Wednesday, January 16, 2013

List Making Obsession

Here's me making lists as a teenager: a lifelong obsession!

It's amazing that even in the hibernation phase after my surgery, how busy I can keep myself.  In the tradition of who I am, I continue to write lists of what I hope to accomplish each day, and I continue to take great joy in striking my mundane tasks off the my shopping-cart-length list.

Presently I am at home on medical leave and there is not much I can do other than heal.  My obligations, for the first time in close to forty years are pretty much nil.  Even so, this morning I counted 26 things on my to-do list for the day.  What's going on?

Well, I flourish on activity, and while my body may not be active, my mind certainly is.  What's on the list?  That's the funny part: there are entries such as "be mindful," with "go through underwear drawer" directly underneath it.  This gives the multi-tasking me such joy because I can be mindful whilst going through my panties.  Bonus!  Killing two birds with one stone is the hallmark award of wannabe overachievers such as myself.

Here's me as a teenager no doubt pouting that I couldn't
get everything crossed off my list

Another one reads "one hour erotica."  That's not one hour of practicing erotica (I wish - the mind is willing, the body is weak),  but one hour of writing it.  I have this idea that if I can write the everywoman's Fifty Shades of Grey I can have our retirement taken care of.  I feel that this is a distinct possibility and what better time to do it than when I am sequestered in my bed?

 "One blog" reads another entry.  Well, here it is.  As soon as I finish with the editing and finding relevant pictures, I'm good to go with this one.    "Sunny" - that's my friend - is the next one.  I need to email her to congratulate her on the birth of her daughter.  I am emailing her to tell her to call me t because I need to put the ball in her court because I am scared of making phone calls.  (Refer to a long-ago blog on phone phobia.)  The "Sunny" entry may also be referring to the fact that it is sunny outside and I should take advantage of it.

Me venturing out for a walk.
Notice my daughter with my walker in the background?

How about "go for walk?"  Yup?  I'm going to write that down because after I do it, I can cross it off and that gives me such satisfaction.  What does "go for a walk" mean to me?  In my state, it might just mean lumbering to the bathroom with the walking frame, but ideally it will mean a very slow saunter down to our village beach where I can sit and be mindful in my camping chair, watching the slow chortle of the waves and seeing the egrets fly in to the island off our shore.



"Shower."  I know that's not something normal people need to list but I'm a bit of a dirty girl who can withstand a fair bit of grime.  Also showering is a lot more monumental when you are recovering from back surgery and it can take upwards of an hour to get yourself sorted so it needs to be planned.  And if you drop the soap?  Game over.  Even my grabbie stick (which is my constant companion) cannot recover that elusive bar of slipperiness.  So, yes, I plan and record my showers, too.  Sometimes in brackets it will say "shave," but not usually.  That requires just a bit too much coordination, though the armpits are a possibility.

So, in my full-on frenzy of life I am a list maker, and now in the soft warmness of my hibernating den, I continue to be.  It makes me happy.  Heck, I've already crossed off 14 of my 26 items for the day and it's only 10:30.  (No doubt, I'll be adding another 20 by the time the day is out.)

Do what makes you happy, but do it mindfully.  And, for heaven's sake, make a list!

I think I should add "relax" to my list!



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