To Do List #7

You know the blog you wish you’d written? The book you wish you’d penned? The journal that diarises all the crazy shit that just happened, but you never got round to it because all this crazy shit was happening? Well, this is mine.

As you can probably guess, there’s not much happening right now. That’s the whole reason why this thing is. I don’t know what’s going to happen next. All I know is that writing a book or a blog is something I’ve often wished I’d done, the moment the story concluded. When I was a bulimic teenager. When got a tumour in my head and had that first operation. Then the second. Then the third. When my Mother died. When I made the worst management decision of my career. When I became unemployed. For the first time. And the second. When I competed in body building, yes, I did that twice too.

Like everyone, I have had my challenges, my disappointments and my triumphs. I understand that I’m no different to anyone else and I guess that’s part of me wanting to write it down. I think it’s important that we all understand that we’re not the only ones dealing with all the crazy shit. Maybe if we shared a bit more, it would be easier to keep it in perspective, for ourselves and for others. We can learn from each other, relate to each other and very likely realise that we are not unique in our frustrations or our ability to overcome them. We all have good stories and they all have an ending. In between, there are some interesting chapters. We should share them.

Whatever story I’m telling, apart from me being the main character, one thing is constant. Lists. I’ve been a list writer for most of my adult life. Lists have helped me organise and prioritise. They’ve helped me manage, delegate, set goals and kick them. They’ve helped me lose weight and gain it. Lists have probably kept me sane. When I feel as though I’m getting nowhere, lists help me to achieve things.

Hey, I’ll tell you right now. I’m no list wonder woman. I’m not running seminars about how list writing can change your life. I have stuff on my list that’s been there for months while I procrastinate; usually by ticking off something that’s easier to do. Or if there’s nothing easier to do, thinking of something easier to do and adding that to my list. The way I see it, as long as I’m ticking things off, big or small, I’m making progress.

Number 7 on my To Do List right now is "blog". It's been there for a while.

Over the years I've composed bits of it in my head. Some of it I've Face Booked or edited for Twitter. Some moments exist in word documents, filed under To Do 2006, '07, '08, '09 and To DO 2010... most of it unwritten, drafted in my mind; all different chapters, concluded in life but never in words. I guess by the time I ever got 'round to realising the plot, the story was already over and a new one had begun.

Today is the beginning of a new story. I have no idea how many chapters will be in it or how it will end, but after all these years, I finally know what I should call it. And as I press "publish post", it starts with me ticking off something I've been meaning To Do for ages.

My best girl friend in NZ called me "List Girl" once. I'm going to roll with that.