AN EFFORT FOR ME TO MAKE AN EFFORT

I would never have thought that as I got older I would have to find ways to manage my energy.  Up to a year or so ago, I honestly believed that I had boundless energy but as time wore on I found that energy noticeably lacking when I actually tried to do something.
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Now, with increasing frequency, I have to really push myself to do menial tasks that a few years ago I would have polished off without even thinking twice.  Sometimes, too, I simply put off a task until I am able to muster up the necessary energy -- like tomorrow, maybe.  I fear this malady has gone beyond my normal tendency to procrastinate.

Virtually everything, and I mean everything, is becoming an effort for me.  Oh sure, I still do some things intuitively, but others require serious thinking and planning.

Perhaps I am going through a period of fatigue, then again and more honestly it may be that old age is is creeping up on me as it is wont to do.

Experts will tell you that regardless of age, to stop the cycle of fatigue or prevent it from happening, you need to manage your energy.  This involves developing an energy "budget", saving as much energy as possbile, and spending energy on meaningful and important things first.  They even suggest going so far as making out a daily energy-saving priority budget, to which I say: "Okay, I'm going to save my energy today for getting meals, doing laundry, vacuuming and going to the post office."  But what about things like brushing the few teeth that I have left and getting dressed in the morning, taking out the garbage, feeding the dog, putting on my boots, changing a light bulb, wiping down that blasted cobweb and (heaven help me) responding to Rosanne's numerous requests to turn up/down the heat in the house or get her a drink of water just when I've settled comfortably in my easy chair?...All small tasks to be sure, but they require an effort that I find lacking.

Hell, sometimes I find that even getting a drink of water for myself requires a reluctant effort on my part...Do I really need it, or not?  And to make matters worse, by the time I finally get to the kitchen, I've forgotten what I went there for in the first place; but that's another story altogether.

They also say that "resting" is one of the best ways to save energy.  Now that's where I shine.

Since it is important to rest before becoming fatigued, alternating rest and activity is advocated.  This is called "pacing" in order to accomplish more during the day.  Only trouble is, when I sit down for a "rest" I wake up three hours later.  Do this two or three times a day and you've "paced" yourself right out of all the things you originally "budgeted" to do.

Personally, I'm going to give up on this idea of trying to manage my energy.  It just takes too much effort. I'm getting too old for this nonsense anyway.  I've decided that I am still going to think more about the things that I need to do each day, however, and if I don't have the energy to make an effort at any given moment it will mean only one thing -- I need to take a nap.  Not to worry, maybe I'll find the energy later.  Status quo.

And I'm the guy who's been thinking about making an "effort" to get more exercise in the New Year.  Give me a break...What a dreamer!

If only I could find a way, though, to get around this putting my clothes on in the morning bugaboo...

*Note from Dick, 11:30 a.m. Thursday:  Rosanne just read this post and didn't find it a damn bit funny.