
I have a confession to make. I have a colored pen fetish. I can't resist them. I can't walk by a display of pens at Staples or Office Depot without stopping to fondle the various packages of multicolored pens. I must have a dozen different sets of pens, all from different manufacturers: Pilot, Stabilo, Bic, Zebra, Foray, Flair, you name it, I have it. I just can't help myself.

So what's the problem? Well, I CAN'T MAKE MYSELF USE THE COLORED PENS! I keep meticulous notes on everything - school board, member issues, contract issues, quilting, travel and camping, cooking, family, cross stitch, Jeep maintenance - I'm an organizational freak about taking notes and keeping records of everything. But I only use black pens.

Why is that? Why can't I grab a pink pen and take some notes on a member issue? Why can't I do my grocery list in bright purple? Why isn't the fuschia pen all right for my calendar?
Yesterday I bought a new pack of colors - they're called Zebra Sasaras. They're gel pens. They write soooo smoothly. I took them out of their package and put them on my desk, thinking I could use them today. But no. I needed to add an event to my calendar, and spent 2 minutes shuffling through my papers to find a black pen. Then I needed to take notes on a phone call from a unit member about textbooks - I picked up the red pen, started to write, and without even thinking about it, put it down and picked up the black pen. Aaaarrrrgggghhhh.
What is this - black pen OCD? And I'm not making light of OCD here. I can't use my colored pens, but I own hundreds of them.
I'll start with a simple resolution:
Today I'm going to add events to my calendar in green. Today I'm going to take notes on member phone calls in whatever color I pick up.
One day at a time. I'll report back.