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I have a decision to make...and I’m not sure what to do. I was working with my Microsoft Publisher program a while back, looking through the many clip-art pictures to find some that might work on a wedding program for our niece, Debra. I never realized how many pictures I had available to use! When I had perused all of my possibilities, I decided to check out the Clip Gallery on Publisher’s web site - to see if there were any wedding-type pictures I could download. When I got there, I discovered that Microsoft is offering a free 30-day trial of MS Publisher 98. It only takes a mere two and a half hours to download a trial version (!) and the new features sound great. However, I have put off downloading that trial version for now. I have a few good reasons for putting it off... I basically use Publisher to do this web page and a little family newsletter every few months - am I really going to have a use for 10,000 clip-art images, 1500 photographs, 175 fonts, and 1600 professionally designed templates? Right now I only use a fraction of the 5,000 clip-art images, 150 fonts, and 180 photos I have. Upgrading would complicate my life, at least for a while as I learn to use the new features and look through the 10,000 pictures it comes with. What if I use the new Publisher program and find that I can’t live without it, and Gary decides that we shouldn’t spend the $80 it would take to upgrade? It would be painful and difficult to give up my desire for such a good program.
Upgrading could be a good thing...maybe they’ve improved the web page feature and it will make it easier to put together The Robyn’s Nest. I’d love to try the animated GIFs that it includes. I love working on my family newsletter - maybe it would have designs that would look really good in my newsletter. It’s such a tossup, I’m having a hard time deciding whether or not to even try the new version.
As I’ve been contemplating this decision, I’ve also been aware of the fact that we also have to make similar decisions in our daily life as we choose to take on new projects, hobbies, friendships, and activities. Sometimes we decide to “try” something new because of the “new features” it will add to our life. (Excitement, novelty, interesting ideas, pleasure, etc.) We really need to count the cost before we add too many extra things in our life. Just as I may be willing to pay the $80 to add the glitzy new designs and features to my computer, you may be willing to “pay the price” to add a new activity to your family life. Consider, though, if you are willing to go through painful feelings as you give the activity up later when you realize that the price is too great - and that your life at home with your children is suffering. Too many things and activities in our life can make us feel tense, irritable, and angry - so we have to be careful to keep everything in balance and put our relationship with our family before outside activities.
I guess I’ll have to keep thinking about the possible Publisher upgrade, and count the cost, too, of some of the activities I’ve been adding to my life. Maybe it’s time to give some of them up, or at least put them on the back burner for now while my kids are young.
© Robyn Mulder 1998, therobynsnest.org
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