A loaf of bread, a container of milk, and a stick of butta…

Lists. I believe they are at the core of every good plan. You can control lists, by adding things to it and checking off completions. It’s all so liberating!

Despite my love of lists and organization, connecting the dots is not my forte. This is probably why I believed that an African man who called from a Maryland area code, but lived in Connecticut needed a $500 bed in Charlottesville, Virginia. Oh and let’s not forget, that this same African man called himself Caesar and asked me to send cash via a wire transfer – all from the Monopoly® money he sent in the mail.

Ok. Ok. Not the best idea, but you get the point. I like to think of this stupid decision in my life as the reason why I think things out and make lists!

Needless to say, I do well with list, not decision making in stressful situations. I had a checklist once when I was in high school, and it was a list of everything I wanted to do before I turned 25. I did a lot of them already 2 years to spare: I ran a marathon. I published an article. I learned a foreign language – and forgot it before I turned 25. I have a career. I learned I could have a relationship with God. I graduated college.I lost friends – and found a couple soul mates. This darn list went on and on…

And that’s when I decided get rid of the list (spontaneous, I know). I realized (and this wasn’t on the list) that I can’t plan every moment of my life, and I certainly can’t check off accomplishments and life’s lessons from a list I made when I was 16. I simply have to keep on truckin’. Life is the last thing that is planned, but this is why you have friends, and family, and a honnnneyyys to tell you they are proud when your plans succeed and you check things off the list.

AND that same list of love ones will tell you not to give money to Caesar because no matter what wiring money is not a good idea. (note to reader, this is never a good idea)

Seriously, these people are the ones to help you connect the dots, and if you’re a list person like me, you need people like that in your life.

To me lists help you remember, and love ones don’t let you forget.

Four Roommates and a cat

It is very odd how fast life passes by you. I remember complaining to my Dad about his infamous "you cannot wear shorts if it's below 68 degrees at 7:00AM." (Mind you, I grew up in Ohio, which means it was NEVER above 68 degrees in the morning. I was typically the ONLY person at school wearing a coat, hat and jeans in June). And now I complain about my toilet overflowing for the nineteenth time in two weeks. Meaning I've been through 2 mops, one pair of shoes, endless taunts from an annoyed boyfriend, and a curious old cat that thinks my bathroom has turned into a giant water bowl. At least in the past I had 2 sisters to complain to about Dad's rule, now I can't even get my super to answer his phone -- let alone his door.

We also had a plan to circumvent my Dad's rule, that's right; we packed shorts in our back packs and changed at school.

My toilet still overflows...

But hey, I'm living my dream in NYC with my cat (the four roommates, were never in my actual dream, but they each add a little something to my life). It wasn't easy getting here, I left lots of things from my old apartment to a dear true friend, who I will always refer to as 'my roommate'. Note to reader: we actually do not live together she is busy learning to save lives at med school in Virginia. Anyway, I sought to pack everything I could fit in my two door Beetle, with my cat in the front seat.

But that was just part of my journey here. I'm not going to spend my blog telling you about my past; I don't need to fill you in on the past, there are other things MORE EXCITING things that are happening now.

*That has to be true, isn't that why people have blogs? Otherwise, you just have an entire blogosphere filled with stream of consciousness writing.

I'm hoping to evoke something a little different. I can't guarantee I'll always entertain (or be witty) but I'll tell a story and get to a point; maybe if you are feeling really inspired, a moral. Happy following dear readers! I look forward giving you more entries!