Creating Order in a Listless World
I’m obsessed with lists. At any one time I have three or four lists going. I have a “To Do” list. I
have a grocery list. I have a list of meals that I’m having for the day. I have a list of future projects I’d like to work on. Each list reveals a lot about who I am as a person, what I value, and what I consider to be important. Whenever someone looks at my lists, I get apprehensive; I feel vulnerable. It’s as if they can read my mind and gain insight into who I really am.
Creating lists calms and soothes me. In a chaotic world which bombards me with information, lists give me a sense—perhaps an illusion—of control.
By writing things down, by categorizing them, my thoughts become organized and my life seems to magically go from disorder to order. In fact, the word listless means sluggish or weak. Making a list makes me feel energized and powerful.
I don’t apologize for my list obsession; the rest of society has one too. Take Santa Claus for example. He has two lists: one for naughty boys and girls, and one for good boys and and girls. Not only does he check it once, but, just to be sure his list is correct, he also checks it twice.
God created the ultimate “To Do” list (or Not-To-Do List) for humanity when He handed Moses two stone slabs with the Ten Commandments. This list helped create order for a society that was wandering around aimlessly in the desert. To this day, this Ultimate List serves as a guide for our morals, conduct and laws.
Some lists are better to be on than others. For instance, Forbes lists the richest people in the world. Definitely a list to be on. Academic institutions vie to be on the top of US News & World Report’s college ranking’s list. People don’t want to be on a telemarketer’s list; in fact, I often ask to be taken off these lists and be transferred to the Do Not Call list.
Keeping lists has become so important in this world that Apple’s app store has over 1,000 list-making apps. I use Clear, which is a simple program that allows me to manage and prioritize my lists quickly and easily. Some apps are more sophisticated; one app even reminds a person to complete a task when they physically show up at a preprogrammed location. Another app’s description boasts being an “Amazingly simple to-do list that’s also a virtual pet.” My father simply uses a pen and paper—old fashioned, but functional.
There’s the bucket list, the honey do list, the Top 25 Most Beautiful People list. There’s the dean’s list…
The list could go on.
have a grocery list. I have a list of meals that I’m having for the day. I have a list of future projects I’d like to work on. Each list reveals a lot about who I am as a person, what I value, and what I consider to be important. Whenever someone looks at my lists, I get apprehensive; I feel vulnerable. It’s as if they can read my mind and gain insight into who I really am.
Creating lists calms and soothes me. In a chaotic world which bombards me with information, lists give me a sense—perhaps an illusion—of control.
By writing things down, by categorizing them, my thoughts become organized and my life seems to magically go from disorder to order. In fact, the word listless means sluggish or weak. Making a list makes me feel energized and powerful.
I don’t apologize for my list obsession; the rest of society has one too. Take Santa Claus for example. He has two lists: one for naughty boys and girls, and one for good boys and and girls. Not only does he check it once, but, just to be sure his list is correct, he also checks it twice.
God created the ultimate “To Do” list (or Not-To-Do List) for humanity when He handed Moses two stone slabs with the Ten Commandments. This list helped create order for a society that was wandering around aimlessly in the desert. To this day, this Ultimate List serves as a guide for our morals, conduct and laws.
Some lists are better to be on than others. For instance, Forbes lists the richest people in the world. Definitely a list to be on. Academic institutions vie to be on the top of US News & World Report’s college ranking’s list. People don’t want to be on a telemarketer’s list; in fact, I often ask to be taken off these lists and be transferred to the Do Not Call list.
Keeping lists has become so important in this world that Apple’s app store has over 1,000 list-making apps. I use Clear, which is a simple program that allows me to manage and prioritize my lists quickly and easily. Some apps are more sophisticated; one app even reminds a person to complete a task when they physically show up at a preprogrammed location. Another app’s description boasts being an “Amazingly simple to-do list that’s also a virtual pet.” My father simply uses a pen and paper—old fashioned, but functional.
There’s the bucket list, the honey do list, the Top 25 Most Beautiful People list. There’s the dean’s list…
The list could go on.