My mom and I were having the most philosophical, in depth conversation the other day—about the values and intricacies of a to-do list. Or really, any list, so long as it is detailed and you can scribble out your accomplishments. We are, in fact, such nerds that sometimes when we do something that is not on our to-do list we write it on the list, just to have the pleasure of crossing it out. Sometimes there are to-do lists for our to-do lists. Currently I have 4 running lists. (Which is nothing compared to mom, but I won’t tell you about hers and risk embarrassing her in public.) I have a list for Nathan to-do before we leave, and for me to do before we leave. Then I have a list of things that HAVE to go in the car with us. Important things, like winter boots and jackets and beef jerky and a pillow and my chipmunks Christmas CD. Then I have a fourth list of things I’m supposed to ask Dr. H about. Things I was supposed to ask him about on my last appointment, but got too excited about hearing Baby’s heartbeat on the Doppler to remember to ask.
ALERT: RABBIT TRAIL: ALERT
I know I will also be too excited to remember my questions this appointment, because we are having our second ultrasound! So we’ll get to see our chillun, and hopefully find out it’s gender. Which means that I will get some new pictures of said chillun. Which means that after the sonogram when we go to meet with Dr. H, I will, like a dork, want to show him said pictures, just like last time. This is somewhat how I imagine things will go:
Me: Look! I got some new pictures! (shoves them at him to see)
Dr. H: Thinks, yeah I reviewed them before I came in the room so I would know what to tell you. It looks just like any other 17 week old fetus. Like a little alien. Says, What a cute baby! Congratulations! (hands them back)
Me: Thinks, why did he say my baby is cute. It looks like a little 17 week old alien. Not so much cute. But for sure more human than the gummy bear we got pictures of last time, about which I was still unreasonably thrilled. Whatever, I guess that’s what I’m paying him to say. Says, Thanks.
In excitement, forgets all about questions-that-must-be-asked. Goes to pay grumpy front desk lady. Pulls out check. See’s list of questions-that-must-be-asked. Looks for nurse to ask if I can talk to Dr. H again. Will have to wait until the next appointment.
In reality of course, I hope that I will remember the list of questions-that-must-be-asked BEFORE I leave the exam room.
END OF RABBIT TRAIL
So aaaany ways, I have three of my four lists (the Dr. H list is in my purse so I don’t forget it) arranged neatly across the front of the refrigerator. I cross my things out when I complete them. On Sunday night, after Nathan finished working on the car, he came in and I asked him if he was done. He marched over to the pen holder, grabbed a pen, and briskly scribbled out the things he had accomplished on his to-do list. It was really funny the way he did it. I said, “See honey, isn’t is nice to be able to mark things off a list?” He grumbled, “NO!” as he continued intently scribbling.
Sure. Uh-huh. I know that one day my continued attempts to help that man be organized will be appreciated.
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3 comments:
Oh, so you are one of us who write things on our list that weren't written there just so we can scratch them off. Because at the end of the day you want it to be obvious you did a lot even if they weren't the things you intended to do!
Precisely!!
Oh, no, my sister is equally as twisted! What's really bad is when you keep all the old lists--but those are Christmas Eve lists, so they have a reason to be kept. Plus it's fun to remember what you did other years. I love that you have Nathan crossing off his lists now:)
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