Arts-Based Thinking From Three Years Ago

I am approaching, in 9 days, the one-year anniversary to my academic defense at Syracuse University. Yesterday, while filing items, I came across this doodle that was created in a workshop for planning ahead towards success while at Syracuse University. We were suppose to write, but I, of course, went to poetics, drawing, and a metaphor. I am the man at the bottom of the mountain, hiking to reach the top to the "doorway to the unknown". At the base are all my teaching experiences: in Japan, Denmark, Kentucky, my learning experiences from many locations, and the items I knew I had to do to propose a study. This was in 2009.

The water keeps on flowing 
and my soul keeps on growing.
I keep questioning
so I might continue knowing as I do.

One year later, I collected data.

Another year later, I defended.

Coming across this mountain yesterday made me pause and reflect for a second. I think I was overwhelmed while in the process (and am now overwhelmed by the unknown of reaching the tip).

I wrote to my mentors yesterday to say that I'm currently skiing down the other side. The defense. The graduation. And now the change in career.

It is an interesting metaphor --- to climb, because the truth is, one climb only predates another one.
It is my new space in time to build another mountain. What next? For what purposes? And to what result? That's the goal for 2013.