Making a list, and checking it twice!

I make lists about everything.

There is a comfort in order, though I am probably one of the most disorganized people I know. Maybe that’s why I make lists.

I even created and moderate an online bookgroup called: wait for it……..........LISTERS (if you’re interested in joining, visit Yahoo Groups and search for LISTers or visit: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LISTers/ and click JOIN GROUP ). We share our monthly reads, as well as answer and post questions about reading in general. It’s fascinating stuff, to me, anyway.

So recently I found some old diaries/journals which contain some lists as well. The boys that I liked (back in February of 1977) were (first names only to protect the….........................................well, to save me from embarrassment)

Jeff
Jeff
Brian
Dave
Mike
Barry

I must confess that I don’t even recognize one of the last names of one of the Jeffs, and who the hell is Barry Katzman, and of these 6 guys, only one ‘liked me back’, while the others continued to not know I existed. I do remember thinking that making a list would somehow increase my odds. I guess one out of six isn’t that bad.

I keep a running database (list) of how many books I read each month, and rate them out of 5, AND keep track of how many I’ve read so far this year. For example:

OCTOBER 2009
Homer and Langely - E.L. Doctorow 4.25
The Cellist of Sarajevo - Steven Galloway 4.5
Day After Night - Anita Diamant 4.25
Under this Unbroken Sky - Shandi Mitchell 4.5
The Specials - Scott Westerfeld 4.25

NOVEMBER 2009
Her Fearful Symmetry - Audrey Niffenegger 4.5
Have a Little Faith - Mitch Albom 4.25
The Gates - John Connelly 4.25
Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet - Jamie Ford 4.5

53 to date (that’s how many I’ve read since January 1, for those that need to know!)

I make grocery lists, which I forget to take with me, but commit to memory (yeah, so THAT’S why I have so many jars of sliced red pepper, and still no capers)!

My favorite reads of the year (so far) I try and come up with the ‘top ten’ every year. Here’s what I have so far:

Sarah's Key - Tatiani De Rosnay 4.75
Inkheart - Cornelia Funke 4.5
Cutting for Stone - Abraham Verghese 4.75
still Alice - Lisa Genova 4.75
Nov. 22, 1963 - Adam Braver 4.5
Columbine - Dave Cullen 4.75
The Angel’s Game – Carlos Ruiz Zafon 4.75
The Hunger Games- Suzanne Collins 5
Catching Fire - Suzanne Collins 5
The Cellist of Sarajevo - Steven Galloway 4.5

My favorite reads of all time (subject to change)
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn – Betty Smith
Valley of the Dolls – Jacqueline Susann
A Stone for Danny Fisher – Harold Robbins
Katherine – Anya Seton
The Miracle Worker – William Gibson
A Fine Balance – Rohinton Mistry
Fugitive Pieces – Anne Michaels
The Crimson Petal and the White – Michel Faber
The Way the Crow Flies – Ann Marie MacDonald
Maus – Art Spiegelman
We Need to Talk About Kevin – Lionel Shriver
The Night Listener – Armistead Maupin

These books fit my ‘perfect five’ rating, which translates into:

Would (and could) reread again (and again), learnt ‘something’, related strongly to the characters and/or story, remarkable storytelling, powerful

I remember quite vividly reading a book by Irving Wallace entitled The Fan Club, in which four friends kidnap a movie star. The only specifics I remember about the story was that the movie star made a ‘list’ of items she wanted her ‘fans/kidnappers’ to purchase for her. Two things on the list stuck out. Variety magazine and Cabochard by Madame Gres perfume. I was probably only 15 at the time, but I do remember ‘deciding’ that ‘that’ would be ‘my’ signature scent and bought it and wore it for years.

How ‘bout songs with lists:
50 Ways To Leave Your Lover
1. Slip out the back
2. Make a new plan
3. Hop on the bus
4. Drop off the Key
5. Set yourself free

Steve Miller describes himself as
a picker, a grinner, a lover, a sinner, a Joker, a smoker and a midnight toker.

My Favorite Things by Rodgers and Hammerstein,
brown paper packages tied up with string!

We Didn't Start The Fire - Billy Joel

Life is a Rock, but the radio rolled me
B.B. Bumble and the Stingers, Mott the Hoople, Ray Charles Singers
Lonnie Mack and twangin' Eddy, here's my ring we're goin' steady
Take it easy, take me higher, liar liar, house on fire
Locomotion, Poco, Passion, Deeper Purple, Satisfaction
Baby baby gotta gotta gimme gimme gettin' hotter

And so on, and so on.

Making lists makes me happy. I can count on one hand the number of times….................…oops, there I go again.