A big goal

One of the main goals Tim and I have for 2006 is to organize paperwork. This includes the painful process of going through files and tossing out stuff we've saved for years to make room for current, more important stuff that is currently trying to hide on Tim's desk.

Tim assigned me a drawer yesterday. In it I found scripts for Vacation Bible School from the 80s. I had written one-- the "Adventures of Paul." Greg Bodin, Tim's lifetime friend (and mine, since our marriage--and especially his wife Cindy) had written others--Noah, the life of Jesus, and Moses. I carefully filed these together in a VBS folder.

I found a magazine assignment (rough draft and correspondence) which I had been asked to redo. Why was I holding on to this? I know I have the final copy somewhere. I decided to toss it. Then I came across a folder that Tim had entitled "Suzi's term papers." Actually, they were mostly short (six pages or less) papers I had written for various linguistic classes I'd taken in college. A favorite one was simply titled "Variety"--less than two pages typed, double spaced--back in the days before computers. I explained how I enjoyed learning the varieties of the English language--the different dialects in America as well as the variations in Australia and England. I went on to say how much I enjoyed learning the different sounds and formations of words in languages like Shua, Buka, Nharo and Nama (I have no idea where these languages are spoken).

But at the top of the page I saw the main reason I had saved this paper. It said, "Well-written=Blue ribbon, if I had one."

As I sort and clean, I plan to toss out stuff that has bad memories attached to it. Not that I don't want to learn from my mistakes, but I have a tendency to remember the negative too easily. I hope I can get to the point with stuff in my house that my husband can look around and say, "Well done. Blue ribbon, if I had one."

Till next time,


Suzi