Favorite Things: Pilot Precise V5 Rolling Ball Pen

I really like pens that write smoothly. My favorite for many years was the Pentel Energel Needle Tip 0.5 - this pen has a nice weight to it with a satisfying retractable tip. I also liked that refills are available! Except that over time, the two pieces of the pen would separate when I wrote, and that very annoying. I wondered if maybe I did something wrong, yet it kept happening. It even happened with the expensive alloy version, so that was frustrating!

Then I discovered the Pilot Precise V5 Rolling Ball Pen and wow, so smooth. Plus it comes in lots of ink colors which is very fun for doodling. The version I have is not refillable, though in looking for links on Amazon, I see there is a retractable version. I will have to experiment. Yay!

Quotable Quotes: Albert Einstein

I first heard this quote by Albert Einstein in Adam Grant's excellent book "Originals," and really liked it. I shared the quote with my son, who at the time, was having difficulty with some adults in his life, and he smiled.

"Great spirits have always encountered opposition from mediocre minds."

Then I discovered there was more:

"The mediocre mind is incapable of understanding the man who refuses to bow blindly to conventional prejudices and chooses instead to express his opinions courageously and honestly."

Ouch.

Favorite Things: Brooklyn Brainery

I discovered Brooklyn Brainery's existence in late December 2020 (thank you Google) when I was searching for storytelling classes, and wow! I am so impressed with all the interesting classes on offer that I didn't know I needed, but really do!

I started with Jen Brown's Goal Setting class and wow! What a great way to end 2020 and brainstorm all the things I want to do in 2021 (this blog being one of the goals!) Then I took Cheryl Passwater's Gut Health and learned a ton about the digestive system. For fun, I took a Project Management class and then a Herbal Health class and I'm obsessed with checking out the site for new classes.

Brooklyn Brainery is such a cool and amazing place, previously only available to Brooklyn-ites and those who live nearby. Bad Coronavirus has made these classes available online to the rest of the world.

Quotable Quotes: Ray Anderson

I first heard this quote by Ray Anderson in Dan Heath's excellent book "Upstream" and I liked it so much, I started reading Ray Anderson's book "Confessions of a Radical Industrialist:"

"Unless somebody leads, nobody will. That's axiomatic. Why not us?"

Indeed. Why not you? Why not me?

Favorite Things: Moleskine Notebooks

Moleskine notebooks have been a favorite since 2006. My go to version is the black hardcover classic large ruled notebook. Considering that my very first Moleskine notebook lasted from April 2006 until October 2013, and since then I have gone through 24 additional books, you may well wonder what happened (preview: that's about when I got involved with volunteer work.)

What I like most about this system is that I have one "go to" place for taking notes. The downside is that the system is chronological and not subject based, so I'll have notes from a lecture interspersed with a volunteer meeting. What I changed in the last year was to use a separate Moleskine notebook for long term projects and commitments, the kraft brown softcover XL cahier ruled notebook. That way I just have to grab a specific book and all the conversations are together! The books are very well made and it always makes me happy to open a new notebook.

Quotable Quotes: Mary Oliver

I first heard this quote in the Coursera "Introduction to Personal Branding" MOOC (massive open online course) by Kimberley Barker of the University of Virginia (I highly recommend this course), which is a line from Mary Oliver's poem "The Summer Day."

"... Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?"

Very inspiring. What do you plan to do?

Favorite Things: The People's Improv Theater

If there was anything good that came from the Continuing Saga of Coronavirus 2020 and Beyond, it's that so much of the world that was previously inaccessible turned online. 

Ever since a friend suggested improv, aka improvisation, as a way to get better at public speaking, I've had the idea that I would take a class. I live outside New York City, where there are lots of improv classes and theaters, and while it doesn't take that long to get to Manhattan, the travel logistics and time constraints were obstacles to that first step.

After I got through what I can only describe as low-level depression in the early days of Coronavirus, I started Googling for online improv classes. And, wow, there were a lot! Many schools offered free or low cost drop in classes, so I started there first. I discovered what I liked, didn't like, and also discovered that the east coast / west coast time difference was an issue.

Of all the schools I tried, the classes at The People's Improv Theater (aka The Pit) in NYC became favorites. I started with a Stand Up Comedy drop in with Chris Griggs because I was curious. Chris was super cool and generous even though I was clueless. I learned a bunch and maybe I'll take a stand up class one day. Then I took Joy of Improv with Sunny Atwal and I loved this four week intro, so I moved on to Sunny's Introduction to Public Speaking, which was another ton of fun. I learned to embrace the "pause" and am really conscious now of vocal fillers, um, uh, you know, etc! That doesn't mean I've eliminated the fillers, just that I am super conscious of them now! Then I took Storytelling Level 1 with Lisa Whitten and that was even more fun, and wow, that opened up a walk down memory lane with all the story prompts! Overall, I highly recommend their classes!

The Two Travelers and The Farmer

This is one of my favorite stories because it captures my philosophy. I found this version of "The Two Travelers and The Farmer" online.

A traveler came upon an old farmer working in his field beside the road. Eager to rest his feet, the wanderer hailed the countryman, who seemed happy enough to straighten his back and talk for a moment.

“What sort of people live in the next town?” asked the stranger.

“What were the people like where you’ve come from?” replied the farmer, answering the question with another question.

“They were a bad lot. Troublemakers all, and lazy too. The most selfish people in the world, and not a one of them to be trusted. I’m happy to be leaving the scoundrels.”

“Is that so?” replied the old farmer. “Well, I’m afraid that you’ll find the same sort in the next town.

Disappointed, the traveler trudged on his way, and the farmer returned to his work.

Some time later another stranger, coming from the same direction, hailed the farmer, and they stopped to talk. “What sort of people live in the next town?” he asked.

“What were the people like where you’ve come from?” replied the farmer once again.

“They were the best people in the world. Hard working, honest, and friendly. I’m sorry to be leaving them.”

“Fear not,” said the farmer. “You’ll find the same sort in the next town.”

Quotable Quotes: William Hutchison Murray

I first heard this quote by William Hutchison Murray, a Scottish mountaineer, in Ray C. Anderson's book, "Confessions of a Radical Industrialist," and I really like it:

“Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness. Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth, the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one's favour all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamt would have come his way. I have learned a deep respect for one of Goethe's couplets:

Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it.
Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it!”

Decide what you will do. Then commit. Be all in.

In search of a better planner (not calendar)

Yesterday, I raved about my favorite calendar.

Today, I will share the various systems I've tried for planners. Yes, they are different. To me, a calendar is where you keep track of events, and I highly recommend using only one calendar. If it's not listed on the Family Organizer, it's not happening.

A planner is a way to keep track of things to do, and plan out your day. I have tried traditional dated daily planners (Franklin Planner anyone?), dated weekly planners, undated weekly planners, dated monthly planners, and desk blotter monthly calendars. And these systems worked, until they didn't.

Mainly, the shortcomings were that I stopped using the dated planners consistently, either because I had nothing to plan for a few days and then I forgot, or there wasn't enough space to write everything I needed.

Mom's Agenda 2012

I really liked the Mom's Agenda from More Time Moms, and the checklists and reminders pages were cool. Ultimately, the fixed amount of writing space, plus getting caught up in how I was going to "perfectly" use those checklists thwarted me with this planner.  

At a Glance 2020

Then I saw a friend using a monthly planner, and I thought, hey that looks cool, so I bought one. I should have realized the one square per day was not going to work, but I tried this planner for two years!

Finally, in early March 2020, just days before the world shut down, I had the idea to try creating my own planner system using the Moleskine Cahier journal. I may have been inspired by the bullet journal, though I'm not sure exactly what that is, and will have to research further. The basic idea of my do-it-myself planner is I write down the date at the top of a page, and any to-do's for that day. I can also take notes in the planner, phone calls, etc. that I might need for reference. If it's a light day, then I don't write anything, and it's not like there's a blank page. Plus, if it's a busy day, and I have a lot to write, I can use as many pages as needed! Both aspects appeal to me a lot!

Favorite Things: More Time Moms Calendar

One of the best parts of the new year is searching for and finding that perfect calendar. Luckily for me, in 2009, I found More Time Moms' Family Organizer / wall calendar which I absolutely love and is a great fit for me, so my search is over! I highly recommend it. 

I like the calendar's big squares because there is lots of room to write down appointments and events. Also, there are light "lines" printed in the square, so that helps with neatness. And the best reason of all is their calendars are printed on regular paper! You might not think it's a big deal, but have you ever tried writing on those glossy calendars? You basically need a Sharpie to write anything. And I am definitely not a Sharpie person when it comes to calendars. Pencil all the way - after all, things change, and I want to be able to erase, not have to cross things out! Maybe the only "negative" about the calendar is that you'll need to procure heavy duty magnets to keep the calendar from sliding down the fridge.

Mind Body Soul

A person can only do so much. 

Thus, for my 2021 goals, I have chosen these three broad categories: Mind, Body and Soul.

For mind (that means learning / doing something for my brain), I will continue with non-fiction reading for personal development (my kids call this my self-help routine.)

For body (that means physical health), I will incorporate movement (read: some sort of exercise) into my daily routine. So as to give myself the most opportunity for success, I am starting slowly with 10 minutes of some activity per day. I will also work towards getting 8 hours of sleep each night, and drinking adequate water each day.

For soul (that means doing things that bring me joy), I will continue with chocolate meditation and watching movies with my family.