COLUMN: A list of lists that keep me sane

  • Melissa Herrera (COLUMN)
  • April 28, 2014
  • 371
                        
COLUMN SUMMARY: Do you keep lists? Do they keep you polished and together? I may not be polished but they sure help me remember things. I’ve decided that today will be a list day. Do you keep lists? I keep to-do lists, lists for groceries, and lists of books and movies I want to read/see. Usually they get lost somewhere because I don’t keep them all in one place, but I have a pretty good memory when it comes to things I need. For a long time I refused to keep my lists on my phone because, I don’t know, it just felt weird. Now the notes on my phone are a very long list of websites, addresses, and other information I don’t want to forget. There are so many things to remember! So, without further ado, here is Missy’s list of random things I do to A) keep my life in order, B) stay interesting, and C) not lose my head. 1) Grocery list. This is usually a running list that stays in my head and when the day comes to go shopping, I write it down. I know, not the best way to keep track. Milk, bread, eggs, and those pizza rolls and chicken nuggets that my kids never seem to grow out of liking. Yogurt, bananas, and Cheerios for Missy, and for George a hefty container of nuts for snacking. Is it time to break routine and buy something new? 2) On my blog, I keep a list of books I want to read. Right now it’s very short as I haven’t had time to read as much as I want. Normally, I find books that look interesting at the thrift store and I pile them up. That’s how my collection has grown. There are some, though, that I know I need to read and make sure I take note of them. I am on the third book of the Divergent series right now and it is one that was on my list for several years. If you loved the Hunger Games trilogy you’ll love Divergent. Normally the books I read are full of angst and depth, but sometimes you just need a dig-into-book. Highly recommended. 3) Honestly, isn’t Pinterest a long list of things we love? It is also an obsession and I for one feel it can be included here. I think it is a good idea to scour ideas, décor, quotes, and food and keep them all in one place for later review. I love going back through my pins and seeing what I thought was a great recipe or idea six months ago. It’s a virtual filing cabinet or list if you will. It’s invaluable when I want to find something that I just can’t remember, or when it comes time for a wedding for one of my kids, I’ll know just where to find ideas. 4) Bills are a boring part of life, but if I want to pay them on time I must keep a list of what I need to pay. For me, I have them on a virtual sticky note on my laptop. I pay all my bills online so I only need to glance at the note to know who gets all my money for any given week. It’s a wicked web but a necessary one to keep me in order and on time. 5) Lastly, my new goal is to keep a list of articles I want to write. I have so many ideas that pop into my head and I do try to write them down. The littlest thing can be the biggest inspiration and I don’t want to forget them. I saw a school friend of eldest daughter the other day and was pleased to find that she reads my columns. She said she loves to read them, but found that lately they were shorter than normal. She asked why I wasn’t writing about what I loved and I didn’t have an answer because sometimes we’re required to write some things, and other days what we love. She said she will be reading and wants to see my heart in EVERY article. Maybe my newest list will be the writing critiques and quotes of my readers. Everyone needs a list to make themselves better, right?


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