THE LIST MAKER

Penny For Your Thoughts by: Nancy Whitaker

I have almost always been someone who makes a list for everything. List making seems to make tasks shorter and easier. I do lists for groceries, Christmas gifts, what routines  I need to follow on a daily basis, medicines, Dr appts, music gigs, songs, food to serve at each holiday, work hours, what stores have the best prices on various items and things to take on a trip, lists of restaurants and a list of what clothes I want to wear the next day. 

It’s not new for me to make a list because actually I think I have always had a list. One of the things that’s frustrating is getting to a store or go shopping and find you forgot your lists of things to remember. 

You can look at a list as a tool for organization or just because you are afraid you might forget to pay a bill or pick up dry cleaning.

Years ago when my children were growing up I always gave them a work list to do after school. With me and their dad at work, it made it nice to have some things done after working all day.

My kids did work lists for .25 cents a week. You probably don’t believe it, but that quarter meant a lot back then. When the older girls were in junior high they had lists such as: throw a load of white clothes in the washer. 

Then I might have them get potatoes ready to bake for supper, feed and water the dog, make sure their younger brother and sister changed their school clothes, walk up to post office and get the mail and wash any dirty dishes which are lying around. 

Then years later when I was in the process of moving, the kids found some old work lists in a drawer from the 70s and said, “Wow mom! We had some big work lists.” If I had children today I would probably still make work lists. 

Some of my everyday lists looks the same. Of course, the first thing I have on my list is to make my coffee. I don’t think I could make a list unless I drank coffee first.

Now, the second thing I need to do is take my medicines.  With my age, I do have several meds to take, so I write it on my list.

The next thing I do is pay my bills and take care of any other financial needs. I put this on my list each day, and if I don’t have to do it, I still write it down. 

Then I think of doing dishes, sweeping and some household chores that may or might need done, but yes or no they still are on my list. 

I check another list I made to see if I have to play piano anyplace that day. If I do, I write it down on my daily list. 

Do I need groceries? Have I got anything for dinner? So then I go to the freezer to see what I have available. After I check, I write it on my list.

This probably seems mundane to you but after I complete my list, I think I have accomplished what I set out to do each day. It is said that after you complete a list, it makes you feel like you accomplished something. 

Holidays and Christmas I have lists almost from every year telling me what size everyone wears and what they want Santa to bring  them. Well if Santa Claus can have a list, I guess I can too.

I did not know this until recently that there is a computer app that gives the format for a list.  I have never used it, because my lists are written on notebook paper and I think I still have lists laying around from 10 years ago. 

Maybe I have a list phobia because if I need or have to do or go someplace, I need a list. 

Do you make lists? Have you ever forgotten a list? Do you have Dailey lists?  Let me know, and I’ll give you a Penny For Your Thoughts.  Oh I better put that on my list. Happy list making!