All weekend long I’ve been meaning to write down a list of the mazillion things that I want to accomplish over the next two weeks. I feel like a kid on Christmas break, since I’ve got these two weeks off. And I’m bound and determined to make the last two weeks of 2003 mucho productivo.
So, I figured I’d type up my ToDo List here. That way 1) I’ll always know where it is, 2) If I publicize it, I might have more incentive to actually get some of this stuff done, and 3) If you see me you can ask, “Hey, how’s the blankity-blank coming along?” and I’ll either a) Smile and tell you how I finished that task, b) Thank you for reminding me that I need to get blankity-blank done, c) Thank you silently to myself for reminding me that I need to get that done, and tell you “It’s coming along nicely, thank you,” or d) Lie, because I haven’t done a thing about getting blankity-blank done–and I probably never will.
So, here’s the list in absolutely no order whatsoever:
- Book List –> Write my year-end Book Recommendation List. Yes, holiday cards are on hold, waiting for me to get this sucker done. But to finish, you have to start! This year’s list–numero eleven–will have a new twist, which readers of this blog can probably guess.
- Gifts –> Pick up remaining holiday gifts at XXXX and XXXX for XXXX. Hmmmm, now who could that be…..
- Holiday Cards –> Write ‘em, send ‘em, before they turn into Arbor Day cards.
- Scanner –> Set up the new scanner I was so darned eager to buy and have left sitting in the box for the past two weeks!
- Cinderella –> Finish cleaning the house.
- Food List –> Make shopping list for Christmas dinner.
- Store –> Buy stuff for Christmas dinner.
- Red Food –> Cook the cranberries and braised red cabbage Wednesday.
- Pecans –> For the past four days, I’ve been saying I was going to roast them and give them for gifts, now do it!
- Read –> The four books that you took out of the library last week.
- Read This Too –> Ivanhoe, for book club in January.
- Laundry –> Always laundry.
- Itemize –> Make list and take pix of items throughout house. Burn to a disc, and store in the safe deposit box where we will NEVER NEED IT!
- Webmaster –> Build a website for my investment club.
- Read This Stuff Too –> That stack of newspaper and magazine articles that’s turning into my own personal paper drive.
- Movies –> See any and all of the following: Bad Santa, Big Fish, Calendar Girls, Cold Mountain, The Company, In America, The Last Samurai, Shattered Glass, The Station Agent, Stuck on You
- Research –> Purchasing a new printer.
- More Movies –> See all from the Kurosawa series at the Film Center: Rashomon, Sanjuro and Yojimbo.
- Are You Reading? –> Ivanhoe…it’s over 500 pages. Get on it!
- Digital Pix, Part 1 –> Download photos from camera.
- Digital Pix, Part 2 –> Add photos from San Diego etc. to blog.
- Bookcase –> The books are taking over. Buy a new bookcase stat!
- Caulk –> The bathtub. (Could vacation get any more exciting?)
- How’s That Book Coming Along? –> You know…Ivanhoe?
Dammit!!!! I forgot all about Ivanhoe–all 5 million pages of it….
Ditto about Ivanhoe. I keep picking up other books and move it down the pile. Has anyone started it? Tell me it’s great and a page-turner!
As you can tell from my site–no reading secrets here–I haven’t started it yet either. Not because I don’t want to…I’m just determined to plow through the stack from the library first. But, i do hear from two reliable sources that it’s very good and, to paraphrase, much more readable than they thought it would be. sounds like they’re enjoying it, which i’m glad to hear, since i’m the dolt who suggested we read this one!
I’m curious which books have floated to the top of your pile?
Good news about Ivanhoe. That will have to be next. Well, I made it through Seabiscuit – which I did find interesting. And, I just read Unless by Carol Shields, which I did not enjoy as much. Seemed a bit contrived. I think I experienced the same thing with her Stone Diaries – yet everyone else seemed to love that book. Maybe I should try it again….but, then, who has time to read a book twice? I have the remaining Harry Potters to read in my pile, as well. And, John Adams, which I started last January and never finished! Happy New Year.
BTW – I loved In America.
I gave up on Carol Shields after (or possibly during) “Stone Diaries.” You were not alone in disliking it, but we were definitely a small group. I too have just picked up McCullough’s “John Adams” (having stolen it from our blogger). He’s in Philadelphia now, on the eve of July 2nd, reading “Ivanhoe” of all things. (just kidding) If you really want to read a good Adams book, try “Passionate Sage” by Joseph Ellis.