The To-Do List Game

Our windows were open last night, and I awoke at 5:30 am to the sound of rain outside. I enjoy that sound. But this morning I couldn't go back to sleep. I was restless like the way I get just before I travel. However, this time I wasn't me ... my kids were traveling. It seems that lately any little thing can disturb my sleep even if it doesn't directly impact me. I didn't go downstairs until 7:00 am as my daughter and Milo were sleeping in the living room, and I didn't want to disturb their sleep too - especially with such a busy day ahead of them. God keep them safe on this wet travel day ... actually keep all my family safe on this wet travel day.

Over the last few days I have developed quite a large to-do list of things I would like to get done this week. I promised myself that once the kids left I would stop adding to the list and only work on crossing things off it. The list has 39 things on it, and as usual, it is far more than I can get done in one week. Some things will take up a whole day and some are pretty short. But I am going to make a game out of it and see just how many things can be completed. Here are the rules:

• The week goes from Sunday the 12th (today) through Sunday the 19th.
• If I start a task and don't finish, but didn't anticipate finishing (like photo album work, or casting on Milo's sweater), then it counts as done for the week.
• If I start a task and don't finish, but did plan to finish (like walking 5-6 days this week - but only walk 4) then it isn't complete for the week.
• Fan-tab-u-lous Achievement would be marking off 33 or more items.
• Reward for Fan-tab-u-lous Achievement? No idea. Probably just feel good that I got so much done.

Let the game begin!

Observations on Competition

The competitive spirit is an interesting human emotion. Successful professionals have a high level of it. In the extreme, professional athletes survive in their sport only by competition. In the past I liked to compete, be first, be the best. As I have gotten older, I find I prefer to watch more than compete. But some of the old me is still there. I am very competitive with myself. I really like to improve and show progress.

To keep motivated, I joined two competitions on Walker Tracker.com. Competitions are based on step totals during a set period of time. Logging steps on the site is based on the honor system - no one checks on what you report. Sometimes there is a small reward, like a gift card, Walker Tracker points or cookies. Usually the reward is just the knowledge that you placed first. It is all for fun.

The first competition was "Walking the Grand Canyon" and yesterday it ended. HappyOne finished in first place many, many thousands of steps ahead of 2nd place. I was shooting for second place and last night that is where I was (shocking!). The person in 3rd looked like he had logged his steps for the day and he was about 2,000 steps behind me. I went to bed thinking that I made 2nd place. Unfortunately, this morning, I had dropped to 3rd place. Sometimes extra steps are added later in the evening, when a walker's day is truly over. I am happy with third.

esknitter Steps: 76,547 Place: 3

The second competition, "Walking Cornwall" continues until September 10th. I've been as close as 20th place and as far away at 47th place out of 68 participants. The group has some power walkers in it (who average 15,000 steps or more a day). I believe I will finish midrange and I'll be happy with that.

esknitter Steps: 181,589 Place: 36

Now 10 years ago, I might have felt differently. I would have walked nonstop, demanding a "recount" when I fell behind PoconoGreg - a super power walker who averages 45,000-47,000 steps a day - everyday, for as far back as I could look in Walker Tracker. That man must never sleep, must eat while walking, must have a catheter so he doesn't ever have to stop at the men's room!! His Walker Tracker Blog shows that he spends 3 hours a day on his treadmill (along with other walks).

Think on that a few minutes ... 3 hours a day on a treadmill, where the scenery never changes, there are no casual hellos with other local walkers, no views of the sky or the local wildlife. Maybe he has TV to help pass the time, but we all know that TV rots the brain if watched too much. But ten years ago he would have eaten my dust!! Beat'en the pants off him! Sure, I would need hospitalization after 2 days of that, but still ... been first in step counts, number 1, lead dog, superwoman, leader of the country, dictator of the universe ...,

uh ... I think I just blacked out there for a moment!