Like everyone else, things were pretty hectic for me in early December. There were Christmas cards to address, decorations to get down from the attic, school parties to organize, and a holiday gift list that seemed to be growing by the day. Oh yes, and a magazine to finish up! We had decided to do our best to wrap things up by the second week of the month and take a break to enjoy the holiday season.

One Friday was particularly harried, as I found myself scrambling at the end of my workday to put some tasks to bed. I thought I had answered every e-mail, but as I attempted to close out the program, I noticed that there was one new mail in my inbox. It was from Lori, our publisher, and the message contained only the following quote from Margaret Thatcher: “Look at a day when you are supremely satisfied at the end. It’s not a day when you lounge around doing nothing; it’s when you’ve had everything to do, and you’ve done it.”

I laughed out loud at the message’s timeliness. I let the words roll around in my brain as I savored its message. And I realized that, at least for me, the prime minister’s words rang true. I’m a list maker; a list checker. The more I have to do in the day, the more motivated I become. And I get a rush of excitement when I cross off my list’s final task (Fellow list junkies are nodding their heads—others are just thinking I’m bizarre!)

There is one list I manage that is never-ending, however: the list of story ideas for future issues of IN. Much of what goes on that list comes from you, and I am always delighted to receive your phone calls and e-mails that result in leads to interesting topics. How else would we have ever found a Slidell couple that had a wedding cake shaped like a Hobbit house? (“Keepers,” page 92.) Or a Hammond teen who is on his way to becoming the next Matt Lauer? (“Teen Scene,” page 56.)

So, keep sending in those ideas! Because having these pages filled with your stories is what really brings my day supreme satisfaction.

Congratulations to Covington’s Bobbie Kuhn, the winner of our November/December Word Search!