I found these from my last semester at Cornell University when I was taking 29 credits and applying to grad school. I really had to prioritize, (the first time in my life since the 6th grade that I didn’t have track practice every day) hence my thesis show was named PRIORITIES. I’ve notated the results next to the goals.

1. Stay fit, 165 lbs. of twisted titanium (presently 161)
2. Finish graduate applications (accepted to SFAI, SAIC, and SVA)
3. Graduate (BFA art, BA psychology)
4. High jump 2.18 and constant over 2.06 (2.03m 2004 is my post collegiate PR )
5. Enjoy company of others (This is certainly an ongoing project)
6. Be true when deciding grad school (Um, I was true when I decided to live in San Francisco…SFAI was tough to deal with at times)
7. Thesis show that is amazing (check out PRIORITIES I was very happy with it)
8. Publish results from psych study (I had the stimulus drawings published, you can see what personal projects I was working on in the research section of hypermodern.net)
9. Get good hand care, no nail biting (this has come a long way, but I still bite rarely, especially during basketball season, than goodness for Orbit gum I really like Bubblemint)
10. All sport champions (Phi Delta Theta New York Alpha Chapter was second in 2002)
11. Turntables and DJ gigs. (Never got a gig, but did DJ some parties at CU, and used the turntables I got in my thesis video)

I have been moving forward with my show installation bit by bit, and have been working on being diligent with my time while still having time to decompress and relax. Thank you for respecting my need to focus on myself a bit during this potentially stressful period.

I have keeping an old Chinese saying in mind, as excerpted from the Gold Mountain Monastery newsletter based here in San Francisco.

“I make my own destiny and seek my own fortune; fortune and misfortune are not predetermined but acquired by my own actions.”

The newsletter continues…

If we want to stop being muddled and attain understanding, we must first do our best to get rid of our bad habits and faults, for only then can our wisdom shine forth…

This day is already done,
And our lives are that much less.
We’re like a fish in an ever-shrinking pond.
What joy is there in this?
Great assembly!
We should be diligent and vigorous,
As if our own lives were at stake.
Only be mindful of impermanence,
And be careful not to be lax.

Moving forward, I do feel as though my artistic life is at stake at the moment, and I’m investing all my resources to make sure when the opening comes, I’m ready. Procrastination is a fault that I’m growing out of as I have more experience.

I’ve been handing out cards, getting photos ready, and making plans. I also just got a fortune cookie: “You believe in the goodness of mankind”. I do, and I’m excited to share in the joy more each day.

Pete_Ipp.jpg

Originally uploaded by hypermodern

Leap into GTD. “The people who take to GTD are the most organized people,” David Allen says, “But they self-assess as the least organized, because they are well-enough organized to know that they are fucking up.”