This photo is proof to the world (and to myself) that I did do something useful and productive today. I had written a brilliantly witty and engaging narrative describing in detail the profoundly gratifying experience of cleaning off my work table, and then . . . I accidentally deleted it. (I haven't figured out how to return to my post after previewing it.) At any rate, since it was the ONLY productive thing I accomplished today, I refuse to simply let it die in the cyber trashbin somewhere, so I will try to recapture what I wrote -- although this account won't be nearly as clever and spontaneous as the first one.

Cleaning off my work table is always a nostalgic experience for me -- a trip into the past where forgotten and lost things are suddenly resurrected and reclaimed. Here are some of the things I uncovered during my quest for the top of the table:

* 2 empty water bottles -- make that 3,
* a stack of papers I had graded but never mailed back,
* a bag folding mirror/brush thingies,
* 2 markers and a pen,
* a dish towel and a washcloth,
* a box of plastic sheet protectors,
* 2 different types of Christmas ribbon,
* 2 Christmas newsletters,
* 3 Christmas music CDs,
* an educational game CD,
* 2 different types of planners (unused),
* a composition book (unused),
* a WeightWatchers Complete Food Guide book (not used enough),
* a WeightWatchers points calculator (ditto),
* three 3-ring binders,
* an umbrella,
* 2 bras,
* an adapter plug for some electronic thingamajig,
* a broken wooden-block snowman that R. made in elementary school (I fixed it),
* a file box for photos (empty),
* an overdraft notice from the bank -- make that two,
* 5 books from my bookcase,
* a bag of used books I bought today,
* a dental pick,
* a package of batteries,
* a scented candle,
* 3 different types of hand lotion,
* papers, papers, papers....
* a brochure for a fund-raiser for my grandson's school (expired January 23),
* a 2007 calendar;
* a 2008 calendar that I will never use because it has photos of huge, multi-million dollar homes on the pages -- although I did like the appointment stickers on the inside, so I removed those,
* loan application papers from the credit union,
* 5 plastic zipper bags,
* an electronic timer,
* 2 lesson workbooks,
* 2 lovely thank-you letters from two of my daughters (read and cherished),
* 2 empty DVD covers,
* a DVD zipper case,
* 2 unopened packs of dollar-store combs,
* 3 large mailer envelopes (empty),
* 2 boxes of new checks,
* a bag with handouts from a Church class,
* a list of telephone numbers from my bedroom wall,
* a small wallet-type address book (unused),
and finally. . .

THE TOP OF MY TABLE!!

I feel so. . . so invigorated, so. . . liberated, so. . . empowered!! I feel like I could . . . maybe. . . yes. . . yes, I think I could tackle something even more daunting, like. . . . like . . . grading 150+ e-papers!! Well. . . at least as many as I can before the system shuts down at midnight.