2.Check thing off
3.Bask in glow of accomplishment
There is nothing like drawing a line through an item on a list to make me all glowy and happy. I feel organized, accomplished, and somehow justified. I have visible proof of progress. Sometimes, when I have a crazy busy day at work - the kind that you are bouncing all over and are getting no, one project finished - I make a list. I put everything on it - broken down into the smallest units possible. For example, instead of writing "Do timesheets" I write, "Do DB's timesheet, Do SS's timesheet, Do KV's timesheet...". This way, even if I only get one timesheet done before I have to run off to another meeting, I get to cross something off the list. I also put items on the list like "drink a glass of water" and "eat lunch", because, seriously, I forget sometimes. Most times I make my lists during meetings - it keeps me from getting noticeably bored, I'm multitasking, and I get to cross "sit in stupid meeting" off my list at the end.
In my real life, as a knitter, (smile) I do a form of the list as well. I read through the pattern and make little boxes in the margins that correspond to the amount of times I need to do a certain instruction before moving on. Like, "repeat chart a 10 times" would get ten boxes beside it. Then I can cross out a box each time I finish a repeat. Or, "increase one stitch st each end of row, every 6 rows, 5 times" would get five boxes, and I'd make a slash mark at the end of every row, so when I got to six slashes in the box I knew it was time to increase again.
I have no idea why I do this; why I love to cross things off so much, but I do. I really do. I think it is part organization, and part motivation. (maybe part obsession too) I can say this though, my current project is killing me.
This is the Shoulder Shawl in Cherry Leaf Pattern from VLT. I'm knitting it for my Aunt Helen. (It is totally on my Summer Knitting Goals list. Surprise) It is 15 repeats of the same chart. I have 5 more repeats to go before I do the top edging. I am desperately trying to not make a little post-it of boxes to cross off. It's only 5 more repeats! Certainly, I can do 5 more repeats with out needing to make little x's on a freakin' piece of paper! My list making is seriously being tested. The only thing keeping my resolve is the fact that I get to cross this project off the Christmas and SNG lists after I block it.
I do think I might be knitting faster though - I think because I am desperate to cross something off. An upside, no?
1 comment:
I'm with you on the list thing. I'm proud to admit that there have been many times that I've done something, realized it wasn't on the list, wrote it on the list, and then crossed it off. Pure satisfaction in the swoosh of the pen.
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