by Tom Blair
Columnist

Don’t waste a lot of time trying to make too many New Year’s resolutions, remember…. you are what you are. You can change a few things, but chances are if you’ve been as lucky as me and made it to over 70 years of age, it ain’t gonna happen.

I love an organized, well-kept shop area. I like to be able to find any one of my tools at any given time. I organize it on a regular basis, but it manages to become a junky, clutter mess on its own. I start a project and then get interrupted and I have to move on to something else… then something else. Soon my workbench is covered with pliers, wrenches, a drill, glue, nails and an assortment of screws.

I clean it up and the stuff reappears again and again. My music room does the same thing, and my car trunk looks pretty much the same too.

I feel so good when I reorganize things and I promise my wife and me it will never happen again… but it does.

So, last year at a garage sale, I bought this book by Mark Ellwood called “A complete Waste of Time.” It’s really cool. It covers goals, planning, how to manage things, make use of my time better and organize things. I had to chuckle to myself, the guy selling the book had a sale and a garage that looked like Sanford and Son’s junk yard… he obviously never read the book.

Anyway, as I sit here writing this article to help you better organize your life… I am re-gluing my billfold on my workbench that has several things on it from a sale I went to. There are about 10 tools strung out, sawdust all over hell from making a gun rack last week and my trash can is overflowing.

I often get into trouble with my boss at The Extra…she often sends me an e-mail asking me if I have anything to contribute this week for an article. “WELL!” I am busy cluttering and uncluttering my life. I am working on projects around the house, I have little time for writing, I forget to write articles and I am retired and have little time.

But the important thing is this. I now have that book on the table on my left side by my computer as I write. I guess what I am saying is… I am a slob with a book that may soon change my life… as soon as I get to it. God, I am so pathetic!

Tom “Road” Blair, Website: www.tomroadblair.com