Writing Stuff Down

Merril will tell you I am a great believer in writing things down.  Even when we are going out, and have a number of things to do, I write each, and number them in order of doing.  If it is accepted great, and if it is not, we then number them another way to get what we consider the best way.  I am yet to meet anyone who said “you beauty, I forgot to do this or that, while I was out.”
Writing stuff is for me, at the very least a memory aid.  I do take it further though.  I have a book with three columns – the task, the date, and who completed it.  When the task is done I complete the columns and cross it off.  Done and dusted.  My book has a multitude of things crossed off, and some which are a work in progress.
Maybe that is over the top but it works for me.  I even write down things that are mentioned in passing.  Often something is said, and it becomes one of those “one day it will happen” things.
Not everything can be done instantly.  Some things take time.  A lot of time.  For me, at least if I have written it down I won’t forget it.
I know I am far from alone in liking to write things down.  Someone I visit is very much into that.  I know this because he told Merril, who told me.  Also when I bring a list he falls on it and devours it (not literally – I probably would think twice about visiting him if he did), and we start at the top, and work our way through it.
I guess this writing things down is just a habit I formed years ago (we still say years don’t we?  It hasn’t become metric has it?)  As I have said before, some habits are good and some are bad.  For me, this is a keeper.  It may take a little time, but I feel it is time well spent.
It sort of reminds me of the guy who was thinking about learning a skill.  He did not like the thought that it would take seven years to be any good. He told someone and the person asked “how old will you be in seven years if you don’t?”  The guy was 43.  He replied “I will be 50.”  The person he asked then asked “how old will you be in seven if you do?”  He said 50.  He was amazed it was the same.
Writing things down is a bit like that for me.  In seven years’ time I will be the age I am going to be, whether I do it or not.  At least I will feel organized.  For me that is a good start.