Basically it’s organized thinking. Here’s a paragraph from Bill’s book:<\/p>\n
\u201c . . . I was fascinated by the idea of strategic thought. Organization is a concept that never came easily to me because I stopped at just naming the topics to be organized as opposed to creating the action steps necessary to organize each topic. As someone with ADD, I have a lot of ideas flowing through my mind at any given moment. I’m constantly on the receiving end of getting different tangents of thought, by by 5 o-clock, many of the ideas are gone and are not recoverable. For the better part of my life, the ideas were there; the\u00a0follow-through wasn’t.”**<\/p>\n
There’s more, much more, but the concept fascinates. So I immediately began applying at least the first steps. While Anne was attending a printmaking workshop in Portland I had a free day on my hands. Rather than just hanging around I divided even that day\u00a0into quarters, with a different focus for each, and had myself a most productive\u2014and enjoyable\u2014day.<\/p>\n In fact, the first hour was to plan the ten days in Idaho with a focus for each part of each day.<\/p>\n You’ll role your eyes. Is this any way of spending a vacation? Maybe not, but who said this was a vacation?<\/p>\n I remember one of the\u00a0art-making trips we took a couple of years ago in Baja California. It was another wonderful place and a wonderful week. But, as I went with no particular plan, the first half of it was spent in growing frustration. I finally manufactured one and got happier; but the outcome was never as productive as I’d hoped.<\/p>\n So, this time I’ve got a plan. I confess it can seem a little harried at times, meeting goals that no one cares about but me. And I can always flake. But it’s not my way.<\/p>\n I’m happy to say, at this point I’m on schedule. Of course in the end all that really matters isn’t volume, but quality. I remind myself of that. But I also remind that good art comes from doing lots of art. So I do lots.<\/p>\n Meantime, the setting is more than wonderful. Being fairly remote, there’s nothing to distract. Even our walks are just down a dirt road, or a path to the river. In the “studio,” the quiet is only broken by our own conversation, our music, the occasional rain, the refrigerator, or our own breathing.<\/p>\n Breathing, by the way, is not on the schedule. Some things just happen by themselves.<\/p>\n Just because you’ll be curious, I’ll supply a couple of photos.<\/p>\n _________<\/p>\n *All this is by the generosity of friends Jeff and Michelle Aleixo.![\"Org-list\"](\"http:\/\/www.hyattmoore.com\/blank-slate\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/Org-list-650x486.jpg\")
<\/span><\/p>\nHere’s the plan, divided into sections for early morning meditations, then periods of writing (three projects) and painting (many projects), drawing, reading, and watching (occasional evening movies). Anne, by the way, is just as happily productive, though without such a list.\u00a0<\/span><\/h6>\n
\n**Chasing Excellence<\/em>, by Bill Lee and R. Craig Coppola
\nPS Due to technical difficulties, I’m not confident this is getting to you. If you have a moment, please confirm with a comment. Thanks.<\/p>\n
![\"Idaho-1\"](\"http:\/\/www.hyattmoore.com\/blank-slate\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/Idaho-1.jpg\")
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