The List of Lists

Has the list making stopped yet?  End of the year and the lists abound.  All sorts of lists:  top ten lists, New Year's Resolutions, what I accomplished in the past year, etc.  I read a great article in the New York Times about lists; it was in fact, a list about list making.  Throwing my hat into the ring, here's my lists of lists or what I make lists about:

According to the article, you can't just make a random list or an alphabetized one, you have to rank it because if you don't, then it's just lame (that's not  exactly what the author said, I'm just paraphrasing).

10.  Dinner List:  Every week, I sit down and make a list of what we are going to have for dinner that week and I HATE it.  It's so difficult to come up with 4-5 meals that are healthy, not hard to make, and easy to shop for. I leave a few days open so we can:  a) have leftovers b) eat out or c) just eat whatever.  Usually, all 3 happen in a week.  I hate making this list so much that sometimes I'm lay awake late on a Friday night thinking about dinner just to get a head start on this list.  If I can the dinner list done on Saturday afternoon, it makes my Sunday all that much better.  Have you heard of anything so lame?

9.  Props List:  So according to the article, the number 9 spot is reserved for the curveball; the one entry that no one is expecting.  I don't have that so I'm using the Props List as my #9.  It's a list of props used in my show, and where they need to go.  I'd love to expound but it's a props list, not much to say about it.  Except that (you knew it was coming) that I get rather anal about my props lists and while I want my ASM to prep it, I always end up redoing it.  It's not their fault, I was born this way.  Me and Lady Gaga, except she probably doesn't make props lists.

8.  Grocery List:  I almost hate this as much as the dinner list but once I've figured out dinner, this list is easy:  what do we need?  Do we have it?  Should I buy it?  Simple.  Right now though we are on an austerity budget after the holidays, so I need to be creative.  As goes Europe, so goes Kate.

7.  House List:  We recently made a list of house projects that need attending to as well as projects that we would like to see happen.  It's so depressing because every time I look at that list I just think, 'Well, there goes Paris.'

6.  Wines I Like:  I did start a list of wines I like because Pennsylvania has really screwed up Blue Laws and all the liquor stores are state run.  They say they have wine experts in most stores but I don't trust them. One employee tried to convince me that a $6 bottle of Shiraz was good.  I hate Shiraz and I can't imagine a $6 Shiraz being any good.  "Oh no," She said, "It doesn't taste like Shiraz."  Yeah, because it tastes like crap.

5.  Resolutions:  I do make resolutions although I don't always write them down.  I asked my family about resolutions and my son gave the best answer:  "No, not making any, I like my life just the way it is."  I so want to be him.  My resolutions are pretty normal:  be healthier, eat better, be nicer.  My friend said she wanted to accessorize more which gave me the idea that I want to dress better.  I constantly put on crappy clothes because I think, ah who's gonna see me?  But if I dressed better......then what?  I'm not sure but if putting out the effort, it better be good.

4.  The To Do List:  I can't make this number 1, even if it is the list that I write the most.  Who wants a to do list?  Who wants to do a to do list?  I have a friend who puts on her To Do List: "Cross off items on the To Do List" so she actually crosses something off.  And I thought I was anal.  If you like to do things, then you have a to do list.

3.  Books to Read:  I do keep a list of interesting books to read when I hear about them.  One of the things I love most about the internet is that I can request books from the library the minute I hear about them so they are actually keeping the list for me.  Usually, if it's a recently published book, it takes a while for it to get to me because everyone else is doing the same thing, which gives me time to finish (or ignore) the book I'm currently reading.  Did I mention my mother was a librarian?  I don't buy many books.  I keep my collection at the library.

2.  Movies to Watch:  You knew this was coming!  I like the Movies You Missed lists at the end of the year and I cut them out because, I don't know about you, but Hollywood is soooo predictable.

1.  Fantasy Island:  A mental list of what I would do with enough money:  Paris, cooking classes, a personal trainer, horse-back riding lessons, etc. etc. etc.  It's the best list of all.

So those are my lists?  I'm sure you have yours as well.  Please tell me about them but right now, I have to run.  A To Do list is calling although I'd much rather hear Tattoo's voice calling, "De Plane!"