I am certainly not diagnosed for obsessive compulsive disorder, but I might as well be. From the time I started having too many things to remember, I began writing lists. I completely ignored George Miller's "Magical Number Seven," and wrote absolutely everything down on my "to do lists," forgoing any chance of building up my short-term memory. From dentist appointments to buying birthday presents, everything I needed to "do" that week was there, easily accessible. In retrospect, I have a feeling that I began to become dependent on those lists, and my forgetfulness somehow increased as the years progressed.

Certainly, these lists correlate almost in perfect harmony with my personality. I am a semi-perfectionist. This sometimes plays to my disadvantage, however. In focusing on the minute details, sometimes I forget the big picture. When this occurs, I simply take a deep breath, and laugh. This is because having the ability to laugh at yourself, and be able to stay grounded despite it all, are the best goals to strive for. Needless to say, those “reminders” are always on my list.