White Noise Maker

A list-maker lists list-making reasons

My mother claims I was making lists at a very early age. The earliest list I recall constructing was a thorough inventory of the contents of my grandmother's pudding cupboard, which was full of tapioca, banana cream, chocolate, chocolate fudge, milk chocolate, vanilla and other assorted savories. For me, this information was of the utmost importance and usefulness.

Today, there are few things that make me more qualified for my career in Upper Middle Management than my unadulterated love of lists. Nary an email is drafted in which I do not employ bullets and/or numbering. And I am not alone. Open any email from someone you consider an effective communicator and I guarantee you'll find at least two bulleted or numbered items. Why? Here are the top two reasons:

1. We love the way they look and so we actually read them. Lists have a natural structure and lots of white space. I, for one, start to feel claustrophobic if I receive emails that take up the whole screen when I open them. It's like being buried alive under text. Throw a sister some daylight if you want her to read what you have to say!

2. Lists prompt people into action. You can walk around the office talking to every employee explaining the five ways to Volunteer for the upcoming company picnic until you're blue in the face and no one will even acknowledge that you're in the room. But slap a signup sheet on the wall listing the volunteer slots to fill and you'll have more grillers and bun runners than you can shake a spatula at.

Now, let's say you're already crazy about lists and sprinkle them generously through your workplace. Good for you. You're my kind of people. So, what are you doing with them to reap their inherent rewards? I've seen and tried just about everything on this front. Some good; some not so much.

The Good:

-- Constant reminders: While If you are employed in Corporate America, your company has a list of goals for the year. Do you know what they are? If you do, I know why... they are probably posted on your company intranet, painted on the back of the bathroom doors or subliminally piped in through the white noise machines. Hoo-RAY! to all 3 of these things. Subtle, constant reminders work.

-- Bring your lists to life: Who doesn't know the list of toppings in a Big Mac? That jingle is forever burned into billions of memory banks because we couldn't resist singing along. While you're probably not going to put your daily task list to music, you can easily do other things to jazz up those flat lists. Something as simple as using a larger font, adding a catchy title or sorting the list in a different order can make a previously ignored list all the buzz.

Luulla Handmade Blog » Blog Archive » {The Handmade Story} White ...

Made with love, and lots of lovely yarns, so soft and cosy you’ll never want to take them off. Jina started with a shoe pattern that she changed so much and eventually started to make her own patterns and designs. We adore the delicate beauty of these darling slippers that look so stylish when finished off with unique embellishments including felted pom poms, fabric buttons, and crochet clips. They are made with gorgeously personal touch and would make a beautiful gift to someone special.

1. Tell us a bit about yourself and White Noise Maker. How do you get the name?

White Noise Maker is the title of a song by Frank Black, and I’m a big fan of his music, especially with the Pixies. I thought it was an appropriate name because as a mother you find yourself say ‘shhh’ a lot to calm your baby. ‘Shh’ is white noise, I’m the one making it.

2. How did you get started in doing what you do?

Initially I started crocheting when I was pregnant with my daughter. I discovered I had a certain ability, and have continued to crochet ever since. She just turned 1 this month, so I guess I’ve been crocheting for about 18 months.

3. What is your source of inspiration?

My fiancée, and so many amazing people I see online everyday creating and selling handmade work.

4. How long have you been creating? What was your first creation?

My first creation was a crocheted coaster! I then made my first pair of slippers from a pattern I found online. I wasn’t happy with the design, so I started making my own patterns.

5. How do you find balance between your creative life and your family?

White noise

Don Delillo's White noise, a reader's guide

New essays on White noise

White noise, an infinite dimensional calculus

White noise distribution theory