20160220 (to do list)

Somewhat like the national debt--if you owe it only to yourself. you don't need to pay it off right away.

I am a person of promise. So

Far I have kept a lot of them.

Regrettably though I have been

So prodigious in making them

I’ve had little time left to see 

Many to completion. Just to 

Name a few affecting this

Endeavor: I promised to learn

Typing—had typing manuals,

And when I got a computer

Repromised and invested in

A self-instruction practice disc,

Yet I am hunting and pecking 

Now like the worst of them.

I made a vow to eat religiously

According to the precepts of

My dietician, yet Diabetes 

Cookbook for Dummies, and

Mr Food’s Quick and Easy

Diabetic Cooking today sit on

My bookshelf as fresh as the

Day they left Barnes and Noble 

For my humble home. I promised

I would repair a conference table

I recovered one fine summer day

From a business’s trash on 29th,

It’s propped up behind me against

The wall as I write. To tell the 

Whole truth (which I promised

the day I named this blog) I have

Repaired the crack that happened

When I first hauled it here, and 

The one broken support (which

Was probably why they pitched

It). The only other repairs involve

Locating the screws I need to 

Attach the supports (I’ve got

Them here somewhere—I’ve

Promised myself I will locate

Replacements rather than buy

Them at Home Depot) and 

Locate a nice piece of hardwood

Long enough to brace the legs.

Copping the table was part of a 

Plan to repay my brother and 

Sister for the numerous times

They have provided me with

Holiday feasts these last six

Years since I left Dinah. It

Would be great to serve them 

An Easter meal, and easier 

Now that the stove I bought

Six years ago is now finally

Hooked up and functioning.

But I’ve not promised them

Invitations yet although I’ve

Kinda promised myself that

I would. Yeah, I promised I’d

Clear all my tools and crap

From the tables I improvised

From an old ping-pong set up,

But I haven’t fixed the steel

Shelving I found in the alley

Way just a few weeks ago.

Since it was so rusted I took

It apart and promised to sand

It and paint it before bringing

The tools from the dining room.

But that had to wait for the cellar

To get warm enough to work in.

Now that the temps are up I 

Can resume where I left off but

I promised I’d reread Ta’Nehisi

Coates’ The Case for Reparations

So I could converse knowledgeably

About it at church tomorrow

Afternoon. Kept that promise

Right after I kept the promise to

Take my blood sugar readings

Before and after breakfast. Kept

That promise. Now I’m keeping

My promise for daily blog entries,

After which I’ll clear my desk

Which I promised myself days

Ago, or I’ll go shopping which

I need to do, neglecting whichever

Induces less guilt.

c. J.S.Manista, 2016