Ham and Swiss Nirvana

What does completion mean to you?  For some it is the end of an activity for others it’s the first step in a new activity.  Think about the synonyms:

achievement, attainment, close, conclusion,consummation, culmination, curtain, dispatch, expiration, finalization, finis, finish, fruition,fulfillment, hips, integration, perfection, realization, swan song, windup, wrap-up ( thank you http://thesaurus.com)

Some of those are good others not so appealing. (I’m not versed enough in language to know why “hips” is up there. Latin, Greek, Turkish….Bueller, anyone?)  What is it about completion that gives people satisfaction? It is important to remember that not all completions are received the same.  For example:

Life Completed= death, bummer all around.

Movie Completed= Credits, not good unless it is a Sandra Bullock movie, then Yeah!

You complete……Me = Jerry McGuire.  Good the first time but got old real fast.

Homework Completed = TV time, I-Carly will motivate my son to do anything.

Task at work completed = Next task, this is called employment

Mustard completed = Well, let’s discuss…….

 I derive a weird sort of satisfaction finishing off a consumable.  I think it is more than “I killed it, I am man, hear me roar!”  I can’t be the only one out there who is slightly proud of themselves when they have conquered the jelly jar. …I know your out there admit it.  In my family a mustard jar brings the same flood of emotions a keg did in college, just not quit so intense, R rated, or as quickly.  

“Wow we have mustard, let’s eat it!” 2 weeks later “we still have mustard, this is great” 2 more weeks “ok we have to kick this mustard, look there is only a little left!  Who wants a 4^th  hot dog?” finally “YES!, we killed the mustard!” There are a few moments of pride as you marvel at the empty jar, and wonder about the possibilities of that vacant spot in the door of the refrigerator. Then, “oh god we are out of mustard!”  So it gets added to the list, or because of the SAM’S club we just pull the next 85 ounce jar out of storage…..and the cycle repeats.

Other things are that way; it’s like a measure of what we have done.  “Wow the soap is gone, I must be clean enough.” “This pen is completely out of ink, can’t believe I have had it so long.” Puzzles are that way….4 hours to complete the fluffy bunny slippers 2000 piece jigsaw puzzle, “look I did it!” the pride fades, and you rip it up and put it back in the box, destine to end up missing one piece at a yard sale. “I finished my Sudoku book!” my guess is if you finish one of those books you have another one in your hands that same day.

Some things are not that way. I have never had anyone marvel proudly at a completed tank of gas….and woe onto the eulogist who discusses looking forward to life’s completion.

The completion test is one of the measures I use to rate job satisfaction, if I am already looking ahead for the next task before the first is completed, I’m happy.  If I get in a situation where I dread the next task, or try to delay the completion of the task, it’s time to float that resume.  (see 1^st blog post, Underwater and loving it, I think)

I know some folks who dread the end, they fight the completion because what they have is known, something new is unknown and scary.  I think those folks are the same people who leave a mouthful of coffee left in the office coffee pot, rather than dump it out and start a new one. “I don’t have to finish it, and the next guy will get some, which is better than none, let him take the risk of the unknown.” Anyone who is a coffee drinker knows this is a sick and twisted mentality; some coffee is no substitute for a fresh, hot, full cup of Joe.  I wonder how many jars of almost empty condiments they have in the frig at home.....

This weekend I finished 4 items, simutaniously…it was a milestone, the holly grail, it was ham and Swiss.  I managed to use the last of the bread, ham, Swiss and Guldens mustard.  I could have chosen any of several other items to eat, but I chose the Ham and Swiss specifically because I knew it would finish off those items, was like nirvana.  I have a great life, my career keeps me thinking, and my family keeps me going.  It is not like my life is so pitiful that I need to derive satisfaction from condiment completion, but I do enjoy it.   We all have our endeavors, our need to complete.  You may run marathons, 26 miles in a few hours, but my mustard takes weeks and weeks, that is commitment to completion at a whole new level.