List madness

Lists crowd many of my journal pages. The chores I want to complete that day foot the page. New Year's resolutions sprawl across New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. Ideas for new projects compete for space with mind dumps and travel plans.

When I brainstorm I write a list and force myself to add another idea, and another, and another, until the most far-fetched and laughable suddenly becomes the best of the bunch.

Here's the list of possible lists I made in preparation for this post:

• today's to-do list (there's always that one)

• books I have read and what I thought of them - in the back of every journal

• today's "gratitudes" - things, people, places, events I'm thankful for

• favourite songs/music

• possible projects and sub-lists of ideas for them

• beliefs or beliefs I've left behind - not just religious, but about myself, my society, my job, my town

• houses I've lived in

• places I'd like to live

• dogs I've loved

• places I've traveled or want to travel

• movies or TV I want to see, or have seen

• a career I'd like to try

• the other path I might have taken in life

• people I saw today - one day you won't take them for granted

• Progoff's stepping stones - the major mileposts in your life/ career/ marriage, but limited to about 12 (more of a challenge than you'd think at first blush)