Stanley and I Discuss "Breaking Bad" January 3, 2020

 January 3, 2020

Hi Stanley! Happy New Year!

Stanley: Hi! And a Happy 2021 to you! It’s a gorgeous day so I think we’re off to a good start, don’t you?

Me: Yes. I do. It is beautiful out here today. The sun feels so good. I’ve been sitting on the deck enjoying it for a while.

Stanley: Well, I’m running behind today. I’ve been doing my Fall Cleaning.

Me: Fall Cleaning? You mean like Spring Cleaning?

Stanley: Yes, but I do it in the fall. I like doing it when I'm good and ready.

Me: Ah. I see. Aren’t you a little late to be doing this? We’re moving into January here. It’s winter by most definitions I think.

Stanley: <laughing> Um, yes, but not really. I don’t think it matters when I do it as long as it gets done. I was a bit of a procrastinator last year. Well, actually, all the time. I am a procrastinator. Period.

Me: <laughing> I get that and I think you’re right in this case. It doesn’t really matter. At least not to me. I seem to get hung up on all the schedules we always think we should be following. You know? Especially those put together by others. Generally I still try to follow them. And then sometimes I just sit back and say “I’m not doing this. I don’t want to do it and it doesn’t make any sense for me right now.”

Stanley: Ah, so you break bad sometimes? Lol

Me: Is that what you’d call it? Breaking bad?

Stanley: Looking it up online, right here, Wikipedia says it means several things. It means to “go wild”, to “defy authority”, and “break the law”, and/or to be verbally “combative, belligerent, or threatening”. Hmmmmm. Wondering if any of these fit you deciding you’re not going to keep a schedule.

Me: Not just any schedule. I usually keep my own schedules, but I don’t always keep others’ schedules. That’s the difference, I think,

Stanley: Oh, so you are maybe more of a non-conformist? Wikipedia says that’s a person who does not conform to a generally accepted pattern or action. <looks up at me> That seems to fit your scheduling issues, don’t you think?

Me: <not sure if I should be insulted or laugh> I wouldn’t say I have “scheduling issues” Stanley. It’s more about being put on someone’s else’s schedule, and if it works with mine, then I’m fine to do it. It’s only an issue when what someone else wants done conflicts with I want to be doing. And, Stanley, I don’t think I’m a lone wolf here. Don’t you think most people feel this way?

Stanley: I’m finding this very interesting. I always thought you tried to accommodate others when you could. Now I’m hearing that you don’t like to have to do something according to someone else’s schedule unless it conforms to what you want to be doing. Amirite?

Me: Well, yes. I guess that is right. And, in my defense, I think most people feel this way. Do you?

Stanley: I’m thinking about that. I do try to accommodate others when I can and I don’t mind doing something according to someone else’s schedule. So, no. I don’t think I feel that way.

Me: Really?? Then why are you doing Spring Cleaning in the fall, in January?

Stanley: Hmmmpppfftt. Why don’t I do me and you do you. And we’ll leave it at that. Okay?

Me: I’m looking up Hmmmpppfftt on Wikipedia. <smiling>