Brought to you by the letter 'L'

Lists.

That's all I'm going to say.  Just that one word.  What images does that create?  What pens, papers, sticky notes and iPhone apps does that summon?  What tasks, goals, or dreams do lists encapsulate for you?

If only I wrote lists as neatly as this one

Like my dear Kate, I love making lists.  Many times, when I am sapped of any "real" creative drive, when I feel like paragraphs and commas are just too difficult to even begin to think about, I will make lists.  I will use my very favorite M dash (or a hyphen, which does in a pinch) and write a word or two, then press enter and on to the next.

That's the inherent beauty of lists.  They're clean.  They're straight-forward.  They keep the thought without betraying the emotions behind it, which was my modus operandi for the majority of my life.

Here are some of the lists on my mind right now.  Yes, it's a list of lists.  Let's call it meta, and follow me down the rabbit hole.

-Good books that are also good movies
-Authors I love
-TV shows I need to watch
-My weekly menu
-What I want to be when I grow up [current #1: comic book writer]
-Present ideas for Taylor's birthday
-Top 5 concert experiences
-Movies based on books where the movies are better than the books
-Favorite Provo bands
-Members of my Man Basement
-Top 5 worst movies I've seen
-Future grad schools
-Which people still need thank you notes
-Good band/album names
-Books I want from the library
-Favorite parts of Seattle
-Items I'd like to buy when I have all the monies (or to receive as gifts)
-People I am friends with
-People I want to be friends with
-People I don't care for
-Qualities I have
-Qualities I wish I had [curly hair and an Irish brogue.  And a puppy?]
-Places I want to live when I grow up
-Ways I will exercise that, let's be honest, will probably not ever happen, but would be cool
-Top 5 future vacation destinations

All of those things, floating in the gray matter creases of my mind.  Squished between wrinkles and oozing out of the cracks.  If you see a random "Boston!", "Andrew Bird" or "Muay Thai" trickling out my ear, don't be surprised.  Where else does that tidbit have to go with all the other list items competing for space?  Let's just hope that I can remember it soon, and then maybe implement some organization up there.  Maybe one of those filing cabinet systems that are all the rage.  I'll add it to my wish-list.