I’m one of those people who still use a paper appointment book – not because I can’t do technology, but because it captures so much more than my upcoming scheduled world. I’m also interested in seeing the process of events that get scheduled – what gets scheduled then rescheduled across time; what gets cancelled; and, what I choose not to attend after all. And, I record those people, places and events that “made my day” by marking them with smiley faces (while adding a smiley face it puts me back in the amazing energy of the original moment). I also use it as a folder – holding flyers for upcoming events. And, as each day comes along, it gets used as a scrap book as well – capturing tidbits of my days that imbued them with meaning (e.g., ticket stubs, newly found quotes, fortunes, mental a-ha moments, pieces of conversations). By the end of each month it’s a technicolor scribble-scrabble masterpiece.
More importantly, I use it to go beyond my day-to-day appointments. Each month I challenge myself to undertake three out-of-the-ordinary explorations – checking out a new group/event, exploring a new location/business, or learning something new. These are what I call my “out of rut” moments where I push my own limits – especially when I try something new where I may fail or succeed, love it or hate it.
In September, one of my limit-pushing events was to learn to ride a motorcycle and get my license endorsement – first learning how to ride; then, passing a skills test and a written test. Why? I wanted to know, first-hand, the mystique that surrounds motorcycles since I have a son on the path to becoming a motorcycle mechanic. Long story short – I learned way more than the mechanics and rules of riding. I learned about the intuitive connection between a rider and her bike, the openness and freedom of 2-tires and no passenger compartment, and the unique personalities that each motorcycle has. It was no ordinary month!
Thanks to gullevek (Flickr) for the motorcycle photo
