I wrote this a while ago: things to try to keep in mind. Updates as to the status of each item are indicated.

Bring those bags into the store. For years, I have owned two large vinyl sacks, perfect for carrying groceries (and for feeling like I’m doing my part not to rape our mother earth). And every single time I go to the supermarket, I do not remember those bags (which sit in my trunk) until I open the trunk to deposit my be-plastic-bagged goods. EVERY SINGLE TIME. My mind has worn a groove in this thinking, and I can’t get out.

Update: I have upgraded the bags to nice, portable canvas ones that could fit into, say, a purse. Success rate of remembering to use them has increased by 1%. So, I use them 1% of the time. I’m a bad carbon footprint.

Hang those pictures. The framed art sitting on the floor, leaning against the walls: just a handful of nails and a hammer and about 3 minutes of my life, boom, done. What is so hard about that?

Update: I did eventually hang those pictures, though everything’s in unhung and in storage now. In my De-Golden-Girls-ification project of the house in which I live, I did hang three new artworks. Success rate: 100%!

Stop running out of money. I can’t stress how useful this habit will be.

Update: Working on it. I am so freaked out by my years of hand-to-mouth poverty. I’m waving my little arms at the sky, vowing never to go hungry again. Success rate: fair so far, but determined.

Bring a sweater. It has not been the most consistent summer, weather-wise. And the climate where I work is a touch gloppier and chillier than in my already-gloppy-and-chilly town. Yet I saunter out of my home, bare-legged and short-sleeved. Even when it’s warm it’s a gar-own-TEE the A/C will be a-blastin’ in the office. What happened to my 20 years of clothing-layer training in the Bay Area? It’s like I’m living some sunkissed Southern California fantasy life in my head, only.

Update: Though this past summer was also gloppy, I no longer have a long commute to work, my current workplace is never air-conditioned, and my car is near me at almost all times. Which is handy, because my car acts as a traveling closet. As long as there’s a 2000-pound vehicle containing a variety of shoes, outerwear, and everything else (including underwears!), I’m at an 100% success rate at always being comfortably and appropriately clothed.

Take care of my shit. I broke my camera. I handled it too roughly and done broke it. OW OW ow ow ow ow ow. It has been broken for a week and I could not bring myself to tell anyone as I feel totally lost without it. And I can’t afford another one for a good long time (see “Stop running out of money”). So, enjoy my crappy cell phone pictures as I curl up into a ball and bleat bleat bleat.

Older update: I bought a used camera as I could not stand the bleating, I really couldn’t.

Newer update: That used camera was a piece of doo-doo and I banished it. I then bought a new and swanky camera, which is only partially successful — I’m too paranoid to bring it everywhere. So, I still am without effective picture-taking ability most of the time. Success rate of camera situation: Meh percent. Overall success rate of learning to take care of my shit: Lame percent.

And overall overall success of this list: Um.

Oh, Nablo!