Weekly Writing Prompt No. 81. A couple of weekends ago I found myself running a life writing retreat at the Othona Community in West Dorset. A recurring theme throughout the event was the topic of lists, more specifically the ‘to-do’ list and how to reduce the sense of failure it induces.
Among the many lists I have lying around, there is a small one blu-tac'd to my computer screen which is meant to remind me what I'm "supposed" (allegedly) to be working on, as opposed to whatever scribbles have snatched my fancy away. On the back of this prompt, it occurred to me that it's almost a poem in its own right. That made me smile - so (with a little line-adjustment) here it is.....
Perhaps all to-do lists could be haiku it might make them more fun to deal with Lesley. And I must admit to being intrigued by the 12 names and the view from a train, I'm looking forward to seeing those appearing on your website soon.
Thanks Linda...View from a train is a bit stalled at the moment...(typical railways!) the 12 names is a pamphlet I've been working up. It'll start as a limited edition, hand-crafted, gift piece, for a very few people...then, we'll see.
I love a list, me. I'm sure that somewhere on my blog is a post about de-listing my life and you have no idea how many times I have tried to do that. It does not work. Lists are my comfort blanket. They reassure me that I know what I'm doing. I don't. I'm making it up as I go along. They tell me that I didn't waste the whole day, because I did these three things. Even if one of them was writing the list. They're left lying around as reminders that at some stage I intended to do these things, if it is now too late there is always the satisfaction of shredding one more piece of redundancy, clearing that tiny bit more space on the desk and in my calendar.
What I have learned, a little late in the day, is that the trick is to remember that the list is a blanket, not a cage. It is for warmth and security, and can be shrugged off at will. It is not intended to trap me into spending today doing whatever I planned to do today.
I'm a big fan of the list too Lesley - it's probably why I write about them so frequently. My big take away was the use of the bullet journal because I do a list each day and it mostly gets done, with very little carrying over too long. The beauty is that you only ever write something once, and then cross it off when you eventually get to it. Today's crossing was paying the milkman, it had gone on the list on Friday, but was done today!
Among the many lists I have lying around, there is a small one blu-tac'd to my computer screen which is meant to remind me what I'm "supposed" (allegedly) to be working on, as opposed to whatever scribbles have snatched my fancy away. On the back of this prompt, it occurred to me that it's almost a poem in its own right. That made me smile - so (with a little line-adjustment) here it is.....
~
Blog, one ship
200 walks, a single map
12 names, and the view from a train
assignments,
home.
~ / ~
Perhaps all to-do lists could be haiku it might make them more fun to deal with Lesley. And I must admit to being intrigued by the 12 names and the view from a train, I'm looking forward to seeing those appearing on your website soon.
Thanks Linda...View from a train is a bit stalled at the moment...(typical railways!) the 12 names is a pamphlet I've been working up. It'll start as a limited edition, hand-crafted, gift piece, for a very few people...then, we'll see.
I love a list, me. I'm sure that somewhere on my blog is a post about de-listing my life and you have no idea how many times I have tried to do that. It does not work. Lists are my comfort blanket. They reassure me that I know what I'm doing. I don't. I'm making it up as I go along. They tell me that I didn't waste the whole day, because I did these three things. Even if one of them was writing the list. They're left lying around as reminders that at some stage I intended to do these things, if it is now too late there is always the satisfaction of shredding one more piece of redundancy, clearing that tiny bit more space on the desk and in my calendar.
What I have learned, a little late in the day, is that the trick is to remember that the list is a blanket, not a cage. It is for warmth and security, and can be shrugged off at will. It is not intended to trap me into spending today doing whatever I planned to do today.
Which, most days, is just as well.
I'm a big fan of the list too Lesley - it's probably why I write about them so frequently. My big take away was the use of the bullet journal because I do a list each day and it mostly gets done, with very little carrying over too long. The beauty is that you only ever write something once, and then cross it off when you eventually get to it. Today's crossing was paying the milkman, it had gone on the list on Friday, but was done today!