I've been accused of being an over-planner. I kept a planner from high school throughout university. I wrote EVERYTHING in it. It was almost like a journal. I kept all of my planners and am able to look by and see exactly when I went somewhere or did something. Including homework assignments. Including how many pages of my thesis I wrote on which day.
Perhaps this is over-planning. But I always likened it to an inability to plan. If I didn't write every single thing down (and keep my planner with me at every single moment), I would easily forget to do really mundane things. Like go to work. So I did. I over-planned to retain that image of responsibility.
I haven't really needed a planner since I arrived in China. I tried to keep it up, but with blank page after blank page began emerging in a book that used to be absolutely stuffed with things to do, I got depressed. I shelved the planner. It's on my shelf right now, the last few months blank.
I didn't buy a new one when 2007 became er-ling-ling-ba either. Mainly because I coudln't find one suitable. But also because I don't use it anymore. No reason to blow Y20 on something that will remain white (except for the yellowing effects of pollution).
Planning with friends became obsolete as well. There is no need to plan a situation that will almost inevitably present itself minutes (well maybe hours to allow for travel time) before it occurs. Nope. My friends live by the seat of their pants, and this, I must say, I enjoy.
But, no worries, I'm still planning. This semester is nearly 100% planned. I've spent the last few days of the last few weeks planning every detail of my classes. I've decided that a few weeks of hard labor is better than continuously planning throughout the semester.
So now I'm ready. Even though I'm already knee-deep, I'm ready.
And I want some chocolate milk.
