(Notebook + miscellaneous reading materials. Yay for the bulkhead exit row.)
Friend Erin got me the perfect birthday gift in October. Listography. She clearly knows me well.
I am a list person.
I am also self aware enough to realize that this (something obsessive) list making is often therapeutic, although sometimes maybe a little detrimental to my mental health.
On the plane from Puerto Vallerta to Mexico City yesterday, I filled my notebook full of lists. A list of my family (27 of us for now on the Hudson side - I'm calling it the Hudson Family Census). A list of my nieces & nephews, lest I forget how many I have (13). A list of who I'd send Christmas cards to if sending them didn't give me such massive anxiety - the planning & creating parts, that is. A list of my friends (duplicative of my Facebook efforts, perhaps). I thought about breaking it down into tiers, but realized that might be taking it a bit too far.
A to-do list. Two pages long. I didn't make any lists while I was in Mexico. I didn't really even pick up a pen. But this week? I need to go to the temple. Buy new underwear. Hang the curtains I bought (a desk! a printer! curtains! We're growing up). Call a friend I've been missing. Back up photos on my external drive. Schedule some photos. Grocery shopping. Book plane tickets. Call our insurance company. Find a perfect album to put my polaroids in.
I made a list of Christmas gift ideas.
Oh. I lied about not making any lists in Mexico. I did. Well, we did. We woke up early on Thanksgiving morning & before we were even half awake we talked about what we're grateful for. Each other. The gospel. Our families. Rice & beans (Mike). Guacamole (me). Teaching seminary (us). Mexican doctors who were really, really kind to me when I had to visit them several times (e.g. a doctor who actually put me in the back of his own car & drove me to another clinic to see another doctor - amazing). Friends who feel like family.
(etc.)
I put the list in my BlackBerry so I wouldn't lose it.
I made a list of the places I've traveled this year (Salt Lake, Portland, Costa Rica, Arizona, Mexico, Priest Lake, Washington DC, Florida, Los Angeles).
Then I couldn't think of any more lists I wanted to make, so I put my notebook away.
I've always felt like lists are a way for me to maintain order & control amid chaos. I think that's an okay thing. But I need to go buy another notebook now.
5 comments:
I love that you made a list of friends. you are so great Kathryn.
Huge sigh of relief that you are back on the www. I was beginning to have withdrawals.
Have you seen the Kolo albums? I think they are at Papersource. Simple one's but I like them.
did you make a list of words that should be erased from the english language?
I am obsessed with making lists too. I just need a singular place to keep them, I'm always finding them in random places.
Why on earth did you have to see a doctor in Mexico?! I hope you are okay!
I like the Kolo albums, Missy. I bought a few of them after we went to London & I put all (ALL) of my photos in them. One brown, one green. They're perfect. I wanted to see if I could find an album with polaroid sized sleeves, but it's nearly impossible. I have 2 from Urban Outfitters, but I don't love them.
listography! love it. ty bought me a copy last year for christmas and it's one of my favorite things ever. I just started filling it out the other day and it's perfect...all my lists in one cute little book...I think the "character flaws" page should be left blank though. lol.
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