Thursday, March 13, 2008

The thing with plans, especially ones made as you go along, is they can emerge from the kiln shaped entirely differently. You can add to them, take away from them, redefine them, and their contours change to match the way circumstance flows. The Social Plan of ’08, I’m beginning to realize, isn’t really a social plan at all, but rather a riff on the Self-Improvement Plan of ’07.

The goal is to become a modern Renaissance Man, and I stress modern here because a Renaissance Man during the actual Renaissance probably played the lute or built basilicas or shit like that. I’m also going for a more skill-based slant, because to me a skill is the ultimate souvenir–you walk away from an experience with a talent that might come in handy down the road, instead of a fistful of photos or a shiny novelty trinket.

It’s a weird bias, I know, but that’s where I’m at right now. I can’t name the 50 states–doubt I could hit 30, in fact–but the ability to figure out the main roads of a new area quickly, along with their general compass directions, appeals to me. I don’t know who the first nine presidents were, but it’s neat to know how to use a penny, specifically Lincoln’s hairline, to determine when your tires need changing. So, a modern Renaissance Man. Tennis starts soon. Cooking classes begin in April. And next week, it’s off to the shooting range.