Back to Basics
There will be no more profanity here for a while. Sorry about that little outburst.
***
For some time I've been aware that, for a variety of reasons, I've drifted away from some core loves and habits, those things that make me who I am, that give me pleasure, that keep me grounded. They're not absent by any means, but they're no longer regular parts of my daily life -- I've been easily distracted of late, prone to wasting time with empty activities at one extreme or getting buried by work and obligations at the other.
Tonight as I was driving to the class I teach, I started making a list of things that I want to try re-incorporating into my life every day. Knowing full well that the best way to jinx a new project is to trumpet it to the world, I'm going to let you in on my six-point daily plan. I'm starting it tomorrow.
1. Read something.
The Washington Post doesn't count. Nothing online counts, nor does anything work-related or anything read at the office, including magazines and newspapers (which I'm surrounded by at work). Magazine and newspaper articles outside of work (other than the Post) do count. But books get the most points.
2. Write something.
Nothing work-related counts. E-mails, even personal ones, don't count unless they're in the spirit of a real letter. Paper letters and postcards count. (These used to be a big part of my life; I'm not kidding myself that I'm going to start writing letters again with any regularity, though it could happen; I would, however, like to write more notes and postcards.) This blog counts. Essays or other independent writing projects, of course, count.
3. Make something.
Assembling the components of breakfast doesn't count; making homemade waffles does. Making a home-cooked dinner, which I do a fair amount anyway, counts. Zapping some insta-food doesn't. Baking counts big time. Baking is a big part of who I have always been, and I've been doing far too little of it. The other night I made peanut-butter cookies and butterscotch brownies for the office to thank everyone who had helped with a project I oversaw. It was fun, and everyone loved the brownies. They were the first things I've baked in a while. Notice I've said "make something" rather than "cook or bake something," since it doesn't have to be edible. But frankly it most likely will be, as I've never been too arts-and-craftsy.
4. Listen to music.
You might be thinking: This you have to put on a to-do list? But there are truly some days I don't make time for music. The car radio counts, especially for an NPR lover like me, who can go an entire day without listening to a music station. Even though I don't have any choice in the music beyond changing the station, so much of this item on the list is really about singing (yes, singing). So the radio counts. Background music I happen to hear doesn't. But music at R's, where I go to two-step, counts because I enjoy the music there as much as the dancing. This item grew out of the fact that I don't listen to my CD collection or buy music nearly as much as I used to, so I'll give myself extra points for doing that. (On the stereo right now: the Flatlanders, More a Legend Than a Band.)
5. Exercise something.
This will be a toughie, as exercise has always been an erratic part of my life. I decided that walking continuously for a mile or more counts (so walking to work will more than qualify; I've been taking the bus most days since I'm often running late). Push-ups or crunches at home count. Dancing counts. Running (again, a big part of my identity ever since I was a teenager) counts a lot.
6. Connect with a family member or friend.
I'm not completely happy with the vague wording of this one. I thought of saying "speak to family or friends," but I don't think I necessarily need to speak to them -- although that would be preferable whenever possible. The thing is, the phone has always been my least favorite form of communication. It has its place in the world but . . . I really don't like talking on the phone. E-mail will count, as long as it's not just a brief exchange of information. I'm thinking of counting chatting with people I like at work (they kind of qualify as "friends") as long as we're discussing something personal, but the jury is still out on that one. I'm just going to leave this item as is for now.
So that's it. Revisions to the fine print no doubt to come. Wish me luck. My life needs this.
***
For some time I've been aware that, for a variety of reasons, I've drifted away from some core loves and habits, those things that make me who I am, that give me pleasure, that keep me grounded. They're not absent by any means, but they're no longer regular parts of my daily life -- I've been easily distracted of late, prone to wasting time with empty activities at one extreme or getting buried by work and obligations at the other.
Tonight as I was driving to the class I teach, I started making a list of things that I want to try re-incorporating into my life every day. Knowing full well that the best way to jinx a new project is to trumpet it to the world, I'm going to let you in on my six-point daily plan. I'm starting it tomorrow.
1. Read something.
The Washington Post doesn't count. Nothing online counts, nor does anything work-related or anything read at the office, including magazines and newspapers (which I'm surrounded by at work). Magazine and newspaper articles outside of work (other than the Post) do count. But books get the most points.
2. Write something.
Nothing work-related counts. E-mails, even personal ones, don't count unless they're in the spirit of a real letter. Paper letters and postcards count. (These used to be a big part of my life; I'm not kidding myself that I'm going to start writing letters again with any regularity, though it could happen; I would, however, like to write more notes and postcards.) This blog counts. Essays or other independent writing projects, of course, count.
3. Make something.
Assembling the components of breakfast doesn't count; making homemade waffles does. Making a home-cooked dinner, which I do a fair amount anyway, counts. Zapping some insta-food doesn't. Baking counts big time. Baking is a big part of who I have always been, and I've been doing far too little of it. The other night I made peanut-butter cookies and butterscotch brownies for the office to thank everyone who had helped with a project I oversaw. It was fun, and everyone loved the brownies. They were the first things I've baked in a while. Notice I've said "make something" rather than "cook or bake something," since it doesn't have to be edible. But frankly it most likely will be, as I've never been too arts-and-craftsy.
4. Listen to music.
You might be thinking: This you have to put on a to-do list? But there are truly some days I don't make time for music. The car radio counts, especially for an NPR lover like me, who can go an entire day without listening to a music station. Even though I don't have any choice in the music beyond changing the station, so much of this item on the list is really about singing (yes, singing). So the radio counts. Background music I happen to hear doesn't. But music at R's, where I go to two-step, counts because I enjoy the music there as much as the dancing. This item grew out of the fact that I don't listen to my CD collection or buy music nearly as much as I used to, so I'll give myself extra points for doing that. (On the stereo right now: the Flatlanders, More a Legend Than a Band.)
5. Exercise something.
This will be a toughie, as exercise has always been an erratic part of my life. I decided that walking continuously for a mile or more counts (so walking to work will more than qualify; I've been taking the bus most days since I'm often running late). Push-ups or crunches at home count. Dancing counts. Running (again, a big part of my identity ever since I was a teenager) counts a lot.
6. Connect with a family member or friend.
I'm not completely happy with the vague wording of this one. I thought of saying "speak to family or friends," but I don't think I necessarily need to speak to them -- although that would be preferable whenever possible. The thing is, the phone has always been my least favorite form of communication. It has its place in the world but . . . I really don't like talking on the phone. E-mail will count, as long as it's not just a brief exchange of information. I'm thinking of counting chatting with people I like at work (they kind of qualify as "friends") as long as we're discussing something personal, but the jury is still out on that one. I'm just going to leave this item as is for now.
So that's it. Revisions to the fine print no doubt to come. Wish me luck. My life needs this.
posted by Billy at 11:03 PM
1 Comments:
adding all those on your list to an already busy workday sounds like a lot of effort. then again, something like that could greatly improve the quality of life when they are incorporated in. i hope that you're successful in including them all. :)
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