Showing posts with label procrastination. Show all posts
Showing posts with label procrastination. Show all posts

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

The fine art of Procrastination

Ask anyone who knows me well. I am notorious for putting things off until the last minute. I get them done and everything is good, but I am really bad about stalling. I swear I'm going to change. I promise never to do it again. And yet, I find myself scrambling at the last minute to get something done.

The plates on my car expire on Friday. When I got the notice 2 months ago, I made a mental note to get right on the inspection and get it over with. Everytime I paid a bill or walked into my office, I told myself to make the appointment at the dealer near work. I put the coupons for that dealer in my purse weeks ago. I laid the coupons next to my phone at work for days. So when did I get my car inspected? I didn't. But it will be inspected on Friday. And the plates expire on Friday. And I am working all day on Friday. Hmmm, me thinks me might have a small problem....

Somehow I will try to get the car back from the shop, run over to the DMV, stand in line for hours and still make the deadline. If not, I guess I will be paying a late fee and running around on Saturday morning. Wish me luck!!

Update: I just figured out why I was putting this off for so long. Our great state decided to change the design of the plates. I absolutely despise the new design and think it is hideous. So deep down, psychologically, I am rebelling against some one's horrible idea of a great graphic design.

Friday, November 14, 2008

Procrastination Pays

I am the ultimate procrastinator.  If I can put something off until the last minute, then I will do it in a heartbeat.  But in certain areas, I try to behave myself and do things before the last minute.  One of those is when I travel for work.  I really try hard to book my airfare and hotel rooms as soon as I know I have to travel.  But I have been slipping lately.

I knew months ago that I was attending a conference next week.  My new boss had booked her room and airfare months ago.  I have had friends that had to book overflow hotels and it wasn't pretty.  All in all, I know better than to wait.  Yet, I kept putting off making my reservations.  I finally got around to making the reservations around Halloween.  I got a good deal on airfare but when I went to book the convention hotel, they were completely sold out.  Normally, this wouldn't phase me because 99.9% of the time, there is a hotel across the street.  Not this time.

This time, the closest hotel I could find was about 3 miles away.  Every other hotel I could find was within walking distance of each other, but the convention hotel was completely isolated.  I finally picked a hotel a few miles away (and within a straight shot down one road) from the convention location.  I sent out a frantic message hoping that someone else was a procrastinator and needed an alternate hotel (at least I wouldn't be alone).  But no such luck, everyone else got in and I was on my own.  Until the other day.  Luckily for me and unfortunately for one of my coworkers, they had a change in plans and won't be able to attend.  Being the nice guy that he is, he offered me his room at the convention hotel.  Sweet!  I don't have to trek back and forth every morning and night!  I am not a morning person so the thought of having to get up early enough to not only get dressed and ready but drive down the street to make the first session was stressing me out.

We played phone tag all week long trying to work this out.  Today he finally sent me a message letting me know that he called the hotel and switched the room to my name but kept the reservation on his card.  So I finally had a room for Tuesday and Wednesday night.  Great....only one problem, I'm flying in on Monday.  I know Arizona is going to be much warmer than it is here, but after Ann's description of what roams around in her back yard, I don't think I want to sleep outside in the desert.  Luckily, I was able to book a single night at the same hotel for Monday night.  I might have to change rooms, but at least I don't have to schlep back and forth or sleep with the fire ants outside!

Now the only thing that would make this trip even more perfect is if Ann will deliver something decedent to my hotel room for me!  Anything with chocolate works for me!