PCC Scroll Volume XII Issue III

Just noticed I never published my Editor's Corner from the July issue.

I work best under what I like to call last-minute panic (and I don’t think I am unique in this).

It showed itself early in my school life. I would have days, weeks, or months to read a book or textbook. Yet I would find myself in a last-minute dash (panic) to read the book right before the report or test was upon me. I feel I should add that I enjoyed the downtime I experienced right before the deadline. I enjoyed watching TV, reading a book other than the one assigned, and a series of other “minor” distractions.

It shows itself now. For example, I could edit newsletter articles as they come in. That way I could easily and less stressfully make editing deadlines, but no. I enjoy my downtime, and it all comes down to a last-minute rush. Unfortunately, it works and everything ends up getting done, which could be why I keep procrastinating over and over again. It does not show itself at work. Probably because the nature of my job is a series of report deadlines that are set in stone.

I wish I could explain it. It feels like I am wired to delay and wait until the last moment. It’s only when I feel the urgency of a deadline that I act. And God help if there is no deadline. I can delay and procrastinate until the cows come home, but what if they never come home?

A good example is the church anthology. Saints, the anthology is done and been done. I just have one little thing left to do and that is find a publisher. Now the problem is that there is no urgency. I have no real deadline so the part of my brain that works on deadlines does not get set off. It’s quite a shame, and I cringe whenever I think about it.

This brings me to the theme of the newsletter, which is “Staying Focused; Pressing On; Urgency – Don’t Wait.” All signs indicate that I need to focus my attention on moving and getting things done without delay. And I wish I could miraculously apply this to the part of my brain that needs deadlines. But, alas, days become months which become years yet there is still no sense of urgency.

As each day passes, our individual time gets shorter. But I think that we feel like we have all the time in the world, so we procrastinate. Unaware that somewhere someone is waiting for our gift or talent to be manifested. We are all accountable to each other. Since we are all tied together, my individual delay impacts the body.

Let’s sound the alarm together that it’s time to get our “To Do List” in order and begin checking them off for such a time as this.