Yesterday I tried to squeeze in a day as much as I could; homework, work, and finally, to end the day, sitting in a coffeehouse to draw. By the time I reached the coffeehouse they were ready to close. So, I went home, only to fall asleep shortly after I arrived.

Yesterday represented a day of my life. What was I trying to accomplish? What was motivating me? What were the reasons that I choose to fill  my weekend with those activities? These questions, I have pondered for forty-four years, were resolved. A conclusion has been reached. Finally, I can idle my internal thinking machine and move on with life.

The Personal Experience

Each morning I get up to blog. I share my personal thoughts and experiences for the world to see. Why do I this strange ritual each morning? Because of the experience it gives me. What was I doing searching for a coffeehouse at 8:00 p.m. just to be able to draw in? I could easily achieved this at home. I conclude that it is the personal experience of sitting among strangers, the aroma and taste of other coffee bean blends, and being able to sit down and draw something new.

What about homework? What motivated me to get up and do this activity? It is part of the larger experience of wanting to go back to school. Homework is a small portion of the experience. But what has motivated me to go back to school? What experience was I trying to have here? There are multiple reasons, which lead me to into taking action at my age. These experiences include, being able to have better job opportunities and earn more money. The experience of having classmates, homework, an instructor, and being able to share my school experience with others in the workplace. The experience of being knowledgeable and confidently talking about subjects of interest with other people. And lastly, being able to discover and experience new passions and  possibly a new career.

What about work? What motivated me to fill my Saturday with work? What experience was I trying to have? Work allows me to experience a sense of stability. It keeps me in a comfortable place to stay. I’m able to experience the joys of eating without the effort of trying to grow my own food. Work is how I contribute to the system. I exchange my time for the experience of receiving money. And if managed wisely, I can experience a surplus of money rather than having the experience of living in a debt.

As I rode the bus yesterday on the way home, I observed each passenger. I thought about where they had just come from and where they were headed. What had they just experieced today? Was it a new movie release, a tour of Harold Washington Culture Center, shopping for new shoes at Macys,  enjoying a bag of Garrett’s popcorn, a bike ride along Lake Michigan, or a simple day walking around downtown Chicago? We all are motivated by our personal human experience.