My Life in Lists

Picture: Norm's Restaurant (taken by my niece) in Portland, ME (hot waiters)
Song: My Year In Lists, Los Campesinos!

When I was in high school I made so many lists it was ridiculous. I have notebooks upon notebooks with lists of things like where to go to college, what to study, what color to paint my room, things to make, stories to write, lists of what kind of lists I write, etc.

Cleaning my room recently, I was thinking about how strange that habit was. Why did I make so many lists when often times I was listing things I'd listed before?

Then later, frustrated, I found myself plotting in an old notebook. This time I was listing restaurants that might let me bar tend, and I realized why I used to be obsessed with lists. Most of my lists are escape plans. When I can't make any immediate changes, I list the steps needed to make change and find comfort in knowing change is possible.

I know I give my town a lot of crap. It's a nice place to live for some people or at certain stages of life, but right now I feel the need to escape. My most recent lists of restaurants to work at is a part of my plan to live in Philly next summer and work as a bar tender. (I'm going to make this happen one way or another)

My four year old niece took this picture with my camera, and I love the way it came out. Not seeing my niece as much as I do now will be a major drawback to living in Philly next summer, but I will still be able to visit pretty frequently. Maybe I can make it work.