Julie R. Neidlinger: Lone Prairie Library

Listography: Life in lists.

written by Julie R. Neidlinger 1 comments link this post

I found myself in Barnes and Noble tonight, just standing in front of the books in an effort to regain calm. I considered picking up a book and flipping through the pages just to catch the new book-smell.

Sometimes, I do that. Books generally don't mock or expect much from me, and so, they put me at ease. Lately, I've not been buying. I've just been wandering the stacks and racks of new books, running my fingers through them periodically.

I saw one that looked interesting, because it had to do with lists.

I love lists. I have a blog category just for lists. I use lists when I'm too lazy to recount a long story. I use lists to be funny. I love the lists found at McSweeney's, and frequently find myself guffawing and chortling.

The idea behind listography, though, isn't just fun and games, but more about making lists of things to help you create a surprisingly accurate, though truncated, "biography" of yourself. It is also a good way to help kick start ideas if you're stuck, maybe as a writer or artist. Listing things is a way to get past the first, obvious answers (put them down right away and be done with it) and into deeper places. I use lists like triage: get it all out on paper, then organize the list with the top things top. I have lists floating all over my room and studio, and I'd swear they were breeding. To Do lists, idea lists, places I'd like to go lists, changes I need to make in my life lists... lists.

So, Listography. The website, yes, but there are also journals that help you make lists. I liked the look of the journals, with muted artwork that reminded me of something from a Sufjan Stevens album.

I didn't buy it, though, because I'm trying not to spend money and also, I can use the web site and my own journal and come up with more relevant lists than things like a list of people I'd make it with, or some such thing.

But the journals are decent. The web site is interesting. So there you go. Now you know.