Over the last few weeks I have been thinking quite a lot about that one phrase the cheesy, ”life coaches” and ”management gurus” like to drop at any convention – ”You have to think outside of the box!”
As I think about this phrase one thing came to mind being namely the recent trip via canoe of two boys from Oz to Nz. Now when the antipodeans say canoe, they basically mean a dingy with a cabin and two crazy Teds’ with paddle’s. Now to sit on this thing for months with one other person would surely be interesting. Try saying to them in the middle of a squall to think outside the box.
Another scenario which has mad me focus on this is my friends planning of a six month cycle down Africa to arrive for the World Cup. Now six months on a bike would be a recipe for boredom to some , to others it would be a recipe for serious chaffing.
To me the real focus of my cabin fever is probably being content to spending the next forty years of attending the office in the storeroom. This would be the easy option!!
How many of us just get into our daily routine within our sheltered lives and forget to open the door occasionally or just are content to lock the door to protect ourselves from development and change.
No matter how much any of us pretend we all suffer from some degree of cabin fever. The joy of having cabin fever is the comfort that it brings while it prevents us from moving forward.
The good thing about once you realise you have cabin fever is that you can then begin to analyse how best to treat it.
Hopefully I will have a remedy soon!! Watch this space!!
Having recently commenced this quest to listen to my music collection from start to finish, (well ok whats a few months between friends). I have discovered a new found joy for reading as well as a bemusement for the TV.
The TV is a great companion for those who want anaesthetic for the soul. I feel however that my new project of ipod mania has been a form of detox from the drug which most households in the UK have as the focus point of their living room.
Now as the ipod experiment has continued I have had to adapt to accomodate my own sanity. As my ipod was initially congested with Podcasts, Audiobooks and Italian Lessons. I have had to change my listening to actually attempt to achieve what I set out to do. The idea initially was to listen to the music on my ipod, as I was concerned that some of it had never been listened too, while other bits of it had not had a fair hearing.
So as the Beach Boys take me over the 70% mark and as I am yet to make a decision on whether to listen to the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy Audiobooks or at a point where I am listening to them. I now have a new challenge what book do I read next?
Recent highlights have included:
Bringing Down the House – Ben Mezrich (A present from over a year ago)
Peter Kays Autobiography (A present from last Christmas , I know and my friends have an inkling why this was purchased. Not a bad read either).
Tescopoly – Andrew Simms. (Another present anyone see a pattern. Ironically I guess this book now makes me think when I shop in TESCO’s).
Another book which wouldn’t fit into the above category and also wasn’t a present:
How to end poverty in your life time – Jeffrey Sachs.(The topic of course interests me, however this book would safely bore the g8 leaders to be quietly content at their lack of effort, and rest on their laurels due to how dull it was).
Now to the real important part:
I have quite a few books to get through that are in the office as well as those that my mother posted through my door today after being at a closing down sale.
So as the books were being shortlisted the more I thought about this. The more I began to think about where I would be in my own journey over the next few weeks and what would be important to help me focus along the way. Was I going on a journey to the centre of the Earth, (Jules Verne). Did I want to be the Last Mohican? (Cooper), or did I want a bell to toll for me? (Hemingway). Looks like Churchill giving me a Finest Hour will be an ample diet for my grey matter over the coming weeks!
Posted by theofficeinthestoreroom 
Posted by theofficeinthestoreroom 