Listing to Starboard
Are you an Obsessive List Maker ? Symptoms for OLMs include walking into the local shops and forgetting what you've come for (can't live without a shopping list), staring stupidly at an open pantry and having no idea what to cook (can't live without a menu plan), sitting down to work on your manuscripts then after answering a zillion emails wondering what you're supposed to be writing about (need a work schedule). Sound familiar? I'm nothing without my calendar and lists to remind me of when my next free moment is to take a breath. They keep me sailing on an even keel and only really cause upset when I fail to complete them (over ballast my boat). But apart from structuring our day to day existence a little better, lists can also be a springboard to more exciting prospects, memories, ideas, stories...Now we're getting into Flow Chart territory but more on that another day. I am fond of "Top Lists". Top Fives for instance can be used to provoke th...