{"id":34834,"date":"2024-01-11T20:35:06","date_gmt":"2024-01-12T04:35:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/?p=34834"},"modified":"2024-01-11T20:35:06","modified_gmt":"2024-01-12T04:35:06","slug":"time-for-adventure","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/time-for-adventure\/","title":{"rendered":"Time for Adventure"},"content":{"rendered":"

I was not a reader in early elementary, didn\u2019t become one until I discovered the fantasy section at the local library.\u00a0 Battles between angels and demons. Tolkein’s orcs and elves.\u00a0 Legends of dwarves and fairies.\u00a0 When I discovered Choose-Your-Own-Adventure books, I was hooked on the written word – at least in the third way words can be viewed according to Adler and Van Doren, \u201csome aspect of things that we can understand by thought but not observe through our senses.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 The way words created worlds in my imagination was liberating.\u00a0 That sense of freedom, intoxicating.<\/span><\/p>\n

Of course, I had to learn how to read other genres which helped me through my higher learning and now as a working professional. Exploring knowledge through these types of readings doesn\u2019t always bring back that childhood thrill of adventure, but Adler and Van Doren show how I can skip to the good parts and dig for the best treasures in my readings.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Writing, on the other hand, became a fascination the moment I was introduced to the subject. First, it was just the look of it.\u00a0 I was educated during a time when they still taught cursive lessons every day.\u00a0 The roundness of the letters, the fling and swirl and all the curls seemed so playful, like doing cartwheels and somersaults on paper.\u00a0 When I won my first writing contest in the fourth grade, I earned my first moment of recognition. The adulation was a new feeling, a blessed relief from the opposite feeling of shame that came from being the only Black girl in school.\u00a0 Finally, I was seen for something else; my thoughts mattered, and if I got them in the right order I could move from loser to winner with the flip of a cursive letter. I discovered in that moment that I had agency in something – the manner in which I process and express my thoughts.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

My process today may be called by some as overthinking or obsessive compulsive.\u00a0 It takes me a long time to be satisfied with a single paragraph. The process is often interrupted with ADHD, especially if I\u2019m just free flowing. Digressions through so many rabbit holes can be maddening.\u00a0 More challenging is writing in the right environment.\u00a0 I can write fleeting notes anywhere, but committing to a routine of writing more meaningful thoughts and putting them in order requires the right spot for an extended period of time.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Time is the thickest barrier for me.\u00a0 In order to get to permanent thoughts – rather than just writing lists of things to do – I have to write my thoughts all the way out. That can take 2-3 hours. To get those thoughts filtered and edited for publication is another 1-2, depending on word count. Finding uninterrupted time like this is hard to find: single mom of 12-year-old boy with special care needs; founder and CEO of a small nonprofit; community caretaker of cooperative living space for young adults; full-time employee at statewide nonprofit agency.\u00a0 Add to these roles and titles, I must also overcome other, more biological barriers. I\u2019m no spring chicken.\u00a0 I\u2019m starting to feel my body in ways that are most certain to get worse in time, (which does, in fact, feel like it speeds up as you get older.) Fortunately, Ahrens offered valuable knowledge I can use to power through the reading and writing requirements for this new doctoral journey.<\/span><\/p>\n

If I were to measure my skill level at taking notes it\u2019s probably at two levels:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. my mom\u2019s way – which was either fleeting lists of things to do, or random, disconnected thoughts scribbled in cursive on napkins, post-its, or permanently slipped into her mixed media art.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  2. the standard way – taught in school, the basic skill used for professional trainings and such.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    I approached the material this week starting at the 2nd level, engaging the resource that best fits my learning style: audio-visual. I watched the Ahrens video, while attempting to enjoy the outdoors and reach my 6,000 steps per day.\u00a0 I realized quickly, \u201cThis won\u2019t work.\u00a0 I need to be taking notes.\u201d\u00a0 So, next day, I brought the book, a highlighter and a pen to the gym and tried to make it work on the treadmill.\u00a0 As I started taking notes, I realized, \u201cOMG, I\u2019m taking the wrong notes!\u201d\u00a0 The more I read, I felt relief pour into my usually very anxious belly. \u201cThis is might be easier than I thought.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    The smart note way gave me insight into a problem that has kept me from being more productive in my writing.\u00a0 \u201cThe time consuming part is not the actual writing, it\u2019s finding the right order.\u201d Trying to put my thoughts in linear order has always been the real challenge. I don\u2019t think in linear fashion. I think in cursive. Trying to order such thinking is like trying to round up a flock of chickens in a coop.\u00a0 Ahrens affirmed the way I naturally think without judgment, while giving me a system to order those thoughts for greater productivity, turning my vague world of thinking into concrete actions.\u00a0 One idea, one note, same format. This feels precise without constriction.\u00a0 You can think whatever you want, just get those thoughts in order.\u00a0 It\u2019s okay that your thoughts are everywhere; capture six throughout the day and flush\u2019em out in the evening.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Further, this system allows me to capture elements of my mom\u2019s way too – especially those random notes that always left me confused because I didn\u2019t understand the context.\u00a0 Ahrens has a place for them too.\u00a0 I\u2019m still trying to get my technology up to standard for the purpose of my learning, but once all that settles I\u2019ll be able to download Obsidian.\u00a0 In the meantime, I\u2019ve started reigning in 3-6 thoughts per day.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    I\u2019m noticing the greatest challenge thus far is the additional processing in the evening.\u00a0 During the winter season, I\u2019m done for the day by 6p.\u00a0 Both my brain and my body start to shut down.\u00a0 My ability to process anything is reflected on two screens, my phone and the TV. With blurry eyes I scroll through comedy reels, clips of dance moves, and POVs = visually recorded random thoughts of others organized by Facebook\u2019s AI algorithm. In the background I\u2019m listening to reruns of NCIS on Netflix. That is my natural self.\u00a0 This program is going to require that I rise to my spiritual self.\u00a0 Clips of scripture are pouring out of my heart right now but it\u2019s after 6p and I can\u2019t remember the book, chapter or verse. Something about \u201cwings of an eagle\u201d and \u201cwill not grow weary\u201d and \u201cI can do all things.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

    This first week I was able to push through old habits until Thursday morning.\u00a0 The plan was to get to the spot and go through my notes, put them in order and finish up a final draft by the time my son came home from school.\u00a0 What happened was the exact opposite.\u00a0 My body made me sleep.\u00a0 When I finally got moving late afternoon it was getting dark outside. But that\u2019s how adventures begin, I suppose.\u00a0 Gotta figure out the ebb and flow of the tide and try to ride the waves accordingly.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    The first step in adventure is to make the time.\u00a0 Then, get all your materials and tools together.\u00a0 Next week I\u2019m supposed to add a member to the crew.\u00a0 I have ideas for a coach so at least I don\u2019t have to spend a lot of time figuring that out.\u00a0 Take a look at the map, it looks like we are set to sail by the third week. Once I\u2019m set out to sea, it\u2019s all a matter of faith – in the captain, my fellow adventurers, and the promise of discovery at the end of the adventure.\u00a0 I\u2019ve added Ahrens words to my list of chants as I row, each thought a stroke. Enjoy the process.\u00a0 Every thought counts.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    \u00a0<\/span>Random thought: Did I mention I\u2019m absolutely terrified of the ocean? Catalog under \u201cbible verses for fear.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    I was not a reader in early elementary, didn\u2019t become one until I discovered the fantasy section at the local library.\u00a0 Battles between angels and demons. Tolkein’s orcs and elves.\u00a0 Legends of dwarves and fairies.\u00a0 When I discovered Choose-Your-Own-Adventure books, I was hooked on the written word – at least in the third way words […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":192,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[538],"tags":[2982,2983],"class_list":["post-34834","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-adventure-comedy-family","tag-dlgp3-ahrens-writing-neurodiversity-learning","tag-routine-routine-habit-time","cohort-dlgp03"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34834","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/192"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=34834"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34834\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":34840,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34834\/revisions\/34840"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=34834"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=34834"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=34834"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}