I am many things, but for the purposes of this post the important thing to know is that I collect notebooks and I am a compulsive maker of lists. The first is probably just a side effect of writing for The Desk. I’m always up to try a new paper or notebook format. And, while I have plenty I don’t want to use going forward, those emotional support notebooks do stack up.
As far as making lists, that has been going on forever. I’m someone who suffers from a lot of anxiety. I think making lists solves two problems for me. One: it allows me to have some control over the things I do, writing them down and prioritizing them. Two: it allows my to quiet my brain, knowing that the things I am trying to remember, or worrying about, are down on paper where they won’t be forgotten.
I have lists for EVERYTHING. Work tasks, projects (Knitting, Quilting, Spinning), reviews for the Desk, things I’m going to take on vacation, gifts for people in my life. You name it, I have a list for it.
Several months ago, Ana added the Mark’s EDiT notebooks to the shop. I was interested and I’m not going to lie, I really liked the A5 with the plastic cover. The grid inside isn’t my fave (that’s dot grid!) but it’s not obtrusive enough to bother me. This, I decided, this was a book for lists. And so I started writing. I’m giving myself permission for this to be a mishmash (like the inside of my brain) and a place where I store all those things I want to remember to do, and read, and make, and more.
Are you a list maker?
I have been making lists since I was young. For over 50 years I’ve written lists and saved some to remind myself how much I was able to accomplish.