The Human Adventure

The Human Adventure Planning Season By Ammi Midstokke

“OOOH!” I sighed from my office chair, There actually are a number of studies “They have it in elite black!” that link the writing-down-of-goals with

“Do I dare ask what you are buying on the improved likelihood of achieving those internet today?” asked my husband. goals. I like to lay out the entire new human

We’ve been together for a while now, so he I am going to become, preferably on Jan. 1, ought to know that the most exciting time of in a color-coded timeline of sanguine expecmy shopping year is when companies start tations. releasing their 2021 planners. I usually throw a lofty goal or two in there

I resist buying an annual planner until it is (lose weight, get out of debt) and then some absolutely unavoidable. If I buy it too early, freebies (go to a new place, take more naps) my eager optimism about the next year has so when I look back, I can have a sense of me scheduling so many backpacking trips achievement. By the end of the year, I’m and races and adventures that by January invariably chuffed at how much I actually I’m already telling people I’m too busy until accomplished. I almost always meet my nap August. goal.

If something doesn’t make it into the plan- Now, my planners are historical references ner, then it doesn’t happen. for the whole family. We look back in my

And if it is in my planner, it always notes and see when we started the first fire looks like a delightful engagement, even of the season, what we did on our vacation, if it’s a root canal. and how many times Dentistry is always I actually did make it listed four shades "IN A WORLD to the gym. They’ve of elegant turquoises, a variety of OF UNKNOWNS become an encyclopedia of where I floral designs, and AND INFLUENCES have been and where fancy calligraphy writing. It might as THAT ARE OUT I am going—mostly outside. well be a wedding invitation. In fact, OF MY CONTROL, I suppose that is my real attraction to I’ve taken to mak- OPENING MY them: having a sense ing my chore lists look like works of PLANNER GIVES ME of direction, however naive. In a world art. Which is why A SENSE OF CALM of unknowns and I rarely actually get to doing the chores. STABILITY" influences that are out of my control,

Planning is opening my planner about setting inten- gives me a sense of tion and avoiding the insidious sprawl of life calm stability—as if I still determine my own to take over. I would hate to be associated fate or something. It’s like a roadmap of selfwith such a word, but it’s rather “efficient.” Of care, coffee dates, long runs, and adventures all the things I hate to waste (coffee, paper), that keep me grounded. Occasionally, I even time is the most important. make time for work in there. //

Early winter is incubatory period for my plans of the upcoming year. I’ve just begun Ammi Midstokke is a nutritionist and author to forget the pain and injuries from last year’s living in North Idaho. She owns several huntraining load or misadventure in the moun- dred colored pencils but can never find a tains, and I can reflect on all the mistakes sharpener. Sadly, this is her last “The Human from a distance just far enough to not be Adventure” column but, we hope, not her last overwhelmed with guilt and shame. appearance in the pages of Out There.

STONE ROSE interpretive center & eocene fossil site

WE MISSED YOU THIS YEAR! Make Plans to See Us Next Year April 28 - Oct 31, 2021

Hunt through ancient shale layers to discover 50 million year old leaves, cones, insects, and maybe a rare fish or bird feather.

Keep 3 fossils per day per person. (Significant finds may be retained for research)

IN THE ♥ OF REPUBLIC, WA 509-775-2295 StoneRoseFossil.org