Monday, September 14, 2009

My life in lists

One of the reasons I'm incapable of keeping a long running, active journal is that I simply can't whittle down the important details of my days. When a special event would occur, I'd have so much trouble deciding what the MOST important details would be...i.e. the first date-his smell, the way he looked, or spoke, or the quirk that bothered me most. What detail would I want to remember three years later? Would I laugh at my younger self thinking that what was so important was really just a silly detail I could have gone without recollecting. I'd have this battle with myself nearly every time I sat down to write and I would always simply give up.
Yesterday, while perusing the bookstore, I ran across the listogrophy series and I wondered if I could record my life in lists.

This journal of sorts organizes different aspects of your life. Lists all about you.
This one says, "List the things you like to do on your day off."

There's even a "Love Listography" for you to keep track of your romantic life. I like this list, "List all the reasons why you wouldn't date yourself." First on the list- I'm too whiny.

If you're a big music buff, the "Music Listography" is for you.

{all images via Listography}
There's even a Listography for Kids.
I often wonder if I'll forget the things I would want myself to remember. What if I get older and forget about how it felt to get my first promotion, if I forget how much I love Sundays with B, or how challenging it was to start up a little shop?
I wonder if these books would help me cut out the superfluous details and stick to the meat of the story? Or is life in the details? What do you think? Could you record your life in lists?

{Make sure to enter the Epheriell jewelry giveaway! Winner will be picked tomorrow night}

20 comments:

heisschic said...

ha so cool!

today is one of those days, though, were listing all the reasons i wouldnt date myself would overflow. i could fill the front and backs of every page. ugh.

bah.


happy monday!

jdavissquared said...

I am a huge list maker, so this would be perfect for me! Mine are usually to-do lists, but I could make this work.

koralee said...

Hey....that is so for me ....I am a list gal. I think I may just have to pick one of these up...thanks for sharing! I do write in my journal but this would be such an easy way to record life's lists!

Janine / Being Brazen said...

I love lists - maybe too much! In fact my blog is so full of lists its getting out of hand ;)

Nice idea.

vicki archer said...

Great idea but I don't think I would use it. My idea of lists are little scraps of paper that get thrown in my handbag. xv

christina said...

That might be the answer for me. I'm sure you've noticed, but I too, have the same problem just sticking with the important details. I want to tell the WHOLE story. That's exactly why I stopped keeping a journal. It took too long for me to write about even the most mundane days. So yes...I think lists would be a good way for me to go.

Pixel Wild Child said...

It would be fun to have one of those Listography notebooks (didn't know such thing existed!) ;O) I think these can help a bit but I think it may prove more useful to "exercise" more our memory! Have a nice Monday!

Slices of Beauty... said...

Love lists too.
Great paper and a beautiful pen/pencil go a long way.

drollgirl said...

hmmmmmmm. you pose some very interesting questions. it is just crazy how fast time marches forward, and probably how much we forget. maybe this is a good idea!

and listing reasons why i wouldn't date myself -- SHUDDER! there are a million reasons!!!! :)

Erin {House of Turquoise} said...

What a cool series! I can be whiny too...glad to know I'm not the only one! ha!

Iva Messy said...

WOW! this looks awesome and a lot of fun! I'm not actually sure I could do it...but that totally doesn't mean I don't want it and to give it at least a try! Love that they have it for kids too! I think its completely creative and I want it...even if I can't do it LOL ....umm I really don't think you are whiny! LOL

Diana said...

i joined listography like a year ago but i keep meaning to log in and add more lists. you should totally add me
http://listography.com/ourcitylight

umama said...

I was so about to buy this at barnes and nobles the other day! hehe

Felicia|DaLipstickBandit said...

lol @ list why you wouldn't date yourself...

top of that list.

1. it would be incest.


hehe

Hannah said...

This is so cool. I am a HUGE listmaker. I carry a notebook to write lists on the train - I find writing down my ideas lets me be more creative when I try to put those idess in action.

This seems liek the perfect way for me to journal my life to make sure I remember the details.

 Viv said...

Whiny people unite! I'm the same. I snorted at Felicia's comment above.. haha!

I try to maintain lists but it never lasts long. I prefer to just DO rather than write lists. I should be keeping track of all my baby son's 'firsts' but I've been a bit slack. I feel guilty about it.

I think life should be looked at as a big picture but the details (if they are good ones) can be beautiful to remember too.

Heather K. said...

Hi. Long time reader, first time commenter. I love this post. I JUST wrote about my "lists" on my blog yesterday. I'm on may after work to the bookstore to look for this new brilliant idea to list lists. LOL.

I love your blog...thanks for tip!!!

Aline said...

that is a neat idea...when I turned 18, my mom gave me a yellow pad of paper filled with listed observations about me in my first few years...favorite songs, tv shows, foods, attitudes. It was the coolest gift that I had ever received.

Marsi @ The Cottage Cheese said...

I make to-do lists, but it always depresses me because I never complete everything in a day that I'd like to do. I love the Listography. Like you, I have a difficult time editing my thoughts, so making a "list" instead of journaling would really help me organize!

Meghan said...

:0) I think the idea of Listography is neat and a fun way to start the engine of creativity but I feel like life lives in the details. Even if you do record some detail that turns out to be silly and insignificant, I don't think it's necessarily a waste. It shows what mattered to you at a certain time in your life. muah!

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