…is to stop being late for things!
Or at least, to stop feeling like I’m forever just a little bit behind in everything I do.
Things I am generally late with
• Manuscripts. I’m always sending new books to my publishers just a few weeks later than I’ve promised to. (Sorry, guys.)
• E-mails/phone calls to friends, relatives and fans. I feel big-time guilty when it takes me forever to find a chunk of time to do it in. (Grovel, grovel.)
• Fearsome piles of mail – both of the paper and ‘e’ type – that sit staring at me, wondering when I’m going to get around to them. (They’re pretty menacing those piles, I’m telling you.)
• girlsheartbooks: I’ve even fallen behind with checking in on this site (OK, I’ve had three sets of visitors staying before, during and after Christmas and my brain got fried), which is why I missed out on contributing to the joint blogs for Christmas Day Best Pressies and New Year’s Day Hopes and Dreams 2012. (Hence my belated entry now!)
To help me in my lateness, I make endless lists.
My husband Tom calls me the Queen of Lists. He got me the card opposite – by http://www.ClareJordan.com – which he’s says I should frame and hang above my desk. (I have added ‘Buy a frame’ to my current list.)
Tom says I’m obsessed with writing lists. As if!
Then again…
I DO write lists of things to do in the next hour.
Then I write lists of things to do during the day.
And lists of things to do over the course of the week.
Plus I write lists of things to do once I get time (yes, this these are the things that will never, ever get done).
I’ve even written lists of lists I need to write!
Why do I write so many? Well, obviously I’m expecting they’ll help me be more organised. And I guess I’m hoping that the scoring-stuff-off-when-it’s-done factor will help me magically speed up, but that never happens.
All that does happen is the stuff on the lists stays mostly un-crossed off, and new stuff ominously piles up at the bottom of them. *gulp*
Hey, maybe that’s IT!
Maybe I spend sooooo much time writing lists, it makes me late for everything!
Cue Karen’s new look list…
Right, that’s done.
Look out, 2012 – there’s no stopping me now*!
Karen McCombie :c)
* Yes, I am writing this with my fingers crossed…
GirlsHeartBooks 
Hi Karen!
I enjoy writing lists as well! I reckon they are helping me get organised but also slowly eating into my time. I normally end up starting my New Years Resolutions on January 10th! Great post!
Catherine x
My computer went nuts the day I posted, and I’ve spent the last few days trying to get it fixed/reinstall everything I need on it. So guess what? I’m late getting on with everything I need to get on with and HAVE HAD TO MAKE A LIST OF STUFF I NEED TO DO!! Ho hum. That resolution didn’t even last a day!
Hi Karen 🙂
Good to see you posting here 🙂
Thats a fab outlook on 2012 😀 i also think this year will be good for me and my dreams 🙂
If you see above, you’ll notice that my hope and dream has gone wrong already! But I’m restarting my New Year form Monday, so all will be well…
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Hi, Karenxx
I am HOPELESSLY unorganised. My ‘to do lists’ tend to just get made in my head… and promptly disappear.
My days usually end with me going:”Oh, bluebottles! I meant to (insert emaily/phoney/writerly task here) and I forgot!”
By the way, I LOVED ‘6 Words and a Wish’.
Jade, I love “Oh bluebottles!” May I use it too please?
I love that you love ‘Six Words and a Wish’. *big smile*
Ha – I love your new To-Do List!
I think authors should have a quiet agreement to ALL send our manuscripts in a few weeks’ late, so that our editors will start thinking that’s normal. 🙂
Yes! That’s a cunning plan! It’ll be our authorly secret – our editors will never find out about our pact! *ah… I see slight flaw in this plan*
That is an incredibly efficient to do list… how long til you give in? :L
I’ve given in. Pah.
Oh, and thank you for nice pingback thingy! :c)
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Hee Hee!! Brill post!!
I somehow manage to be extremely organised! I have never forgotten a piece of homework, never forgotten a school book, never missed my school bus! But i come from a family of ditzy heads! Lucky I turned out like I did, or else we’d bee in trouble…
PS. Orli -if you read this! Not allowed on skype till homework done!! Sorry! (And mums stolen phone!!!!)
Poor you… do you spend your whole time sighing at your family/trying to organise them?
Hi Karen!
I’m awful with to-do lists as well..
I start one, don’t finish it, forget about it and don’t do anything on the list!
I’m awful!
Orli
x
Have decided 2 things:
1) I can’t live without to-do lists.
2) I need to make them prettier, so they don’t scare me. Current options; print them out on nice coloured paper, or buy a mini whiteboard and stick it on the wall with fairy-lights around it…
Hey Karen!!!
I’m great with lists. mostly though, I get all muddled up, and I think I should blame the lists. I have no idea how I managed to live through school handing in every piece of homework ……… on time!! 🙂
Don’t worry, I’m hopeless at being early. Mostly, I feel like if I’m late, then everything’s ruined!! I am SUCH a fusspot!
ps. I l-u-r-v-e your books, especially Ally’s World, Stella Etc and Six words and a wish.Your absalutley and spendiferely my role model!!! 🙂
Ooh, a role model! Little old me? *blushes, then curtsies*
Hi Karen!
I only really make lists when I’m going to do something important and I need to do lots of stuff to do it. (if that makes sense)
so basically trips, sleepovers etc, I always write lists of what to bring and stuff like that.
Great post!
Hikma
Great paost? Why thank you. Pity I’m not so great at sticking to my resolutions! (See above!!)
Oops – I think I may have made a mistook in the previous reply… Doh!
Each year i do a lists but this year i give up because the thing i writw never get done (i’m sorry if my english is not good )
You’re doing fine with English! What is your first language? I like to say hello in Hawaiian… “Aloha!” sounds so friendly!
Tanks my first language is italian I think it would be better if i speak Hawaiian Aloha is better then Ciao XD