My Daily Minefield

It took me a tad longer than expected.  But, as promised, I have persevered on my journey to uncover the hidden secrets surrounding Nana “The List” Seastar.  Dare I say that I found my adventures to be much in the fashion of those experienced by Indiana Jones in “Raiders of the Lost Arc.”

While that may be a bit of an exaggeration, I do think list makers deserve to be recognized and have their story told.  So without further ado I humbly offer to you:

“Writers of the Long List.” A psychological thriller that drags the reader, kicking and screaming, deep into the pitch black corners of the mind of a List Maker.

Unfortunately, we don’t get to wear a cool hat.  Nor do we brandish sabers or wear our side arm slung low upon our hip.  We don’t even get to carry, much less feel the power of a bullwhip cracking over our heads.  But, that doesn’t mean we don’t have our own version of “special equipment.”

Many list makers have a certain pen and paper they must use when designing their lists.  They believe it ensures the success of completing each and every task. 

The Seastar appears to use a special paper.  One that is by nature, long and flowing.  Here is a picture of  El Capitán perusing one of the Seastar’s unique lists.

I really don’t have any room to tease Nana Seastar, for I too am a list maker.  I think it may be a genetic condition.  My Nan Nan made lists and so did my Mother.  My mother’s lists were made daily.  I would find her sitting at the kitchen table every morning, drinking her cup of tea and planning out her day.  She always made her lists on a weekly calendar.  She loved the one the bank would give us around Christmas time each year; because it had adequate writing space by each date.

This of course was long before the popularity or invention of personal planners and phones that both ran and ruled your life.

This was back in the time of, oh I don’t know, practically the age of the dinosaurs.  Sit back children and I will tell you a tale of days gone by.  Back when banks gave away free gifts and goodies, like piggy banks and calendars.  Back when financial institutions acted like they gave a crap weather or not you were their customer.  As opposed to treating you like crap, because you are a customer.But, I digress.  Probably because I didn’t make a list of what I wanted to write about, so now I’m all over the place. 

So yes, I make lists too.  And I have discovered that reading my “daily to do lists”, offers a clear insight to my mental state for that day.  Here’s a typical list, made on a fairly typical day, when things are going fairly well.

And this is an example of a list made on a day when all the neurons and synapses aren’t exactly firing on all 8 cylinders.

See, there is a tiny bit of difference between the two.  But, my lists help me to survive and occasionally, I even manage to get 1 or 2 of the tasks done. 

So, to all my fellow list makers, especially Nana “The List” Seastar:

May your pens always be full of ink, may you experience a never ending supply of paper and may you find the completed chores crossed off your lists to always be plentiful.