Writers Workshop Thursday: What do you love to create?

The thing I love to create instills peace, harmony and balance. The thing I like to create has restorative properties like nothing else I know. It is a creative process as well. There are so many things that are born out of my favorite creative process that it has to be the most wonderful thing in the world.

What I like to create is:

order

I wrote it small because I realize that it is difficult to understand. It is also sometimes viewed in an ugly way as ‘controlling’ or ‘freakishly detail oriented’ or ‘a prescription for mutiny’. You’d think that if I like to create order in my life that I am a germ o phobe or maybe one of those people whose homes always look perfect and smell of fresh linen.

Sigh

If only, you see I have a husband and a dog (do you know how many times I had to type the word ‘god’ before I typed dog? 3, weird) and they are orderless, with out order, rhyme or reason almost 100% of the time. I have to threaten bodily harm to the XBox or the DVR recorded soccer games to get P to actually not ruin what I have cleaned.

When I have created order my body relaxes and I look around the room (not the house because there is no way in hell our whole house would look nice at once) with a sense of accomplishment. I can see the reasons that I like our home. My mind calms down and I can see the fun creative and decorative things I’d like to try. When my home is in disarray, all I can think about it cleaning it. It taps me on the shoulder (or slaps me in the back of the head depending on how bad it is) when I am trying to read or cook saying “I’m messy and I look like crap. If you won’t fix me I’ll make you miserable.” Oh, and it does. I will trip over P’s soccer team jersey carrier, I’ll kick the door on G-dog’s crate and scratch myself in the process, I’ll track dead leaves into the house. It just keeps getting worse.

When I have cleaned and all is in order, the house brightens and the birds chirp and a choir of angels sings…of course this is all in my head so maybe I am crazy.

  • http://www.blogger.com/profile/12928664767760648499 Hullaballoo

    I have written something for you over at mine. xx

  • http://www.blogger.com/profile/10399156539354549499 Jen

    I totally understand, I like to create order to but it I have had to let go of this a little with what is going on in my life. Kids don’t really understanr order as I do.

  • http://www.blogger.com/profile/02523580972140864631 Shanna

    I love that I’m not the only one out there feels like the mess speaks to her! It’s ‘in-yo-face’ attitude really gets me riled up. I feel all itchy and hot and mad at the same time when it’s unorderly. Great post!

  • http://www.blogger.com/profile/07159846227539202044 L.R. M-J

    Ok, I have the solution for you…take my current point of view, it solves everything….We're Camping, Who Cares!!…see? dirt, leaves and other sundries get tracked in–no bother–dishes pile up after one meal, fly tape (yes, like in a barn) & boxes are my decorating theme…bah, who cares? We're camping! And all is right in the world. ;) Ok, that and I told my anal retentive organizational self to take a holiday for the next 2yrs while I work on this…err..project!

  • http://www.blogger.com/profile/05000384127075772584 Lex the mom

    Ah, yes, the order. I do miss wanting that – wait, did I ever? There may have been a time.This chaos thing I get from my kids, it kind of makes it easy to let some things slide. How many times should I reorganize their toys and books before I realize they won't do it themselves – at least not yet. Even after 12 years or so, they still don't do it & live in a pig-sty & love it (my 14 year old son…). Yuck! Now I understand why my dad was so disgusted with my bedroom. ;) And “Keep your toys in the bedroom” is frequently ignored, especially by my daughter. But, she does clean up when she's asked to.My order comes in putting my things in their place. That's enough until the kids are grown & on their own. I dread that day, though.

  • http://www.blogger.com/profile/16794387734217000502 Los

    I’m good with order with some things, and not so good with others … I can put a good plan in place to accomplish something … however, I’m a packrat, and tend to keep everything along the way … my wife HATES that about me.

  • http://www.blogger.com/profile/06383060654602178687 Melissa

    AMEN to order…too bad I never know what that’s like in my house…with 4 kids and 2 dogs….arrrggghhh!!!!

  • http://www.blogger.com/profile/15079648125245754566 Sarah Mae

    I seriously need part of your DNA.

  • http://www.blogger.com/profile/10014244331752838359 Live.Love.Eat

    I agree. When my kitchen is clean and everything smells so nice and the patio doors are open and the fresh air is blowing in, I feel like all is right in the world and I get tp messin’ up the kitch again!

  • http://www.blogger.com/profile/15842518735696732502 KDLOST

    thanks so much… i think little lady is feeling better now (phew!)… but we’re keeping our fingers crossed. hope your day is going well! cheers!

  • http://www.blogger.com/profile/14827476441219850741 Mom Taxi Julie

    Ha! Add 3 kids and 2 cats to your mix and that’s why I’m crazy!

  • http://www.blogger.com/profile/14910783599197320478 Weeksie50

    I would love to create order but I would just mess it up somehow..lol.

  • http://www.blogger.com/profile/11027061380778030388 Rhea

    Oh, man, just wait til you have kids. They seriously destroy order.

  • http://www.blogger.com/profile/01227998987960781667 Amy

    I agree, it’s so nice to get things in order, but then those precious offspring of mine just cause disarray as fast as I get it done. *sigh*

  • http://www.blogger.com/profile/03052187966228145911 Kori

    Oh I love it when the birds sing and everything is in perfect harmony in the ONE room that is clean. lolI have no order just a routine. It works. Have a great day!

  • http://www.blogger.com/profile/05352465945711496612 Suburbia

    I can’t get my thoughts in order if the house is a mess. I drive myself mad because inside I want to sit and relax but I can’t until I’ve cleaned up! Weird!!

  • http://www.blogger.com/profile/06254892316444101203 Lindsay

    I’m with you. When my house is clean and orderly I feel mentally so much better. The first thing I have to do when my daughter gets ready for bed is clean the den, because it feels so good to sit in a clutter-free room and chill after she’s asleep. If things get too disorderly, I get batty.

  • http://www.blogger.com/profile/10023417839687501752 Snooty Primadona

    Order has become the elusive butterfly at our house. Like you, I live with a M A N and a hairy, constantly shedding cat. There is no such thing as clean and orderly. Except for right after the maid leaves, for about an hour, lol.Great post!

  • http://www.blogger.com/profile/07857897915331404159 Becky

    Crazy or not I totally get that. I love order and things at my house are never orderly. Loved your post :-)

  • http://www.blogger.com/profile/09914276373305636583 Trooper Thorn

    I don’t care for order, but I do like to create something that makes people laugh.thanks for always stopping by.

  • http://www.blogger.com/profile/04240942361330902385 AFRo

    Hey Stranger! I’m right there with you… I’m actually borderline OCD on the order thing. I cannot relax without it and in my house it is next to impossible to achieve which is probably why I feel like a crazy person 99.9% of the time.Great post though!

  • http://www.blogger.com/profile/00736680428036053669 BS5 Blogger

    Enjoy your cathartic battle for order. Poor old P and G-Dog getting in the way!

  • http://www.blogger.com/profile/09225824099156032765 Meaghan

    Wonderful blog. Order…how much would i love to get that in my life..alas not gonna happen anytime soon-Meg

  • http://www.blogger.com/profile/09184013524503144188 Katy

    Hey there, thanks for Following my blog!I have had a good read of your blog and love your sense of humour and honesty and look forward to reading it in the future, have you entered my giveaway yet? Don’t miss out.

  • http://www.blogger.com/profile/13896199518903630509 Emily

    I’d LOVE to create some more order in my life, so no judgement! I started from a place of complete chaos though, so I’m trying to reach some sort of happy medium.

  • http://www.blogger.com/profile/11556451375792958743 Mama's Losin' It

    Yeah…so definitely DON’T start a home daycare k?? The chaos kids bring sometimes sends even me into a tailspin and I am not the most orderly. :)

  • http://www.blogger.com/profile/03145028895189619778 Dawn@Embracing the Ordinary Life

    I have to say…I’m glad I don’t have that one…cause I would probalby curl up into a ball and cry every day, cause my family sees order and space as a canvas for more chaos…Great post though…

  • http://www.blogger.com/profile/16047430228350114744 Sue

    My mess is speaking to me so loudly right now I can barely type. Just needed to catch me up on some Jen! I am having trouble loading your page. I have to go hit the previous days stuff to get it to come up. Weird blogspot thing.