50 degrees today! Snow's melting, birds are singing, and the radiators have finally cooled off. We've been out and about more than usual this weekend. We went to IKEA yesterday for some little things--a frame for a poster I got Stephen for Christmas, some fabric for imaginary future projects, random things for the kitchen. The cafe was abuzz with greater-Bostonians of all ages eating chocolate cake and drinking Kristian Regale. I actually don't mind the IKEA cafeteria. It's a lot nicer than most mass retailers' in-house eateries. (I'm looking at you, Poughkeepsie Galleria Food Court of My Youth.)
I'm trying to catch up on school work today, because there's a lot due later in the week. This would have been totally unheard-of when I was an undergrad, when my M.O. was starting papers at 11:30 the night before they were due. I still do that sometimes, but I'm trying to be a little more organized about things this time around.Of course, the first step to getting any schoolwork done is to clear a space in which to do it. Although I grew up surrounded by clutter (the fight against The Mess was an ongoing, and often losing, battle for our family of four kids and two full-time working parents), I have a lot of trouble concentrating in a messy room. My brain can't work when my fingers are itching to arrange, rearrange, and (most of all) to throw things out. One of my greatest joys after an afternoon of cleaning is taking a huge pile of old papers out to the recycling bin.
Just look at this picture of my desk this morning, and compare it to my workspace a week ago. I don't know how I got anything done back then.
