Whimsical Field Trip

Welcome to the Whimsical Field Trip. It is your training ground for Time Travel, self-exploration, and regulating your nervous system.

As with any respectable research article, we begin with definitions. (In truth, I used to hate when essays began with definitions. I thought that was a horrid and stupid way to open anything. A cheat. A cop-out! Luckily, I have changed my stance as most people, including myself, have really gone about using words improperly. Now I love the practice and I define things regularly as a means to understanding this world.) Our first definition is Whimsical.

Whimsical: playfully quaint or fanciful, especially in an appealing and amusing way.

Field Trip: a trip made by students or research workers to study something at firsthand.

Put together, a Whimsical Field Trip is something I have started doing as a way to first-hand experience whimsy. It is a day trip where I do something I find fun. I do not worry about how long it takes. I do not worry about how much it costs. I am open to experiencing everything that crosses my path on that day.

The collective often complains of not having enough time to do the things we truly love. Even with a pandemic under our belt, we were very eager to get back into grinding. I imagine the ones who raced back to the grind first have found it quite difficult. That is by design. We are done with that era, we are onto the manipulation and relaxation within time itself.

Back to the Whimsical Field Trip. They will look different to each individual. I imagine that people in friend groups and within successful partnerships have similar ideas of what their whimsical field trip will look like.

For me, it is opening google maps, picking a small town within 1-2 hours of my base, and heading off. I give myself a budget of $50-$100, plus an extra $50 for gas. I am not looking for my whimsical field trips to bankrupt me. I am also not looking to overindulge—because these trips will bring on some serious dopamine and the desire to spend money will greatly increase.

This is just a game. Set your limits. Know your patterns. You’re not better if you stay well under the limit, and you’re not better if you can afford more. Remember, you ain’t shit. You’re god, but you ain’t shit.

If you are someone who is often around people for work or if you have a big family, ideally you will want to spend your Whimsical Field Trip alone. Sometimes this is not possible. Yet. This is time travel. This is finding space within time to come back to the self. This is creating a reality where you can freely move about the map. Maybe it begins as an afternoon one Sunday each month. Maybe that afternoon becomes a day. Maybe that day happens twice a month. Maybe it becomes every Sunday. Maybe you invite someone to participate in a Whimsical Field Trip with you. Maybe.

Tools for a successful Whimsical Field Trip:

Beverages: procure your choice of hydration, caffeine, and something sparkly.

Gas: Fill up, maybe check out the fun offerings at the minimart at your chosen gas station. You will likely be able to satisfy your beverage needs here as well.

Music: set your playlist to whatever the character your time traveler is embodying.

Outfit: you feel cute if you look cute. So look cute.

Do Not Disturb: You’re not at work, you’re not a mom, you’re not a person. You’re an observer and an observer does not have obligations but to observe.

Pictures: Ok this might be optional or completely subject to me. I take pictures of everything. The photos app, along with the notes app are incredibly powerful tools of self creation and documentation. Use them well.

What to look for: How do you feel when you are on the road and when you reach your destination? How do you feel when you interact with the people or animals at your destination? We’re looking for your mask. The one you put on to make it through life. The one that says “I’m great, how are you?” when you’d really rather just not be there at all. On a whimsical field trip, you are no one so it’s ok if you’d prefer to keep all interactions short. Or maybe you grasp this concept quickly and you completely let go of your mask and persona and find that you love interacting with people as a completely uninhibited human being. Take note.

Lunch is very important every day, but especially during the Whimsical Field Trip. And especially if you are someone who historically has a contentious relationship with food. You see the Whimsical Field Trip is a sort of cure-all because it is really a test of your relationship with reality. It is asking you not to give up full control (the $100 budget) to the Universe, but to start making conscious agreements with the universe. You are in 2 very important relationships: one with your self and one with the Universe. So you will eat that delicious lunch, and you will get your life-affirming souvenirs, and you will not look at your emails or text messages. Unless it is your beloved. Your beloved exists within the whimsy.

Ideally, your Whimsical Field Trip mentality gets applied to your daily activities. You will no longer be living just for that Sunday release. You will be living for every moment that you get to be an absolute whimsical nut. At the grocery store. On the phone with your insurance company. In traffic. Especially in traffic. I love traffic.  

And if you are still confused as to why this is considered Time Travel, well that’s ok. Time is a pretty confusing concept. It plays out as one thing, but it works as many others. For the practical application of the Whimsical Field Trip, my main takeaway is that it will not impact the very limited time you think you have here in your life/on this planet. You have the time to take time to make these trips regularly.

Ok that’s sufficient. Enjoy!