A few years ago, my wonderful husband informed me that I have a problem. What?? Me? What problem could I have that I don’t already know about? Since he has had 25+ years to observe me, I guess it was feasible that he might have noticed something askew about me. He proceeded to tell me that I only get to about 85% completion on my projects and then I move on to the next project. What? That isn’t possible.
But I started to think about it.
I thought about it while out mowing the lawn one day. I didn’t finish mowing because I saw some trees that needed to be pruned. 85%.
I thought about it while cleaning out my craft-stuffed drawers. I emptied everything out onto the living room floor and began organizing and sorting. The next thing you know, I’m in the kitchen getting out the ingredients to bake some cookies. My husband came along and looked at the mess still on the living room floor. Oh, you got to 85% he told me.
Is it me? Do I have a short attention span? Am I bored? Do I have some sort of DNA defect?
After analyzing this phenomenon for a couple years now, I have to admit that my husband was correct (don’t tell him I said that). All throughout the house and yard are my projects, nearly complete, just not quite there yet. Yes, all at about 85%.
Here is what I figured out: I have so many ideas and thoughts swirling around in my head at all hours of the day and night – things to do, places to go, stuff to buy, chores (the usual stuff); but I’m also thinking about crafty experiments to try, gourd designs, paint techniques, new ways to carve. Most of the time, my creative ideas are reigned in and I appear to be a normal person. This is especially important when I’m at work or out in public. But those ideas build up and start to overflow sometimes, usually when I’m working on another creative project. I get so excited, I can’t control myself and suddenly I’m pulling out another gourd to draw on or a bunch of paint and odd embellishments to experiment with.
Once in a while, I have to take the time to go back and finish my 85% projects. But even then, I only finish 85% of the 85%.
It’s ok. My name is Janet and I have 85% Syndrome. But I’m ok.
Really, it’s a good thing because it means my creativity is alive and kicking and that is what I live for.
Do any of you have the 85% Syndrome?
