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Thursday, June 11, 2009

Digital To Do List

Lists, lists, lists. I love lists. I love to make them. I love to cross things off them. Sometimes I write things on the list that I've already done just so I can have the satisfaction of crossing them off and making myself feel more productive.

When I lose my list, I'm lost. Or if I go to the store and forget to take my grocery list, I never make it out of the store with everything I went to buy. I usually forget the key ingredient for dinner that night. If I don't have the list, I buy all sorts of things I don't need.

The list is a necessity.

Until recently, I've been low-tech with my list making. I've been a pencil and paper kind of gal. And I still am as far as grocery lists are concerned.

But as for my To Do list, I've gone digital. I've discovered I need my computer to actually remind me to do things. Meetings, phone calls, errands, sports practices, picking people up, dropping them off, various and sundry tasks. Even blogging. The computer is set up to remind me to blog every day, Monday through Friday. Obviously, sometimes I ignore the reminders. The computer has also been reminding me to "Write a book" since September. Or install my new software--since December. Or figure out how to correctly backup my hard drive--also since December.

Maybe I need a new system. Like maybe the computer should shock me if I don't complete a task.

Basically, my life is on this computer now--from work documents to what I'm supposed to do today, I can't start the day without turning on the computer because I wouldn't know what to do first. I mean, I can figure out the obvious things like: eat breakfast, get dressed, brush teeth. It's the bigger things that I need help with.

I had a little freak out this morning when 30 seconds before a meeting was supposed to start, my computer overheated and shut down (a lovely little idiosyncrasy of Toshibas, apparently. I just realized I have no idea how to spell idiosyncrasy so I'm just guessing because I'm too lazy to look it up.). I hadn't written down the dial-in number for the conference call or printed off any relevant documents. Why would I? They're all on my computer.

It was a close call, but I did get into the meeting, albeit, a few minutes late.

But I'm thinking I'd better go back to a low tech approach for a few things. Or else move learning how to back up my hard drive to the top of the list again.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thanks for looking for me...Cindy will keep you posted...I am stil reading all my bloggy friends :)

Leeann said...

I vacillate between being a listy person and a spontaneous one. As evidenced by my lack of menus lately. I am in summer mode. And school isn't even out yet.

Lucinda said...

I am a list maker too. Sometimes I think I make lists just to make them--like it gives me some sense of control in my otherwise mildly chaotic life. Not digital yet...I have a little notebook that I only write lists in. I don't tear the old lists out, I just turn the page. It's kind of funny to go back through it and see some of my lists. (Add "Let Cinda come to Kathy's" to your list. hint, hint)

Messy and Wonderful said...

Very frustrated with lists. Trying to keep on the top of my list, "It's summer so go play WITH your kids!"

Unfortunately, when I obey it, the bills don't get paid and no one eats really well.

Marci said...

See I knew there was a reason we were best friends!

(PS gota go check off my to do list "Tell friends you love them this week")

Elizabeth said...

I live by my lists!