Don't Put Off Until Tomorrow . . .: A Lesson in Procrastination

So I openly admit that I am a bit of procrastinator, particularly when it comes to things that I absolutely don't want to do (even though I know whatever it is isn't optional), or when it comes to things that I do not deem as important. My lesson comes from the latter case. Usually these things might seem small and unimportant, but they can become a lot more important and (as is the case this time) more time-consuming later.

The other day, Liz and I were up at her classroom, getting it ready for the impending school year. She had an unopened two liter bottle of Sprite, so we decided to bring it home along with a few other items that belong at our house instead of Liz's. So, we load up her car and head home. We had several things to bring in, so I just stated that I would bring in the Sprite and the rest of the stuff later.

Fast-forward a few days. As those of you living in this part of the country know, we have had a particularly hot summer (I think you might be able to see where this is going). The Sprite had remained in Liz's car for a couple of days. Liz said that she wanted some Sprite, so I went outside to get the aforementioned Sprite-- the impending source of my ire. I popped open the back of Liz's Blazer and pick up the bottle of Sprite. Lo and behold, the bottle is empty. My first thought is, "Oh no, it leaked." I certainly wish that were the case, but no, but no. I start looking around and noticed that there is a sticky deposit all over the back of her car, on all of the windows, on the upholstery. I look at the bottle of Sprite and there is a huge gash in the bottom of it. Long story short, it had gotten so hot that the Sprite had expanded, and the bottle had exploded . . . violently.

I went in and apologized profusely that I had left the Sprite and said that I would clean it up immediately. So I began cleaning it up. I wiped down all of the windows in the back. Then I notice that some has gotten up into the middle seat on the consoles, so I climb up and begin cleaning the window switches and whatnot. I then notice that it has gotten on the consoles on the front seat, and the windshield. This was sitting in the back of an SUV. It exploded the entire length of the vehicle. I was a little incredulous. Luckily, we also had my parents' carpet steamer, so the back upholstery also got a good cleaning.

An hour and a half later, I am finally done. I am also sticky all over, and anybody who knows me at all knows that I can't stand being sticky. Can't stand it. So, I had to jump in the shower right then and there or I might have gone completely insane.

I definitely know now that it would have been far easy to take 30 seconds to bring in the Sprite. Now I know in the future that whenever I put off something because I deem it unimportant and insignificant, I will be reminded of the Sprite Incident of '11 and think better of procrastinating.