and bed. There is no “5 more minutes” for this alarm. The alarm does NOT negotiate bedtimes.
Clockwork
Going to bed at night… my son says, “Mom, I forgot to put my watch on again this morning… can you like, set an alarm for it in the morning so I will remember?”
Sure, kid. I’ll put it on the list. Our life is truly alarming. But darn it, the things get done. Like clockwork.
