Monday, September 26, 2005

clearing the clutter

i am a clutterholic, trying desperately to dig out. i've come to realize that on some subterranean level of my subconscious, tending to my clutter is a sophisticated means of subverting my energies and squashing my potential.

right now i subscribe to upwards of 7 magazines, and have something like 12 books checked out from the local library. can we say with some certainty that i read to avoid writing?

so how do i conquer this mountain of clutter, both material and mental?

do i halt all magazine subscriptions, to reclaim the time they've already stolen? and to prevent more torn-out pages of recipes, articles and so-called "inspiration" from piling up, and thereby the sorting, trimming, binding and precious TIME they require?

do i pack away my books? do i require myself 1 written page for every page i read? do i schedule my day full of the things i should be doing, rather than frittering it away on whatever distractions present themselves in the moment?

as i chisel away at the stone walls i've constructed of equal parts fear, anxiety, and laziness, isolation, distraction and wasted opportunity, i covet your prayers and appreciate suggestions for how one goes about reviving their passion and excavating their long-buried creative talents....