18 May 11 (Habits Are Strong Things)

We've had eleven years to get used to having numbers for years that are usually smaller than the numbers for days in a date ... but I had forty-seven years to get used to it the other way, so it still feels a little strange.  What was I thinking? that this would be year 111?

Our church came out with its "new" hymn book in 1985.  I still hear the name of the song we are going to sing and instinctively head for its page number in the "old" book, until I either hear the page number I'm supposed to go to, happen to look up at the number at the front of the chapel, ... or get there and have an "aha" moment.

Yesterday, I was headed to St. George and had 3 errands to run on three corners of the same intersection in Hurricane before getting on the highway.  I passed the turn to the first one, because I am so used to the path to the second one that I went directly there.  I realized what I had done at the signal light.  At that point I decided the best course was to make the order 2, 3, 1.

OK.  So I did 2 and 3 and was back at the signal light headed to do 1.  When I got to the turn, I now instinctively drove back towards my office, from which I had started this adventure.  I was two doors from my office and a block past my turn when I realized what I had done.  U turn time.

Yes, I did make the intended turn once thing 1 (with apologies to my dear friend Dr. Seuss) was done, and successfully made it on to the highway, to St. George, and back.

I can hear Benjamin say I'm old now.  OK, I admit it.  I have reached the point in life where I know more people younger than me than those older than me.  I guess that means something.

It means that habits are strong things, and the famous sign at the IBM offices with one word in very large letters "THINK" is an important reminder to me.  But I was also reading in the BYU Today magazine today, and saw a wonderful picture of a beaming 90 year old Marjorie Hinckley receiving a honorary doctorate of humane letters from President Bateman in 2000.  There is much remaining to do, and I'm excited to do it, one tortoise step after another.

Is there anyone younger than me out there that will admit to doing crazy things out of force of habit ... ? 

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PS - Terreeeblay helped me stay energetic tonight, check out http://terreeeblay.blogspot.com/2011/05/104.html