In the last few months, I have fallen victim to that most terrible of vices - laziness. I have nine unfinished articles that I need my attention, but I have been unwilling or unable to put forth the energy to get them done. It is a phenomenon that I have come to call "plonking." I plonk the unfinished article into a folder and then I promptly forgot about it. Perhaps, I am simply burned out from years of hard work and my sudden laziness is my body's way to take a much-needed rest.
In my childhood, my mother made a point to instill a strong work ethic into me. My mother lectured me at every opportunity about the importance of hard work. It was never a delicate lecture. It usually centered on the idea that a person has a responsibility to "get off their ass," or "break their ass," or "work their ass off." A person's ass was, in one way or another, an important element to this valuable set of work principles. Ass + Effort = Work Ethic. It is the reason that I have never in my life been afraid of hard work. But getting older means slowing down.
My decline began when I developed back problems two years ago. This past summer, my back was hurting me more than usual. The pain limited my physical activities. I sometimes let my home become more than a little dusty because cleaning requires constant bending and kneeling, which triggers the worst possible pain. The most important goal in my life has become to avoid the pain.
Nonetheless, I have committed myself now to getting my ass in gear. So, expect to see more articles soon.
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