Summer Experiments...

Because I have some very specific goals in mind this summer (namely the big D), I have a couple experiments in mind.  The summer solstice has come and gone and it is about time for a re-evaluation of where I am, where I want to be, and how in the heck I am going to get there.  These experiments are going to help me out on the way.


Experiment Number One:
Up with the Sun

I am going to need to have a few more productive hours each day, so I am going to start getting up earlier.  How early?  Pretty early.  My alarm clock is going off exactly at sunrise each morning, which is roughly 6:30am.  I have been letting my wake up time creep up to nearly 9am lately--which is not exactly in the interest on my productivity (or happiness).  This summer I am making sure I don't miss any of those quiet hours of the morning.  Don't worry, I won't forget--I even have an app that reminds me.

Experiment Number Two:
The Official Social Media Summer Break (and the The Return of the Face to Face Connection)

Facebook and Twitter are amazing tools and great ways to stay connected to people who are far away--but as amazing as they are--they do have their down sides.  These two guilty pleasures have got to go.  Not that I don't like knowing what everyone had for breakfast this morning, but I have to stay focused on what is important this summer.  So, browsing through photographs of old high school buddies is not on the top of the agenda for me.  This might be tough, but I gotta do what I gotta do!

With all of this online hoopla, I feel like face-to-face connection has become an afterthought.  I am going to spend time with cool people in "real life" and really try to make an effort to learn from and enjoy those awesome people in my life.  Since I am going to be spending hours and hours reading the philosophical works of the deceased--it will be nice to have a break to chat with a live human from time to time.

Experiment Number Three:
Scenes of Summer via Instagram

Okay, so this doesn't exactly up my productivity quota, but since I recently broke my Nikon lens (long story)... I need a way to quickly snap shots of all of the (loads of) cool things that happen to me each day.  Enter Instagram--that fun packed iPhone app that captures summer moments in a blink.  Best of all, it doesn't require any downloading, editing, and uploading--so I have more time to focus on important things in life--like writing... and remembering to call my Granny.