Thanks George Clooney: Putting My House in Order

I am now in "putting my house in order" mode. Trying to give thought and to organize all things you think about when leaving home for an extended time, especially heading off in to a "rough" part of the world. This includes figuring out bills and pay checks and planning to pay ahead the next month's bills as they come due when I am out. Making arrangements for care of my dog and having neighbors check on the house, the mail, the pipes if it freezes. Maybe I'll get a house sitter. Beyond that though, come thoughts of updating my will, or at least leaving something that provides my wishes for what to do with my "stuff" if need be, where to leave passwords into important accounts, especially my writing that is password protected (thinking someday all that noodling will be important to someone), and what sage advice and thoughts I would want to leave with my son if I came to the end of being able to live by example. These are hard things to do but I am feeling like if I make the effort now then it will be like taking an umbrella out on a cloud threatening day: if I have the umbrella I won’t need it. If I neglect to take the umbrella I am likely to get caught in a downpour. So I am making plans for emergency happenings so that emergency happenings won’t happen.

And so now, why “George Clooney?” One of the harsh slaps of reality for any single adult is that dreaded line on forms of all kinds, the one where you have to provide “Emergency Contact ______________.” It’s hard when you don’t have a spouse to hang that on, though honestly, the last few years of my marriage I was not comfortable to use my wasbund’s name and number for that. That says a lot, doesn’t it? But now, though my son would be a likely candidate, I just don’t want him to be the one to receive a bad phone call. In fact I don’t want anyone to be the one to receive a bad phone call. I’d just like to be able to put “God” in that line, but I don’t have His current phone listing. Anyway, He’d be well aware of my situation without having to have to be contacted. I can’t recall which book jacket I read this on, but some single woman writer suggested putting George Clooney as an emergency contact. That idea seems perfect. And what a gift I’d be leaving for my woman friends. Here’s hoping George doesn’t have to call. Because truthfully, I’d hate to miss all the excitement.