I've had a few weeks to cool it on the blog front, and have had several really nice emails/comments from folks about the blog. The theme that hang together through the comments was that the content was amusing/interesting, and that I should continue to write if I'm finding it rewarding, useful, etc.
Its been a goal of mine for a while to give book writing a and that's where my focus will be for at least the first part of 2010. I'll probably still write an occasional entry, but I'm going to put my time in to a project that I'm slightly more excited about--the book.
You may be wondering what the books is about, and although I realize I'm running the risk of having my idea ripped off, I figure telling you about the book is the least I can do for my loyal following (all 8 of you).
The book's common focus is T-Shirts. Yes, T-Shirts. I have a hypothesis (which I'm about to test) that you can learn almost everything you need to know about someone from their T-Shirt collection. All of us have a few that we go to when we're sick, cleaning around the house, even wearing out for a night--and my book will uncover the stories behind those T-Shirts. I'll have a few of my own sprinkled in, but I think the book will be a tad more interesting if I draw in some other folks in my life. Not quite Kramer's coffee table book, but a distant relative.
So to begin this project, I've set a goal to interview two people per month about their favorite T-Shirt and to write up those interview summaries in a chapter format. It could turn out to be a disaster, or it could turn out to be great, but the only way I'll know is by giving it a shot. If I find the stories aren't compelling/interesting, then I'll shitcan the idea and try something new.
In terms of other things going on in my life--my work situation is greatly improved (for those who knew it was somewhat problematic) and I'm looking forward to an exciting 2010. If you're wondering about whether I've planned this year as much as last year, the answer is "sort of." One of my learnings from the 2009 planning exercise was that you really can't plan for 365 days so I've broken down life in to 90 day increments around the same areas as last year -- health, finances, career, hobbies, and social/family. There are a few things I'm trying to emphasize this year as we move along--balance, reflection, stability, and improvement are words I'd like to use to describe this year and we'll see how it all plays out.
In the meantime, make sure to check back from time to time on ADW, and feel free to drop me an email if you're curious how things are going.
Friday, January 8, 2010
Saturday, December 26, 2009
The Question: Is blogging worth my time?
The last few days have offered a chance to be quiet, think about how life's going, and what's on the horizon in 2010. One of the areas I found myself thinking about was the blog, and my reasons for writing. My hope was to use the blog as a forum to: 1) get a chance to write creatively 2) document a year of big change in my life and 3) to keep friends updated on my life as I made that transition. Here's where I stand in those three areas after six months of this project:
Topic 1: Writing) I have enjoyed writing about life, observations, and other random things over the past few months. There have been some poorly written entries (in terms of style, outline, etc) and a few I thought I did pretty well. Like most things, writing is a skill we continue to improve on, and I'd like to think blogging has helped me improve in some way.
Topic 2: The Story of My Life) The last six months of 2009 are pretty well documented, and at times like this (the end of the year) it is nice to look back on some of those fun moments to remind me its been a cool year. Photographs also serve the same purpose, but its nice to know the story behind some of the experiences. Its also not an entire picture of my life, since there are some topics I don't write about in a public forum.
Topic 3: Keeping folks abreast of my life) When it comes down to it, we all rely on technology to stay connected. Telephones, emails, facebook, blogs, etc., are all part of our lives and will be for as long as most of us are alive. The blog was originally a travel blog for folks in Seattle and Chicago (and elsewhere) to ride along as I made the trek across the country. I could reach a broad audience at once, and didn't have to re-tell the same stories to everyone in my life.
At some point, the blog morphed in to a combination of "here's whats going on" and "here's what I'm thinking about." In terms of keeping folks abreast of my life, I'm pretty sure folks have a general idea for what's going on in my life. And there will continue to be adventures and interesting moments along the way that I'll probably share with many of you--the question is whether I still need a blog to achieve that purpose.
So as you can tell, I'm a bit of a crossroads in terms of whether to continue writing the blog in 2010, or I should ditch it and spend my free time doing other things--like writing the book I've wanted to complete.
I'm not feeling compelled one way or the other to continue, but I figured this would be a good time to turn it around and ask if folks are even reading (I have no way to track) and whether you like it. I can achieve the same three objectives (Writing practice, documenting my life, keeping folks abreast) in non-public formats--the question I'm trying to answer is whether sharing my life for the world to see is worth the time and (potential) exposure.
If you've gotten this far into this entry, you've probably formulated an opinion at some point about the blog so do me a favor and drop me an email (dweber1212@yahoo.com) or post your comments below (anonymous is fine) about the blog. I'll make a decision after I've given it some time to swirl around between the ears, but any input/feedback would be really appreciated.
Hope all of you celebrating Christmas enjoyed it,
Delta Whiskey
Topic 1: Writing) I have enjoyed writing about life, observations, and other random things over the past few months. There have been some poorly written entries (in terms of style, outline, etc) and a few I thought I did pretty well. Like most things, writing is a skill we continue to improve on, and I'd like to think blogging has helped me improve in some way.
Topic 2: The Story of My Life) The last six months of 2009 are pretty well documented, and at times like this (the end of the year) it is nice to look back on some of those fun moments to remind me its been a cool year. Photographs also serve the same purpose, but its nice to know the story behind some of the experiences. Its also not an entire picture of my life, since there are some topics I don't write about in a public forum.
Topic 3: Keeping folks abreast of my life) When it comes down to it, we all rely on technology to stay connected. Telephones, emails, facebook, blogs, etc., are all part of our lives and will be for as long as most of us are alive. The blog was originally a travel blog for folks in Seattle and Chicago (and elsewhere) to ride along as I made the trek across the country. I could reach a broad audience at once, and didn't have to re-tell the same stories to everyone in my life.
At some point, the blog morphed in to a combination of "here's whats going on" and "here's what I'm thinking about." In terms of keeping folks abreast of my life, I'm pretty sure folks have a general idea for what's going on in my life. And there will continue to be adventures and interesting moments along the way that I'll probably share with many of you--the question is whether I still need a blog to achieve that purpose.
So as you can tell, I'm a bit of a crossroads in terms of whether to continue writing the blog in 2010, or I should ditch it and spend my free time doing other things--like writing the book I've wanted to complete.
I'm not feeling compelled one way or the other to continue, but I figured this would be a good time to turn it around and ask if folks are even reading (I have no way to track) and whether you like it. I can achieve the same three objectives (Writing practice, documenting my life, keeping folks abreast) in non-public formats--the question I'm trying to answer is whether sharing my life for the world to see is worth the time and (potential) exposure.
If you've gotten this far into this entry, you've probably formulated an opinion at some point about the blog so do me a favor and drop me an email (dweber1212@yahoo.com) or post your comments below (anonymous is fine) about the blog. I'll make a decision after I've given it some time to swirl around between the ears, but any input/feedback would be really appreciated.
Hope all of you celebrating Christmas enjoyed it,
Delta Whiskey
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
2009: The Year in Review
Last Friday I had my work team's holiday party, which shaped up to be your typical office holiday party. Some awkward chit-chat, a secret santa thing, you know, the kind of thing you probably attended in the last week. Anyhow, I didn't realize until the morning of the party (it was a lunch) that we were supposed to bring our reflections on our year. Of course, these were only supposed to be reflections on our professional life, but I found myself reflecting on the bigger picture as I drove out to the suburbs.
The words I'd use to describe this past year were challenging, fun, and adventuresome. (Somaybe my blog's title wasn't so dumb after all). But in looking back on the past 12 months I've been able to accomplish most of what I set out to at the start of the year as well as a few added bonuses.
How do I know this? Well, as I've written about before, I sat down last January and began to think about what 'success' would look like at the end of the year. And for me a successful year would be one I could look back on as peaceful, so I set out with the belief that if I achieved success in the main areas of my life (career, finances, health, social/family, and hobbies) I'd have a shred more serenity in my life than I had on December 31, 2008.
So I set about doing my best to accomplish those goals, and tracking how I did along the way. As you can see from the photo, many of the goals were accomplished, and I've got a sense for where things can continue to improve as I look forward to 2010. Green = Good, Red = Needs Improvement.
But the question I've asked myself is, "despite all of these accomplishments, have I achieved peace of mind?"
I would like to think I'm at a good place today. Its a much better place than I've been in a while after having a few years that were anything but peaceful. So when I step back, things are pretty cool today--December 22, 2009. A few reasons:
I'm close to the people who matter most to me. My family and friends are what make Chicago so great, but its also an awesome city with endless possibilities for entertainment, fun, and adventure-seeking. Needs Improvement: Sports.
As much as I gripe (griped?), I have a job that gives me a chance to help patients avoid some of the chaos inside the hospital. It gives me a chance to grow and learn, help patients, and be creative which is all I can really ask for in a job.
My health is great and I'm not worried about my next doctor appointment, procedure, or surgery.
I'm financially comfortable, and have more than enough to afford the things I need to be happy.
But despite all of these great things I have had a chaotic year in many regards. I've traveled to 23 states, moved across the country, left a job I loved (for a job I like), moved in with my sister and kids, then moved in to a place of my own. So as you can expect, it hasn't exactly been "peaceful" at times due to all the activity. I know these were changes I brought on myself, so I really am not complaining, just making the observation that all of the activities I spent time may have led to success in many regards--it just not may be success in terms of 'peace of mind.'
Looking forward I see 2010 as a year of continued learning about myself, and I'll spend the next few weeks thinking about what I'd like to accomplish in 2010....stay tuned, and don't be afraid to set a few goals yourself if there's something you're itching to accomplish.
The words I'd use to describe this past year were challenging, fun, and adventuresome. (Somaybe my blog's title wasn't so dumb after all). But in looking back on the past 12 months I've been able to accomplish most of what I set out to at the start of the year as well as a few added bonuses.
How do I know this? Well, as I've written about before, I sat down last January and began to think about what 'success' would look like at the end of the year. And for me a successful year would be one I could look back on as peaceful, so I set out with the belief that if I achieved success in the main areas of my life (career, finances, health, social/family, and hobbies) I'd have a shred more serenity in my life than I had on December 31, 2008.
So I set about doing my best to accomplish those goals, and tracking how I did along the way. As you can see from the photo, many of the goals were accomplished, and I've got a sense for where things can continue to improve as I look forward to 2010. Green = Good, Red = Needs Improvement.
But the question I've asked myself is, "despite all of these accomplishments, have I achieved peace of mind?"
I would like to think I'm at a good place today. Its a much better place than I've been in a while after having a few years that were anything but peaceful. So when I step back, things are pretty cool today--December 22, 2009. A few reasons:
I'm close to the people who matter most to me. My family and friends are what make Chicago so great, but its also an awesome city with endless possibilities for entertainment, fun, and adventure-seeking. Needs Improvement: Sports.
As much as I gripe (griped?), I have a job that gives me a chance to help patients avoid some of the chaos inside the hospital. It gives me a chance to grow and learn, help patients, and be creative which is all I can really ask for in a job.
My health is great and I'm not worried about my next doctor appointment, procedure, or surgery.
I'm financially comfortable, and have more than enough to afford the things I need to be happy.
But despite all of these great things I have had a chaotic year in many regards. I've traveled to 23 states, moved across the country, left a job I loved (for a job I like), moved in with my sister and kids, then moved in to a place of my own. So as you can expect, it hasn't exactly been "peaceful" at times due to all the activity. I know these were changes I brought on myself, so I really am not complaining, just making the observation that all of the activities I spent time may have led to success in many regards--it just not may be success in terms of 'peace of mind.'
Looking forward I see 2010 as a year of continued learning about myself, and I'll spend the next few weeks thinking about what I'd like to accomplish in 2010....stay tuned, and don't be afraid to set a few goals yourself if there's something you're itching to accomplish.
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