Monday, April 11, 2011

Procrastinators of the world unite....fail?

I think they might kick me out of the procrastinators club.  I actually got a bunch of stuff done off my "to do" list this weekend.  The garage door now locks (probably should've done that one a bit sooner!), frosted the glass on the bathroom door (why it was clear in the first place I'm not sure, house came that way - that one has been on the list for, ahem, 5 years), took some pictures of stuff and put it on kijiji, put an owl on the roof so that the freaking pigeons might actually stay away, watched a movie that I had borrowed from a friend.... there were other things I'm sure but it was such a busy weekend I don't even remember them all now!



Example of what gets left by bins
Moving day
I suppose one other thing that I usually do in bits and pieces but I decided to do a blitz on (as inspired by A Day in the Hood) was to report some by-law infractions. I went down two back lanes in my neighbourhood (about six blocks worth of each) and came up with THIRTY FIVE separate addresses to report to 311, many with multiple items/violations. Now, this wasn't me getting all picky and looking for the most minor of infractions, this was mostly bulky garbage in back lanes or piled up in back yards. A total of 15 couches/loveseats, 36 mattresses and about 8 extremely derelict cars (broken windows, up on blocks, sunken into ground etc).  All of that from just two back lanes (about 12 blocks total). Can you imagine if I was looking for dangling eavestroughs and peeling paint?!

Since I think I may have invited folks over for a BBQ when I visited the Winnipeg Internet Pundits show last week, let me revise that invite slightly - I will be taking part in the St. John's Community Clean-up on Saturday May 7th and I would like to ask you to come.  The clean-up starts at 10am (varying start points, TBA) and will have a wind-up at noon at Ralph Brown Community Centre (corner of McGregor and Machray) that will have a BBQ or some other sort of food goodness.  How does this tie in to my post you ask? Simple. Do not procrastinate and think "oh that sounds good, I should do that, I'll remember this" or "neat, what a great idea to get to see the North End and meet Winnipeg Girl, it's so important I know I won't forget". Stop. Take out your phone and go to the little calendar function. I'll wait. Okay, now put in an event or whatever you call it with your phone and put in an alarm for 9am on Saturday May 7. It should say this: Get butt out of bed, explore Winnipeg and help clean it up - go to North End to help Winnipeg Girl and her community. Now.

See how easy that will be? For those of you who don't use a mobile phone (?!) get out your pen and write it on the calendar on your wall that you got from your insurance place or wherever it is that people still get wall calendars. DON'T PROCRASTINATE!!  If you're good and show up maybe next time I'll have the BBQ at my place (and my place has steaks and beer and Bailey's, mmm.... Bailey's)

3 comments:

  1. Neighbourhood cleanups are a great community building exercize as well. When I lived in the WB I think half the people I came to know were as a result of cleanups and the events relating to it. (We didn't hold it at 9 am though - what the hell ? Nobody in WB gets up until 11 on a Saturday !)

    I guess I will have to one-up your Bailey's offer to get people out to the Giant West End Cleanup ON APRIL 30th from the more relaxing hours of noon to 4....

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  2. I'll come to yours if you come to mine ;)

    Plus the clean-up starts at 10, the alarm is at 9 to remind you so you can't blow it off! Folks, if you're torn, we only want your slave labour for two hours those West-Enders who want it for four!

    One-up Bailey's?? That'll be a tough one, but I look forward to the results.

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  3. I will be at the St Johns Clean-up as well. I started my cleaning today, shoveling garbage from my back lane into the dumpster. I also contacted 311 to have them assist in the clean-up by moving the dumpsters over and cleaning the garbage that has accumulated under these disgusting dumpsters. Don't just wait for the community clean up days to clean your small part of the North End. Do a bit each day, making the neighbourbood a better place.

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