Curiosita

My “What if . . . ?” post yesterday got me thinking about a book I read years ago: How to Think Like Leonardo da Vinci by Michael J. Gelb.  I was also thinking of the book because it was on top of my dusty stack of books to finish someday.

In it, Gelb discusses what he calls “The Seven da Vincian Principles.”  The first of the seven principles is  Curiosita (curiosity) — An insatiably curious approach to life and unrelenting quest for continuous learning.

Other principles include the commitment to test knowledge through experience, persistence, and a willingness to learn from mistakes.

Sounds pretty Carpe Diem Life to me.

I'm no da Vinci (more like a German version of My Cousin Vinny).  However,  one da Vinci-like habit I’ve kept for decades is keeping journals and notebooks (keeping as is writing; also keeping as in cluttering our home with them).  No, not just a few notebooks, we’re talking dozens upon dozens upon . . .  even though I know that there is nothing remotely good, much less brilliant in any of them.  Thousands of pages of crap!  Kept.

 (Just one of several boxes of journals and notebooks)

So why do I bother saving them?  There is really no good logical reason — other than they are a part of me.

But, what if . . .?

Bill Gates once paid something like 30 plus million dollars back in the 90s for just 18 pages of Leonardo’s notebooks (da Vinci's, not DiCaprio's).  $30 million!

So, what if. . .

Bill, I’ll give you your choice of any 18 notebooks — that’s entire notebooks, not just pages — for half price.  My contact information is on this site.  Any 18 notebooks for the bargain price of 15 million dollars.  I look forward to hearing form.

Here’s to a Carpe Diem and Curious Life.

P.S.

Mr. Gates, I know you’re curious, so here’s a taste of what you’ll be investing in — a random poem from a random notebook:

A lie on my back at night 

Trying to fall asleep 

I listen to my stomach
Making gurgling noises

I don’t know what it’s saying
But, it’s fat!