Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Drowning in papers

I am constantly drowning in papers.

I've read FlyLady's suggestions by the boxful and read organizational books by the truckload but still I am forevermore snowed under by bits of paper containing little pieces of my brain that I will lose if it isn't written down.

Sometimes these actually get transferred to a file, or a list in my big notebook/calendar. And as I finish whatever the paper is about I get rid of it. Eventually.

But still. Far too many papers don't fit a magic category and so they sit around to remind me of whatever I need to remember.

Here are some of the papers within arm's reach as we speak:

--a note about the dress code at IGO in Thailand, since we plan to be there for a few weeks next summer

--an appointment on Thursday morning

--a note that Jenny's piano lessons will be on Tuesdays this year

--a paper telling me what to do if the computer keyboard goes all Arabic, a relic of Matt's college Arabic class using this computer

--a list of Jenny's current persona: Warrior Princess Bug Book

--Brittney M.'s email address so I can send her the list of Bible Memory Camp verses

--a request to put on the prayer chain

--a thank you note from Jenny to Letha R. for that cute pencil case

--a phone message Janane D. left for Jenny

--a thank you note from Jenny to Simone, for taking her to the state fair

--a page of notes for my September column

--a prayer request from my prayer sister at church

--a quote of the day

--information about a fiction class at Lane Community College

--the name of a movie on African cats that someone recommended for Steven

--a cute printout of lunch box notes that I hope I remember to actually use

--another quote of the day

--and another one

--a pesto recipe

--a schedule for me after school starts that will enable me to always be caught up with my life and have time to sew

--notes from conversations with people at the fair

--a reminder to tell Lorenda K. that I met a lady who listens to her cd and loves it

--a note to tell Ben that when he leads singing at church he needs to say "three hundred seventy four" and not "three hundred AND seventy four."

--a list of Sunday school kids who were absent on Sunday and need to get their prize next week

--two possible themes for a novel

--yet another prayer request

--the date for the Joyful Noise potluck

--information about a speech on the 19th

Like I said, that's just the papers within reach.

My idea of Heaven on earth: not having to keep track of anything or remember anything for a whole week.

One of those Quotes of the Day:
"I am not related to you!"
--Jenny, the almost-teenager, in her long skirt and flipflops, as we crossed the bridge into Harrisburg on a warm evening with the car windows open, and she reached over and cranked up the music to huge volumes and then slouched way down in her seat, giggling.

6 comments:

  1. I feel your pain. I definitely feel your pain!
    Blessings,
    Aimee

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  2. My word, you are a lady after my own heart. I live by notes like that.

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  3. Oh dear, oh DEAR! And I get frustrated with MY clutter of papers and mail, etc. I have nothing to beef about. :)

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  4. I am in the same (paper list) boat. Possible solution: have ONE notebook and write everything in it.
    Greatest concern with this solution: misplace the ONE notebook and have nothing!

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  5. Sounds like you either need to buy a little digital voice recorder so you can keep all your stuff in that, or else an iPad or iPod Touch to type it all out and store it, and/or take pictures of the notes and pull them up whenever you need them. Then you could keep everything right close to you in your pocket or purse! The latter choice would be the preferable method for longer things like recipes, I would guess...

    David

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  6. I can help you with one of your pieces of paper. For the dress things at IGo you can go to the IGo website at www.igo-asia.com. Click on Courses and Registration. There you will be able to download a copy of the 2011 course catalog which includes the handbook and the dress requirements. I am excited that you are going there next Summer. We are leaving in a little over tow weeks to spend a little over a month in Asia. ~Merle

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