Book of Lists

I am so glad there are creative people in the world, especially ones who like to write books for woefully uncreative people like me. I promised Rachel I'd take her to Barnes & Noble to spend her gift card I gave her for Valentine's Day, so we went last night after picking Rod up from work. I kid you not - the feeling I get from stepping over the threshold of a bookstore is equivalent to a druggie finding 1 kilo on the ground. The man I've been living with for almost 13 years had the audacity to ask me if I had a book list. I whipped out my Crackberry and reminded him of the running list I have on my phone, not including the lists I have in the car, on the backs of receipts in my purse, and in the myriad almost-empty notebooks scattered around the house. What are the list contents? Wish lists. Song lists. Book lists. Shopping lists. Favorite things lists. Pet peeves lists. Lists of lists.

So anyway, I have had my eye on a few list books and decided to go ahead and get one. I thought the one I bought looked interesting, and it definitely wasn't as pretty as the other two I've been coveting. This book actually was a book I'd consider writing in (which is TOTAL, UTTER blasphemy in my.... book) and the price was one I'd be willing to pay (with my shiny B&N member card which actually gets used at Starbucks more often than I'd like to admit) and I figured, "CARPE LIST BOOK!" and bought it.

I thought I'd use the list book as an idea platform to journal more. I think it'll keep my interest higher than it has been with every blank book I've ever bought with the intention of filling up with my deep, dark, secret feelings about Pampered Chef and scrapbook paper. So stay tuned. I'll still list my favorite things, and will now start writing thoughts inspired by my new favorite book that isn't A Separate Peace.

Favorite Things

Yeah, it's pretty obvious that this would be on my list of favorites. Jon Huntsman is a hero to me, as well as tens of thousands (if not millions) of people around the world... or at least in America. This is my dream. This is my goal. This is my passion. This is what I'm sacrificing time for each week, not only to volunteer but also for school. I will work here. I will make a difference.

Huntsman Cancer Institute

Go figure!!

I've been reading like a crazed lunatic to get a section of The Chosen read and commented on for my lit class online. I am really struggling with this book. I can tell you it's NOT going to be on my My Favorite Things thingie. I've been reading and reading, trying desperately to stay awake and not slip into the happy place where I ace my chemistry tests and Dove Chocolates have the nutritional equivalency of broccoli. Does the desperate effort work? BARELY. Did I get my submission completed? You betcha!

Now that it's done, who's wide awake?

Guess it's time to do a little housekeeping on Nwanda. (That's right, folks, my iPod has a first name, and it's NOT O-s-c-a-r.)

Favorite Thing

YAWP!!!!

^^That's my Barbaric Yawp, courtesy of Uncle Walt.

Room for improvement

Well, since it's officially the beginning of the month and this is what I'm supposed to do with my January list. It's not been a good start to the year, and I feel like I'm lost right now. I've got to find my right side up again, hunker down, and get going again.


Go on ONE legitimate date with Rod. This does not include lunch breaks or late night trips to Walmart. We went to the movies at my insistence. Rachel came along, but I'm still marking this one as done because it's the first time we'd been to the movies together since... well, to be honest, the last time I remember going to the movie with Rod was in 2007. That's not to say that we haven't been to a movie since. I just can't remember anything more current, or from the last 2-3 years, apparently.

Paint the hallway, including the trim. Did not get done. I finally got rid of the ugly curtains in the front room and put up 2" blinds and chiffon accents. It may not be paint and more paint in my hallway, but it's more aesthetically pleasing to the eye.

Devote daily time for scripture study - at least 15 minutes. I suck. I am having a hard time doing this, and it's because of my own laziness and nothing else.

Walk 30 minutes 5x a week, or do Wii Fit for 30 minutes 5x a week. Same with this one.

Learn how to make my blog look prettier, so I can be less woeful in my inability to be creative. There were no terms to this goal, other than learning how to make it prettier. I discovered a new box on the editing page, and I now know how to edit the text!! I will happily cross this one off the list.

And speaking of lists, here's my goal list for February.

• Walk 4x week for 30 minutes, or Wii Fit/Fit Plus/Pilates 4x 30 minutes every week.
• Scripture study. Every day, because I should. Heavenly Father has time for me. I need to better to make time for Him.
• Get my craft room re-organized. Now that Helen's moving out, I am able to reclaim that space. Everything's been sitting in the front room for 7 months, and I hate it when people come over and see my craft room explosion.
  
• Find one new thing to make my woefully uncreative blog less woeful.
  
• Focus more on finding joy in life. I know I talk a lot about my feelings of inadequacy and my desire to be happier. It's easy to spot the negative when you're not feeling on top of your game emotionally.