The Deck Box Initiative

To take initiative is to do something even if you don’t necessarily want to do it.

I want to clean off my shelf, but these deck boxes that I made (I think) months ago, are still there trying to prompt me to write an Instructable about the process and the result. I even wrote a draft… that now I can’t find… of course. I titled it “How to make anything is 6 steps” and it went through how I idea….

wait.

I did write that Blog Post. and titled it “Downloading a Virus to make a Cardboard Deck Box” a little over a month ago. What a wild month it’s been that I would forget.

I guess I’ll continue with the idea of initiative. And pair that with spontaneity.

I wrote this on August 23rd, 2023, but never posted it:

I’m getting a turtle. Well, actually, a tortoise more likely. And no, it’s not pure spontaneity, as I understand the longevity of tortoises, and have in fact been considering getting another pet for a while now (I even looked into birds as an option… too loud). But I can still relate it to the importance of spontaneity.

Life can become bland. Monotonous even. It can feel restricted by a set schedule, and you can feel overwhelmed by the underwhelming amount of newness. (I know this, even as a mere 16 year-old. I’m guessing it doesn’t get easier, rather more and more restricted by work and plans and kids like me.) What I do know for sure doesn’t change is that each of us gets ONE life. One life we can easily lose to the boredom of what we believe to “just be the way it is”. It doesn’t have to be.

To initiate change, there are of course steps leading up to things, but only one large tipping point

I want this post to be a bit more in-depth than the normal text-heavy, idea-based posts, so I’ve been thinking about how to go about making it worthwhile.

What makes anything worth reading? Well, probably the worth of the knowledge the reader gains from reading it. If you get a text from your mom saying dinner is ready (which happens a lot for me) that information is only as important as how hungry you are.

What gets a reader to read the whole thing to get the takeaway in the first place? A good hook, and a early promise of worth. The promise of worth is established by strong leading points that will lead to further elaboration withing the “meat” of the text. These are often stated in “thesis statements” in essay-style texts, but due to the informality of this blog, I doubt I will use such a formal tool.

Continuity is important in a lot of ways, but especially in writing. (see how aggravating it was to suddenly switch topics? That’s why I need to work on segwaying each point more smoothly into the next.) If a post kindof meanders along, bouncing from point to point (even if they’re strong points), and then it ends when the writer is tired of writing, it’s not high in continuity. Even within a sentence (like the poor example that is the previous sentence) continuity applies. Normally, I try to read back posts to check the continuity, but if I go about this in a rushed, or day-of manner, it can often leave much to be desired.

If I were to keep this blog post going, and just write what came to mind - it may never end. That is, if my hands didn’t fatigue by the speed at which I type, and the lack of intense practice typing. (Yes, I type quickly, but no I don’t use the home row. I can still type without looking if I am familiar with the keyboard.)

oh, and I like Alfredo sauce more than Marinara on Thursdays.

Huh? What was I even rambling about there at the end…?? No wonder I didn’t post it. But hey, 16 year old me had something he was going for. Living life as if it is your one spectacular show of a life.

Perhaps initiative is spontaneity with structure. A structure that we build up for ourselves made of morals and goals and responsibilities.
Art does a great effort at bringing us back to purer spontaneity. In art there doesn’t need to be any worry about the greater effect: If it will ruin a life or a relationship or an opportunity. If you’re drawing, you can “mess it up” and make it better. You can always “fix it” with acceptance.

If I take the initiative to clean my room, it’s a spontaneous decision with a positive outcome in mind. If I take the initiative to start creating, there may not be an outcome in mind, but the action itself is almost always positive, freeing, and rewarding.

Whatever your initiative is, take it.