Catalogue of the different kinds of lists we compose in our day-to-day lives
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Bucket list
Such as "Things to do before you die". Typically aspirational, completeable. Manual sorting (usually importance or desired completion order).
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TODO list
Such as "Weekend tasks to complete" or "Things to buy". Typically driven by necessary chores, completeable, and discarded upon completion. Sorted by urgency.
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Best-of list
Such as "Top 10 movies of all time". Similar to bucket lists but retrospective. Sorted by quality.
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Inventory list
Such as "Items for sale". Completeable. Various sorting (sometimes alphabetical, chronological, or some value metric like price).
Content of each item stays the same but the list shrinks when items are completed or grows when items are added or uncompleted.
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Brainstorming list
Such as this list. Fleshed out over time, occasionally deeply nested. Often used as an outline before composing a narrative document. Manual sorting (usually follows a narrative).
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Index list
A list of lists. One to rule them all. Sorted alphabetically or chronologically.
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Check list
Such as "Server deployment checklist". Similar to the TODO list but recurring in usage. Completeable and resettable. Manual sorting (usually follows a narrative).
Another variation of this list is the Diagnostic list, such as the "Purity Quiz" passed around in chain letters. Similar to the Bucket list but used to categorize and classify conditions.
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Timeline list
Such as "Books I've read". Sorted chronologically, and is append-only. Often used for keeping a log about some theme. Completed items from other lists form this kind of list.
What other kinds of lists are there?
What is a good way to distinguish different kinds of lists? Perhaps by the kind of engagement they require? For example, are they sorted/prioritized, completable, collaborative/personal/curated, time-sensitive/evergreen?
I use iPhone Notes to make lists. I tried to force myself to try the new Reminders app, but it seems not as good for my purposes. I delete shopping lists and the like, but have kept the following lists on my phone since 2007 (date last updated):
Favorite Goldberg variations (Jun 7, 2008) [playing order]
"Baltimore Consort - Howl's Delight" (Oct 8, 2008) [single item reminding me to pick up a track I heard on the radio in my car... I still may do so]
Favorite tracks on the album, "Stylus Phantasticus" (May 29, 2011) [playing order]
My gold- and silver-rated restaurants [separated by a blank line, each with internal order] in the East bay as I discover them (Nov 26, 2011)
Trips (Mar 13, 2012) [ordered list of places to vacation in the future]
Pixar films (Mar 13, 2012) [ordered list of all Pixar films by how much I like them]
Health stats (Mar 15, 2012) [height, weight, and blood pressure measurements by person then date for myself, Adric, and Dylan]
Water log (Mar 30, 2012) [list of ppm dissolved solids readings for tap, old filter, and fresh filter in our kitchen]
Rad log (Apr 7, 2012) [list of radiation readings taken with my counter on various trips]
[inventory of clothing items needed to purchase for kids -- shopping list in progress]
The long gap between 2008 and 2011 is probably due to the fact that I was mostly using a desktop computer in 2009-2010, where I keep such lists in plain text or excel files).