How Trailer Park Boys Made Me Buy A Calendar
The residents of Sunnyvale Trailer Park are slowly changing my life for the better.
Ricky and Julian, two career criminals, have been released from prison yet again. Their scheme, which had been building from the beginning of season two to its finale, a genuine success. Thirty-eight thousand dollars richer, Ricky squanders his new fortune on fireworks and pepperoni. After losing a bet made with Sunnyvale Trailer Park Supervisor Jim Lahey, Ricky got down on one knee and kissed Lahey’s bare butt in front of the entire park. All of this, in the season three premiere.
This show is hilarious.
I feel motivated to sing its praises to anyone with ears. I’m discovering an influential show for the first time. Tweeting doesn’t do it justice, and neither does a Facebook post. I doubt my followers on those platforms would be interested in a show about the lives of Canadian petty criminals set in a trailer park, with the world being on fire the way it is. Still, I need to tell someone. So instead of singing its praises, I can write about them on Medium.
Since the pandemic, though, it’s easier than ever to feel discouraged about writing. The day job takes its toll, and passion will not pay these bills. The stress, now at an all-time high. The same old excuses.
But sometimes, greatness cannot be ignored.
I figured reading other writers’ experiences with this problem would provide a solution to start writing again. I scoured Medium for advice on how to be productive with my writing. There is no shortage of valuable articles, and the communities fostered here are an immense help. I came away with this nugget through the haze of words courtesy of Tom Farr:
“Staying organized will free up valuable time and attention for the task.”
Studies show that clutter adds to the stress by forcing your brain to answer unnecessary questions:
Why can’t I find my charger?
Where is my pen?
What day is it?
My charger is beneath unfolded laundry. My pen is on the ground and not in the drawer. Relying on my phone to track what day it is, sounds like a cry for help. I realized my discouragement for writing stems from inherent disorganization.
So I got to work.
I bought a calendar and planner to keep a schedule. I set deadlines to hold myself accountable. I’m using the Reminders app for the first time. Now, I’ve written more words in the past week than I have the entire year. It’s exciting. The first four pages of the planner are simple but effective lists that challenged me to stick to the plan:
1. Start With The Big Picture
2. Set Your Goals
3. Design Your Days
4. Stay On Course
Pretty soon, I was jotting down short and long-term goals for the ideal life. For the person, I want to be. That life revolves around writing; that person revolves around self-discipline.
Seeing them written down on paper re-wired my brain into making sure I hit those milestones. Something about crossing them off one by one makes what I’ve achieved that much sweeter. If a goal seems daunting, set a smaller one. Hell, I’m still working on making my bed every day.
If I want to be a better writer? I have to work on being a better writer. If I want to be a better person? I have to work on being a better person.
The road ahead entails hard work, but proper preparation can make the journey smooth.
The bizarre need to tell someone about Trailer Park Boys opened my mind to the power of improved organization. This show reignited my love for writing. I couldn’t be happier. Good job, boys, and frig off Barb!
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