Gathering

I've been off the radar recently, letting the blog run more or less on autopilot.  But that doesn't mean I've been running on autopilot. I've been doing professional training, seeking a professional mentor, and starting at a new job (it's a contract deal - project-by-project, but it's been keeping me busy). That's not all. There's cooking and eating and taking care of the puppy. There's keeping the apartment more or less together, dishes...the list goes on. Life goes on.

As full as the days are, there's still something missing. For the first time in twenty years it's already October and I'm not worried about papers, quizzes, tests, and reading for class. Call it what you will (Stockholm syndrome?), but I miss school.

I've decided to do something about it. I'll make my own darned school. I'm creating a curriculum for myself that's a mix of business, history, social science, law, food, gardening, environmental issues...whatever strikes my fancy, whatever I want to know more about, whatever is a gap in my education. I've been doing this all summer, but as the weather turns to fall (ok, winter, it's been snowing in the mountains this week), I'm getting a little more organized. I have my new desk, my new chair, my pencils all sharpened and laid out in a row. 

This is about what I want to learn. This is about what I want to do. This is about how I want to grow - personally, professionally, intellectually.

I think I'll start with a Happiness Project. If you haven't heard of this book already, get out from under your rock and go read it. Or at least delve into the website. It's not as gimmicky as it sounds, I promise. More details next week.