walking thoughts

Tags

autumn, dreaming, Friedrich Nietzsche, photography, photos, planning, quotes, walking, wondering

All truly great thoughts are conceived by walking

Friedrich Nietzsche

Dublin is a great place to walk around. The inner city is small enough to allow you to wander from a to b quite easily and it is really quite flat. So when I left my afternoon appointment yesterday I decided to let my feet do the walking and my mind wander.

My brogue clad feet tapped on the path as I walked, a steady tattoo of sound my  companion as I walked down the leafy streets of a south side Georgian terrace. For the first time in months I had to shrug a jacket on to stop the wind from chilling my bones and  maybe it was my imagination playing tricks on me but I thought that the air smelt colder, announcing that Autumn had truly arrived.

Unlike so many others I quite enjoy this time of year: the riot of colours in the parks and lining the streets; the comfy cardigans; hot plates of soup and the first lit fires of the season I sit next too while I knit.

As I walked my thoughts changed, plans made way to dreams and I allowed myself to be excited by possibilities, no matter how unsure or far away they seemed. So, while I know the rain and winds that this time of year brings may dampen my mood at times, I am quite looking forward to the next few months, and I hope that for me autumn won’t just be the end of something but also the beginning. And if not – well at least it also means Christmas isn’t too far anymore.

leaves changing colours

packing, cleaning and bins

Tags

bins, cleaning, clothes, Germany, packing, planning, travel

Most of today will be filled with packing, cleaning and bins, I just hope I don’t get them mixed up along the way and end up with old newspapers and plastic packaging in my suitcase.

Yesterday I spent most of the day working on a project and at a job interview so somehow I don’t feel ready to up my stales and head off for six weeks, but since the date on my ticket tells me a different story I better get ready.

The one thing I really hate about going away is packing, planning ahead for several weeks and having to make up your mind how much you want to bring always frustrates me. And for the last few days I’ve had the washing machine going at full speed trying to make sure I don’t leave any of my favourite items behind. I can’t help but wish for of those ladies maids that would wrap everything in silk-paper and make sure you were prepared for any occasion, all your belongings magically packed and unpacked without you having to lift a finger.

So as I stare into the sallow depths of my suitcase – why didn’t I buy a bigger one – I really long for a Mary Poppins style carpet bag, everything would fit in and I could even bring my own teapot!

 

getting ready for 2016

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2015, 2016, calendars, Moleskin, Moleskin weekly notebook, pefect gift, planning, planning ahead, stationary

With only one month left in 2015 I decide to take some time out of my morning and prepare my calendars for 2016. I don’t like mobile calendars, I find a paper and pen version much more reliable and quicker to use – crossing out and filling in only takes seconds and no electricity or internet is needed.

I always have two calendars, one  I carry around with me and one on my desk and I rely heavily on them to plan my time. A few years a ago I discovered the Moleskin weekly notebook and I have to say it is the perfect calendar for me, the left hand side is a weekly overview and the right page is left blank for notes, the perfect combination.

Since Moleskin isn’t cheap I was delighted that my wonderful siblings & Co. bought me the weekly notebook for my birthday – a beautiful and practical gift (and yes I know it is a little bit sad how excited I can get over stationary).

As I filled in important birthdays and appointments I was amazed to find how much I already have planed for the coming year. But somehow having my calendars ready and prepared makes me feel 2016 can come and I am looking forward what kind of adventures and surprises if may bring.

syncing up my dates – who knew I already had so much planned next year

change of plan

Tags

cognitive resources, Peter Drucker, photography, planning, plans, procrastination, psychology, quotes, roy baumeister, time and mind, travel

Although I am not teaching at the moment my desk calendar still seems to fill up quickly. And with time running out fast until I hop on a plane for Berlin I have to plan a little bit. And of course there still is my to-do-list of all those little and big chores that seem to pile up no matter what time of year it is.

Studies done by E.J. Masicampo (Wake Forest University) and Roy Baumeister (Florida State) showed, that when we plan ahead we allow our brains to free up our cognitive resources (perception, memory, judgment, and reasoning) for other things. This means that when we plan, we are not just making it possible to succeed in reaching specific goals, but we are actually giving our minds space to deal with other stuff, too. One plan made means; we have time and mind-power to think of the next thing. However the follow-through is an entirely different matter!

As a long-time procrastinator I am a great planner, after all thinking about doing things is what we procrastinators do. But when it comes to completing the plan I am not so great. That is why I was thrilled when I was so organised and had my trip to Berlin all planned out and booked early on this year. Not only did I have a cheap flight and train ticket, but also a lovely place to stay all lined up.

So when I found an email in my inbox this afternoon telling me that the flat I was going to stay in was no longer available (personal issues) I was devastated. For once I in my life I had planned long-term ahead and to no avail. And now I had to change my plans. However as a procrastinator I am great at getting things done at last minute so I have sent out a flurry of emails and pleads looking for a new abode. And I am sure someone somewhere will find a bed and roof for me in the next two weeks. If not I am hoping for good weather and a comfy bridge.

It all goes to show that the famous management consultant and author Peter Drucker was so right when he said:

 

Unless a commitment is made, there are only promises and hopes … but no plans

some afternoon treats to soften the blow