Lists
Please tell me I’m not the only one who maintains endless lists of everything. It probably started as one of those 1980’s management techniques I picked up in an effort to be professional. Over the years it has expanded to become my second brain - with two busy young kids, an active career and serious attempts to have both a social life and a house my mother would be proud of, keeping track of everything from household chores to grocery lists, to work tasks, lists were essential. Then I added in things I wanted to do in my free time - project ideas, what to pack for camping or traveling abroad, books I wanted to read. And then the self-improvement (those lists have not survived, though I do track my participation in various sports activities). Followed by lists of things I have accomplished (new recipes tried, what have I gotten rid of each day, etc.).
The lists have changed format over the years. The daily paper list of tasks at the office has been replaced by reminders in my phone. Some of the completed craft projects are tracked in different blogs (one for my medieval crafts, one for a very specific sub-set of research projects, one just for the knitting projects). Some are still in the form of lists in my phone or iPad, though some periodically do get moved to a journaling site that serves as a bit of a diary.
Some of these lists are really useful. The one with recipes tried helps me recall what foods my youngest kid particularly liked, so I can make the recipe again when she mentions how good it was but can’t remember what she ate. Just last night she asked if I could make those “ground beef things I really like”. Turns out she meant either the Korean meatballs from a church community cookbook from 1980s Toronto, or the Iranian kotlette from an Ottawa Humane Society fundraiser cookbook. My recipe list carefully notes the source, plus comments if it was a flop, meh, or a real hit (especially with the kids). For the record, she meant the kotlette.
Sometimes they remind me of things I really must do (the grocery list now includes “buy black shoes” and “buy 36” roller blinds” because those are things I otherwise won’t remember until it is too late. Sometimes they are complete failures (the “water plants” reminder is ignored far more often than is good for the health of my poor plants).
And sometimes, they are the incentive I need to just get going and achieve something on a difficult day. The satisfaction of hitting delete on notes about correspondence that needs answers, HR actions that need a follow up, and projects concluded cannot be underestimated. Today I managed to clean up quite a few things on this list. Now I can start looking forward to doing the same for the fun craft lists over the upcoming long weekend.
The lists have changed format over the years. The daily paper list of tasks at the office has been replaced by reminders in my phone. Some of the completed craft projects are tracked in different blogs (one for my medieval crafts, one for a very specific sub-set of research projects, one just for the knitting projects). Some are still in the form of lists in my phone or iPad, though some periodically do get moved to a journaling site that serves as a bit of a diary.
Some of these lists are really useful. The one with recipes tried helps me recall what foods my youngest kid particularly liked, so I can make the recipe again when she mentions how good it was but can’t remember what she ate. Just last night she asked if I could make those “ground beef things I really like”. Turns out she meant either the Korean meatballs from a church community cookbook from 1980s Toronto, or the Iranian kotlette from an Ottawa Humane Society fundraiser cookbook. My recipe list carefully notes the source, plus comments if it was a flop, meh, or a real hit (especially with the kids). For the record, she meant the kotlette.
Sometimes they remind me of things I really must do (the grocery list now includes “buy black shoes” and “buy 36” roller blinds” because those are things I otherwise won’t remember until it is too late. Sometimes they are complete failures (the “water plants” reminder is ignored far more often than is good for the health of my poor plants).
And sometimes, they are the incentive I need to just get going and achieve something on a difficult day. The satisfaction of hitting delete on notes about correspondence that needs answers, HR actions that need a follow up, and projects concluded cannot be underestimated. Today I managed to clean up quite a few things on this list. Now I can start looking forward to doing the same for the fun craft lists over the upcoming long weekend.
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