Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Q is for Quick @ Life is Good

During this week of writer's block, I'm relying on my YellowBoy to provide prompts. He helped me with my last two post subjects, and as I sat here pondering Q, I asked him again. “Q is for Quick! You're quick at everything. You're quick at learning. Well...except for video games.” Out of the mouths of babes...

Quick! Get it done now! I'm not a patient person. At all. I've spent my life tripping and falling because in my mind I'm already at my destination. Or at least that's how my mom describes it. I appreciate the excuse, but the truth is not only am I impatient, I'm also a complete klutz. (I think my four broken bones and fourteen (not kidding!) surgeries will prove that.) Sometimes quick can be good, but of course there's always the other side. Sometimes quick can land you in a heap of trouble. Let's explore, shall we?

Quick is good when you're trying to be efficient. I can get in and out of a grocery store in thirty minutes. I remember one time a few years ago when my mother and I ended up at the same store, simultaneously. It was nice to connect, but MAN, she's a slow grocery shopper. I have a list and attack. She might have a list, but meanders slowly, up and down each aisle, engrossed in our conversation. Which meant we back-tracked. A lot. (Hi Mom, you know I love you!)

Quick can be good in an emergency. Like the time I almost sliced Mary's finger off in the tomato slicer. I was training her at Wendy's, and was showing her the tomato slicer. When I horked down on it, there was her finger, in the way, and now almost in half. I quickly grabbed a towel, applied compression, and drove her to the hospital. ( And then I had to work her whole shift for her...after my already over-time shift. But I digress.) (I probably need to do a whole Wendy's post...fast food work is horrid, but it does give you good stories.)

Quick can also be good when you're trying to make dinner. My new favorite cookbook is called 96 Thirty Minute Suppers. It's from America's Test Kitchen, one of my favorite shows. The book has each recipe on a card, and perforated. I've tried six of these now, and not only are they delicious, but they go together really quickly. I love cooking, but most of the time my schedule doesn't allow me the leisure of an hour or more to prepare.

But as I mentioned already, quick can have it's bad side, too. For example, quick is bad when you speak before you think. I've showed my Dansko so far into my mouth on so many occasions, it's hard to pick one to share. Off the cuff responses to other people's tragedies. Blurted out opinions in staff meetings. Sharing my feelings with the wrong person at the wrong time. I'm shuddering at my blunders as I write this.

Quick is also bad when you miss something. Trying to put the kids to bed quickly, and missing that opportunity when they had something to say. Rushing out the door without the list, or the mail to be posted, or those books that are already over-due. Makes for a lot of u-turns at the end of our street. Hurry now, regret later.

One of the worst case of quick's consequences, however, is when I hurry through something instead of doing it thoroughly the first time. Breezing my way through a test, making stupid adding mistakes when the topic was integration. Or not reading ALL the fine print and realizing I'd gotten myself into a contract that would cost more than it was worth. (Though I still maintain that < insert un-named banking institution here> changed the interest rate afterwards.)

And lately I've realized that I've tried to hurry through my kids growing up. “When they are (insert age) then we can_______” has come from my lips on numerous occasions. So here I sit, sometimes just soaking in the sight of my 13 year-old miracle, and wondering, “How did he grow up so fast? Wasn't it just yesterday that he wouldn't take off that spiderman costume to go to school? When did he turn into this amazing teenager who plays guitar? And when did that screaming baby who never slept become this sensitive, intuitive ten year-old?

Life moves pretty fast. Don't miss it hurrying quickly to your next destination.

29 comments:

Unknown said...

The cookbook sounds wonderful. I love to watch their show on PBS.

Amanda Lee said...

This is my new favorite post from you. There's nothing like a little whooping cough to force you to sit on your bum and savor your kids and where they are right now. And speaking of the Spiderman costume, you wrote a beautiful Christmas/ catch-up letter one year where you shared about the Spiderman costume. It made me cry. Can you re-post it sometime?

Viki said...

That cookbook sounds very interesting. I have a habit of trying to get things done quick and like you said that is not always a good thing. As far as your kids, your right time goes fast. Seems like mine is still a kid and he's 28 and lives out of town. I still think when the heck did that happen ;-(

Brian Miller said...

quick is good.
quick is bad.
i am definitely quick in the grocery store...or i'll just stay with the kids and let T do it...she's not quick. smiles.

Jo said...

wonderful post, I am pokey ... not at all like you ... but i daydream and therefore end up with blunders of my own ... but its all good, it's all part of the human experience!

Tracy said...

Loved this blog thank you I need to think before I speak and I live life quickly

jfb57 said...

Love it! The good & bad of quick!

Unknown said...

Excellent Q post! Yes. Quick, both good and bad as is with most things. You made wonderful points especially when it comes to our children. They want to grow up so fast and I want them to stay babes. Oh well.

People Who Know Me Would Say: said...

Would you send Yellow Boy to my house for the week we do the letter X?

I'm one of his biggest fans!

Unknown said...

Quick is a good Q-word!
Best wishes,
Anna

Unknown said...

Now I was a little too quick and forgot to leave my link!!
Anna
http://annasadornments.blogspot.com/2010/05/q-as-in-quilts-quartz-abc-wednesday.html

Steph said...

To your quick, I am slow. Scary huh? I still manage to miss things, though, by being absorbed in what's not important. I really enjoy your writing. It makes me smile or even laugh at times while also giving me something to ponder over. Thanks.

Keri {One Mama's Daily Drama} said...

Great post! It seems I'm always telling the kids to hurry up and do this or that. Its hard to slow down though, sometimes!

Unknown said...

too quickly is not good but sometimes...

Mine is here
Happy Sensational Thursday!
hugs
shakira

Cheryl said...

Beautifully balanced look at quick.

Jenny said...

I read your post, slowly. I could not possibly insult your wonderful writing by perusing it quickly.

And your insight was really quite astonishing.

I always enjoy my stop here on my little journey each week through Alphabe-Thursday...

And I really love hearing about your interaction with your son.

You are quite wonderful!

A+

RNSANE said...

I loved this post. When you hit 65, you really wish life would slow down. You wonder how it raced by in the blink of an eye. I went to my middle son's wedding Friday evening ( the first of my three sons to marry ) - wrote about it on my blog the other day -
http://rnsane.blogspot.com/2010/05/here-comes-bride-mr-mrs-alexander.html#links - seems like I was just delivering that 8'9" boy!

Jenny said...

Tina, he did not leave you because you weren't thin enough. Love yourself. You have so many amazing qualities in your heart and your mind. You will find love when you allow yourself to recognize the amazing person you are...and you can love yourself.

laterg8r said...

i am totally living life on fast forward sometimes too, i can totally relate :D

Jessica said...

This is a GREAT POST! I almost hurried through it after reading many blogs today BUT...I stopped, took the time to read it, and throughly enjoyed your words. I tend to hurry as well...and like you have the bruises of clipping things just a little too close hurrying through my house to prove it...Like you I am already in the next room (in my head) doing the next thing on the list. I need to remember to take my time with my daughter who is almost 10 as well. They grow into such big kids so quickly when we couldn't wait for them to "be big enough to..." Thanks for helping me sort my priorities through your eyes! Lovely job!!

H said...

Quite right. We are far too quick to wish our lives away. Mush better to savour all of the good things :)

Unknown said...

I am back to reread your post that I hurried through. You have written one of the most honest texts written about being hurried that I have ever read.

I happened to read Jenny Matlock's comment and realized that I had not given your post the attention it deserves. (After reading and commenting on 60-80 blogposts today, I am tired and will turn off the computer after I leave this comment on your post.)
Thank you for visiting my Q-post!
Best wishes,
Anna

http://annasadornments.blogspot.com/2010/05/q-as-in-quilts-quartz-abc-wednesday.html

Christy said...

I too was guilty of wishing my kids were older. Until my oldest moved out. Gone. It was one of the saddest/proudest days I have ever experienced. Thanks for the reminder to slow down a bit.

Sarah said...

Quick is a good choice, Tina. I think we all live in a "hurry up" world. I like to take my morning walks and enjoy the scenery along the way. It feels like the one time during the day that I slow down.
Hope you are feeling better these days.

Unknown said...

this is a great post and boy can I relate.....I think quick, I move quick and I do quick....I also get in trouble sometimes for all the same reasons you listed.....Happy Q day!

Pondside said...

You're right - quick is good......except.......when the brain is going more quickly than the feet. I've found that if I can keep them in sync that I do alright!

Alexandra said...

Am I the only one that found this bittersweet and a little sad, or is it just me?

It's usually just me.

That's alright...I still find it such a unique, quirky, clever read.

Thank you.

Unknown said...

Awesome post. Quick is both good and bad at times. Quick for me turns out to be bad all the time... hehe

Maggie said...

Excellent Q post, thanks for visting Normandy Life.
~Maggie~