List mania

I am loving Cozi.

I've always made lists. Lots of lists. Helps me feel in control to have lists. Yeah, I know, it's an illusion of control, but somehow the illusion works for me. Sometimes when I don't have a list, my mind (what little there is left of it) spirals out of control, chattering wildly at me:

“We have to pack shoes, did you pack shoes? Don't forget the vitamins, the crayons, your underwear, the umbrella (it hasn't rained on me here in Texas for months - this is the longest, driest, drought since the keepers of records started keeping records for this sort of thing (do you ever wonder whose idea that would have been in the first place?))”

Oh look, two parentheses. I must have gone off on a tangent... that’s my chattering mind for you!

Anyway, making lists helps to shut up the chatter. Then I follow my list(s) and free up my brain to do other things besides pester me into a panic (like ponder who first thought of keeping track of weather, and why, and who paid for it anyway?) Plus it gives me the illusion of control. (Y’all can quit laughing at me now.)

My newest friend in list mania land is Cozi. I can make a list on my computer or on my iPhone and - get this - anyone in my family group can see it!!! Oh, and I can see it too, as long as I remember to tote my phone around with me.

I try to add things to shopping lists as I use them up - and since my phone is often in my pocket I can add it right then and there without having to run from the bathroom (where I just opened the last bar of soap) to the kitchen (getting sidetracked several times along the way by cats, kiddo, Honey, and of course my thoughts) and getting to the list on the fridge just in time to have totally forgotten what I wanted to put on the list.

Ever done that? Thought so.

So now I can put soap on the shopping list right from the bathroom, and if I'm inspired to stop at a store on my way home from somewhere I don't have to worry that I don't have my shopping list, since it's on my phone!

If my Honey decides to stop on the way home to pick up some ice cream (it’s just an example, you shouldn’t think this is a regular occurrence), he doesn’t have to call me to ask if I need anything from the store (not that I object, since I like talking to my Honey), it’s there on the list on his phone. Nifty, huh?

Another nifty feature is that you can cross off items you've purchased (or don't need on this trip) and leave them on the list. So I am slowly making a master list for grocery shopping. And one for questions for the doctor. And one for the medical supplies. And one for the therapy needs. And one for house repairs, and which cat needs to go to the vet and … oh you get the idea. Of course as soon as I transfer my entire life to those lists there will be an upgrade or some technology snafu that loses all my information…. but until then, I’m a happy camper!

Just thought I’d share.

20th Annual Texas Autism Conference, October 13-15, 2011, Houston

http://autism.esc2.net/Conference/index.asp

“The Texas Autism Conference is a statewide conference for parents, school personnel and other professionals working with individuals within the Autism spectrum. It is sponsored by the Texas Education Agency and has been coordinated by the Education Service Center, Region 2, for more than a decade.”

Dear parents, please let us know if you’ve attended one of these in the past and if so, whether it was useful to you. And if you go to this one, please let us know that, too!