I’ve heard it said, probably because I talk to myself, that one person’s manifesto is somebody else’s grocery list.

For those unable to read the exercise induced manifesto, the objectives behind the scribbles were something like this:

• Shopping Christmas List - Budget
• maraschino cherries
• cranberry salsa
• the Burgomaster

That’s what you thought, right?

Groceries aside, let’s not quibble about the relative merits of any particular objective. Let’s just categorize, in corresponding order, and move on.

• Things I am avoiding
• Things I want to follow up on
• Things I crave
• Things I remember from Christmases past

Having covered the craving issue, cranberry availability being a matter of some urgency, my natural inclination is to go straight to the maraschino cherries. Toss in some alcohol and I am so there.  I tried my hand at making them a few months ago (curse you, Mike Troiano, who put the idea in my head) and I’ve had a request or two (really) about the results of my experimentation. We’ll save that for Happy Hour.

The Burgomaster, then? No, not a Christmas horror flick, but a guy with a generous heart in a special Christmas story from childhood. Part of the simplification process, thinking about how our attitudes and traditions are formed.

But waxing nostalgic, as well as drinking responsibly, will have to wait until we deal with the avoidance issue. We’ve held the annual budget summit and share a commitment to simplify. After getting a handle on the numbers, the next step is to really plan. Make a serious List. Not one in my head, which is often open to interpretation and all too easily misplaced. Details about what for whom, with bold fonts, underlining and asterisks, as necessary. No stuff for stuff’s sake. A strict No Off List Purchases policy.

So far, the No Off List policy has been the most help keeping me on budget.

That might change when I actually make The List.