Funny YouTube video of Paul Reiser's comedy routine. The beginning is his opinion of list making.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKxk68Evu_k
1. Get Wedding Gown Preserved
2. Buy a Photo Album
3. Buy Christmas gifts
4. Mail Christmas Cards.
5. Have Anxiety attack
6. Run screaming into the hills
7. Do Laundry
8. Buy soymilk
I recently read an article about a “blog of note” about To Do Lists that was a Popular Blog and has now become a Published book about the things that we make lists for and what our lists say about us as people.
www.todolistblog.com
A few days later a friend’s blog approached the topic again.
http://thoughtsfrommillermanor.blogspot
.com/2007/12/for-love-of-lists.html
Thus, my blog.
And I am enticed to write on the subject as I am a
desperate list maker. Yes, desperate.
I sit in almost anxiety when I have things on my mind that need done, it is only when I have the wonderful relief of grabbing a fresh page on a yellow legal pad, word document or post it note and listing the things in my mind that I can be calm. And then I will sit at my desk with the list beside me all day and add things to it. Some things need done immediately, while some are goals, others are hopeful fancies like “Clean out Closet”, “Lose 20 pounds”, “Become a Millionaire”. But I NEED these lists.
My listing habit has become increasingly consuming over the last year as I planned my wedding. Look at the madness: (this was my main list –followed by 5 or 6 other lists- of things that needed done for the wedding and this is completely condensed to what I had to do just before the wedding). I lived by these lists the last month or so before the big day.
The Master List (FINAL): Whitten – Hall Wedding
To Purchase:
For Wedding:
1. Starfish for centerpieces/shells
2. Welcome pails and filler items, saltwater taffy
3. Make-up (get consult and buy colors)
4. 2 palm trees and planters
5. lighter for reception candles
6. Kyle wedding shoes
7. Bouquet to toss – need: roses, green flower tape/wire, ribbon
8. something to hold the matches
For Rehearsal Dinner/ Party:
1. Plastic Cups – for beer and cocktails – 60 extra sleeve of cups
2. Tablecloth
3. Ice
6. Snack food/ Veggie Trays
7. Hawaiian music
8. Bring CD Player
9. Limes
10. Table - $40
11. Balloons for outside the house & Sign
To do:
1. Basket for wedding cards on the gift table (perhaps orange mtrl inside)
2. Need more than 100 chairs for recep and ceremony?
3. Welcome Pails – purchase final items and put together
4. Rehearsal Dinner/Party Invitations
5. Purchase supplies for rehearsal party: drink mix, liquor, food
6. Meet with Mae at Beach house – Final #, napkins, tables, kids $ meal
7. Discuss Birthday cake with Mae – to bring out after cutting cake activities
8. Pack for week at Anna Maria and Honeymoon
9. Meet with Rev. Shook to go over wedding ceremony and certificate
10. Double Check on Chairs, Flowers, Cake…
11. Plan Toast to be made at Rehearsal Dinner
12. Write Vows
13. Pay Nov. Rent and car loan
14. Leave Amanda a deposit slip to deposit pay check Nov.1st
15. Decide on someone to light reception candles and to help with seating chart – finding seats
16. Ceremony Decor
November:
1. On the 3rd - Mail announcements!
2. Check WP into housing– explain check out procedure
3. Take Ribbon and cake topper to Bakery Di Europa
4. Pick up flowers on Friday and take cake flowers to Bakery
5. Final # to Taylor Rental for Chairs – finalize times- final bill
6. Pass out Welcome Pails
7. Bachelorette Spa Day – Nov. 2nd
8. Organize all checks and payment to be dispersed night of wedding
9. Rehearsal @ Beach (outline to everyone)
10. Rehearsal Dinner – Shells – Gifts/ Toasts
11. Rehearsal Party
12. Make Centerpieces
13. Set up for Reception and Ceremony
14. Get hair and make-up done
15. Pictures with WP before Ceremony (B&G separate)
16. Wedding Day
17. Flight to Hawaii early Sunday
19. A woman’s Shopping Day – St. Armand’s Circle – Thursday?
20. Make toss away bouquet
21. Buy champagne, orange juice and snacks for bridal party
December:
1. Christmas in South Dakota
2. Thank you cards for Wedding Gifts.
5. Change Name
6. Cut out engagement announcements and frame/scrapbook
7. Frame invitation
It was my only connection with reality as the whole event started coming into shape throughout the year. And daily I would check things off my hard copy, and then go into my computer and gray out or strikethrough the item on that list. You are probably questioning my sanity now. But, I am being brutally honest. I tried when I returned from the honeymoon to not make any To Do lists and just relish the fact that the wedding planning was done and I could relax and be at peace. 2 days and I had made a list of all the things that needed to be accomplished before the Christmas holiday (this list has been altered and changed many times since and rewritten- I love to rewrite and redo lists to make them neater –this is another blog in itself).
These lists help me to function. They help me to accomplish “things”. To get “things” done. I need them!!! I also have the sickness of adding things to the list that I have already done just so I can check them off – come on folks…you know you’ve done it too!
What is it? Is it really because I can’t remember to do things? Is it to reward myself with check marks near completed tasks? Is it an attempt at an orderly lifestyle? I don’t know. I have three lists sitting at my desk right now. One is for work on a yellow legal pad post-it-note combo ( love em’)
1. Elevation of modeled bar joist –correct height with sketch
2. new millwork section
3. Call Bootsie
4. Typical Bathroom Elevations
5. Plot all Sheets
6. Storefront and hollow steel frame profile on A601
7. Begin Wall Sections
The other is for the weekend on a fresh legal pad from the supply closet.
1. Clean House, clean out fridge
2. Go thru wedding stuff
3. Return snow globe
4. Tree Skirt
………….etc.
The other is for Christmas Cards.
But I have been working on them all day and they are at various states of completion and honestly, it feels good. I love a good old fashioned list! I love cute paper to write on. Sometimes it is just about random tasks to keep me focused, other times my lists are goal oriented, while others are just to feel the calmness when the pen reaches paper and the thing on my mind is good and secure on paper where it won’t be forgotten. I mean…it’s on the list! It has to be done now!
P.S. I also have a task list on my Microsoft Outlook on my computer. It has said “Start Yoga” for going on 8 months. Sad but true. But, I can’t erase it…because it’s on the list and it needs checked off.
Well, there it is guys...a little insider info on yours truly.
Have a fabulous weekend everyone!
