Friday, December 10, 2010

Favourite Things Friday

Welcome to Favourite Things Friday! If you want to play along write your post, and link it to the linky thingy at the bottom of this post. Last week we had quite a number of people wanting to show off their favourite things as well as a couple of people who hadn't posted before. Welcome! I hope you'll be back to visit us again. The rest of you know the deal-play nice and visit the other awesomely cool FTF-ites and make sure you leave them some bloggy comment love.

Announcement : I'm going to continue to host  FTF for the next two weeks and then cut you some slack and take a bloggy break with it for few weeks because I'm sure we'll all  be busy with the Christmas/New Year /recovering from Christmas /New Year stuff so this is your second to last week to post for 2010.  So if you want to join in you have a couple of chances left for this year and then FTF will be back in the second week of January.

I have occasionally made reference to being a Virgo. We Virgo people like serenity and order and organisation. In fact when we don't have it - life can be very stressful. One of the things I do is to make lists. I love lists.  



I am  a serial  list  writer.  I have lists for everything. I even have lists for my lists.  I love crossing things off my lists. I use different coloured highlighters to cross things off my lists because it looks like a rainbow of achievement at the end of the week.

I have lists at work.  I have my "This is what I have to do today "list and my "This is what was supposed to be done yesterday, last week, and before last week ....ugh" list. I get quite stressed when I have a long list of things to do at work and it doesn't seem to be getting any smaller.

Mostly I write all my listy type stuff in my work diary which for obvious reasons I can't show you the inside of.

Sidenote: I used to cover my work diary with pretty papers but then they started supplying these black leather type ones which you can't cover so nicely. I think I might have to make a fabric cover for my 2011 diary...

I have lists for home. Usually two on the go .  At the moment I have a shopping list , a personal diary, a general to do list  and a list for Christmas. I have even written Mr. P a list ( he doesn't have a diary ). How can you know what you have to get through in a day/week without a list? Perhaps some people are used to relying on others to organise things for them hmmmmm?


This is obviously a list I made for this post because when I took a photo of my actual Christmas gift list I remembered that Miss P, Mother of Pyjamas and Sister of Pyjamas read my blog and I would have blown the surprises I have in store...unless I actually decide to buy Miss P an ant farm for Christmas.


This is my personal  diary - which I don't want to show you the inside of because it has riveting stuff like worm the dogs , get boots re-heeled, and organise carpet cleaners  written in it.



This is my current shopping list which I will have to re-write because it's not very neat...yep another affliction I suffer from. Terminal neatness.

Lists pretty much govern my life. Lists help me continue the illusion  that I am in control. Lists tell me what I need to do and where I need to be. My favourite things this week are my many many lists. And today I have a massive list of things to get through.

So are you a list maker or do you fly by the seat of your pants? Do you love lists or feel stifled by them?

26 comments:

melissa said...

I love lists, i couldnt function without them, i have lists of things to make , things to do, shopping lists, i even make lists for my man ( he is the most disorganised person!)

Ive tagged you for an award on my latest post because i love your funny storys, Pop over and enter my giveaway! - if you win Ill make you a lovely cover for your 2011 diary!

Sarcastic Quilter said...

I TOTALLY LOVE your FTF today. So much so, I'm COMPLETELY going to STEAL it tomorrow when it's Friday for me.

I know you won't mind. I know you would appreciate that in this we are absolute twins.

I am often made fun of for my lists (Capricorn here!) but also often sought out for the "what to do, when, where" that comes from keeping lists. :D

No you made me think of my birthday and let's see, birthday #37 is coming up on the 28th and I have no idea what to do for it? Any ideas? Skyping and drinking with my friend is out unless she's willing to trudge to work sloshed in the am. blah

Helsie said...

Yes I have to admit I loe a list too. Perhaps I'm a bit of a panicker but I need to see everything written down - plus my memory is shot!
I take this list thing even further and write out menus when I have people coming to stay and even when I just have guests for dinner.
Cheers
Helen

Char said...

Yes, I'm a list person also. Lately though, nothings getting crossed off! The list just keeps growing.

Michelle said...

Yes, I do have the tendency to be a list-maker, but I had a problem. They invariably get buried on my desk. However, I discovered virtual post-it notes. Not to be confused with the paper kind. A program to be downloaded so one can put post-its right on their desktop. I love it. No losing my lists now!

Very cool FTF. One of those things that is so important and yet can be overlooked. :-)

Kirsten's Cooking said...

I always make lists when I have a cooking job - there is no greater satisfaction than seeing a list with everything crossed off!

I envy your organization - I typically fly by the seat of my pants - even at the store! drives my mom crazy -

Love your FTF - Have a great weekend.

AMW said...

Um - it's kind of scary reading this post. I feel like I could have written the exact post. Especially the "list of lists". Sheesh! All this time I thought it was a touch of OCD. Ok, Ok, not just a touch...

I've even made lists on post it notes, put it somewhere safe, lost it, made another list, and found the original. And double checked both!

Now, I must go for the evening and make a list of my potential lists for tomorrow... ;)

Anonymous said...

I use to be a list maker. I quit doing it though because I'd see my list and get overwhelmed, decide I couldn't do it all, and go read a book. Nothing got done.

My daughter is a chronic list maker. I find them all over the house. She doesn't necessarily do everything on her lists, but she makes lists. Maybe I should make her a list of where she leaves her lists so she can pick up her lists instead of leaving them all around the house.

Yeah, that's my kind of list.

seabreezequilts said...

Sorry can't play this week been flitting around on a day off, and am now off to town to do some chrissy shopping. Probably can't do next week either as I will be in Melbourne on Thurs/Friday so unless I am super organised and to a scheduled post. I love lists even better now on my iphone because I dont have to have them on paper.

thea said...

I love lists too .. I need to make one of my favorite things! Thanks for another great post!

Threeundertwo said...

I have lists for absolutely everything. The scary lists are my works in progress and UFOs. Seems those lists only get longer and longer. Love your new party!

Paulette said...

I'm a list maker too. Not every day, not all the time, but regularly, especially when my mental list threshold is reached. That threshold gets lower and lower every year.

Your lists and list books are pretty! Mine are just utilitarian because most end up wadded in the bottom of my purse anyway or shoved in a drawer.

Marg said...

I do make lists sometimes, but usually leave them at home, lose them or ignore them. I even have virtual post-it notes on my computer, like Michelle, for lists and I make lists on my phone, but I usually forget to look at them.

I wish I was more organised, maybe that could be my goal for next year, to write lists, and to remember where I've put them.

Kris said...

I am a reformed list maker. I used to be all about the lists. I had lots of different books and pads and pens and.... well, you know! You have them! Don't know what happened. There was no intervention. No change of heart. No decision. The lists just disappeared. Spooky, huh? Almost "Twilight Zone"ish. Haven't written one for ages.

Will you be at Claire's tomorrow?

Larri said...

Though I'm not a Virgo, my Mom is. Perhaps that's why I love to make lists too. I once had cleaning lists taped to the backs of the doors in every room so I could visually decide what to clean that day. :o)

Great FTF! Hope it was a Happy Friday! :o)

PS...My word verification is PARTI...that's a good sign, right? :O)

Mistea said...

Lists are not big in my life - probably why so many jobs are half done or I only do half the shopping the first time and have to go back.

When I do make a list I usually do about 2 things off it and then am distracted by something new and interesting in my world.

Have a wonderful weekend.

Sara said...

I list, but more so that I can work out everything in my head than so I have something to check off. I do do proper, to-be-checked-off lists at work though, but you have to when you're trying to get everything done while controlling a handful (that really is the right word) of teenyboppers on checkout.

Shruti said...

I love lists... And I make them, loose them, forget them, never bother about them, find them days... weeks... months... sometimes even years later... only to realize that there are still a few of those things on my lists!!! LOL...
Cheers

Anonymous said...

haha QIMP you got me with your Christmas list..I hunched over the desk and peered closely at the screen.

Love SOP xx

Kate said...

I gave up on writing lists because I'm usually in a hurry and with my crappy penmenship, I usually can't read them later. So I'm not a list maker, but can truly appreciate those that are. I guess the only list I keep is my electronic work calender which has all the stuff I need to get done, which meetings I'm supposed to be at, etc. I'd be a complete wreck if I didn't have that!

Hope that your Christmas to do list has lots of things marked off!

Unknown said...

I make lists also. Lists are usually left in pockets even after use at the grocery store etc. Then when I put the new list in...I must figure which is the newest list.
I also must use a special pen for listing as I need to see the list clearly.
My sweetie makes lists too, but he usually finishes his!
A good one Mrs P.

Sarcastic Quilter said...

To the anonymous commentor who said she was hunched over the computer reading the Christmas list - just remember you can save your eyesight next time. Double-click on the picture and it will enlarge for you. :D

I also wanted to add that often, when I feel I have too many lists, I go to my computer and type them all out into one bulleted page in word complete with boxes I can "x" off. "x" for complete, cross out the task if it's no longer needed.

I find this to be therapeutic and keeps me from being overwhelmed when I see so much. It reminds me that even though I have a lot on the list, it's really not b/c my lists are divided out by sub-tasks. I.e. - clean kitchen ... counters, dishes, stove, microwave.

When I'm done with a normal kitchen cleaning, I get to cross off a total fo 5 things. It helps in a reverse psychology way b/c just writing clean kitchen and no sub-bullets made me feel like I was missing things.

Alisa said...

I'm glad that's not the real Christmas list, as you obviously left Alisa off it. I know that would not happen in real life.
I'm a great list maker, list follower, not so much.

Judy said...

Love your post!
I'm also a "Virgo" and a "List"er and a neat in it's place person.
Though at times my list get lost between the seat of the Tahoe or some other list-knapping site.

Janean said...

i'm a list-maker since i was a child. and, i'd link to your post, but i didn't have it on my list so....

(did i mention i can be a little OCD on lists?) lol.

great post!!!

love you, girlie!

Vesuviusmama said...

I'm sure the list of other FTF contributors on your blog every Friday must make you VERY happy! And yes, that work diary needs a fabric cover, for sure! I love that you make lists for Mr. P! I am conflicted about lists - I love making them, but hate being constrained by them. My lists are very fluid, constantly being changed and rewritten - basically, I re-write them in whatever way most makes it seem like I've been productive (turn on computer, fill coffee cup, drink coffee, use bathrooom...you know)