Cut It Out!

The Lay of the Land

By Lyn Messersmith

5/4/2016

                                        Cut It Out!

“Most of us spend our day staring at the Mountain of Too Much”

David Kundtz

            Kundtz goes on to say that staring at the aforementioned mountain results in our becoming overwhelmed, and attention spans grow shorter because there’s limited time to accomplish anything.

            Anyone who works in agriculture, or has children, knows that the mountain grows exponentially this time of year, and if you’re not overwhelmed yet it’s because you’re just not paying attention. There’s branding, fencing, spring planting, and yard work, not to mention end of school activities, startup of 4-H and other summer programs, confirmations, weddings, graduations, or reunions--and daily routines don’t disappear to make room for it all.

            We can handle this. After all, we have had years of practice; why we can pretty much sail through it with our eyes shut. Oops, apparently we aren’t paying attention.

Stop. Just stop for a minute. Keep calm and breathe. Now that I have your attention, I’d like you to think about the ways our society encourages overwhelmedness.  (My computer says that’s not a word, but it expresses my intent!)

I don’t watch much TV, partly because the business of split screens annoys me. Why can’t I simply see the person speaking, rather than a rerun of the disturbance he’s reporting for the fiftieth time? How many ball games or golf players can you really keep track of at once? If they want to sell me something they should slow down the video of the car, and the gibberish of the person demonstrating that cooking pan or garden hose. Is there really a doctor somewhere who is willing to take MY advice about trying a new medication? If so, I probably don’t want him diagnosing my condition. 

Must we buy a special food program and gym equipment to be healthy and slim? It’d be simpler, and cheaper to cut down portions and carbs. Or just offer to dig all the postholes this spring.

We traded pickups recently. I’ll never use half the electronic gadgets displayed on the dash. I’ve no time to learn how, nor inclination to take my eyes off the road long enough to decipher the images. That’d be just about when a deer decided to cross the road in front of me. And it’s unnerving to have a sexy voice from nowhere giving orders when I already know it’s half a mile to the turnoff.

Cell phones. We all have them, and they are the cause of more frustration than anything since childproof caps. When business have to put up signs pleading for customers to put them away while conducting transactions you know we’re bouncing off the bottom in the courtesy department. None of us need to be that available, and the same goes for call waiting. I don’t need to listen in on the details of your operation while I’m in the grocery aisle either. Leave the darn device in the car! As for texting and driving—you know better. Save a life.

To experience sensory overload just go to any big box store. Nobody needs that much stuff. You’ll find better quality and service at the local boutique, hardware or drugstore, and save money on gas while encountering a neighbor who wants to chat.

“Cut it out!” my mom used to say when I was doing something unnecessary or foolish.

If you’re looking at the Mountain of Too Much today try making a list of things you can cut out.

Word to the unwise. You’ll be tempted to replace what you cut out with something else. Resist with all your might. Stay out of the stores, toss the catalog, decline the invitation, and go for a walk or read a book instead.

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