Saturday is changing the animals day.
Currently our lives are enriched by a guinea pig, three rabbits, the quail, a slightly psychotic parakeet, and The Mighty Syrah. Every one of these, with the exception of The Mighty Syrah (behind whom I must pick up weekly as well) lives in some kind of dwelling which requires them to have their bedding changed out. So every day, for the last 8 years, I have manned the litter changing barricades.
The mechanics of the change are not that difficult: relocate the animal to a different location. Pull out the trays/break down the living quarters. Take the excess hay and scat (for the rabbits) and put it on the garden. Dump the litter into the garbage. Rinse off everything. Reassemble and replace the litter. Relocate the animals. On average this activity takes me a little over an hour.
Sometimes this activity feels like a chore - but only if I let it. The reality is that I really find that I enjoy this kind of activity.
It is working with animals, for one. Even in our urban dwelling environment this is one of the few touchstones I have with the sort of life I would actually like to life.
It is rewarding. It is an activity that has a beginning, middle and end. I get to take the output from the rabbits and turn it over to my garden. When I am done I can actually point to something that was accomplished and that improves the lives of something.
And it is the sort of work that, in an odd way, I like to do - the sort of work that engages the hands and yet allows the mind to wander and think even as it is a certain level of activity. I remember this feeling from the days when I first entered my industry where I was in manufacturing: I had to think of nothing but what I was doing and getting that right. No concerns about anything political or social or financial. Just honest work. It is the sort of thing I imagine that craftsmen enjoy.
The only time I do not enjoy changing the litter is when I am in a hurry or rushed. Then it becomes a chore, something I have to do, something that is keeping me from doing something else. It is at moments like that I need to stop, remember what I really doing, and then readjust.
In so many ways I wish my life could reflect this simple pattern of working on the simple things that have useful outputs that I can see and feel.
YA being rushed makes everything suck. I absolutely hate being rushed that's when I make mistakes and forget things....
ReplyDeleteIt is more subtle than I originally realized, Preppy. What makes an enjoyable task an unenjoyable chore? It is not so much having to do it repeatedly but rather thinking that it is something we have to get through to get to something else. And yes, in my line work going fast always leads to mistakes. Every time.
DeleteFunny how a task, or the enjoyment of it, can be affected by external pressure. Times like that I try to take a moment to realise that I have one pair of hands and try just to focus on the task in hand. I guess this has stemmed partly from the way I try to deal these days with the Black Dog.
ReplyDeleteThat is actually a really good point John, and something I often struggle with myself - not so much with things at home or for myself but especially in the outside world. As I often try to point out to both coworkers and those above me, I (or really of us) can only do one thing at a time. Pushing anyone to do more or at a faster rate than they feel comfortable with never ends up well with either dis-satisfaction on their part or even errors. Focusing on the task at hand - but even more so, having the ability to focus on the task at hand - seems more often a luxury these days than a common occurrence.
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by! - Lhiats, TB
No it's my pleasure, a wonderful blog you have here.
DeleteThank you! You just completely made my day!
Delete