Lists and more Lists

Besides my other profession of “worrier,”  I am also a “list maker.”  I make lists for everything.  I make list on my computer in both excel and word (cannot decide which is better), I make list in the journal I carry around, I make list in my blackberry memo app and I make list on those little yellow post it notes.  I make list for myself and often for my loved ones, although not sure how appreciated those are.   I use lists to bring control and order to my life.

Here are some of the on-going lists I keep:

• To-Do – usually items needed to do on a daily basis
• Dave’s To-Do –  I frequently provide Dave with a copy which he quietly takes from me with a smile.  I have no idea what he does with those lists but I am pretty sure he never looks at them again.
• Menus
• Recipes to Try
• Books to Read
• Movies to Watch – this list has moved to my recently opened Netflix que.
• Bucket List – sort of like my to-do list but with a broader horizon – currently contains many places I would like to visit and activities I would like to do.
• Décor – contains ideas I want to incorporate into my house
• Quotes  –  I frequently jot down items  I hear or come across in my reading

Here is one of my favorites by Ellen DeGeneres,

“My grandmother started walking five miles a day when she was sixty.  She is ninety-seven now and we don’t know where the hell she is.”

I also have seasonal lists which include:

• Spring Cleaning Tasks – When all the girls lived at home I would assign each of them tasks along with a box for them to check off when complete.  I know they just LOVED this one.
• Christmas Presents to Buy – of course this included a sub-list of Christmas presents bought.
• Thanksgiving and Christmas Day Dinner Plans – incorporating menus, shopping lists and hour by hour execution plans.

No doubt the highlight of my list life to date was the planning of my two daughters weddings. We had list for about everything you can imagine.   One of those daughters may be just a bit more obsessive about this than I am (if that is possible) and I think we actually had some conflict over who was keeping the list for what.

Wow, I just realized I now have a list of my lists………cool.

ANYWAY, what I started this post about, before I became a little giddy talking about all my lists, were all the things I want to do in my life.  I am a much better planner and strategic thinker than I am an actual doer or executer.  Many times I blame that on my limited mobility.  For instance, I would love to participate in the Arthritis Foundation walk at Zona Rosa on May 22.  It is on my bucket list and I really hope I can do this someday.  Unfortunately, right now I would have a hard time making it to the starting line from the car, let alone walking the 5K.

Another item on my bucket list is to stay at a bed and breakfast.  I have often thought that owning and operating a bed and breakfast would be a great profession.  I love the idea of living in a grand old house, entertaining guests and serving savory breakfasts each morning.  There was an interesting article in the Kansas City Star today about a B&B on the Plaza, the Southmoreland.  The article was actually talking about grilling breakfast outside, an idea that Dave and I thought sounded really fun.  Guess what, I added a new entry to my TO-DO list after reading this, “Host a grilled breakfast party.”

I often use my list, especially my bucket list, to help with my increasing level of frustration and depression over not being able to participate in certain activities.  I read the list, add items to it and look forward to the day I actually may be able to partake.  I search for hope and thoughts of better days wherever I can.

Are any of you out there list makers?  I would love to hear from you (and maybe start a therapy group)! Thirteen days to go……..