As I inched out further onto the board, it became painfully clear that I was in quite significantly over over my head. And the fact that I hated painting. That was obvious too.

As yet another weekend was spent painting, there was more than just wall colors that changed ‘round our house. The Wife™ and I got into a bit of a row, and not over who hates painting more, but rather because of the fact that I have turned into my father. Or maybe I always have been in this particular regard and just never realized it. Nonetheless, it’s annoying and it’s annoyingness annoys her.

It turns out that I’m obnoxiously task driven. Perhaps psychopathically so. I’m completely focused at all times on accomplishing the task at hand for the expressed purpose of moving on to the next. Free time (in my mind) should be spent enjoying the ability to cross more things off a to-do list. Weekends are just a conglomeration of this free time. Fun time happens after free time and never before. Perhaps in a previous life I was a to-do list wheeling Puritan.

I tried to explain to The Wife™ that it’s not just that I feel the need to work before I relax. I simply don’t have the circle of friends that she does. Or the family. In fact, I have no one besides her (and His Highness™, the Prince of All Dogdom) within a several hundred mile radius. I don’t really watch movies or TV, and I get to listen to music and bemuse myself online during the work week. Therefore all my down-time by default ends up being spent working on the house. I enjoy it. It gives me satisfaction, not only to get things done that need it, but also to make the house better. It’s a simple pleasure that watching neither VH1 or hanging out people who only tolerate me because I married their friend can render.

I will not bemoan my lonliness. I have a wonderful life. I will complain however, to myself and myself alone, that I need to be a tad less relentless with my focus. As it appears that none of my friends are moving to The Ville™ anytime soon, I have to learn to find enjoyment in what I am surrounded with. Tasks and to-do items will forever be around, but some people in my life may not be. So while I try to realax a bit, there’s still a part of me that enjoys annoying The Wife with my superpowerful, superenhanced Annoyingness.

I just wish sometimes she would join me in my quest to conquer our listsmy lists. We could get so much more done.