I have been trying various creative endeavors throughout the year, and I have to create plenty of designs and prototypes for my current job, but I have not had the motivation to catalog them as I did a few years ago. As I logged in today to possibly start blogging again, several attempts to restart reminded me that I have already been here. Of course, as Heraclitus says, you can never step in the same river twice, and that river is certainly different now.
My spark of inspiration arrived during the middle of a 125 km ride on the second day of Christmas as a part of the #Festive500 challenge from Rapha. I generally dislike challenges of this sort, as I prefer to go with the flow, but with the reality of a quiet Christmas, it was a good excuse to get outside. Deciding to do the challenge was also likely inspired from the words of Professor Dave in the first essay of his book, where he gives the advice that it doesn't matter what you do, as long as you're doing something. In general, I view challenges as sticks to hang carrots (or stroopwafels and preztels) rather than sticks used for beating. If a challenge gets you out to do a thing you enjoy, especially if you might have done something less rewarding, then why not go for it? The worst case scenario is that you stop short or find something else more enjoyable along the way.
Next year will certainly be busier than this year. It seems like this would have been the year to try to blog every day, but next year will have the advantage of having more to contemplate. I have no idea if I will form a cohesive thought, or make it somehow about art and creative projects again, and I definitely won't restrict myself to a word limit or force myself to write more than is necessary. Of course, this could end up being the only post I make.