TO-DO LIST

International Quirkyalone Day Party + List Slam

noreply@blogger.com (Sasha) — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 09:00:00 PST

Hello list lovers!

Searching for something non-cliche to do on February 14? Please join us for the seventh annual International Quirkyalone Day Party AND List Slam!

International Quirkyalone Day Party: A "Matters of the Heart" List Slam
Saturday, February 14, 7 pm
Red Hill Books
401 Cortland Avenue, San Francisco

International Quirkyalone Day is a do-it-yourself celebration of romance, friendship, and independent spirit. It's a celebration of all kinds of love: romantic, platonic, familial, and yes, self-love. International Quirkyalone Day is not anti-Valentine's Day. It's NOT a pity party for single people. It's an alternative--a feel-good alternative to the marketing barrage of Valentine's Day.

Above all, IQD is a celebration of romance, freedom and individuality.

Couples (especially quirkytogether) are welcomed to attend. After all, many a partnered person complains about the contrived nature of Valentine's Day.

BRING A LIST!

For this year's San Francisco celebration, come to Red Hill books to mingle and join in a "Matters of the Heart" List Slam--bring a list related to “matters of the heart."
The root of the verb “to list” means to “lust” or desire, so let your list lust roam free. This will be the ninth List Slam in the history of the universe. Read more the mysteriously alluring List Slams concept here.

Signed copies of my books Quirkyalone: A Manifesto for Uncompromising Romantics and To-Do List: From Buying Milk to Finding a Soul Mate will be available.

After-party will be at Stray Bar at 309 Cortland Avenue, just next door. Enjoy quirkytinis, cupcakes, and other treats!

Accessible by public transportation:

Take the 14 bus to Cortland and Mission and walk up Cortland, or wait for the 24 bus to ferry you up the hill. You can also take BART to 24th and Mission and take the 67 bus to Bernal Heights.

Or just walk from 24th and MIssion–it’s a lovely 15 minute stroll.

A Student Packs for London

noreply@blogger.com (Sasha) — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 17:20:00 PST

Mixing up the Holidays with a List Slam

noreply@blogger.com (Sasha) — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 07:48:00 PST

That's me (Sasha), reading at the first-ever List Slam at Cafe Royale in San Francisco; you don't need a microphone for your own intimate Slam

Tired of the same old mistletoe and ugly Christmas sweater-themed holiday parties? Why not throw a last-minute List Slam, whether for Christmas, or even, better, the New Year? Tonight I am bringing the List Slam concept to my extended family. They are confused now, and calling me--Ummm, what's a List Slam? Do I need to prepare? But I bet they are going to love it.

A List Slam is like a poetry slam, but instead of poetry, people read lists: to-do and otherwise. It's a way to get inspiration for your own lists and to get to know your friends and family better Take a peek at their lists as they read them aloud. It could be an everyday to-do list, or a list of things to do over your lifetime. A list of places to visit before you die, or things that no one knows about you. It could be pretty much anything, even a wish list for Santa. Maybe Santa will hear you!

To get a sense of what happens at a List Slam, check out this blog post about a List Slam I held at a San Francisco bookstore earlier this year:

I'll post photos from the event. Think about organizing a New Year's List Slam--you may even feel more accountable for your goals and dreams if you read them aloud!

Just Saying Yes Goes Hollywood with Yes Man

noreply@blogger.com (Sasha) — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 12:26:00 PST

This is one of the lists I featured in To-Do List. At the time I was editing the book, I discovered the book Yes Man, and I had a feeling that this whole "just say yes" thing was going to hit the mainstream, and now, here is the Hollywood take on the "just say yes" phenomenon in the form of a Jim Carrey movie.

Have you seen Yes Man? Ever tried saying yes to EVERYTHING? Plan to write it on your New Year's list this year? Please share in the comments.

Tis the Season for Making Lists

noreply@blogger.com (Sasha) — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 21:13:00 PST

Whether it's a year-end list of accomplishments or a list for Santa, or simply a list of things to get done before December 25, December is truly the month for making lists, only to be outdone by the more contemplative and ambitious listyness of January.

In honor of list season, I invite you to send me your holiday lists. Please send me scans (ideally) or photos by December 18, and I'll post some of the best on the blog for a holiday list-off. The most stunningly holiday list--as determined by votes in the comments--will win a copy of To-Do List.

In the meantime, here's a post "On Christmas Wish Lists" that I wrote last year. I feel like I have really matured, because this year, in light of the economic meltdown and perhaps because we three kids are finally growing up, my family is embracing a new ritual that is far less greedy. Oh sorry day to say goodbye to the greedy Christmas list!

Happy December listmaking!

My Five-Year To-Do List

noreply@blogger.com (Sasha) — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 22:52:00 PST

Click on the list for a larger view.

This list was written in November 2006, and it's a five-year to-do list, hence I have three years left to cross everything off. My friends Sonya, Kenneth, and Adam made it for me (after interviewing me). We did the same thing for everyone that night. I've managed to accomplish half of the second item (the new language learned: Portuguese). I hope to accomplish the other half of the second item soon. The rest of it remains to be seen. It's going to be a busy, exciting three years, writing horses (whatever that means) and looking at houses with wraparound porches.

Gratitude List

noreply@blogger.com (Sasha) — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 19:37:00 PST

What are you thankful for this year?

A Mom's List

noreply@blogger.com (Sasha) — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 10:46:00 PST

I love the fact that in between "make next week's menu" and "take in Alexander's prescription" she manages to include "remember date night tomorrow." Yeah, remember that date night!

How to be sexy--for men

noreply@blogger.com (Sasha) — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 19:38:00 PST

For the best reading experience, click on the list to view.

A group of college juniors wrote this list. Ooooh, "Make eye contact, and hold it just a little longer than feels comfortable." "ASK GIRLS OUT!"

A list usually contains idiosyncratic details. This time, it's "watches." I suppose wearing a watch does make a man "knowledgeable--about the world." In this age of watchlessness, knowing the time is a good start.

How would you advise others to be sexy? Please add your own "how to be sexy" list for men and/or women in the comments.

How to be a to-do list for Halloween

noreply@blogger.com (Sasha) — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 19:02:00 PDT

Want to be a to-do list for Halloween? Here's what you need:
* a black canvas (outfit)
* Post-it notes
* safety pins
* string
* a Sharpie

Get dressed all in black (or any monochromatic outfit), copy individual items from your to-do list (big or small, meaningful or mundane) on brightly colored Post-its, and then pin them on to your clothing. Wear a Sharpie around your neck on a string, and ask your fellow partygoers to write to-do items for themselves or you on Post-its and stick them on you.

Yes, I was a to-do list for Halloween! I was feeling very blank and bereft of ideas yesterday afternoon when I started emailing with my always-full-of-costume-ideas friend Jenny. "Have you already been a to-do list?" she asked. No, and I realized instantly, being a to-do list was the PERFECT costume.

Usually my costumes involve random clothing offered to me by roommates, and then a concept arrives to tie it all together. This year was no different. My roommate KT had an amazing black tulle dress, so I became an elegant to-do list. I considered for a moment being the "sexy to-do list" or the "do-me list" but even in a world of pimp and ho costumes that seemed like just too much.

I wrote to-do items from my actual to-do list on hot pink post-its and asked my friend Jen to safety pin them on. They kept falling off without pins. I carried a blue post-it pad in my purse and asked other people to write to-do items for themselves or me and then to stick them on my dress.

Here's what I started with:
Rock climb again!
Eyebrow wax
Find a boyfriend
Study Portuguese again
Renter's insurance (crossed off!!)
Phone bank 4 Obama!
Organize bottom kitchen cabinets
Make travel plans (happy face)

Here's what people added:
Hem shower curtain
Pay rent
Mail thank you cards

There were more blue post-its from other people but they fell off.

The most amazing thing about the evening was that one of the things I wrote on my dress-list magically came true without much effort: "study Portuguese again." At our first party, I asked a woman for a cigarette. I'm one of those "smoke when I drink" types who probably annoy real smokers. I detected an accent, and thought, it can't be. . . She and her two lovely friends were Brazilian. We lapsed into Portuguese for the next fifteen minutes, and I just stood there beaming with joy as I listened to them. My to-do list was getting crossed off. It was like that silly book "The Secret." Tell the world your desires and your desires will come true. So don't delay. If you want something to happen, simply write it on a post-it, and put it to your shirt. Let me know if your to-dos come true.

Plan FUN this weekend

noreply@blogger.com (Sasha) — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 16:42:00 PDT

I love this list for three reasons: 1) the tree illustration exhorting her to "get it done!"; 2) the final item "be more awesome!"; and 3) the running commentary on which items are and are not fun. Lately my friend Sara and I have been talking about how to inject fun in our lives. Sara left me a voicemail after our dinner, asking if I thought we were on the road to becoming hedonists. I responded that "hedonism" has a negative connotation, but we are still calling each other hedonists, unabashed in our pursuit of pleasure. I want to put fun things on my list every day and every weekend. So. . . give us some inspiration. Where's the fun on your lists?

Vigorously Crossed Off List

noreply@blogger.com (Sasha) — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 11:38:00 PDT

Note to self: The therapeutic effects of reading other people's to-do lists

noreply@blogger.com (Sasha) — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 13:45:00 PDT

Why is my apartment full of photo albums and folders stuffed with other people's lists? This piece in the UK Independent answers the question! "Other people's to-do lists can be endlessly fascinating – but pinpointing exactly why isn't always easy, admits Sasha Cagen, an American writer who has spent the past nine years collecting hand-written "notes to self" from hundreds of strangers." Read the full piece.

Pre-Wedding Goals

noreply@blogger.com (Sasha) — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 13:44:00 PDT

"Some form of exercise EVERY DAY" I understand, but "spank people online"? Or am I mis-reading?

30 Things to Do in 60 Days (Before Turning 30!)

noreply@blogger.com (Sasha) — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 22:10:00 PDT

A young woman in Boston made this list while freaking out about the onset of her 30th birthday. Keep busy, she figured, and she wouldn't have time to panic. A worthy strategy! At first glance, I thought I would have to quit my (pesky) job to write and complete my own version of this list, but then I realized it's all about what we choose as a daily challenge. Now matter how busy we are, we can probably all find one small new thing to do everyday. My 60 things to do in the next 30 days list will be to come. What's on yours?

A Brazilian Girl's Ambitions

noreply@blogger.com (Sasha) — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 07:53:00 PDT

Things to Remember

noreply@blogger.com (Sasha) — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 22:28:00 PDT

What are yours?

Join the To-Do List Community

noreply@blogger.com (Sasha) — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 08:11:00 PDT

Just a word of explanation about the new community features on the left: I'm participating in a super-early-beta trial of Google's new feature Friend Connect, which will allow sites to easily build communities. You're getting a preview here. The features are still a bit glitch-y right now but I encourage you to try it out! Become a member and upload a list. I'll choose one list a week to feature on the blog. Yeeha!

Last-Minute Birthing List

noreply@blogger.com (Sasha) — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 12:21:00 PDT

Map of a Novel

noreply@blogger.com (Sasha) — Fri, 16 May 2008 19:20:00 PDT

Obsessive-Compulsive Chart

noreply@blogger.com (Sasha) — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 22:38:00 PDT

What do you think these five acronyms stand for? Whoever comes closest wins a free copy of To-Do List. I'll reveal the author's codes by May 6.

Ways to Make Money

noreply@blogger.com (Sasha) — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 14:27:00 PDT

What are your ways to make money?

A Nine-Year-Old's List (Written in Church)

noreply@blogger.com (Sasha) — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 07:44:00 PDT

Come find me in Boulder (and bring a list for the List Slam!)

noreply@blogger.com (Sasha) — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 20:57:00 PDT

During the week of April 7 - 11, I'll be participating in an amazing conference, officially called Conference of World Affairs, informally dubbed the "Conference of Everything Conceivable." It's sponsored by Colorado University at Boulder. If you or your friends will be in Boulder, come to some of the sessions/parties/events and say hi. All sessions are free and open to the public!

I'll be speaking on these panels:

Publishing a Book: Tales from the Trenches

Too Busy To Fall In Love

Why Young Voters Care Again

Feminism: The New F Word

Why We Write

The Power of Facebook

Things We Wish We'd Learned in College: A List Slam

This will be the second year that I participate. It's an amazing community-intellectual event--super-stimulating and fun. All the events are free so if you happen to live nearby, or want to take an intellectual vacation, come join us.

Here's how the CWA describes itself:

"The Conference on World Affairs was founded in 1948, originally as a forum on international affairs. CWA expanded rapidly to encompass the arts, media, science, diplomacy, technology, environment, spirituality, politics, business, medicine, human rights, and so on. Roger Ebert, who holds a record of thirty-seven consecutive years of participation in the CWA, refers to the event as “the Conference on Everything Conceivable.”

Words I Like

noreply@blogger.com (Sasha) — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 07:49:00 PDT

What are your favorite words? Add them in the comments.