January 6, 2018

How to keep a journal

Writing in a journalI am terrible at keeping a journal

Writing this article is good for me.  I’ve tried to keep a journal.  I have fancy notebooks.  I’ve downloaded software.  I have started with the best intentions, but always eventually give up.

Something always seems to get in the way.  If I try to write in the morning something will come up that appears urgent and off I go and the journal never gets updated.  At night I’m too exhausted to write, or at least I think I am.

And I feel even more guilty after reading some stories on the web.  I read that members of the Lewis and Clark expedition were prolific journal writers.  They returned with over a million words of notes and observations.  They accomplished this with incredible hardships and often while fearing for their lives.  So, what is my excuse?

You need a plan

The key to keeping a journal might be having a plan that is so compelling you can’t start or finish your day without writing in your journal.  It needs to be a part of your daily life.

Here’s one plan.  Most of us at least make a list of things we need to do.  So maybe if you are trying to write your journal in the morning you start with a “What I need to do” section in your journal.

Then you add a “What I accomplished today (or yesterday)” section to be completed.  Then that might lead to a “What I’m thinking about” section, or a “How I feel” section.  Maybe a “What good things happened” or a “What bad things happened.”

The idea is to build up a set of standard topics that you care about and help you plan and think about during the day.  Pretty soon the journal becomes kind of indispensable and you feel something is missing any day you don’t complete your journal.

Paper or Digital

People seem to be undecided on this, and there are advantages to both.  We all do so much on our computers that digital seems to be the way to go and your writing can be password protected to keep it private.

Paper journals have that “feeling” that you have accomplished something and it is special because it was written with your real hand.  It probably feels good to fill up a paper journal and start a new one.

So, I guess it all comes down to personal preference and the action of keeping a journal is more important that the method.

Famous Journal keepers

A quick Google search reveals many famous journal keepers.  Below are just 10 I picked out:

Anne Frank

Ronald Reagan

Charles Darwin

Thomas Edison

Marie Curie

Mark Twain

George S Patton

George Lucas

Thomas Jefferson

Benjamin Franklin

How to Start – Just Start

So how do you start keeping a journal?  Just start now.  Grab a notebook (you may even have a “special” notebook laying around from the last time you tried to start.  Or open a document on your computer and start writing.  Just name the document something you will remember and put it in a place you will remember, you can always organize things later.

Maybe use some of the ideas mentioned above or come up with your own plan. Keep it simple and let your journal evolve.

But just start…

Filed Under: General, Hobbies, Personal Development, Things To Do Leave a Comment
November 28, 2017

10 Ideas for map lovers

Street mapI’ll admit it. I love old maps. When I was a kid I studied road maps on family trips. (I’ll show my age when I say that back then road maps were free at gas stations!) I still love maps. I much prefer reviewing a road atlas rather than relying on the GPS, although a GPS is a great assistant.

So how can you feed your map addiction?

Below are some ideas to get you started:

Collect old maps

Collecting old maps is popular but they can be expensive. An alternative might be collecting reprints or scanning your own from books and magazines.

Paper a room with maps

I’ve often considered collecting all the old maps from my National Geographic magazines and papering a room with them. Haven’t done it yet, but someday! If you are clever you might come up with a way to hang up lots of maps and change them occasionally without destroying your walls.

Find cool destinations within 50 miles

Make this your challenge. Find cool places on a map not more than 50 miles from home that you never heard of. Maybe somewhere historical or a weird place name. Maybe a geological feature that you never knew existed. How about an unknown little museum or roadside attraction?

Plan a road trip

Why not plan a real road trip? Make it a minimum of three days and the max is limited only by your schedule and budget. Early in our marriage my wife and I started taking road trips and we never really stopped. We didn’t have a lot of money so we mostly car camped staying at national parks and forests. These trips remain some of our most cherished memories.

Take a road trip using maps and no interstates

If making good time isn’t the priority try a trip without using any interstates or turnpikes. This gives a completely different perspective. Check out the book “Blue Highways” by William Least Heat-Moon for inspiration. I loved it!

Draw your own map of anywhere

Kids love doing this and there is no reason you can’t do it too. Do you have a local area or maybe a state park nearby? Try making a map outlining special places or features that aren’t shown on other maps. Maybe highlight nice views or rock formations for example.

Collect globes

Globes are cool, and I’ve always wanted a really big one. But there are lots of others that don’t cost a mint and would make a cool collection.

Mark everywhere you have visited on a map

This works for any map, from a world map to a country map, to more local. Maybe mount the map on cork and use pins to mark where you have been. Or maybe use little flags with the date of your visit.

Mark everywhere you want to visit on a map

This is like the above except it becomes a “bucket list” of places you would like to visit. Don’t worry about the practicality of getting to the places, just mark them. This has the effect of making you start to think about the possibilities.

Pick a spot randomly on a map and Google or visit

You could do this using the dart board method where you just randomly pick a spot and see what looks interesting around it. Google the area to learn about it. You might even start planning a road trip based on what you find!

So how do you indulge in your map habit?

Filed Under: Hobbies, Things To Do, Travel Leave a Comment
October 23, 2016

10 Hobbies that can make you money

CrochetingMuch has been written about “follow your passion,” and hobbies are certainly a passion for many of us.  There are arguments about whether “following your passion” can lead to a full time career but we won’t get into that here!  We just want to take a look at some hobbies that can make you a little side income, all the while having fun enjoying your hobby while you’re at it!

Coin Collecting

Coin Collecting is a fascinating hobby that has the potential to make you money both from the investment side and through sales.  Here are some ideas to get you started:

  1. Before you pay a dime for a coin invest your time on education. Learn what makes a coin worth what, and all about condition, which makes a huge difference in the value of coins.
  2. Study EBay auctions and prices.
  3. Look for alternative ways to acquire your coins, from searching your spare change to placing a local classified ad and buying small collections from people no longer interested in the hobby.

Stamp Collecting

Most of what can be said about coin collecting can be said about stamp collecting.

Woodworking

This hobby has many possibilities for making money.  People value quality one of a kind items.  Like many hobbies that make money if you try to measure success by an hourly return you might fall short but if you love what you are doing it can all make sense.  As you gain experience you will learn what sells and you can improve that hourly rate.

Investing Research

This one is tricky because the stock market is tricky.  My point here is that some time spent on research improves your odds.  The investing world and learning about all the different options and the companies behind the ticker symbols can be fascinating.  Just look at all the internet sites, magazines, and books related to investing.  Not all the people using this information are millionaires, many just enjoy the learning experience.

Fixing up old cars

Lots of people like fixing up old cars.  For many it’s a labor of love.  This can take many forms from just taking an older non running used car and making it drive-able to full restorations of classics.  In either case there may be money to be made.

Making Art

Artists get a thrill out of creativity.  Many consider making money from their art to be the furthest thing from their minds.  However, those that can channel some of their creativity into the marketing side of art stand to make some bucks.  Today the internet is an artist’s best friend.  The key seems to be developing a following and marketing to your list.

Some Crafts

I say “some” crafts because finding crafts that sell can be dicey.  The key is testing what sells before you spend a lot on materials.  Some crafts work only for hobby purposes.

Quilting

Those that love quilting can’t make enough of them.  Eventually you run out of places to put them in your own home and even where to give them as gifts.  So why not sell some?  This is common practice in the Amish areas of Pennsylvania near where I live.  This is another one of those cases where if you tried to justify on an hourly wage basis you would probably fail.  But if your love is making quilts this becomes a secondary consideration.

Yard Sales

This one can take many forms.  Many people simply love going to yard sales and looking for bargains.  The key here is knowing enough to buy items that can be sold at a profit and not accumulating “junk!”

Antiques

Again the secret hear is knowing what to buy that can be resold as a profit.  Another possibility is re-purposing an antique item into another use that makes it more valuable.

Probably almost any hobby can be made into a money making side venture.  Just use your imagination!

Filed Under: Business, Hobbies, Money Stuff, Things To Do Leave a Comment