Here we are entering the final month of the calendar year, and I’m delighted December is being ushered in with an invitation to play in Reverb15, hosted by Kat McNally. For 21 days we’ll be prompted to reflect on what’s gone on this year and peek into what we’re holding in our hearts for next year. The theme for this year’s Reverb is Alchemy. What a delicious container and one dear to my heart, so I’m quite looking forward to this. I do hope you’ll consider playing along – check out participation details here and scope out the responses of people playing with today’s prompt here.
Today’s prompt:
” In her seventh ever blog post, all the way back in March 2003(!), the inimitable Andrea Scher wrote: “Maybe lists are like prayers.”
What sorts of lists do you have on the go at the moment? What do they suggest you are praying for?”
The most pragmatic lists I have going are to-dos. For the last few months I’ve been experimenting with using the 135 list app, which encourages you to set one large, three medium and five small tasks to work on each day. Overall I like it – there’s something so satisfying about ticking off a box after you’ve completed a task; and it’s helped me set some reasonable boundaries and expectations of what I can actually accomplish during a day. But at other times I find myself chafing at this kind of list, as I’m really much happier when I’m open to take action on what is inspiring me in the moment.
I really prefer more abstract and creative lists. One of my favorites in the moment is a complicated, multi-branched affair in which I’m keeping track of various aspects of an extensive aromatherapy blending project I’m working on. Blending essential oils always seems a bit alchemical to me, and my complex and elaborate list chart would no doubt please a master alchemist. I love this kind of visual list so more than just bulleted items. And so of course I’m in love with the tome by Manuel Lima The Book of Trees: Visualizing Branches of Knowledge. It’s filled with hundreds of illustrations of various informational diagrams.
I also love my lists of topics for the book I’m writing. I created it as a tree, with each topic a leaf. It makes me smile every time I look at it.
For the past several years, one of the things I do at the end of each year is create a Blurb book filled with photos and highlights of the year. I include a number of lists in the books, and one of them is my dreams. I’m a prolific dreamer and take great delight in my sleeping mind’s theater, and of course I title all my nighttime adventures. So then I have the added amusement of seeing what kind of dada-esque poem is created when I list out the titles. For example, here are just a few of my nocturnal engagements:
- Not the Proper Place to Leave the Ladder
- Mailbox Haul includes Polish Man’s Suit
- What Crazy Thing Did I Ask For?
- Orange & Green Feathers on my Legs
- Hidden Room & Demanding Guests with Raisins on a String
- Busted as Incompetent Spies
- Strange Eggs
- Uniform Prototypes and Surgically Removed Eyebrows
- Awkward Nudist
- Outing the Bagel Eater
Now tell me, does that make you wish you had access to my brain, or are you ready to back away gingerly?
And given my various lists, what do you suppose I’m praying for?
Perhaps it’s clarity, organization, and productivity. Or is the blending of science and magic? Or is it to draw from deeply rooted wisdom, branch out, and produce some very fine leaflets? Maybe it’s to make sense of the ideas dancing in my sleeping brain so I can carry that guidance into my waking life. Or perhaps I’m just praying to remember that creative expression and laughter are what help keep my feet on the joy trail.
What about you? What lists are you keeping? Do tell – you know I love to hear.
Hi Deborah … I was a great list person, and still am … but the list is so so long and I never quite seem to gather them all together and make a coherent whole. Still the time is nigh and I have, as usual lots to do and to get done.
I love the idea of your Blurb file – but probably my blog and my brain reflect that sort of thing already … I just need to keep going and try and tidy up 2015 before 2016 appears … take care – the aromatherapy concept sounds fun … cheers Hilary
Good luck with the tidying up of 2015 Hilary. I’m pretty sure I’m going to blink my eyes and 2016 will be knocking at the door demanding to be let in. I think she’s ushering in even faster moving energy. 🙂
Sounds like this prompt was totally up your alley! I have little lists here and there but not many organized lists–other than my bird life list, my local hikes list, and my gratefulness list (when I remember to actually add to it). I love this: “Or is it to draw from deeply rooted wisdom, branch out, and produce some very fine leaflets?” That sounds like a plan.
I think your three ongoing lists are great, and I always love to see documentation of your bird sightings.
I’m entertaining all sorts of imaginings about leaflets, so prepare yourself – you’ll never know when one might appear in your mailbox.
Loved reading your first blog post for Reverb15 Deborah, especially the list of titles from your dreams. The titles ‘Busted as incompetent Spies’ and ‘Awkward Nudist’ cracked me up! But there is something in the binomial ‘awkward nudist’ that is intriguing me… 😉
Thanks for sharing th all you are currently working with – I might look it up to use. I have been using the Paperless app for making lists, with varying degrees of success,since I tend to sublist items within a listed item, such as ‘making more garments for myself’ will have multiple notes for specific garments I want to make and how to go about making them! Not sure this is the most efficient way to make a list, so maybe a new app will be helpful??
And your annual Blurb book sounds like a great idea to me – like an ‘annual’ filled with visual and written memories. I’d love to buy a copy that contains the ‘awkward nudist’ story!!
I’ll be interested in hearing if the app works for you. Although I confess I think I’m really most happy with pen to paper kinds of lists.
You shouldn’t encourage me Monica – I may be tempted to type up my dreams into a book of crazy short stories. 🙂
I’m on the same page with Monica about ‘awkward nudist’…. but the raisins on a string also really caught my imagination. Interestingly, orange and green feathers on your legs seems very probable and was’t a surprise at all! Your dream list definitely sparks laughter and possibility.
I confess I’m particularly delighted with the raisins on a string image myself. My brain is quite the jokester isn’t it?
It sounds like you’ve been having fun with your lists – particularly the dreams!
LOL – indeed I am! Thanks for stopping by Kathleen, and wishing you wonderful Reverb-ing.
Deborah, thanks for the tip about the 135 app. I don’t need it but I like the way it organizes things to get done. I love your use of a branching tree. I haven’t used that before but as a visual artist think that would be fun to play around with.
I love your art Hallelujah and imagine you’d do fabulous things with a branched tree.
As always at this time of year, I am making a list of people in my internet gifting community to send mix CDs to. This year’s theme is “Stay Warm” with all fire-related songs.
What a fun tradition, and what a great theme you’ve chosen.
Wow, Deborah! Sounds like you have a busy and complicated brain. No wonder I don’t get much accomplished. I’m not a planner or list maker. Everything is just floating in my head. ? I have to try out your ideas.
Nice to see you here again.
Lily
It’s great fun seeing how we all approach things differently isn’t it? One thing I can guarantee though, listing things does not necessarily lead to accomplishing them. 🙂 And I think holding things loosely and being spontaneous is a fabulous way to be. Yay you!
Deborah – love your idea of the blurb book that you put together at the end of the year. What a special way to record the highlights of your year.
As far as my lists – I go back and forth between keeping lists on paper or just in my head. I love the checking off of completed tasks but sometimes I’m running so fast I don’t take the time to make a list.
Enjoyed your post
I’ve definitely enjoyed putting together the yearly books. And for the most part I think the greatest fun in lists is the satisfaction when we can cross things off. 🙂
Alchemy is such a perfect word for you Deborah – I imagine you in a magician’s shop from some ancient time surrounded by potions and beautifully coloured glass jars lol The idea of keeping a list of dreams and giving them titles just fits in perfectly 🙂 Thank you for making me smile and for making lists be a fun possibility.
Fil
LOL – I think that’s a most perfect vision for me Fil. And here’s to a movement wherein only fun possibilities are ever put on lists. 🙂
Good morning, Deborah. Or should I say buenos días since I am writing this note while sitting outside my room in jungly Costa Rica! Yesterday, I got up early to listen to the howler monkeys. You would love them. I think the creators of horror films borrowed their sounds for the creepy creatures that are hiding in the woods. It’s scary and exciting at the same time. Have a listen to their sounds on YouTube if you like.
As for lists, my lists these days might be of possible mentors to consider for “finding my voice” with Todd Henry in his new book, Louder Than Words. My current list contains people who I’ve admired who have walked the path of sharing spiritual practices and suggestions, people who do public talks about this: Alan Watts, Wayne Dyer, Oprah, Pace Smith and also authors that inspire me by writing books about this topic: Natalie Goldberg, Deng Ming-Dao, Hua Ching Ni, Todd Henry.
I might also start a list of all the courses that are melding together for me in 2016 to make it my year of Mastery: Pace Smith’s 52 Weeks to Awesome, The Happiness Project (monthly themes only) and Todd Henry’s free ebook club Louder Than Words to jump start my search for the perfect career path that fits my love of learning and all things spiritual.
Oh my Amy – I can feel the fabulous energy gathering for you in 2016. Your year of mastery indeed! I can’t wait to hear more about it as it unfolds. And how wonderful you’re in Costa Rica. I could feel the breath of exotic air as I opened your message. 🙂 And those howler monkeys? Amazing!
Love your Blurb books for each year. I may need to start that. So much better than endless journaling rambles. And as far as list go, I have two current ones. Getting ready for the craft fair this Saturday where I’ll be having my new soft dolls for sale and then list #2 is getting ready for Christmas! I do love lists but am not a big maker of them. They seems to rest in my head only partly visible. But Yay for this post!
Wishing you lots of success and much fun at the fair Kimberly.