OK. So I lied. There was actually a much more important novel experience that occurred for me on Day One, but I didn't blog about it because I wasn't absolutely certain that it actually had happened. Sometimes these things can just be a reaction to gas. But the next morning, when my 6-week-old daughter woke up with a radiant smile on her face, it confirmed without question that I had, in fact, witnessed her first, fully awake social smile! As a new mom, this is about the best novel experience I can imagine having on day one of my experiment!
My contemplations prior to becoming a mother is actually where the story of this project begins... When I was pregnant with my son, I was doing a lot of reading about anything and everything related to pregnancy, birth, and developmental psychology. This might be a good time to make an important confession to my readers: I am a nerd. It isn't always immediately apparent to people upon first glance, but I can only hide it for so long before it becomes readily apparent that underneath my normal looking exterior is a complete and utter nerd who is perhaps more than a tad bit neurotic. Given this unavoidable fact, it shouldn't be too surprising to discover that I was actually doing some reading about genetics because somehow this was going to help me to accurately predict and prepare for the physical traits and personality features of my son before he was born... Right? Right...
Anyhow, while attempting this futile task I came across an article about the possibility that "novelty seeking" might be genetic. As is usually the case when researching on the web, this led to the discovery of more articles about a novelty or experiencing seeking personality. And it didn't take me long to realize that I definitely had this genetic makeup... and this personality type.
I had always sympathized with the thrill-seeking personality. Throughout my life, boredom has been my biggest enemy. I'd rather be sad or angry than bored or stagnant. However, I've known for a fact that I wasn't the type of person who needed, (or wanted), to jump out of a plane and risk life and limb for an adrenaline rush. In truth, I'm more than a little scared of heights. However, with the discovery that the thrill seeker had a meeker, more neurotic cousin I had finally found my tribe. The experience seeker and the thrill seeker share a biologically based need for novelty, but the experience seeker has a lower tolerance for risk so we fulfill our needs in different ways.
A few months later, it became apparent that my equally nerdy BFF, Angela, had been doing her own research and pondering about novelty. Our conversations led to the envisioning of the Novel Experience Experiment and the different ways that we could document the personal impact of this journey. Originally, the plan was that Angela would take on the challenge and I would silently support her in the background. However, life and other responsibilities prevented her from starting this project, and it sat untouched for over a year. So I am now taking on the role of guinea pig and my journey begins with the smiling face of my newborn daughter. Let the novelty seeking begin!
My contemplations prior to becoming a mother is actually where the story of this project begins... When I was pregnant with my son, I was doing a lot of reading about anything and everything related to pregnancy, birth, and developmental psychology. This might be a good time to make an important confession to my readers: I am a nerd. It isn't always immediately apparent to people upon first glance, but I can only hide it for so long before it becomes readily apparent that underneath my normal looking exterior is a complete and utter nerd who is perhaps more than a tad bit neurotic. Given this unavoidable fact, it shouldn't be too surprising to discover that I was actually doing some reading about genetics because somehow this was going to help me to accurately predict and prepare for the physical traits and personality features of my son before he was born... Right? Right...
Anyhow, while attempting this futile task I came across an article about the possibility that "novelty seeking" might be genetic. As is usually the case when researching on the web, this led to the discovery of more articles about a novelty or experiencing seeking personality. And it didn't take me long to realize that I definitely had this genetic makeup... and this personality type.
I had always sympathized with the thrill-seeking personality. Throughout my life, boredom has been my biggest enemy. I'd rather be sad or angry than bored or stagnant. However, I've known for a fact that I wasn't the type of person who needed, (or wanted), to jump out of a plane and risk life and limb for an adrenaline rush. In truth, I'm more than a little scared of heights. However, with the discovery that the thrill seeker had a meeker, more neurotic cousin I had finally found my tribe. The experience seeker and the thrill seeker share a biologically based need for novelty, but the experience seeker has a lower tolerance for risk so we fulfill our needs in different ways.
A few months later, it became apparent that my equally nerdy BFF, Angela, had been doing her own research and pondering about novelty. Our conversations led to the envisioning of the Novel Experience Experiment and the different ways that we could document the personal impact of this journey. Originally, the plan was that Angela would take on the challenge and I would silently support her in the background. However, life and other responsibilities prevented her from starting this project, and it sat untouched for over a year. So I am now taking on the role of guinea pig and my journey begins with the smiling face of my newborn daughter. Let the novelty seeking begin!
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