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June 7, 2007 Leave a Comment

What are Your Five Fat Files?

Why Writers Need Five Fat Files

Janel Messenger published a post entitled “The Anti-Boredom Life,” in which she talked about modeling a life of curiosity and enthusiasm for learning, turning off the TV and assigning chores. After reading her post, I was ready to take the kids on a breezy bike ride, run in the woods or veg out in a hammock watching clouds. She also included some practical suggestions for the kids that anyone could pull out to inspire a little creativity (LEGOs, anyone?).

She referenced almost in passing another piece she wrote called “Five Fat Files.”

Lifelong learners? Autodidacts? The idea of five fat files ties in nicely with refreshing one’s mind, for one thing, and is a practical concept to help lifelong learners actually focus their curiosity.

It reminds me of a line from an article I read about brain research. I’ve never been able to confirm that this is an Einstein quote, but Dr. Daniel Amen wrote in his article “Optimizing Brain Function“:

Einstein said that if a person studies a subject for just 15 minutes a day in a year he will be an expert, and in five years he may be a national expert.

Man, if that’s true, Janel Messenger’s well on her way. She’s been collecting so much information, if she studies those five files 15 minutes a day, she could be a columnist for a national magazine or appear on Oprah. I love that she’s picked her five areas of expertise and filled files (and then “drawers full of files busting with a collective wisdom!”) with relevant articles, quotations and ideas.

Brilliant.

What labels would be on your Five Fat Files?

Filed Under: blogging, creativity, lifelong learning, mind, parenting, reading, self-discovery, works for me wednesday

Comments

  1. anordinarymom says

    June 8, 2007 at 12:43 am

    Thank you for pointing me to Janel’s blog. I loved her Five Fat Files post. What a profound yet simple idea! Makes me want to start figuring out what I would like to focus on … although, I know I don’t have the space for a big, fat file in my tiny apartment … maybe on the computer?

    Reply
  2. annkroeker says

    June 8, 2007 at 9:59 am

    Actually, after I published this post, I saw that Janel has several follow-up posts about selecting one’s Five Fat Files and a couple of others on organizing them.

    One of the posts is all about organizing them digitally, knowing that we are Internet women.

    Here’s her recommendation (pretty straightforward file management and bookmarking ideas, but helpful nevertheless):

    http://janelmessenger.blogspot.com/2006/10/organizing-your-digital-fff.html

    Reply
  3. My Quotidian Mysteries says

    June 8, 2007 at 12:49 pm

    Terrific tip on the Fat Files. It’s a great way to help focus one’s energy, and I need all the focus I can get.

    Thanks for sending us along to Janel’s place!

    Reply
  4. Karen Hossink says

    June 8, 2007 at 8:05 pm

    I enjoyed Janel’s ideas, too. I’d have to spend considerable time thinking about what my five would be (and perhaps I will), but off the top of my head I know one would be fun things to do/boredom busters and another would be about prayer and developing intimacy with God.

    Reply
  5. Andrea says

    June 8, 2007 at 10:07 pm

    Yes, her FFF is brilliant, I agree!!

    Reply
  6. Janel Messenger says

    June 11, 2007 at 12:54 pm

    Ann, thanks for the rave review! Last week was really long and rough. Reading your review made my week!

    Don’t worry about nailing down your FFF topics immediately. If you read all the articles, I tell how it took me about a year to finally decide.

    To pick, think about the things you’re interested in and already enjoy learning about. That’s a great place to start! Good luck and happy learning!

    Reply
  7. annkroeker says

    June 12, 2007 at 1:07 pm

    Hey, it’s good to see you here, Janel! I tried to leave a comment over at your place, or send you an e-mail, but I guess something didn’t work.

    I’m delighted to see that it was encouraging to see how far-reaching your FFF has impacted people. It’s a pleasure to meet a fellow lifelong learner.

    I actually have the start of Five Fat Files–I just never quite thought of narrowing them down and being so intentional about it. Inspiring stuff.

    Reply
  8. lokimikoj says

    September 22, 2007 at 4:39 am

    Hi

    Very good site! I like it! Thanks!

    Reply
  9. Debbie says

    September 28, 2007 at 6:38 pm

    I just found Janel’s blog as well. I was reading one of the books from Elizabeth George, the writer than Janel got the Five Fat File concept from (Time management for busy women), and I thought I’d see if I could find a little more info about others trying the FFF way. Janel’s post was helpful to me also, as I’m struggling to narrow my FFF ideas!

    Reply
  10. Debbie says

    September 28, 2007 at 6:41 pm

    oops sorry…I meant “Life management for busy women”

    Reply
  11. angelamills says

    April 23, 2009 at 12:59 pm

    I have written on this as well here:

    http://angelamills.wordpress.com/2009/01/21/five-fat-files/

    I will have to check out Janel’s post!

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. When you can’t think of a single solitary thing to post, resort to pictures of your kids and house and, oh yeah, the beach. « One Thing says:
    June 9, 2007 at 10:31 pm

    […] No Comments There’s something in the air. I read it here first. And then here. And then here. So I’m tre’ chic right now! But anyway, in the interest of keeping all 12 of you […]

    Reply
  2. Just Fifteen Minutes a Day: Ready…Set…Read! « Ann Kroeker says:
    November 22, 2008 at 12:39 pm

    […] one’s reading on a single subject reminds me of a post I wrote about lifelong learning and Five Fat Files. In it, I referenced an online article on brain research that included a statement attributed to […]

    Reply

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