Renaissance Woman
I have lately been doing this thing wherein I find out (usually through facebook) that friends and acquaintances are doing or have been doing these amazing, fun, crafty, interesting things that I think make them more attractive and more interesting as people because the assumption is that they are (or are becoming) much more well-rounded than I in consequence of these and similar activities. I don't know if that's true, in the end, but how could doing more interesting things not be beneficial regardless? I spend most of my time at work or asleep (today a banner day of 14+ hours of sleep), and when I'm not doing that I'm not really doing much. So, time to do it. All of it. This is sort of like a "bucket list", except it's much more mundane than that, since it includes things like riding public transportation and is mostly just about me becoming a less scaredy-cat, more adventurous, interesting, and well-rounded person. Let's call it my Renaissance (Wo)Man list.
(In no particular order:)
1. Ride the bus. Ride several buses - make transfers. Ride the Max and then a bus, or vice-versa. Generally get around for a day or two using public transportation only. - Sarah can attest to my fear and great dislike of public transit., this just needs to end. It will make me a better person.
2. Bake a pie. Hand-make the lattice-top crust. Take adorable pictures of it cooling on a ledge.
3. Finish knitting the damn scarf I started knitting approximately two years ago. Then knit something a little cooler and more interesting, please.
4. Skydive. This actually probably won't make me any more interesting, it just sounds like a lot of fun. Screaming-good fun.
5. Travel outside of the country. Preferably in non-English-speaking countries. Because I'm a bit of a xenophobe and I get really uncomfortable in situations where I might not be understood. Also I like everything to be clear-cut and to make a lot of sense, and not much of this will be true for someone like me traveling in foreign countries. It's good to be brought down a few pegs now and again, also it might open me up to experiencing some pretty amazing shit.
6. Learn how to play a first-person shooter video game. Because it seems impossible to me, but while playing Brutal Legend I am slowly learning to simultaneously look around and move around (two different joysticks utilized simultaneously having always been a problem for me in the past) - so this gives me great hope for the future. Also I just want to show myself (and my husband) that I can do it. Future goal: to be able to play Uncharted 2, which looks super awesome but which I cannot play as yet. Ultimate goal: to kick Trevor's ass while playing said type of game (fat chance, peeps).
7. Learn how to ride a motorcycle. And buy one, and ride it often. This is somewhat limited by local seasonal weather patterns, but still. Reason? It's badassed.
8. Learn how to shoot a gun. Already sort of done, but I mean really learn in the sense that I might retain the knowledge (since I've pretty much forgotten everything except the no-muzzle-sweeping piece). This also involves getting a gun and shooting it often (at a shooting range, don't worry). Badassed and interesting.
9. Write all the time. As covered earlier this evening in my other blog, I want to become a Writer. But most importantly, I just want to write. Like, all the time. This will probably ultimately make me less interesting as I will be spending so much valuable time at a desk in front of a computer, but I don't care.
10. Go to things. I realize this is really general, but do you know how many times in a given week or month I hear about events or shows or exhibits and think "that'd probably be really interesting" and then don't end up going for usually really stupid reasons like "I'm too tired" or "I'd rather go home and eat Kraft Macaroni & Cheese while watching a Project Runway rerun" or "I hate parking there". Dumb.
11. Go camping. Get dirty. Fucking do the poop in a hole thing. Pee in the woods. Don't shower. Sleep in a tent. Just don't get eaten by bears. I hate inconveniences - and camping is nothing if not one big, long, but beautiful and usually poignant inconvenience that I feel I just need to experience, for real.
That's it for now. I'll probably just keep editing this one entry as I think of more. And I'll let you know if I get any out of the way any time soon.
(In no particular order:)
1. Ride the bus. Ride several buses - make transfers. Ride the Max and then a bus, or vice-versa. Generally get around for a day or two using public transportation only. - Sarah can attest to my fear and great dislike of public transit., this just needs to end. It will make me a better person.
2. Bake a pie. Hand-make the lattice-top crust. Take adorable pictures of it cooling on a ledge.
3. Finish knitting the damn scarf I started knitting approximately two years ago. Then knit something a little cooler and more interesting, please.
4. Skydive. This actually probably won't make me any more interesting, it just sounds like a lot of fun. Screaming-good fun.
5. Travel outside of the country. Preferably in non-English-speaking countries. Because I'm a bit of a xenophobe and I get really uncomfortable in situations where I might not be understood. Also I like everything to be clear-cut and to make a lot of sense, and not much of this will be true for someone like me traveling in foreign countries. It's good to be brought down a few pegs now and again, also it might open me up to experiencing some pretty amazing shit.
6. Learn how to play a first-person shooter video game. Because it seems impossible to me, but while playing Brutal Legend I am slowly learning to simultaneously look around and move around (two different joysticks utilized simultaneously having always been a problem for me in the past) - so this gives me great hope for the future. Also I just want to show myself (and my husband) that I can do it. Future goal: to be able to play Uncharted 2, which looks super awesome but which I cannot play as yet. Ultimate goal: to kick Trevor's ass while playing said type of game (fat chance, peeps).
7. Learn how to ride a motorcycle. And buy one, and ride it often. This is somewhat limited by local seasonal weather patterns, but still. Reason? It's badassed.
8. Learn how to shoot a gun. Already sort of done, but I mean really learn in the sense that I might retain the knowledge (since I've pretty much forgotten everything except the no-muzzle-sweeping piece). This also involves getting a gun and shooting it often (at a shooting range, don't worry). Badassed and interesting.
9. Write all the time. As covered earlier this evening in my other blog, I want to become a Writer. But most importantly, I just want to write. Like, all the time. This will probably ultimately make me less interesting as I will be spending so much valuable time at a desk in front of a computer, but I don't care.
10. Go to things. I realize this is really general, but do you know how many times in a given week or month I hear about events or shows or exhibits and think "that'd probably be really interesting" and then don't end up going for usually really stupid reasons like "I'm too tired" or "I'd rather go home and eat Kraft Macaroni & Cheese while watching a Project Runway rerun" or "I hate parking there". Dumb.
11. Go camping. Get dirty. Fucking do the poop in a hole thing. Pee in the woods. Don't shower. Sleep in a tent. Just don't get eaten by bears. I hate inconveniences - and camping is nothing if not one big, long, but beautiful and usually poignant inconvenience that I feel I just need to experience, for real.
That's it for now. I'll probably just keep editing this one entry as I think of more. And I'll let you know if I get any out of the way any time soon.