Learn Something New Every Day
I ask my boys almost every day what they learned that day. Whether it’s at school, at home, at a friends, I figure they must have learned something. Typically the answer is “nothing”, but every once in a while they answer with something they really did learn that day. It’s kind of awesome to see when that happens.
I’m no good with Excel. In fact, it’d be safe to say that not only am I no good with Excel, but I also am not a fan of Excel. I don’t like the way it works. I don’t like the columns. I don’t like that when I do something in one box it messes with other boxes. It’s just a jacked up program that I wish I knew better. I’m also no good with Wireframes. I love the idea of wireframes. I’m just not good at mapping something out like that and it takes me forever to get it right.
Recently I’ve started to realize that it seems like more days than not I go to bed having learned something that I didn’t know when I woke up that day. Not because I’m seeking out these things that I need to know, but because some circumstance that day has caused me to do something I either, (a.) hate to do and so I haven’t learned it, or (b.) something I didn’t know how to do but needed to get done. So I’ve started paying attention.
I’ve even started a little notebook where I’m writing down the things that I’ve learned. Now, let’s be clear, these aren’t Earth shattering things. In fact, I’m even a little embarrassed to admit that today I wrote down that Kristin taught me how to change Excel sheets from vertical to horizontal for printing. Seems easy enough right? Well, I didn’t know it because I hate Excel and never wanted to learn it. In fact, currently I am forcing my brain to remember how to do that so I don’t intentionally forget it because I ‘don’t want to learn it’. And yesterday I sat down with several sheets of paper and tried to learn wireframes. I ended up working it out and now it’s something I feel more comfortable with. Not perfect, but I’m getting there.
Anyway, all that to say, this is something I’m going to try to start doing. And like most posts on this site, I’m going to ask you. What’d you learn today? It could be something as lame as turning a page sideways in Excel, but we all learned something. Who’s with me in starting a little notebook and writing these things down. Imagine how cool it would be in a year to look back at all the junk you’ve learned.
This is actually a cool idea, I might try it.. if I’m not too lazy. Which I probably will be. Maybe the first entry will be: “I learned how not to be lazy and keep a notebook of things I learned how to do.”
But seriously, today I learned how to cook lasagna. Like those frozen ones that you buy from the store. Yup..
This is one of the best posts ever.
One of those… I am proud to be your friend brilliant ideas.
I’m not actually going to do the whole write down the new thing I learned because my entry today would be about the narwhal (the friendly rhinoceros of the sea). Although my notebook would be crazy awesome so perhaps I might.
Definitely worth passing it on to others as a great idea.
Today I learned that the Great Gray Owl has these crazy strong talons that would feel like “you’ve been hit with a two by four with nails sticking out of it” if they attacked you. (National Geographic.)
What a neat idea, sounds like a fun thing to do just to see what we learned in a year. I think I’ll do this for my granddaughter too.
On a side note, I love Excel!
I also love Excel! Once you realize what it can do for you (and how to do it), I think you’ll appreciate it.
Since I’m late to the party, I’ll tell you something I learned on 8/20: The models on The Price is Right wear Cookie Lee jewery. I had a Cookie Lee party at my house Friday. Turns out Ryan already knew that ~ which I thought was a little weird… ha ha