Before you embark on an adventure, get a notebook, preferably one small enough to tuck into your back pocket. There is a sense of commitment in writing things down, almost like having a pact with one’s self.

I have several digital note-taking devices and services like Google Docs, Evernote and OneNote synced to the digital ether called the “cloud” and replicated on my phones, computers and laptop.

But digital, no matter how omnipresent and accessible, seems so fleeting, so deletable.

A recent study shows that people remember notes better if these are taken by hand rather than with digital tools.

I bought three yesterday — P49 cahiers from National Bookstore — for idea journals and notes.

Starting today and until June 20, I will be leave from business editor duties with Sun.Star Cebu to work on projects of my startup, InnoPub Media. These are primarily Digital Tourism projects. I also want to jumpstart ideas we’ve had to set aside for years now because of the lack of time and resources.

One thing I learned in starting up our Digital Tourism project is to muster the courage to pursue an idea. For years I have had several ideas about how to use tech to deliver certain types of information but I did not pursue these.

My wife, Marlen, and I finally decided to give it a go on our own with Digital Tourism and this has paid off for us. Digital Tourism has exploded this year and we’ve been expanding like crazy. People and groups now regularly send us messages asking when we could implement the program in their areas. Many approach us for help in digital and mobile projects. This 48-day sabbatical will allow me the breathing space to work on all these projects and pursue new ones.

I’ve also set some personal goals to learn new things, read a lot, blog and write more and run regularly.

The #48Days challenges I’m taking on during my break from my day job are:

• Build my first iPhone app
• Create 1 Android app a week for the entire break
• Learn to build a Windows Phone app by myself
• Build a news app
• Finish reading at least 3 books
• Run at least 200 kilometers
• Write at least 5 articles and blog posts a week
• Jumpstart 2 projects that have been percolating for years

My first entry on the journal is a challenge by Peter Brock, “Bite off more than you can chew and then chew like hell.”

That will set the tone for the next month and a half.