first make a list

and so we begin. Again. This morning was cool and crisp, and I felt the familiar urge to promise myself that there would be no more forgotten assignments, no more overdue library books, no more forgotten birthdays or anniversaries... no matter how old I get, that first cold breeze at the end of August puts me in Restart mode, like maybe 10th grade.  I no longer rush to buy pencils and lined paper, but the urge to make the most of a fresh start is still there. I have to be physically restrained from changing my hair color.

Life is the art of the possible.  With this in mind, I'm starting small: I will do one thing which may prove to be sensible. I was given a Journal, and the cover is so adorable I can't bear to use it for things like grumpy thoughts of the day, to-do lists, stuff I mean to look up really soon.... and yet, I want to use it for something...

Back of journal

Front of journal

The obvious: packing lists! How many times have I failed to put something into a suitcase that would have been useful or fun, brought stuff that never came out of the suitcase or looked awful after one wear! If I collect a bunch of packing lists into one volume, even if I staple scraps to a page or two, at some point I should have amassed some useful knowledge. Even if the group of lists isn't useful in sum, there'll be a helpful record of what I wore to family events. Sister and I attended a wedding where the bride recognized what one of us was wearing from another family wedding. She was highly offended. Sent one of her kids, age 10, over to tell us so. Nice. If there's another event at which that #itch might be present, I'll be sure that outfit is trotted out again. Don't mess with baby sister!

Himself has a different attitude towards lists. He makes abbreviated notes up in the corner of a piece of paper, say, a page of a yellow pad or of a magazine or newspaper that's close at hand when it occurs to him to jot something down, tears of the little notes, and sticks the postage-stamp-sized thing into his wallet. I think the idea is that at some point, he'll pull out a bill, and the little scrap will come with it, fluttering onto a table, where he'll be reminded that there are things he meant to do. Or people to call, or stuff to pack. I find it ridiculous, but it's been very successful for him. Except for the time a little list got stuck into the "bill presentation" folder at a restaurant along with the credit card. When the charge slip came back for signature, it was clipped to a tiny note on pink paper - oh, thanks, Financial Times!  - that said "Mike underwear thin".

My own little lists are of the things I'm likely to forget - paper towels, detergent, stop at the tailor's. I don't forget to buy food. Now really. The first item of each list for something like a to-do list for a trip (reserve cars, call restos, check luggage restrictions),  a party or a transaction, is shown at the top of this post. And the last item is always "Find safe place for list." I imagine that the little journal with the packing lists will live in a carry-on suitcase, or in a bookcase near the travel books. It will travel with me, so that I can use it to take attendance in the suitcase contents before coming home, wrinkled blouses and all.

Where do your lists live? Do you hang on to lists for future reference?