There's never enough time in a day, a week, a month or a year. Life happens and at the end of that day, that week, that month and that year, you find yourself behind on a myriad of things.

Now, I have always kept a to-do list and a calendar of work and personal appointments, family engagements and more. I used to be good at accomplishing a lot on those lists and making sure I got to those appointments, interviews, etc. But it seems that in the past year or so, either I've gotten so busy that I haven't been able to keep up with the lists or appointments, or my attitude toward keeping up with those lists and calendar items has waned. I'm not sure, but it sure is frustrating and I am not sure how to deal with it.

My desk and surrounding area used to be neat and tidy (ask Sarah Morley, my former workplace neighbor who has always kept a neat work area) and every couple of months, I would clean out my desk of long-forgotten, type-written press releases, letters to the editor, news briefs, etc. I would also organize my desk top and keep only the things I really needed within an arm's length.

I went into work today and noticed a six-inch pile of newspapers, magazines, and papers on the table to the right, my desk was overflowing with hand-scribbled notes (whose number was that?), leftover photos, etc., and my desk drawers are overflowing with papers I haven't seen in months. What's wrong with me?

My former boss, Mary Brewer (Sarah's Mom), didn't seem to mind having, what appeared to me, a disorganized work area. She wasn't unorganized, as she seemed to always find a note she had written days before when it was needed, but I just can't stand to work in an area that looked like hers. To each his or her own, they say.

So, in order to get back on track, I guess that I will start from scratch and make a list today of things I want to accomplish, number one being "clean up my desk and area."

But then there's the editors' meeting at noon, interviews in the afternoon, phone calls to return, email to process, type the leftover press releases, schedule stories for the website before having to cover a field hockey game ... No wonder my desk is a mess.

Maybe, just maybe, I'll get it done before Christmas.