Today I had the privilege to sit in on a leaders webcast done from Brad’s House. He talked about a number of things, but a couple stick out. (see more notes in my OneNote notes).
First, Brad mentioned the importance in journaling. Not writing in a diary, but documenting learning experiences and impactful information. It brought to mind that I would be wise to reinvest in learning – CORE can become a legalistic occurrence and thus the value in decreased dramatically.
Second, he talked about conflict resolution, which wasn’t so much focused on skills/tactics, but the meanings behind conflict and the overall desire to “win the man” rather than the war.
Also, most of my day was spent intermittently constructing tracking sheets. It was nice to recommit & reconstruct the information – I look forward to it being faster from consistently doing them.
Lastly, I really simply need to be real with people & dissolve my no-talk rules. I hurt others by keeping my mouth closed.
That’s all for now.
-cb
American Men Survey:
Along with photographs, the portfolio will include facts or quotes from each participant about what it is like to be twenty-five in America today.
We ask that you to fill out the survey below. Please answer the questions as thoroughly as possible; the more you write, the better.
Name: Cody James Bennett
Cody: From a football player that was in the NFL when my mother was pregnant with me. I believe that there may also be a link to my mother’s roots in the Midwest; my brother’s name is Shane.
James: From my grandfather on my Dad’s side.
Bennett: My father’s surname.
Location: Juneau, Alaska
Born and raised here, I love the outdoors. Juneau has a great mix of geography – ocean, flatlands, swamp, muskeg, & mountains – matched by an equally great collection of things to do: hiking, biking, climbing, Ultimate (Frisbee) and other sports. During the summer, there is no better place to be. During the winter, you can still do many of the same things, and you get to add wintersports to the listings. Many people in the area are regulars at the local ski area, Eaglecrest. If the weather isn’t cooperating, you’re thinking about summer.
Birthday:
December 9, 1980
Occupation:
I own and operate an Internet business specializing in building turnkey e-commerce franchise models for at-home companies. Additionally, I am a technology consultant for the IT Services department at the University of Alaska Southeast (UAS). And finally, I do work for the Student Accounts/Bursar’s office to help with the overload they have since recent staff losses.
Approximate Income (optional):
$50,000
How much money have you spent in the past 24-hours? On what?
Today only? What a restriction! I’d rather include the whole week. I could mention the $127 for fixing my digital camera, or the $150 on an iPod Nano for a friend’s birthday, or the $600 on rent. But since it’s just today, I’ll hold off. 😉
I generally don’t do any spending on Sundays. I prefer to allow people the opportunity to take the day off for church or family by not creating a demand for staffing on the one day a week. Today though, unusually, I’ve spent $260 shopping online (on my ecommerce site) for clothing – primarily shorts and pants. I’m getting to a point that my several year old wardrobe is starting to wear at the seams, literally. And though I see that the worn look is in, I can’t keep a straight face when the most blatant hole is not in the knee, if you catch my drift.
What did you do today?
Wow, how do you do this justice? On any given day, I seek to do so many things, but only get a limited amount completed. Here’s the breakdown of my current day:
9:00 AM: Wake up. Realize that it’s Daylight Savings: suddenly I’ve lost an hour of my day.
10:10 AM: Ten minutes after waking up, I stumbled downstairs to cook breakfast. Today I had a lovely vegetable medley; kind of an elaborate home-fries type creation. I don’t like to follow recipes, so I often don’t have a name for my delicacies.
10:50 AM: Eat food & check in on the sites I follow, primarily UAS Online (a coursework/portfolio/forum/weblog environment used by the University of Alaska Southeast) and of course MySpace.
11:15 AM: A close female friend stopped by to ask a couple of questions regarding supporting other people and the drama they bring. They were questions like “How do I help someone grow in an area in their life that I myself am weak in?” and “How do you continue to encourage someone?”
12:45 PM: Grab my stuff to head to work. Hop in my car, call Heather to ask if she needed a ride to campus.
12:55 PM: A quick turnaround at Heather’s house to head to campus for work. At 1:00.
1:05 PM: Chat with Heather for a while regarding a possible relationship. At this point, each of us like the idea of dating, however we both admit that there are things standing in the way of a healthy relationship (there are ex’s and life learning that we each have identified). Since I’m at work, I was working too, really.
2:10 PM: Heather took off, now I’m working, having a good time. Today I was able to pound through a bunch of items to prepare us for the start of the week tomorrow. Not glamorous, but good.
4:45 PM: Check in with Heather to see if she’s done with homework, or if she still has more to do.
4:55 PM: Head back to work and finish things up.
5:25 PM: Stopped by Student Accounts to pick up my workspace as it’s shared by the other people in the office (I’m an after hours guy in that area).
5:45 PM: I’m working on this American Man thing, trying to be frank and without embellishment or minimizing what’s happened. It’s actually a tough assignment.
6:35 PM: Head to housing to pick up housing students who will be playing Ultimate tonight
7:00 PM: For the first time this year, we’ll be back outdoors to play ultimate on the only turf field in Juneau. Sundays from 7-9 is all we get, so we’ve gotta make it good.
9:00 PM: Ultimate is over. Take people home.
9:45 PM: Roll in the door. Take a shower and get into some warm clothes.
10:00 PM: Check weekly online orders for my company and chat with my uncle on MSN. He’s going to help me by donating money to the local Big Brothers Big Sisters (I’m raising money for an annual fundraiser).
11:00 PM: Start a load of laundry since the basket has been full most of the week. Check in on MySpace.
11:21 PM: Add fabric softener to my laundry during the rinse cycle (there’s something so appealing about soft socks!)
11:30 PM: Resume my efforts to finalize this survey; I’ve got to turn it in tomorrow!
12:45 AM: I’m done enough. Now on to my reading before calling it a night.
1:30AM: Reading was good. I’m reading the New Testament, The 360o Leader by John Maxwell and Harry Potter III. Sleep time now. I’ll be up soon enough at 6:30.
How do you spend your weekends?
Weekends? I generally find myself working 7 days a week, though my “weekends” are days that I don’t work as much, and might even sleep in. It’s rare to find a weekend that I’m not playing Ultimate, or working, so that’s a primary element. I also do any studying for my class (Project Management) then. I will attempt to find time for friends, but I don’t often get as much time as we’d all like. Every once in a while I’ll get into cleaning and take care of the recycling that collects in the garage. Church is a nice addition to the week, but lately I’ve been inconsistent with attendance.
How do you think your life at twenty-five differs from your father’s when he was twenty-five?
I had to ask my Mom about this one because my Father died when I was 8. From the sounds of things, life was similar. We both made decent money, we both had troubles being committed to a single relationship, we both were analytically minded (for him mechanics, for me computers). In regards to societal differences, I’m not sure. When he was 25, it would have been near ’75. For me, the things I’m aware of are the proposed coming economic storm in America. I’m excited about the possibilities of the future specifically regarding my private franchise.
Do you feel like you’ve entered “manhood”?
What a weird question. Yes, I feel that I’ve entered Manhood, though in many ways, I feel inadequate and ill prepared to navigate life.
I was talking with a friend about how one would answer this question. We joked about the “average” guy… I have the sense that most “manly” guys would be keen on saying things like “Oh yeah, I definitely have. At 16. Her name was Bessie.” I’m not of that variety.
Most of the truly masculine men I know are also the first to admit their own mistakes and shortcomings. Perhaps that’s why I’m openly admitting that I have a long way to go before I’m grounded and stable in my manhood.
I can’t say that I recall a moment or time period in life that helped me make the rite of passage into Manhood. I can only say that with where I am now, and who I am, I’m pleased with where I’ve come to, and excited about the future.
Are you content with your current life? What would you like to change or make better?
Yes I am content, but at the same time, I like to maintain a hint of anxiety to help keep the pressure on to continue to grow. Life is good for me. I own everything I have and I have no outstanding debt. I make decent money which enables me to give to others. My savings account grows by several thousand dollars each year, and I’m surrounded by people who care for me, and appreciate me.
In changing my life, I look forward to being stronger in my resolve and execution of the dreams and goals that I have for myself. Recently, I was asked to describe myself for a new class I’m taking. A portion of what I wrote follows:
Future goals include many things, some tangible, others more abstract. I look forward to being an awesome husband, father, friend and coach. I enjoy being an unknown philanthropist, anonymously financing projects, endowments and other things like a super-hero of sorts. I don’t like the lime-light unless it serves the greater good (I don’t really like extra attention). I like the idea of a being a present day Bruce Wayne – a regular fellow by day, and fighting the evil of the world by night.
I am passionate about empowering kids to help them realize their own potential, and greatly desire to make a difference rather than a living.
What would I like to change or make better? I would wave my magic wand to help myself actualize my potential. With that alone, I could change the world for the better.
What’s the best thing about being twenty-five?
Well, at 25, I have the whole world ahead of me. I can set out in any direction and accomplish some of the burning passions that I’ve had for most, if not all of my life.
As mentioned in the things to change aspect, I want to make a difference and live a life of significance. From this stage in the game, I have all of the opportunity I can handle in regards to accomplishing that.
In trying to look at just the age of 25, I don’t see anything markedly special. Sure I can have cheaper car insurance, and rent cars at more companies, but beyond that, I see myself as a year older with more experience, perspective and patience than 24.
What scares you most about being twenty-five?
I remember when I was in high school wanting to be married sometime after 19. Well, when I made it to 19, I realized that I had a lot to learn before I was willing to get into a relationship for the rest of my life. I’m 25 now, and still in that quest for learning. Just tonight I was talking with a potential girlfriend hashing out the reality of the challenge of dating. (We’d have to take into consideration ex’s, current commitments, personal goals and significant differences between one another. No decisions have been made yet…) So, naturally, the future has a lot yet to unfold. I’m looking forward to being an awesome husband and father, while playing significant roles in my community. There is so much to accomplish and so little time!
One other thing that I can always look to for a good scare is the comfort in my own life. Earlier in the survey I mentioned that I like to keep a bit of unrest in mind to keep me on edge. With my current situation, most of my needs are met. That in and of itself is scary to me. I don’t want to be the guy who says, “I’ve got mine” and then just leave it at that. There are families who are disintegrating from the inside out because there isn’t anyone to encourage the men to grow and change and become caring, compassionate men of strength. There’s too much hype and expectation of men to become manly and strong and macho (just look at commercials). We’re lacking solicitation of men who will stand in the gap – men interested in bettering the world and becoming king makers rather than kings of their own domain.
What do you think it means to be an American man?
America was founded by God fearing men fighting for freedom. We have digressed as a nation allowing everything to be accepted, expecting nicey-nice behavior from all sides. 9-11 was a shock, and many people think that it shouldn’t have happened. I’m proud of the Americans who, in the midst of criticism and fear, did what was right.
I love the movie The Patriot. Mel Gibson exhibits someone who I feel is at his core, an American Man. He loves his family, and loves his country. He’s not interested in fighting for fighting’s sake. However, when the fight is brough to his door, he cannot stand by to watch it occur. He must act. His passion for family and freedoms is a lesson to us all.
I appreciate Stu Weber’s approach to Manhood. He writes in Four Pillars of a Man’s Heart: Bringing Strength into Balance:
What kind of man has shoulders broad enough to build upon? A four-pillared man:
A man of vision and character . . . a King.
A man of strength and power . . . a Warrior.
A man of faith and wisdom . . . a Mentor.
A man of heart and love . . . a Friend.(6)
To sum up the American man: I’d say he’s one to stand in the gap.
Journaling
April 3, 2006
“Why not me?” she asks.
Well, why not?
Helen has been a great friend and girlfriend, and many people would be lucky to have a chance with a girl like her. And if that’s the case, why is it that I’m not willing to take on the responsibilities of being hers?
She feeds me constantly, provides massage nearly every day, and is willing to engage in sex whenever I’m interested. If guys only knew how good I have it, they’d be fools to not want the same thing.
So, if that’s the case, why is it that I’m considering dating Heather?
2005 in review
Financial:
Mental:
Emotional:
Professional:
Business:
Spiritual:
Physical:
Thoughts:
Being 25 years old and involved in all the things I am, I can’t help but think I can always do more. I think of myself as someone who lets things slide often. I’m a creature of habit, with not all the good habits. I know that I am capable, but I don’t choose to follow through. Saying all that, I recognize that those feelings must resonate with many folks. It’s just that I’m not many folks.
What holds me back? Belief. How do I combat that? Get around people who build me up; read books to facilitate proper thoughts.
What do I need to be cautious of? Being a big-shot at UAS. I’m good at what I do, and it’s a good fit, but it doesn’t capitalize on the skills and passions that I have for the futures of other people.
I want to be the active owner of a facility that allows for kids to reveal things about themselves that were previously unknown. Their fears of the temporal can be brought to the surface and overcome. I’ll be the guy that stops by once a week to invest in the group that needs it most: the roughest kids, the staunchly unresponsive, & the downright rude. Helping them to see the things that I can see inside of them.
2006 goals
Listened to Dan Yuen Attitude (part 2) today. I liked the part where he talked about what you would choose to do, if you could not fail, if you did not have fear.
Last yesterday morning, I think I listened to the first half, but I missed most of it – so in the evening (as I had noted) I listened to the Wolgamotts.
The Richest Man in Babylon had a chapter to talk about the transition from broke and in debt, to the turn around point. “Ill fortune pursues every man who thinks more of borrowing than of repaying.” Insight about the danger of debt (in hindsight): “Being young and without experience, I did not know that he who spends more than he earns is sowing the winds of needlyess self-indulgence from which he is sure to reap the whirlwinds of trouble and humiliation.” One question that you have to ask yourself if you’re on the wrong path is a life defining question: “Have I the soul of a slave, or the soul of a free man?” You’ll be able to continue on, “because the soul of a free man looks at life as a series of problems to be solved and solves them, whil the soul of a slave whines.” The point? Where determination is, the way can be found.
Genesis 19 was about the destruction of the evil places of Soddom and Gomorrah – and how Lot, his wife (almost) and his daughters were able to be saved because of Lot’s goodness. How’s that for generational impact?
Genesis 20 talked about Abraham’s esxperience with King Abimelech. Abimelech took Sarah to be his wife, but the Lord saved him from making a bad mistake. When he realized his wrong, he immediately made things right, and then some to rectify the situation and be at peace.
Matthew 8 explains more miracles that Jesus preformed. (Healings, storm calmings, etc).
The Purpose Driven Life explains that you were created for God’s pleasure. Something to think about would be that if god created you, and he has a purpose for you, than you are anything but insignificant. God doesn’t make mistakes.
• Bringing pleasure to God is called Worship Worship is a universal urge, hard-wired by God. If we fail to worship God, we always find a substitute (think of Wild at Heart).
• Worship is more than just music As long as it’s offered to God in spirit and truth, it is an act of worship. Don’t misconstrue the vocabulary for the truth.
• Worship is not for your benefit Don’t be so selfish – the true purpose is to bring pleasure to God. To let him know that he is important. Not to bring big-headedness to ourselves.
• Worship is not a PART of your life it IS your life Every actcan be transformed into an act of worship when you do it for the praise, glory and pleasure of God. “How is it possible to do everyhting to the glory of God? By doing everything as if you were doing it for Jesus and by carrying on a continual conversation with him while you do it.” “Take your everyday, ordinary life, and place it before God as an offering.”
Verse to remember: “The lord takes pleasure in his people” Psalm 149a TEV
Question to consider: What common task could I start (or stop) doing if I were doing it directly for Jesus?
Traveling Light reveals some good insight for the burden of fear. Fear is the next level of worry: “if worry is a burlap bag, fear is a trunk of concrete.” Keep in mind that Jesus has felt fear. He didn’t hide from it though, he announced it, and his obvious need for help. He wears no false mask of “I’m okay”. Also, take note that though he asked for help for his fear, he didn’t announce it to his deciples and friends, but instead to his Father in Heaven. He made a request for strength that only One could answer.
If you can be reminded to look to the good and the right, you can avoid the appearance of evil. Rather than focus on the fear, focus on the solution focus on the opening in the clostrophobic area. Look for the opening in the endzone, not the myirad of people in the vicinity.
When presented with fear or pain, you have 3 options:
Go Home (explicit failure)
Meditate on the pains and fear (debilitating, leads to failure – like attracts like)
Look to the future, and keep going. (victorious, and powerful!)
When you experience pain and scary points in your life, don’t abandon them, enter into them Just be sure to not enter them alone! While you’re there, be honest. Be afraid, do what Jesus did, open your heart. And be specific about your pains and fears (include durations, situations, flight numbers, etc.)
Don’t measure the size of the mountain; talk to the One who can move it.
Ross & Leslie Hall Emerald Rally woke me up early this morning on my new Clock CD Alarm that I got over the break – it was nice to have the humor to start the day.
Read ~15 minutes (one chapter) of Richest Man in Babylon. It continued with the parable (though it started out otherwise) talking about luck, and that chance favors the prepared mind – AKA, the non-procrastinator. Luck finds the man who takes the opportunity. But still this is tempered with the reality that not all opportunities are stacked in your direction (such as gambling events – they’re in business to take your money…)
Genesis 8-10 was about Noah after the flood – coming out of the arc, and then having his family repopulate the earth (lineage fun.)
Matthew 4 first talks of Satan tempting Jesus in the desert, and how Jesus was able to respond with poise and grace (not judging even) by quoting scripture. After that tempting, Jesus went about ministering to people, healing many, many people. [thought: if Jesus was able to heal wrongs of that day through his touch and presence, I wonder how many people are healed miraculously today!?] As he was ministering, he called four fisherman to follow Him – and they just came, no debate, no discussion. Would I have the strength and confidence to do that?
Travelling Light used the parable of attending a cookie potluck (you bring a plate, you can leave with the same number of cookies you brought) to illustrate how even if you don’t know how to cook, you’ll be allowed into the party by the grace of another. God does this for us in the great party of eternity. We just have to be willing to accept it.
Now the chapter was named, A Heavenly Exchange: The Burden of Guilt, so I can only assume that the intended purpose is to reveal that our guilt of life need not be carried with us through life and on to eternity. Perhaps it was just to share the importance of trusting in God as “he leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.”
The Purpose Driven Life shared that we people are only here in this life for but a moment in comparison with the reality of eternity (where we’ll all go next). I liked the chapter to be able to take the time to help put things in perspective, even if only for the moment of reading.
Some of the phrases from the chapter were quite poingnant:
* “When you fully comprehend that there is more to life than just here and now, and you realize that life is just preparation for eternity, you will begin to live differently. You will start living in light of eternity, and that will color how you handle every relationship, task, and circumstance.”
* “The closer you live to God, the smaller everything else appears.”
* “Every act of our lives strikes some chord that will vibrate in eternity.” (<-- this one can be both scary and exciting... I best get choosing the exciting things!) Verse to remember: “This world is fading away, along with everything it craves. But if you do the will of God, you will live forever.” (1 John 2:17 NLT)
July 15, 2004
Yep, it’s been another long delay since my last entry.
I’m sitting at the waffle shop right now, after just spending a nice evening of taking some photos out the road near tee harbor, as well as at the shrine.
Something sits heavy on my heart right now, though I can’t precisely identify what it is. While at the shrine I went to “The Gap” there I had a moment of prayer that was essentially me asking for help with cleaning up my life and fixing my heart. More and more I recognize that I am able to make fiends and be close, and then using that ability, get closer to someone than I really need to be. Just since Helen and I have broken up, Heidi, Heather, Helen… yeah, I need to figure things out.
I feel somewhat negligent towards my business right now, and that lends it’s own source of guilt, my relationships with women lend to feeling guilty, there is so much that I feel guilty about. I would love to release that, to feel free from any burden, to feel that people aren’t judging of my actions. Perhaps it’s my heart and desires that have to change, perhaps its my actions. How do I get out of my present situation?
June 30, 2004
Yikes, it’s been a while since I last posted.
Yup, Helen and I are still broken up.
Breadloaf is on campus, so that means lots of hikes (I have 3 planned this weekend).
Heather Eastaugh and I got a bit closer than I would have liked to (we kissed) after an evening of chatting. My feeling is that she’s been through lots of trauma, and though I suppose I’m willing to be a friend, I don’t want to wind up dating someone with those kinds of challenges (sexual/physical/emotional abuse.)
Helen and I need to figure out how to be apart. She’s looking for support from me, though I can’t really offer it because we’re supposed to be broken up. There’s still a middle ground available somewhere I hope. I guess it could all be resolved with a “I just can’t see you any longer, let’s take a break” talk…
I just had my Festiva’s muffler fixed yesterday. It’s all nice and quiet now. I like it.
That’s all I really have for the moment. I’ll try to do these more often.
June 9, 2004
Actually, I just experienced the 8th. It’s 1 am right now.
I just got back from Bill & Sharon’s place – we watched a movie called ‘Dickie Roberts – child star’ or something like that with David Spade.
I think the thing that I wanted to write about was my experiences with my father or lack thereof. At the end of the movie, Paxton started fussing in his room, and Bill went and got him. In the few minutes before I left, I got a glimpse of something distinct that I missed out on in life – Fatherly Love. Bill just held Paxton on his chest and hugged and joked with him (“Paxton, guess what?” “Wha” “I love you.”) I never have experienced that kind of love from a man. My father was a complete absentee father. I recall the memories I had of him.
The first I think was when I was youngest, though I don’t know my actual age. I recall sitting with him at my desk where the firewood would later be stored, and feeling really strange because I wanted to kiss him, but I didn’t know if that was right – him being a guy and all… I don’t recall how it turned out, but the confusion of not knowing what was okay is something that I still sometimes wonder about.
The second memory was a brief visit that my dad took to come to Juneau to pick up his tools – he was over at his friends house at 17 mile. I don’t recall much, but I remember that I got to go see him there. It still makes me wonder why that was the meeting location, and why it was so brief.
The third was while he was passing through town on the ferry. He only had a little while, so I think I was able to spend something like 45 minutes with him. He had this ratty Xerox paper box with stuff in it. While sitting there chatting with him and trying to think of significant things to say in less than an hour, I remember seeing a little matchbox car mixed in. It was already well used – the little antenna on the top, and the two guns off of either side of the hood were all bent. It looked kinda like a shorter heurst, though more sporty. I don’t know what it was supposed to be, but it was a toy, and he gave it to me (after I asked to have it).
The final memory was of a phone call. It was likely around 8:30, because I recall my mom getting the call, and then allowing me to chat, though I was supposed to be in bed. After a few minutes on the phone, she prompted me to get off to go to bed. I’d bet that the bed thing was a scapegoat because if I remember correctly, later on, my mother informed me that he had been drinking and she didn’t want me on the phone with him while he was in that state.
Four brief glimpses, four indelible experiences. That and some tools are all I have of a father.
I wonder sometimes how I am supposed to learn to be a great dad when I had no example. I wonder how I’m to be in a relationship when my father didn’t know the first thing about strength. I wonder how to make choices that are right and strong, when, again, I never had that example.
Well, time will tell, and personal development will have to suffice – observation, reading, listening, etc. Best of luck to me. G’night.
June 6, 2004 (cont.)
Alright, so since I’m doing this at 6 in the evening, I suppose it’s more of a June 6, 2004 than the previous entry.
First things first
Watched my little brother graduate today. That was interesting. Bruce Bothello was the speaker (he’s presently the Juneau Mayor). I got to see lots of people that I haven’t seen in quite some time. Nico Bus, Salena Kasler, Robert Ridgeway, and more. Then I went to eat with my mother, Shane, Dawn, and her daughter & daughter’s boyfriend. We ate at the salmon bake which was nice. It’s really nice out right now.
Sleep Log
I woke up at 8:30 to my alarm, and then promptly fell back asleep. I think I got out of bed at around 10ish.
Humor
Today during graduation, while the conferring of degrees was taking place, someone threw out a couple of beach balls into the crowd. I thought it was sorta funny, but I guess the lady who came in to take them away didn’t.
Struggle
Trying to figure out what I want to do with the relationship I have with Helen. On one hand, she’s a great person, on the other, I don’t think I’m ready to be in a committed relationship. I guess I should have thought of that years ago, huh? I think I need to grow up, or get something out of my system, or something… I don’t know how to explain it at this point.
Beauty
At the Salmon Bake today, my mother had found out that one of the girls working there had graduated the same year as myself. I was thrown into a conversation with her which was nice, but at the same time slightly strange. It seems that she was looking for some sort of adult interaction, as though she didn’t get much of it at times… Which might be the case – she’s got a 1 year old at home. Anyhow, the beautiful thing is meeting new people, and making them feel special. She has a gorgeous smile, and when I told her such, she lit up.
Kindness
I guess it falls back to the meeting new people. In addition to Cara at the Salmon Bake, I met Kay Anderson who is a sophomore at UAF – studying Spanish. She’s here over the summer working, but is originally from Oregon. It was nice to chat with her.
Goals for the evening
Go work on the garage. Possibly go for a walk out Kowee Creek or somewhere like that. Put together an order. Figure out details within my finances. That’s about it.
June 6, 2004
I think it’s more like the 5th since I haven’t yet gone to bed for the night, so that might be another consecutive day… If so, cool! (the other possibility is that the other entries were also in the same late night setting so they were actually tracked as the following day…)
Anyhow, during the last entry, I was thinking that a technique that Amanda Sauro used when doing her weblog. She had different categories that she put down and then spoke to each of them with the recap of the day. She had: First Things First, Sleep Log (just when she woke up and went to bed), Humor, Struggle, Beauty, Kindness, Classes, and Goals for Tomorrow. If I recall correctly, she got the idea from watching Oprah. Even stranger, Oprah is not spelled incorrectly according to MS word – I guess if you’re a TV personality, you can have your name added to spell checkers! Neat!
Alright, so back on track now… I was thinking of instituting a similar process, but in my thinking, I was considering changing it slightly to help me develop as a person. It might be good to have sections like: Something New (learning), Something Old (application), Something Neat (daily story?), Something Spiritual (did I do anything spiritual), Something Physical (what activity did I do?) Something Emotional (what emotion do I recall from the day?), Something Relationship (notes from my relationships), Something directional (goals for tomorrow or otherwise).
It seems like a longer list than I thought it would be, but lets see what it would look like (I’ll include Amanda’s/Oprah’s list as well…) Here goes!
First Things First
I like the effect of Journaling – It’s a nice way to reflect on my day.
Sleep Log
Um, got up at noon (was up till 5 or 6 am yesterday so I only got 6 hours of sleep.) Planning to go to bed right after this – it’s 2:36 AM right now. I did get to take a nap this evening, but I have no clue how long it was.
Humor
John and I were talking about the potential skits associated with winning the Home Incentive Promotions – Like doing parody songs or movie scenes… That was entertaining to put a cleaning twist on songs like Ice Ice Baby by Vanilla Ice…
Struggle
Communicating my interest level clearly without hurting others (in reference to the relationship I have with Helen. We went to Costco today, and I just didn’t have a hang out be social type aura to me.)
Beauty
Hmm… I don’t think I recall anything right off… I guess I did see a nifty little mazda mx8 or something like that – a little red sports car for broke people I’d guess.
Kindness
I was nice to take Helen to the Post Office and to the Bank before going to Costco.
Classes
I don’t really have any, though I was thinking of approaching the homework that is associated with the PADM class that I took over the summer. I also need to review that homework.
Goals for Tomorrow
Attend my little Brother’s graduation. And be nice with the family – even if it leads to dinner or other activities.
Something New (learned)
Goofed around looking at the registry of my computer and found some neat spots – though I only disabled some startup services and removed some registry entries for startup items.
Something Old (what did I apply?)
Hmm… Dunno.
Something Neat (daily story?)
Something Spiritual (did I do anything spiritual)
Something Physical (what activity did I do?)
Something Emotional (what emotion do I recall from the day?)
Something Relationship (notes from my relationships)
Something directional (goals for tomorrow or otherwise).
Ack, having too many items really leads me to not want to write any more… I guess I’m already 2 pages in almost so I’ll just call it good at that. It’s 2:44 am now. I’m planning to get up at 8:30 am.
G’night!