The week ahead

Indecision is ruining my life.

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I'll always think I know what I want to do, say, eat, wear - and then I'll change my mind.

Now, I know we all do this sometimes, but I think my case is severe when I will stand outside my pantry for more than five minutes deciding whether I have a taste for Frosted Flakes or Lucky Charms.

Recently, after waiting several minutes to have my order taken at a fast-food drive-through, I asked for more time to decide between a burger and nuggets.

I'll go to a store knowing what I need. But whether it be meat, cleaning supplies, lotion, pots and pans, furniture, barbecue sauce - whatever - I spend hours comparing the items by brand, weight, color, flavor and ingredients, then more time on calculations to determine my best bet.

My co-workers probably think I'm incompetent because I take so long doing one story, but knowing how to write it isn't the problem. In fact, by the time it's done, I've started it, stopped, written, changed and revised it - paragraph by paragraph - so many times it's the equivalent of having written eight stories that became one.

The trivial indecisiveness never stops. What shall I wear to work? To church? Pumps or flats? Ponytail or hair down? Whole grain or wheat? Juice or water? Cup or glass? River Watch or Washington Road? Which restaurant for lunch? For dinner? 20/20 or 48 Hours? Answer the phone or call later? Leave a message or call back? As Charlie Brown would say: Arrghh!

I'm not big on horoscopes, but I blame this phenomenon on my being a Libra, the sign of the scales. It may be embedded in my being to want to know all my options, then weigh them meticulously - all the while holding up my patient friends screaming at me to just pick, just choose, just decide and let it go!

It's a wonder I get this column done, since the object is to pick things for people to do, but my choice is the Augusta Ballet's production of Pinocchio at 7 p.m. Friday and 3 p.m. Saturday at the Imperial Theatre.

Aside from the puppet wanting to lose his strings and become a real boy, Pinocchio dealt constantly with deciding whether he should lie and look like Steve Martin in Roxanne or simply tell the truth.

Ah, yes. One main decision. Puppets-turned-boys live so stress free, and probably don't waste a lot of time. It seems so simple, it's inspiring. I'm sure it could be simple for me, too, if I would just take my friends' advice - to just decide and let it go - and stop worrying about the what-ifs that will be there anyway.

I've just decided I will do that. It's sad that a character carved from a piece of wood had to be my motivation, but hey, whatever it takes to keep from ruining my life.

Read on, and decide which of these things you'd like to do.

TUESDAY

JOYFUL NOISE

Hear the voices of about 50 children. The Augusta Children's Chorale will sing at Tuesday's Music Live at St. Paul's Episcopal Church at noon. The concert is free; lunch costs $7, with reservations required. For more information, call (706) 722-3463.

FRIDAY

BASKETBALL WITH FLAIR

These guys have been around for years, and their show is still a treat no matter what your age. The Harlem Globetrotters will play a trick-filled game of basketball at 7 p.m. at Augusta-Richmond County Civic Center.

FRIDAY AND SATURDAY

FIND YOUR INNER IRISHMAN

Celebrate St. Patrick's Day early at the Augusta Irish Festival on the Augusta Common from 6 to 10 p.m. Friday and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday. Live entertainment at the free event includes traditional singer Tracy Sands from the County Down, Ireland; Eryn Eubanks & the Family Fold; the Augusta Irish Dancers; and Liz Noles. Proceeds from drink and food sales will benefit the Augusta Irish Dancers and the Irish-American Heritage Society. Call 860-6379 or 737-9011 for information.

SUNDAY

TEA FUR TWO

To raise funds for a no-kill animal shelter, the Columbia County Humane Society is having a high tea, Tea Fur Two, at 4 p.m. at Palazzo's Caf, Furys Ferry Station.

DIVE INTO THE HENRIETTA MARIE

The exhibit A Slave Ship Speaks: The Wreck of the Henrietta Marie has been on display at the Augusta Museum of History for more than a month. At 2 p.m., meet Michael Cottman, author of The Wreck of the Henrietta Marie. The lecture and touring the exhibit are free.

Reach C. Samantha McKevie at (706) 823-3552 or samantha.mckevie@augustachronicle.com.