About this

time every year, people across this land bring forth a long list of New

Year resolutions. They speak and write of things that they will accomplish

in the coming year. Some will give up smoking, lose weight, or return

into the gym to get back into shape. Still others will vow to spend more

time with the family.

The lists go

on and on with one common thread I have found running throughout all of

them. The louder someone talks, the less likely they will do anything

on their list. So I, on the other hand, have chosen not to look forward

at the things that need to be done, but rather to look back at things

still left undone.

The following

is but a short list of items left undone from 2001. If you have time after

you complete the items on your list, please feel free to come over and

lend us a hand.

My wife says

I'm a pack rat, disorganized, and have piles of junk everywhere. I say

that I'm a collector of oddities and have a system. I never throw anything

away, and there is a good reason for it. I have a system, and one of the

first rules of that system is if you throw it out today then, inevitably,

you will need it tomorrow.

On top of the

list of things left undone from last year is cleaning the office. To the

untrained eye, it looks like our office is cluttered with papers all over

the floor and boxes everywhere. Ah, but in reality, the system takes over.

The stack and pile system.

The stack and

pile system is a system that I have spent years perfecting but will pass

its secrets on to you now. First, fill up your desk with stacks of important

papers. If you need anything that is important, it's right there: on the

desk, in a stack, within easy reach. (Not only does this keep things organized,

but a stacked desk makes you look busy.)

Then, when

you need more space you have it; simply move the stacks and pile them

on the floor. Anything you need that's important will be found in a stack

on the desk or a pile on the floor. What other system could be more convenient?

As of yet,

my wife has not seen the brilliance of my stack and pile system. So, the

first part of January will be spent cleaning the office and filing everything.

(I got a new file cabinet for Christmas.)

The second

item on our list of things left undone is cleaning out the closet. But

you'll find that the stack and pile system works really well in closet

areas too. Last year we collected a lot of stuff that all seemed to find

their way to the bottom of our closets. Closet space is something we have

too little of. Stuff is something we have too much of.

What do you

do with all of that stuff? Simple. The stack and pile system comes through

once again. Anything that is not important papers can be stacked and piled

in the bottom of any closet. We have four closets, and I can proudly say

that all are stacked and piled. (Do you know how many complimentary hotel

soaps, little shampoos, conditioners, and shower caps one can collect

over the years?)

My wife ventured

into my closet last week and found three pairs of pants in a box on the

floor. They had never been worn and never been out of the box. When asked

why I have never worn the pants or the new tennis shoes next to them,

I answered, "If I wear them they will no longer be new." She

was not amused.

She said, "The

second week in January we will be cleaning out our closets."

I asked her,

"Does the "we" mean me and "our closets" mean

my closet?"

She again was

not amused.

She went on

to say, "All the stuff that is not clothes will be sorted through

and thrown out." I look forward to the time "we" will finally

be able to hang "our" clothes up again. (I would finish painting

the closets, but there's too much stuff stacked and piled in there.)

You might ask,

"But what do I do when all the closets are stacked and piled to the

ceiling?" Have no fear. The stack and pile system comes to the rescue

once again. The system works great for that space under the bed. (I learned

this one at the mere age of five. If you stack and pile enough stuff under

your bed, the monsters won't come out.)

As you take

down your tree, remember that all Christmas ornaments, wrapping paper,

bows, and lights can be easily stored in plastic containers. Then you

can stack and pile them under the bed and forget about them, and any monsters,

'til next year.

As soon as

the holidays are over, we will sort through all of the stacks and piles

that somehow "we" have collected in our house over the years.

If you do the same, you might have a hard time deciding what to keep and

stack, what to keep and pile, or what to just throw away. If so, you can

use the system that my wife has come up with and we now use in our home.

Her system

to determine what is to be thrown out or what is to be kept is simple

and has only two rules. Rule number one: the wife is always right. Rule

number two is similar to rule number one: when the husband thinks he is

right just refer to rule number one.

Happy New Year.

[Rick Ryckeley

is employed by the Fayette County Department of Fire and Emergency Services.

He can be reached at [email protected] .]