so,

I have this really elaborate task list. Google hasn’t come through with googletasks, so I had to create my own.

I think I’m onto something here. I think I could sell this. It’s Get Rich Quick Scheme #352, are you ready?

This task list will get you soooo organized. It has a table of contents at the top, and all items are hyperlinked to a more detailed section below. There’s a link to the top from every subsection. View it in normal view if you’re using Word. OpenOffice…use the web view.

Items that need action are blue; items in need of immediate action are red; items are larger in size the more urgent they are. Of course, that’s just the schema that I find relevant. You can choose any style or color of text to represent what ever is salient in your life! For awhile I was underlining sections that required me to consult with someone else. It’s a word document after all. Or html. Whatever you like.

I have one of these for work, and one for real life. I tell you, I’ve never been more organized.

The real life one, titled andthentherewas, is filled with all sorts of detail… I have subsections for each Get Rich Quick Scheme (only one main one currently–it’s a doosie!! (Oh man. I can’t wait for my new car. First thing I’m buying. And then I’m going to start a collection of prints by little-known artists from the Benelux region. Totally.)).

Update: I just added a to buy category. Divided it into immediate and longer term for increased usability. And added Ernst and Tanguy (not from the Benelux region, duh))). My subsection for textiles is now divided into maintenance, immediate, Queso (my knitting machine…just named him?! What do you think?), to felt, and other. I’m looking forward to those felted wool chokers. They’re going to be hotttt.

But my main problem isn’t really how to market this… I actually realize that it’s probably not going to make me any money. It requires waaaay too much work on the part of the user. And it’s just a digital document. Anyone could make one. I should write a book, and we know that books don’t make any money. (Which makes this more accurately Never Going To Happen Scheme #31,984.)

But that’s not my problem. My problem is the damn task list. See, I just started this one for my home life–I keep a lot of shit in my head, and I need to dump it into some document or system somewhere if I’m ever to get any rest.

That’s my reasoning. And here’s my problem (at long last):

If I turn off my laptop, I’m more likely to not open it up again while I try to go to sleep. But if I can’t update andthentherewas, then how do I ever purge all the fantastic ideas I get while I go to sleep?!! Like last night, it was the vision of a fish tank of guppies and philodendrons sprawling out across the shelf and up the wall that kept me awake. Such a natural combination of plant and amphibians*, I don’t know why everyone doesn’t do this. And my cat will love it. I used to have a fish when I had him back in Cloyne Court**, and his favorite activity was getting to the fish. He’d stick his paw in the tank, take it out, give it a perplexed look, and repeat. So funny!! How can you sleep with memories like these?!***

So my falling to sleep hours are filled with fantastic ideas, but their onset requires me to turn off the computer.

Newsflash: I just added a songs to karaoke subsection to andthentherewas. Safety Dance. Oooh baby. I think I can actually sing this one.

This list is getting longer and longer. I suppose I’ll just always keep my laptop on. And carry the document around on (in?) one of those little keychain memory devices. I have two. And I’ll accept that in actuality, most of what makes it on there Never Going to Happen Schemes.

*What are fish anyway?
**Name-dropped Cloyne here so my blog will set off my google alert for Cloyne Court, FYI. I’m totally that much of a nerd.
***Dude, my cat just moved in, and I am soooo happy. I’ve never been so happy, seriously. He’s asleep on my knee right now as I spend way too much time on a way too detailed blog entry that no one will have the patience (or humor, admittedly) for. And he’s purring!! I had been so afraid that he wouldn’t like it here cause he can’t go in the back yard like he used to, but he adjusted after like an hour, and he’s purred ever since. He’s the most wonderful and loving cat before, and I am the luckiest girl in the world.