Wow, the first post. And slightly abstract- a list of my favorite things to list.
1) The To Do List
Ah yes, the old standby: granddaddy of all lists. My personal to do list functions as a kind of running, never-ending, and eternal springboard of tasks. I add some every day and every day some are left over for future tackling.
The best with these is when it is almost the end of a school semester and you can create the ‘Master To Do List’ of those few things that you have on your immediate horizon before summer break comes to liberate you. Never mind that these Master To Do lists tend to have items like ‘teach yourself quantum mechanics’ and ‘write 30 page French final paper’, it’s the physical brevity of the list that matters, not the grim temporal reality!
2) Book List
Books that I’ve read, books that I want to read, books with female characters who inspire me to be the devil incarnate- all valuable. I’ve been keeping a ‘Books to Read’ list (My ‘For Later’ shelves at the Boston Public Library’s website (the BPL website is heaven)) for around six years at the time of this writing- since 2010. It’s a few books less than 1,300 items long right now. And I know that may seem like a lot, but at its longest it was slightly over 2,000. I still won’t finish before I die.
3) Music
For various intents and purposes: music that I want to download, stupid but catchy music, music that I’m interested in using for ballroom showpieces (Yes, I dance ballroom, that’s a thing that I do). And there’s nothing like a good Christmas (or Halloween!) playlist to get you in the holiday spirit.
And there is no studying music like a super long Disney playlist- incidentally also the ideal music for painting new kitchen cabinets (I speak from experience.)
4) Baby Names
Names, not only for babies! At least I hope not, because I’m not currently a parent (but if you have a baby that you want me to name I’m completely down!). Maybe I just need a ton of pets. Or to author an epic and sprawling novel.
Names for babies, names for pets, names for my electronic devices and my bedroom pillow.
Confession (because confessing that I name my electronic devices and pillow wasn’t revealing enough (that could all be hypothetical for all you know)): My uncle and aunt got married fairly recently and I’ve already started brainstorming names for their child (no, my aunt isn’t pregnant (yet) and no, they don’t know that their future baby is a Joseph or a Camilla).
5) Perfume
Why perfume? Well, simply put- it smells good. You can collect bits of it like pieces of ephemeral art, share it with lovely fellow perfume lovers, discover the signature scents of molecules- the real question is ‘Why NOT perfume?”
Perfumes I have, perfumes for the winter, favorite iris scents, perfumes to test, ten perfumes to save when you have to evacuate the city because of the zombie apocalypse- you know, useful and applicable lists.
6) Movies
Movies to watch and movies rated on a completely subjective 1-5 scale. Like books, I have found that movies enjoy being organized by type. And we have to keep the inanimate objects satisfied.
7) Clothing and Accessories and Makeup
Yep. I do shopping lists and extensive purchase research because I love lists and I’m Type A.
Consumerism.
Maybe if I just toss buzzwords out there I won’t have to own up to my shopping habits. Actually they’re not bad at all. Trust me.
8) Gift Lists
More fun than keeping my own wish list is working on wish lists for other people. If you just keep part of your brain open during every conversation to get clues as to what they might really appreciate being gifted, you’re in the pink. It’s like a treasure hunt in every conversation.
So as Mad Eye Moody says (Spoiler: said), Constant Vigilance!
Practically, I generally keep a running list throughout the year of present ideas for others (that way you can remember that Bartholomew is fond of floral gardening gloves when his birthday rolls around in eight months.)
Eight is my favorite number so that seems like a serendipitous place to leave off!
Be well!
*I encourage you to consider the list above as more what you might call ‘guidelines’, than actual rules.
List Mimsy 