I’m Type A. I need a list, a schedule, a plan, a goal. I need some kind of thought process ahead of my actions, in writing to function well. On Friday I make a list of all the things I want to accomplish that weekend. I like to plan meals and make grocery lists. Even if I already have all the ingredients I like to list them out before I start making something.
And yet I don’t always like to follow the list, schedule, plan or goals I set for myself. I’m notorious for not following recipes. I love recipes and I love to read recipes, but I hate following them! I NEVER make the same thing twice and I rarely measure in any accurate way. For me, list making is just the reassurance that it is thought out and down on paper if I should need to refer back to it. Usually I don’t follow it exactly as written, it’s just a tactic for me to stop worrying about a certain thing.
Worry… I inherited this trait from my grandmother. Right down to using my pretend brake in the passenger seat of the car I worry a lot about things I probably don’t even need to think about, but that is how my mind works. While the worry can be detrimental, it’s usually good for me. Right now I’m worried about numerous things that may never become important but I can stop the thoughts and the plans.
Jon loves to make fun of my planning ways. Like my formula controlled budget complete with password protection 
Not that anyone would really care that much about our budget, it just makes me feel complete to know everything is thought out and planned and safely tucked away.
Planning for our future is a major focus for us right now. We have hefty goals that our hearts are set on. I’m so happy to have a plan in place to reach all of those goals. It’s exciting to see how everything can happen and have that mapped out! It’s wonderful to have a husband to share goals with. I can already tell we will be 100 times more successful with our goals now that we work on everything as a team. The sharing of goals and the strengths necessary to reach them. It’s such a fundamental part of marriage. I have the drive to map out the “how to make it work” and Jon has the push to keep us sticking to those goals. If he is one thing, it’s persistent. While I may reconsider or change my mind he sets in one thought and pushes through until that thought is a reality. I’m blessed to have such a strong husband and exciting for the life ahead of us!
HA! I also use the “imaginary brake pedal.” Lol… I’m a planner too, but I think I’m a little less analytical than you are because my budget is basically, “don’t spend any money you don’t have to, unless you know you have some extra money or have saved up, in which case buy that thing that you want or need, so long as it’s a bargain.” Lol. Numbers and I don’t get along.
But I totally feel you on the recipe thing. I do make the same things a lot, but I am always tweaking the recipes. The only recipes I ever follow are baking recipes, and even then I tend to tweak the non-essential stuff. If everyone only ever followed recipes exactly, we’d have really boring and non-creative food.
I’m a type-A planner too! And Kevin likes to make fun of me for it as well (usually because no matter how much I plan or how many lists I make, nothing ever goes to plan).
I have a lot of basic recipes that I can change up to be completely different, while still always having the supplies on hand.
I have to chuckle at the type-A planner. I have lists and lists and even more lists. Someday I might have to make a list of all of my lists to make sure I don’t need any more!