Lists

“The palest ink is better than the best memory”

This is a Chinese Proverb and my mom reinforced it. She had lists everywhere, so needless to say, I am also a list maker. But not just your occasional list maker. Nope, I will admit that I am a certifiable, compulsive list maker!

I make lists for everything, and I do mean everything!

I not only make the normal grocery list, and the ever popular” to do” list, (lists for beginners in my opinion) but I also make the “to do” list for work” to dos”, project lists, including, but not limited to, spring, summer, fall and winter, short term as well as long term “to do” list. Items that need to be completed today, this week, this month and finally, this season.

I make lists of items that I need to remember to share with my kids. (And I think in turn, adding to their lists. Sorry kids!) Lists of places where I want to go, list of must reads, must download to my iPod, and must make foods for my next gathering.

I combine lists, and then break some of them down by category. I have also been known to put my “to do” lists in order of importance, and will even map out my errand list in order to save time and gas. So, depending on what is on my list, and where the location is of each place that I need to stop at, my list can be broken down like so:  1-Pick up dry cleaning, 2- Put gas in car, 3- Drop off donations at Goodwill, 4-Grocery shop.

I can drive myself crazy with all of my lists, but will almost have a panic attack if I find myself somewhere without my lists.

I know that this probably sounds quite crazy to many, as now that I am writing about it, it kind of does to me too, but I am actually a very organized person, and I have to attribute at least some of this to my compulsive list making, while the rest is most likely due to my need to keep things moving and on target. As a matter of fact, writing this article about my list making actually made it to my things to write about list! Sad to say, that’s not a joke!

Wow, reading all of this really makes me think that maybe I should try to scale back on my list making a bit.

Yes, I am definitely going to put that on a list of things that I need to change... 

 Oh well, maybe not. After all, who am I to challenge a proven Chinese Proverb?