Weekly Summary 2/4/11 - 2/10/11

Some significant slips this weeks, and I ended up not getting a hefty portions of my goals done. I felt utterly unenthusiastic overall. Essentially, in terms of goals, all I got done was ordering some library books and requesting others, watching two Alfred Hitchcock episodes, and finishing Becoming a Chef. I stayed involved in my music goal of listening for fifteen minutes a day and writing down multiple times the pieces and artists I liked, but I didn't do it one day, so technically that's an uncompleted goal. Also, I did construct a piece on solving my problem of rationally picking out books to formally study, but for some reason my thoughts came out garbled, so I didn't publish the post. Finally, I had no motivation to pick up The Professional Chef since I think it touches too lightly on too many subjects, so I just returned it to the library.  

Writing ate up most of my time this week, though I know it sure didn't show here. It was published elsewhere, and in all I spent about 10-12 hours writing, almost 10 in a single day. Lots of things have been eating at me for months, so I finally decided to just take the time to put them to text. It's one of those cases in which you'll come to your writing space thinking you'll only need an hour or two to say what it is you want to say, and a lot more than that comes out! I couldn't complete the rest of my daily goals that particular day since the length of that one writing session absolutely surprised me. But I guess it's all for good health, no? Other than that, I've just felt mostly unmotivated to take to my intellectual studies, rather desiring to think about my job and how I can best improve my habits there. Not having a formal study subject in my life really makes things weird, and I don't think I'll be able to pick one out in the near future due to a happening in my Project.

Regarding my Project, I think it might be best if I stop mentioning it here. It's just a lot of negativity and self-obsession, and you must be thoroughly annoyed with all my indirect speak, right? Well, I'll let you know someday, but for now I think it would be best if I fell silent on these matters so that I can fill my writing with other thoughts. . . other, better thoughts. From now on, since I'm not going to talk about the Project or Circumstance until they're through, you'll just have to keep in mind that I'm still engaged in my Project and that it may, unexpectedly on your side, interfere with my blogging here. I may have a take a week off or so to adjust myself, though I'll do my best to buffer some posts in the meanwhile.

As to my music goal, I think it's done very well to help me gain much more awareness of music. Previously I used to forget either the piece or artist name associated with music I liked, which indicates an indifferent attitude towards the medium. I am capable of valuing music very strongly given how intensely I have enjoyed some pieces, and I'd like to cultivate that value by altering my attitude. The writing repetitions have made me much more aware of the artists and pieces I like, and I think it's actually improving my memory in that regard. I may have lapsed on doing it one night, but regardless I am still seeing improvement. It's a worthy practice. I don't think I'll be continuing it, but I will take it upon myself to pay more attention to the titles associated with a piece as I do my listening, rather than simply setting the radio on to play while I engage myself in other activities. I prefer to isolate my music to be an activity all on its own, rather than be a part of something else, such as writing.

There's not much to write about since while my week was satisfying mentally, it's devoid of substance in regards to the quantity of things I have done. So, what shall I engage myself in this week? Due to oncoming pressing external obligations, I'll have to be flexible and keep things malleable.

For one, I'd like to rewrite that essay on my study conundrums so it isn't so garbled and publish it. The reason why I lapsed in my blogging this Thursday is because I wouldn't allow that piece to be published given its poor nature. Secondly, I'd like to continue working on developing my musical tastes and listen to at least twenty minutes of it a day, though I'll forgo the writing practice. Thirdly, to keep developing my tastes in the aesthetic realm, I'd like to aspire to watch at least three Alfred Hitchcock productions; I rented a whole set from my library, and they're letting me keep it a super long time. Finally, I'd like to read 100 pages of my new library book Objectively Speaking.

Other than this, I'd like to get back on track with my blogging and prepare myself for other matters. A slow period in my life, like an off-season for a restaurant, but good things may be beyond the horizon.