Random thoughts on a day off
22/06/15 05:55
I am a person who likes a certain amount of routine in my life. I almost always rise at the same time and start my day by writing the blog. Then I go about other activities. I’ve not been much for sleeping in. I’d rather get going with my day and take a nap later if I need a bit more sleep. I don’t think, however, that I am stuck in a rut. I love to travel. I’m usually up for an adventure. I like doing new things and undertaking new challenges. And when one travels, one has to be flexible. Routines are disrupted by simple things such as time zones and different schedules of the people with whom you travel.
It is possible, though I’m not aware of it, that the routine of writing first thing in the morning every day limits my creativity. I’ve read about writers who adjust their routines and mix up their days precisely for the purpose of stirring creativity. New routines produce new ideas. Interesting, however, is that I don’t seem to lack for ideas. There are some days when I begin wondering what the topic of the blog might be, but more often, I have several different ideas and I have to choose one - narrow down and focus - in order to get my writing done.
I write the blog in part because I want to become a writer. Since being a writer is more about the process of writing than it is about publishing and productivity, I decided that to be a writer, one must write. So I write every day and I have learned a great deal about the process of the particular kind of writing that I do over the years. Since I began the process of writing a personal essay every day I haven’t skipped any days. I write when I’m feeling good and I write when I’m not feeling so good. I’ve not faced any major illnesses or health challenges in the nine or so years I’ve been doing the blog, so I just write every day. I write when I am traveling and I write when I am at home. Some days, like today, I write a little later in the day, but usually I have my blog posted before 6 am. I know that reading the blog is part of the morning routine for a few folks, and I try to have it ready when they want to read.
I have no idea how long this process will continue. When I began, I thought I’d write for four or five years and by then I would have compiled enough to make it worth the effort to go back, choose the best essays, edit, and produce a book-length manuscript. I’ve long enjoyed the idea of writing a book, but so far I’ve never produced a manuscript. From this particular vantage point, the process of sorting and editing seems daunting and I just can’t get my mind wrapped around how to start the process. Maybe I won’t ever really write a book.
Today is a day for mixing up all of the routines. We are having a true day off. We’ve taken our camper a few miles into the hills and are camped alongside one of the reservoirs. We don’t have anywhere to go today. We don’t have any deadlines to meet. We have plenty of food and a rowboat for exploring the lake and feet for hiking. The birds and squirrels and chipmunks are already up and chattering in the treetops and we haven’t yet given much though to breakfast. There is no rush. Today is a day for relaxation.
In my usual routine, there are plenty of chores for a day off. The lawn needs mowing, there are home repair tasks that need to be accomplished, groceries need to be bought, errands need to be run. I appreciate the break from my work, but if the right phone call comes in, I change my plans and respond to the need. It isn’t a bad lifestyle. I like life that way most of the time. But today is a treat. We’re parked in an area with no cell phone reception, no internet, no real way for people to interrupt.
We used to live like that a lot. When we were away from home we were away from the phone. If someone wanted to contact us they had to wait until we got to a place with a telephone. These days, however, our lives are filled with nearly constant contact by phone, email, instant messaging and other channels. We have to warn and reassure our children when we take a day like today to be disconnected.
All the same, I am traveling with my notebook computer and I am sitting in front of the screen at this moment as I write this reflection. I can’t seem to leave the keyboard behind, even for a day. The device is very portable and has a lot of battery life, so there’s no problem with bringing it along.
There are lots of options for this day as it unfolds. I can read a book, go rowing, take a hike, spend some time with the camera capturing images, have a long conversation with my wife, and, perhaps, just sit and do nothing for a while. It is a delicious feeling to begin my day with so much unstructured time on my hands. I don’t want every day to be like today. I think the lack of routine would become burdensome to me, I don’t want to invest too much energy into thinking about when and where I will eat. But for a day, now and then, it is a delightful mix.
And who knows? Perhaps an inspiration will strike me. Perhaps a new idea will emerge. Perhaps a solution to a problem will appear. That’s the thing about human creativity. It often is more apparent when it is allowed to emerge rather than forced.
We’ll just see how the day unfolds.
It is possible, though I’m not aware of it, that the routine of writing first thing in the morning every day limits my creativity. I’ve read about writers who adjust their routines and mix up their days precisely for the purpose of stirring creativity. New routines produce new ideas. Interesting, however, is that I don’t seem to lack for ideas. There are some days when I begin wondering what the topic of the blog might be, but more often, I have several different ideas and I have to choose one - narrow down and focus - in order to get my writing done.
I write the blog in part because I want to become a writer. Since being a writer is more about the process of writing than it is about publishing and productivity, I decided that to be a writer, one must write. So I write every day and I have learned a great deal about the process of the particular kind of writing that I do over the years. Since I began the process of writing a personal essay every day I haven’t skipped any days. I write when I’m feeling good and I write when I’m not feeling so good. I’ve not faced any major illnesses or health challenges in the nine or so years I’ve been doing the blog, so I just write every day. I write when I am traveling and I write when I am at home. Some days, like today, I write a little later in the day, but usually I have my blog posted before 6 am. I know that reading the blog is part of the morning routine for a few folks, and I try to have it ready when they want to read.
I have no idea how long this process will continue. When I began, I thought I’d write for four or five years and by then I would have compiled enough to make it worth the effort to go back, choose the best essays, edit, and produce a book-length manuscript. I’ve long enjoyed the idea of writing a book, but so far I’ve never produced a manuscript. From this particular vantage point, the process of sorting and editing seems daunting and I just can’t get my mind wrapped around how to start the process. Maybe I won’t ever really write a book.
Today is a day for mixing up all of the routines. We are having a true day off. We’ve taken our camper a few miles into the hills and are camped alongside one of the reservoirs. We don’t have anywhere to go today. We don’t have any deadlines to meet. We have plenty of food and a rowboat for exploring the lake and feet for hiking. The birds and squirrels and chipmunks are already up and chattering in the treetops and we haven’t yet given much though to breakfast. There is no rush. Today is a day for relaxation.
In my usual routine, there are plenty of chores for a day off. The lawn needs mowing, there are home repair tasks that need to be accomplished, groceries need to be bought, errands need to be run. I appreciate the break from my work, but if the right phone call comes in, I change my plans and respond to the need. It isn’t a bad lifestyle. I like life that way most of the time. But today is a treat. We’re parked in an area with no cell phone reception, no internet, no real way for people to interrupt.
We used to live like that a lot. When we were away from home we were away from the phone. If someone wanted to contact us they had to wait until we got to a place with a telephone. These days, however, our lives are filled with nearly constant contact by phone, email, instant messaging and other channels. We have to warn and reassure our children when we take a day like today to be disconnected.
All the same, I am traveling with my notebook computer and I am sitting in front of the screen at this moment as I write this reflection. I can’t seem to leave the keyboard behind, even for a day. The device is very portable and has a lot of battery life, so there’s no problem with bringing it along.
There are lots of options for this day as it unfolds. I can read a book, go rowing, take a hike, spend some time with the camera capturing images, have a long conversation with my wife, and, perhaps, just sit and do nothing for a while. It is a delicious feeling to begin my day with so much unstructured time on my hands. I don’t want every day to be like today. I think the lack of routine would become burdensome to me, I don’t want to invest too much energy into thinking about when and where I will eat. But for a day, now and then, it is a delightful mix.
And who knows? Perhaps an inspiration will strike me. Perhaps a new idea will emerge. Perhaps a solution to a problem will appear. That’s the thing about human creativity. It often is more apparent when it is allowed to emerge rather than forced.
We’ll just see how the day unfolds.