Friday, October 26, 2007

To Do

Have you ever had so much to do that all you really want to do is work Sudoku puzzles?

One of the things I have noticed about myself when faced with any sort of deadline, I work a lot of Sudoku until I hear a little voice in my head that says: "If you don't start getting ready right this minute, you will not get done what you need/want to get done!"

So then I make a "to do" list. I write down everything I can think of that I have ever wanted to do and many things I know I have to do before I (in this case) leave to teach in Houston on November 8th. After the initial brain-storm, I look over the list and put it into order.

Here is my uncensored list which I wrote on my power bill envelope as I was eating Indian Buffet this afternoon.
1. Create invitation NWDC New Members' Lunch
Address and mail
2. Call hostess of lunch and get map to house to include in invitation
3. Write a piece called "Selecting the perfect Fiber & Colors (weight of yarn etc) for CWH
4. Write up questionnaire for workshop
5. Write promo piece for CHW for Indiana
Be thinking about Minneapolis
Also Connecticut
6. Buy folders
for Tall Pines
Make notebooks
Print images for covers
Print all handouts
7. Print greeting card backs
8. Launder JOY tencel horoscope/ikat shawl
9. Finish and launder Woven Words piece
10. Run test piece of Bambu 7/cashmere
wind and weave
11. Make scarf for Joe
scarves for people who have given me cashmere
Stephen
Roberta
Rich
12. Two towels for towel exchange
13. Get pieces ready for High Tech Low Tech show
14. Ship cashmere sweaters and supplies for Wrapped Silk Jewelry workshop on 11/18
15. Get piece ready for the Rags Show
16. Mail blog entries to Mom.
17 Prepare 3 weeks worth of essential oil blends
18. Outline for magazine article 12/31 deadline
19. Order Bambu 7 for commission
20. Plane reservation to California
21. Pack
22. Order airport shuttle for 11/8
23. Hostess gifts for workshop
24. Horoscope necklaces
Made and shipped
25. Update website
26. Clean up Outlook
27. External hard drive or Thumb drive?
28. Put together slide show for Nov. workshop
29. Put together show and tell for Nov. workshop.
30. Haircut

I wish the voice in my head had started talking sooner! I thought seeing this list in print would make me feel better, but I have to say Yikes!--although I did send the blog entries off to my mom today.

I'll keep you posted!

3 comments:

Valerie said...

I know exactly what you mean. Now...look at that list and pull out only 5 things as priority items. Put the big list out of site for now. Work one sudoku puzzle, then tackle one of the 5 things on the list.

This is my dh's strategy. Me...I just have list as long as my arm, and a new sudoku puzzle on my blog every day!

Bonnie said...

Hi Valerie!
You know, I go to your blog every day and work your new puzzle. I guess I should figure out how to add it on my blog.

I like your dh's strategy and will implement it immediately.

Peg in South Carolina said...

I abhor lists and make them only when there are some deadlines I must meet. I much prefer, so far as possible, keeping my watch in my pocket and forgetting about the time and just moving along. When I tried lists they got so long and/or so many things never got done and the world didn't fall apart, so I have abandoned them as a general rule. But I do keep lists of ideas. These are not lists in the to-do sense, however, but possibilities. Things that absolutely must be done go on my calendar.