Too Many Choices!

I wouldn’t want to live in a society where I was not allowed to make choices but sometimes the options are so varied that I become a blithering ditherer.

Take books for example. Did you know that over 200,000 titles are published in the world each year? That’s a phenomenal number of actual books leaving the printers. UK publications account for about 10% of that number which is still a whole heap of books to choose from. I go into bookshops and I dither.

Then there’s the TV. To improve our reception we had a satellite dish fitted recently which means we now have over 100 channels to choose from. Need I say more?

As for food, when I was a kid we walked to the local shops every day and Mum bought what was needed for that day’s meals. Recently our local supermarket opened a new extension. I could do with a motorised buggy to get from one end to the other... and I still can’t decide what to have for supper!

This morning I walked round to the local Polling Station and was handed four ballot papers. 

Ballot Paper No. 1: To elect our local councillors I had to mark three crosses on a very long sheet containing 16 names. 

Ballot Paper No. 2: For the Leicester Mayor I had to mark two crosses on a moderately long sheet containing 11 names. 

Ballot Paper No. 3: There’s a by-election here this year so for our new MP I had to mark one cross from a list of 5 names. 

Ballot Paper No. 4: And for the AV referendum I had to mark one cross from the choice of 2, yes or no. 

That makes seven crosses from a choice of 34 names. I have to admit, I stood in that booth and I dithered. 

You see what I mean? Too many choices!

   

Decisions, decisions, decisions

Voting, shopping, writing... it’s never ending.

Today is Election Day in the UK (what do you mean you hadn’t noticed?!) and for the first time ever I haven’t yet decided who to vote for. I will vote. People died so we could have this privilege. I just haven’t quite yet made up my mind where to put my cross, but don't worry. This is not going to be a Brown v. Cameron v. Clegg blog. I want to talk about other (more important!?!) decisions.

I’m in the middle of a really busy week right now and I’m trying to decide whether to drive to the supermarket or ‘go’ Internet shopping.

‘Treat yourself to an Internet shop!’ I can hear you all shouting but is Internet shopping really that wonderful?

GOOD: I won’t have to drive to the shop, push a wobbly trolley, unload at the checkout, pack into bags and load up the car.

BAD: But I won’t get away from the house, get a change of view from the computer screen and (even worse) the kitchen and I won’t have a chat with the friends and neighbours who I invariably bump into.

GOOD: I’ll be able to work out how much I’m spending by the running total on the screen.

BAD: But it’s so easy to order extra items that I’ll end up spending more than usual.

GOOD: A repeat menu comes up on the screen which is a bit like having all my old shopping lists in my hand and so I don’t have to think so much.

BAD: But I won’t be able to check on the size of each item (I once ordered an apple pie for visitors and a tiny individual one arrived.) and I can’t pick out those really juicy pieces of fruit and vegetables.

GOOD: As I won’t have to carry the shopping home I can order in quantity.

BAD: But I don’t have enough cupboard space to store it all.

GOOD: I’ll save petrol and wear and tear.

BAD: But delivery costs between £4 and £6...

...so what to do?

It seems that decisions in my writing life are no easier. I’m about to embark on a mammoth writing adventure with Merrilee’s Creativity Workshop, twelve short stories to be written in twelve weeks. (Yes! I know! I don't really have the time especially as I'm also doing the NaPiBoWriWee challenge of 7 picture books in 7 days but...) First I have to decide what my precise goals are going to be. So now I’m going to settle down and try to make yet more decisions...

...after I’ve been to cast my vote of course. Happy polling day!