Are things piling up in corners of your home?

By Randall Franks

Have you ever realized how things seem to simply pile up?

I have just endured about four and a half weeks of reducing these piles, sheet by sheet, stack by stack, and at times it felt like word by word – junk mail, business letters, tax paperwork, newspapers, magazines?

I was never so happy about two weeks ago, when I came to realize that the floor of my living room was wood and not carpet with black type printed on it.

I was beginning to feel like the Riddler in “Batman,” with words and letters scattered everywhere.

You might say, “Why do you let it pile up so?” I ask myself the same question.

While trying just to work and make things happen, the piles grow.

Although I am still convinced that someone comes in while I am away and leaves their papers everywhere.

At least for the moment, as I look around my office, the desk is neat; my worktable is straight; the trash is gone; my taxes are ready to send the accountant; and my mail is caught up.

I can breathe again and this week, I have felt so enthused, that I focused much on several of my upcoming projects.

Of course, just when you think everything is sailing along, you realize that junk is not just around the house but is inside your computer as well.

Stacked up e-mails, endless unused files that take up space and slow your speed of accomplishment. And you never know when one of those unexpected viruses will show up and you have to take it in for servicing.

As I write this, I am hoping I finish this column and get it sent out via my mailing service before my computer crashes again.

A quick trip to the computer store told me that it has to go on a four-day vacation at a computer spa starting Monday.

The computer doctor will analyze its problems and work to send it back saner than before.

They have already told me it will be wiped. So, it will come back with a clean slate, sort of like my floor. I can start all over again filling its space with programs and files.

This time, I will only put on it what I use regularly and leave the rest.

With my four days off the Internet, I will endeavor to finish my cleaning around the house and hopefully be totally refreshed.

Take a little time to begin clearing out the stuff around your house that no longer is needed. It will sure make a difference in your outlook and give you a newfound enthusiasm, especially when you find that $50 bill underneath all that stuff.

What? You don’t think there’s a $50 bill underneath. If not, just run by the bank and get one out of your account and set it where things pile up once everything is clean.

That way you have an incentive next time.

Randall Franks is an award-winning musician, singer and actor. He is best known for his role as “Officer Randy Goode” on TV’s “In the Heat of the Night” now on WGN America. His latest 2019 # 1 CD release, “Americana Youth of Southern Appalachia,” is by the Share America Foundation. He is a member of the Old Time Country Music Hall of Fame. His latest book is “A Badge or an Old Guitar: A Music City Murder Mystery.” He is a syndicated columnist for http://randallfranks.com/ and can be reached at [email protected].