Journal Innovations* Learn by Taking Action* Pied-a-terre*

 

Lake Kawaguchi Oishi (1941-43) Kawase Hasui AIC, Bruce Goff collection

Journal Innovations from 10 Years Ago*

I have been going through old journals and adding them to DRL History spreadsheet.  This month I looked at April 2016.  I tried a couple new things this month.  One small thing: I added the week of the year to the left hand side of the journal day.  So, on the first day of the month journal (with a line per day) to the left of Su, Ap 3, I have 14, indicating it's the beginning of the 14th week.  On the 10th, I've written 15.

Second, I have several pages that recreate the format (one line per day).  Each page is designed for a different topic.  The first (original) page is just what happened to me that day.  The next is labeled "nature, kids, world," the next is labeled "April exercises: cardio, strength, stretch, med," (walking details, running pace and distance, BTW, run at HDL soccer practice, etc.) the next page is a meditation journal recording how many times per day and what "success" I had.  The next page is guitar pratice: time, knowledge, skill, repertoire (this is a spread of 2 pages... not sure what I was doing with the distinction.). 

I have stumbled on this same technique recently.  In 2026, April, I have two page spread.  On the first, it's what I did, my blog title, dinner, exercise, # of guitar practice.  On the second spread, I have "basement progress" on the left side and guitar practice notes on the right side.  

Learn by Taking Action*

(James Clear) We often avoid taking action because we think "I need to learn more," but the best way to learn is often by taking action.

Pied-a-Terre*

This term is in the news because the new New York Mayor Mamdani is creating a Pied-a-Terre tax.  I wondered what it means.  I thought something just like "brownstone."  Here's the real definition from Wikipedia:  

a living unit, e.g., apartment or condominium, often located in a large city and not used as an individual's primary residence. The term implies use of the property as a temporary second residence, but not a holiday home, either for part of the year or part of the work week, usually by a reasonably wealthy person