Paper is not my friend. It turns into stacks so easily, and there is always some crap that I simply don't know what to do with.
For example, there is a piece of paper buried on my desk at this very moment that has something to do with a transfer of stocks or funds or some shit that took place in 1995, and I am not even lying. Somehow I got it in my head that it has important ramifications, possibly tax-related, and that I need to figure out where to put it. But I'm not sure where, so I just pick it up every now and then and look at it and whimper quietly.
But honestly, I've gotten a lot better over the years, and I KIND OF have my shit together these days.
On Sunday, Evangeline came over to do her taxes. I told her to bring her important papers, including anything from her health insurance company. She has new health insurance and I wanted to be the controlling mother of a diabetic and make sure everything was being covered properly.
She arrived with a plastic bag that had a surprisingly sparse number of documents in it. I quizzed her.
Me: Are you sure this is everything the insurance company has ever sent you?
Evangeline: Yes. Well, it's all I found.
Me (slightly confused): It's all you found? What do you mean?
Evangeline: I looked in the place where I keep my papers and this is what I found.
Me: Do you have the papers organized into some sort of system? Like with files?
Evangeline: Yes, of course.
Me: Like what kind of files?
Evangeline: These were in the file marked "Crucial Things."
Me (barely stifling giggles): What other files do you have?
Evangeline: I have one marked "Correspondence" and another one marked "Theater Programs."
This made me laugh soooooooo hard.
Honestly, I would think she would have filed the theater programs in the Crucial Things file, but what do I know?
That apple didn't fall from the tree, did it?
She allowed me to be very controlling and set up a filing system for her, which was sweet.
I am impressed with your TWO posts in THREE days! but not so sure about the other one in your head. I am also impressed with how ORGANIZED your house looks! Look at all that open floor space and that nicely arranged vignette with the book case and the chair and the vases of things all nice and orderly there.
I should have the two of you re-do my files for me. Mine are so boringly named with the actual items that are in the files. No fun or mystery at all.
Posted by: Pam L | April 11, 2011 at 10:59 PM
P.S.
You do realize tax day is Monday the 18th , yes?
Posted by: Pam L | April 11, 2011 at 11:00 PM
Okay, pictures of your beautiful daughter are much, much better than the image your last post left me with. Thank you. And good luck with the taxes.
Posted by: Liz Michalski | April 12, 2011 at 11:17 AM
Evangeline has new hair and is gorgeous.
Posted by: blackbird | April 12, 2011 at 01:21 PM
Ditto Blackbird. :)
Posted by: Dani | April 12, 2011 at 02:13 PM
Oh, Mary. Won't you let Evangeline have just a few more years of file-less bliss?
And if that document from 1995 never finds a home, you could leave it to one of the girls in your will.
Problem solved!
Posted by: Anne | April 12, 2011 at 05:38 PM
Might I be related to you too? I have a drawer of Critical tax and other papers and a basket of non-essential but sometimes useful things like receipts. Maybe you better fly to Seattle to help me organize my stuff? I'll treat you to a coffee with Monin Dark Chocolate Sauce!!
Posted by: Margaret | April 12, 2011 at 08:35 PM
P.S. I LOVE your daughter's hair. So cute!!
Posted by: Margaret | April 12, 2011 at 08:36 PM
That girl is a beauty. I guess it's that whole apple thing again, right?
Two posts in one week ... does this mean you are bipostal?
Posted by: FC | April 12, 2011 at 08:52 PM
And that's controlling because...?
Posted by: Stokesia | April 12, 2011 at 09:54 PM
It sounds like gurl has her shit in one sock - that Crucial Things file is going to be my next one. Just let my husband try to get up in my business about 'where's the such and such..' "HA! Look In the CRUCIAL FILE!"
Posted by: MsCellania | April 13, 2011 at 11:40 AM
Ha! Guess what?! We now have a file marked
wait for it
CRUCIAL THINGS.
And there's stuff in it.
The husband thought I was serious.
Posted by: MsCellania | April 13, 2011 at 11:45 AM
That E is so hilarious. She still has a better filing system than I do. I do not even have a crucial things file. My life is not that complicated . Perhaps you can help me as well.
I need a filing cabinet 1st though. I am still laughing.
Posted by: the bee | April 14, 2011 at 11:54 AM
I hate papers and bills, insurances whatever exist, my house is fool of paper, no matter how I try to gather them and put them in one place, I always find another one on the table, desk... Awful, and stressful.
Posted by: Miami cataract surgery | April 15, 2011 at 05:19 AM