‘Listuary’ Part One

List Prompts 1-9

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1. In 1943 Woody Guthrie listed 33 ‘New Year’s Rulin’s’ in his journal, drawing a little sketch by each one. They included : Work more and better; wash teeth if any; shave; take bath; write a song a day; wear clean clothes – look good; shine shoes; change socks; read lots of good books; listen to radio a lot; learn people better; don’t get lonesome; stay good; keep hoping machine running; dream good…..

from Shaun Usher (2014) Lists of Note London: Canongate & Unbound

Make a list of your own ‘rulins’.

2. Place[s] where I like to spend my time.

3. Reasons to be cheerful. You can find the words easily with a quick search - and videos of Ian Drury singing it.

4. Clothes I feel good in. You may like different clothes for different occasions. Of all the kinds of clothes that you wear, what comes top of the list? I heard people talking today about the different outfits they have for different parts of their lives -tie/ no tie; torn jeans/ smart suit/ jogging bottoms…. List your curated wardrobe. Tell its stories.

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5. Food - what is my best meal of the day? What foods are at the top of my list? What foods do I never wish to eat again? Yes, that is at least two lists.

6. The things that you like to talk about – who do you like to talk to? What do you like to talk about?

7. My life in coats.

8. Animals in my life. Make a list of all the animals in your life, now and in the past. Not just pets, but encounters with animals in different places, wild and tame. When I was two we visited my Glasgow cousins who had a parrot. I invited passers-by into their house ‘to see my parrot’.

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9. Edmund Wilson regrets…

When Edmund Wilson’s popularity as a writer grew, he found himself spending more and more time writing letters to refuse various requests, leaving him no time to write. He came up with the solution of printing a list of things that he was unable to do and sent this in response. Unfortunately, people heard about the list and he was inundated with requests for the list itself.

You may not be inundated with requests for public readings (yet) but there are probably many other demands on your time – and patience. Write your on list of things that you regret you cannot possibly do …

EDMUND WILSON REGRETS IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR HIM TO: 

Read manuscripts

Write articles or books to order

Write forewords or introductions

Make statements for publicity purposes

Answer questionnaires

Autograph books for strangers

Allow his name to be used on letter heads ….. and so on.

from Shaun Usher (2014) Lists of Note London: Canongate & Unbound