50 Things to be Excited About

COMA.Design Life on Mars exhibit catalog

Panda Planner has a place in the daily journal for marking three things "that you'll be excited about." In earlier versions of the Panda Planner, it asked the writer "things you're looking forward to." 

I continue that practice.  But, man! It's often hard to come up with three things each day.  And that 's pretty sad. (what DOES keep us going if we are unaware of it?)  Looking forward to exciting, joyful things seems to me to be the nectar that we live on.   

So, I began making a list...

1. Reading a good book
2. Working in garden
3. Making a tiny book
4. Making bread
5. Going out for coffee
6. Walking in Fullersburg Woods or Waterfall Glen or Morton Arboretum
7. Biking ... commuting or on longer weekly rides
8. Planning a camping trip
9. Kayaking
10. Making a semi-involved dinner
11. Listening to music
12. Working on a project
    
13. Writing in my journal
14. Drinking good coffee
15. exploring a new place (city/hiking)
16. guitar
17. making up music
18. getting a foot rub, back rub
19. listening to new music
20. learning new stuff... like any issue of the New Yorker or Frontline
21. writing a blog entry
22. meditating
23. texting friends/sharing random stuff
24. 10x10 projects
25. watch a show on the couch with J. 
26. Helping someone with a project (I'm thinking mom and dad... but anyone)
27. Regularly scheduled Zoom with old friends
28. Looking at moon with binoculars
29. daytrip hike to Wisconsin forest
30. weekend getaway - St. Kate, St. Jane
    
31. observing seasons change
32. drinking coffee or beer with J on patio
33. get together with Larry and Todd and Eileen and Julie
34. making and eating peanut butter cookies
35. working on a woodworking/carpentry project with dad
36. reading old journals
37. blogging
38. watching The Crown with J.
39. walking and listening to audiobook on lunch break
40. podcasts 
41. wine and cheese dinner with J.
42. 
    

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Austin Kleon cites Michael Silverblatt (from the Bookworm podcast- Lynda Barry and Chris Ware episode ) who is talking about how graduate school (and schooling in general) makes us cramped, boring.

I'm trying to keep my heart alive.  I'm trying to keep my joy alive.  And if I stand up and roar, I'm trying to keep my soul alive...  That's what we have all done, we we get to do what we want to do with our lives: We keep our joy, we keep our hearts, we keep our soul.

*** 

This also reminds me of Austin Kleon's 100 Things That Made My Year lists.

***

At the top, an image of Paul Thek's 96 Sacraments.  

Here's a transcription:

1. To wake up Praise the Lord

2. To breathe Praise the Lord.

3. To touch the earth Praise the Lord

4. To pee, Praise the Lord

To make a fire Praise the Lord

5.To wash,to comb your hair, Praise the Lord.

6. To prepare breakfast, Praise the Lord.

To squeeze a Lemon, Praise the Lord

7. To eat breakfast Praise the Lord

8. To do the dishes Praise the Lord.

9.  To clean up, Praise the Lord

10. To write a letter, Praise the Lord.

11. To mail a letter, Praise the Lord.

12. To go out, Praise the Lord

13. To see the sun Praise the Lord

14. To do the shopping Praise the Lord

15. To talk with some people, Praise the Lord.

16. To buy the paper, Praise the Lord

17. To come home Praise the Lord.

18. To go to work Praise the Lord

19. To work Praise the Lord.

20. To have lunch, Praise the Lord

21. To work in the afternoon, Praise the Lord.

22, To notice the light changing Praise the Lord.

23. To see a cat Praise the Lord.

24. To see a dog , Praise the Lord.

25. To stop for a rest Praise the Lord.

26. To go home for dinner, sing Praises

27. To talk with neighbors, sing praises

28. To talk with a neighbors' child, sing praises.

29. To kiss someone, sing praises.

30. To eat dinner, sing praises

31. To eat dinner with friends, sing praises

32. To eat dinner with children, sing praises

33. To eat dinner alone, sing praises

34. To have dinner with someone, sing praises.

35. To think of love, Praise the Lord.

36. To think of hope, Praise the Lord.

37. To think, praise the Lord.

38. To dream, sing praises.