April, June, and November

November 1, 2011 at 11:36 PM

Quite honestly, I've been unfairly withholding myself from you. But please, understand: I suffer from a disease called perfectionism, which at times can be debilitating. If I can't have it perfect, often times, I won't even start, and once you get used to not starting, you don't bother even to try anymore.

House cleaning, for instance, has always been this way: a place for everything and everything in its place, but once there's one sock left on the floor, the whole house turns into a dump. It's the same with blogging. I tidied my thoughts and formed weekly topics for years in a row, but then I decided somewhere along the way that I was out of clever things to say, and I didn't try. And then I got bashful about my own absence, and then September passed, and now October's gone, too. And if the world ends in 2012, by then it'll be too late!

I could try catching up with everything, but the chore is daunting; it's easier to light a match and burn the house down. So, in order to travel light, I will pick up from scratch and see how far I can go.

I'll make it thirty, be it bright or boring. Apologies for my absence, and I look forward to connecting with you all again.

From Laurie Niles
Posted on November 2, 2011 at 1:01 AM

Even unwitting, it seems to me you can't help but write about something that interests us all, and you've done it again: perfectionism. Such a scourge! I have a feeling many of us relate...

From Anthony Barletta
Posted on November 2, 2011 at 5:54 AM

Perfectionism is the road to madness. That's my excuse for how I got this way. Welcome back!

From Charles Taylor
Posted on November 2, 2011 at 2:36 PM

We were created in God's image... Perfection is in our DNA.

From Julian Stokes
Posted on November 2, 2011 at 3:27 PM

Need to hear from you before too much of that Alaskan winter darkness enters your soul...

From Yixi Zhang
Posted on November 2, 2011 at 11:43 PM

I am familiar with the feeling, but I gave up the hope a long while ago knowing perfection is not something I can achieve, not in my eyes anyway. So my hat off to anyone who can find perfection.

From Francesca Rizzardi
Posted on November 3, 2011 at 1:57 AM

I can relate. I've "written" two different blogs but didn't post them due to my perfectionism. At least I don't yet have the track record you have, so no one has such expectations for me!

From Christina C.
Posted on November 3, 2011 at 3:18 PM

ok... but are you a violist yet? ;-)

From Emily Grossman
Posted on November 3, 2011 at 6:18 PM

I've transcribed Adventures in Violinland into Violaland all the way through book 2F, so I've become pretty familiar with the clef. Not ready to audition for the symphony just yet, but I get to play a lot of fun duets with my students!

This entry has been archived and is no longer accepting comments.

April, June, and November

Laurie's Books

Subscribe