大象传媒

Christine Rigby, a retired teacher from Ilminster in Somerset uses the simple, unassuming tool of list-making to help steer herself through life's highways and byways...

Christine Rigby's life is run on the lists principle. Take shopping for example. This happens once a week,and once a week only and is a highly disciplined exercise. Each meal is planned in advance, no food is left over at the end of the week. From a special ring-file full of loose leaf paper (handy for tearing out and starting a nice, new, fresh, clean, page), the shopping list is constructed in a precise manner, "I write down the left-hand side, almost to the bottom," says Christine, "then I start along the middle of the page and then on the right hand side - here we go - iceberg, lettuce, beansprouts, small-leaf spinach, clementines, apples, bananas - I want two vegetables, but they're for the 12th ...duck breast for the 10th ... I know exactly which supermarket aisles I want to go to, and the order in which I will get to them. My list takes me along that route. I'm not tempted away from what's on it." But on an impulse, Christine does just that and with wild abandon, puts an unlisted green pepper in her basket.

It was life as a busy mum, with three young children and a full-time job, that caused Christine to turn her prediliction for list-making into an art form. Such is her dedication to this method of keeping life on track, that she admits she's listed some pretty obvious things, "I'd make a list and on it would be 'wash my hair'!" Even her treats are listed, unworried by the accusation that at treat should be spontaneous, shouldn't it? "On Monday I'm going to have a bacon bap," she says, adding with some relish, "It's the anticipation which is an absolute treat - I might even put an egg in it as well..."

David, Christine's husband, is the supportive type, "It's a secure framework for us- I can see what's happening. I don't interfere of course!"

For Christine, lists have as much to do with relaxtation as action, "There's the satisfaction of crossing things off and watching the lists get smaller - I think I sleep better! Sometimes I wonder what it would be like to be totally laid back, and not care whether I forgot to do things."

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