Efficiency

I love to make lists. I like itemizing, checking off, watching my progress, and feeling productive. I even add things to my to-do list after I've finished them just for the satisfaction of crossing them off. I do it with packing lists, to-do lists, textbook lists; I have an entire notebook just for "listing," as I have named this hobby. Part of it is obsessive-compulsive, part of it is organized, but most of it is genetic. Oh, how you wish your mom was Organized Audrey.

But getting back to listing...I made a "Don't Panic To-Do List: Pre-Wheaton." (Its counterpart is "To-Do List: Post-Wheaton" for when I roll into town on the 23rd.) It is massive and overwhelming and kind of sends me into a panic attack. But I'm slogging through it item-by-item (what good is an itemized list if you don't follow it item-by-item?) and making headway.

I started using my planner again, and have been delightfully surprised by the stability it brings me. I've had little use for it this summer, as all my appointments (or lack thereof) have been manageable and made less than 24 hours in advance. Today I made appointments and booked travel late into September, so it's time to start writing it down.

Alas, it seems that the more items I accomplish, the more things I find to do around here. Isn't that the way it always goes? It will be a miracle if I make it back to Chicago with my brain intact.