I Swear It's Like Herding Cats!

There are a few things in life that are like herding cats.  Herding cats has become a popular catch phrase in business management for getting people to do what they don't naturally want to do. In my life getting the squirrels out of bird feeders is like herding cats, although we still try. We buy the gadgets, try fancy seed, lube the poles, in short, we've tried it all, keeping squirrels off your bird feeders is an 'impossible dream!' There's always one that manages to evade your current 'trap.'  Or learns his way through your latest maze to conquer the feeder.

At my house the only thing harder than defeating the squirrels (or herding real cats) is getting my husband out of bed in the morning.  Actually that's not quite true.  There's nothing he likes better than staying up watching movies on Netflix until 3AM.  For me, this doesn't count as 'getting up in the morning' since he's already up when it's morning.  No, he heads for bed after the last movie is over...but getting him up before noon the next day?  Definitely like herding cats! Or defeating those wily squirrels. In fact getting him up in the morning before noon is like herding cats through peanut butter! Slow and tortuous.  And he always wants to stop and eat along the way!  Men!

After thirty plus years of marriage you'd think I'd give up.  Figure it was never going to happen.  But I keep hoping.  I keep trying.  My family has given up.  They know if we're invited for holiday dinner the only way we get there on time is by 'creative timekeeping.'  Better known as lying about what time dinner is!

My mom knows anytime we're supposed to be at her house at 2, she'll get a phone call from me (who is a neurotically on time) saying 'we've just left the house when it's 1:45.  (Stop laughing as you read this mom! I bet you can count on 1 hand then number of times we've shown up on time without using 'creative timekeeping' or me calling!)

All of us have our 'herding cats' issues.  For some it's getting their kids to do their homework as soon as they come home from school.  For others it's getting the black dog hair from your black labs off those cream colored pants. For some of us it's motivating some of the people who work for us.  Yes, herding cats is something all of us face in our lives. 

When was the last time you tried to herd cats?  Or have you given up trying?  I'm such a sucker.  I'm still trying, to 'herd the cat' and defeat the squirrels.Who are the recalcitrant critters in your life? Tell me all about them.