« i guess | Main | if i were a betting type »
lists – a love story
By heather | March 11, 2008
Alternate title…laughing in the face of fate.
Alternate title #2…my brain is short circuiting.
I’ve often wrote about my penchant for list-making. It occured to me this weekend that having a child changes not just what’s on the lists but the way you make lists. (I know! This is why you come here – for my brilliant insight!)
Instead of one running list of things to do written neatly, now there are several. Lots of times these lists feed each other, i.e. what to get at the grocery store feeds into what to feed the baby for dinner. Things to do around the house, things to buy, stores to go to, blog entry topics.
I generally have a list of items that need returning, often requiring a trip to the post office when these things were purchased in a bleary eyed frenzy of internet shopping.
No more neat checkboxes either. Back of an envelope, margin of a paystub – things to do are written anywhere and everywhere and corraled by my pocket or purse or taped on the wall.
Some of the things on the lists are directly related to the baby, but all preparation and planning of how to accomplish the things on the list changes, sometimes in an instant - according to the weather, baby’s mood, how tired I am, if I have an available babysitter daddy.
So many times in the last year I have wished for a drive thru 7-11 or grocery store, because the number of times that Alex will happily go in and out of the carseat without complaint (read arching of the back and screaming while simultaneously trying to hit me in the face) is inversely proportional to how late in the day it is. For example: at say 1:30 or 2pm having just woken up from a nap, I can count on 3 or 4 quick stops. As we move closer to 5pm, 1 exit/re-entry is a safer bet.
(Digression: Why did our society ever move away from being able to walk everywhere?)
Knowing I was going away this week and having at least 5 loads of laundry to do so I could pack, in addition to at least 2 or 3 things on all of the above mentioned lists, I had a plan. A good plan. I was going to make a bank deposit, return a faulty toaster oven but since we live and die by all things toasted this necessitated buying a new toaster oven first and I didn’t want the same brand which meant another store. I also wanted to pick out paint colors so we could get our wish list done for the friend who is going to help us paint which means a trip to Home Depot to get swatches. And oh yeah, before leaving I need to fit in as much baby time as possible to tide me over for 5 days.
Before I had a child, those few things would have meant nothing to me, Master of My Lists.
This weekend, both Brett and I cracked from all the list making. And the amusing part is we didn’t really get anything done. Free time and energy are spent keeping an even keel, just maintaining things like bills and dishes. Spending time playing together.
On Saturday night, in the midst of the dishwasher running and clothes being washed, along with big plans for packing and cleaning and sorting after Alex went to bed – we lost power. Old neighborhood, lots of trees, overhead powerlines – this is nothing new. Sometimes the power will go out for no reason at all in the middle of the afternoon on a sunny day. But this time my internal brain surge protector failed too, and I sat there fuming in the darkness with a weakening flashlight, the plug pulled on my list-doing, until I forced myself to bed for lack of anything better to do. It was 7:30pm.
I’ve had to unsubscribe from a lot of the thrifty be-frugal blogs I used to enjoy reading. Reading about what other people are doing that I’m not was killing me. The competitive part of my brain couldn’t handle it.
I can no longer fathom buying toiletries at the drugstore to save a few cents when I can get them in one trip at the grocery store. I won’t go to 3 or 4 stores to shop around anymore – I consider the feeling of accomplishment from completing a list item priceless. The logical, yogic part of my brain tells me not to race to get everything done – to enjoy the journey, and usually I do. But the competitive part of my brain sometimes kicks the yogic part on it’s ass and shouts, “Ha ha! Done!” like a teacher’s pet being the first to finish a pop quiz.
Almost under duress, I still clip coupons every weekend and then don’t ever use them. They wither away in my coupon file as I watch things like shampoo and snack food come into the house, .50 or .75 more expensive than what we could have paid for it.
Did I mention that I treat my blog reader like a list and I must read every entry in there? Again, compulsion is killing me.
Now I’m in DC for the week, away from all my lists. I have 96 hours (minus the corporate brainwashing from 8-4) of me time. I hardly know where to start. My urge is to make a list of all the things I want to do. I’m resisting.
Topics: lists!, self improvement | 5 Comments »
Tags:
March 11th, 2008 at 9:16 am
You read every blog on your blog reader?!?! I’m looking to the left side of the screen right now and wondering how long that takes, haha.
I know what kind of shopping you can do in 96 hours.
Enjoy your me time!
Vicki’s last blog post..Guest Post from my better half
March 11th, 2008 at 11:52 am
I can so relate to all of this. After having my third child I have now give up on accomplishing anything on my lists (but I still make them, of course). I have also given up on doing errands at all, and I often contemplate giving up on finishing all the feeds in my reader. Right now my to-do list includes an item about organizing another to-do list! I give up…
The Wife’s last blog post..Love Letter from Husband Reveals His True Feelings
March 11th, 2008 at 1:42 pm
Oh, baby. I luuuurve me a list. You do know that I make them with check boxes, which I put check marks in when an item has been completed, and then I rewrite the whole list, minus the completed item.
It’s a sickness.
rima’s last blog post..I’m Just Here for the Party
March 11th, 2008 at 2:08 pm
First thing on the list – PUT DOWN THE LIST. I have to stay away from them or they control me.
Miss’s last blog post..7 Years Ago
March 12th, 2008 at 1:48 am
My favorite part about my new Mac = Stickies! I get to stare at my lists on my screen every day at work! Then print them out to stare at them at home!