I am extremely disorganized (more on this later), so I decided to approach my Quest using some of the Project Management principles that I have had to learn in order to survive in the business Netherworld. Sacred Knowledge, critical in Quests of any kind, comes in many strange forms.I created a Timeline (Quest Progress page) to track my steps toward my Noble aspiration. I added the NaNoWriMo novel writing project and the upcoming Industry Insider Screenwriting Contest, both of which I’m planning to take part in.
To make it fun, I chose the Ingenious Gentleman Don Quixote of LaMancha as my proxy, since there are times my Quest feels more like a fool’s errand. As the months roll by, Don Quixote and Sancho Panza will travel from East to West, finishing his Journey in December, after having slain all of the Ferocious Giants (windmills, for you literalists).
In homage to the classic Knight, I have also renamed my 2002 Hyundai Sonata “Rocinante“, and have taken to calling the wife “Dulcinea“.
Wife: What the heck is that supposed to mean? Wasn’t Dulcinea a prostitute?
Our Hero: No… well, yes. Only in the Broadway version. In the book she was a homely peasant.
Wife (coldly): Oh, that’s much better.
Our Hero (sensing peril): But… but he didn’t see her that way. She was his romantic ideal! It’s a compliment!
Wife: Whatever. Can’t you give me normal compliments? Like a normal husband?
So, I still call the Sonata “Rocinante”. Wifey still goes by “Rachel” these days.