Date: March 27th, 2010
I've never been what you'd call a film connoisseur. My favorite movie is Eurotrip and I prize that film not for its cinematic brilliance so much as its hilarious consistency. It is funny. It doesn't pretend to be a gift to the world of comedy - it just... does funny things. If you're not easily grossed out, I would highly recommend it. In the meantime, the only time I've ever even seen someone understand artsy films was the time my mother watched Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind while accidentally high. To be fair to her, who knew anti-smoking medicine and cough medicine could make you hear the ocean?
March 31, 2010
March 30, 2010
Day 79 - Enter a Photo Contest
Date: March 26th, 2010
So. I've got a beautifully painted house made of cardboard and enough peeps to survive the apocalypse. You know what that means! Peeps themed photo contest in which the contestants are required to build 3-D scenes, place peeps in them and then send in the photos.
So. I've got a beautifully painted house made of cardboard and enough peeps to survive the apocalypse. You know what that means! Peeps themed photo contest in which the contestants are required to build 3-D scenes, place peeps in them and then send in the photos.
Like this, except on a budget
Day 78 - Paint a House
Date: March 25th, 2010
Back in August I decided that life would be better if I could surround myself with bubblegum pink every time I felt like studying, playing video games or chatting it up on Facebook. When that realization hit, I scrapped my other big plans for the weekend (they included sitting and/or watching TV) and took up a paint brush. I was pretty darn proud to have painted a room (mostly) all on my own. That being said, one thing I've never done is painted a whole house.
Back in August I decided that life would be better if I could surround myself with bubblegum pink every time I felt like studying, playing video games or chatting it up on Facebook. When that realization hit, I scrapped my other big plans for the weekend (they included sitting and/or watching TV) and took up a paint brush. I was pretty darn proud to have painted a room (mostly) all on my own. That being said, one thing I've never done is painted a whole house.
March 29, 2010
A Brief Interim Update
Date: March 29th, 2010
Hello loyal minions and/or readers of my blog. I know I've gotten a bit behind on entries so I'm writing this small addendum to assure anyone who is concerned that the project is still a go. I have the next two-three weeks of things decided and I have yet to skip a day.
Enough with the back-patting. I'm writing this more to apologize and explain my written tardiness. I'm sorry. Ok, golden. The apology is done. Now for the explanation.
Most people who know me well know that a well timed Kodak commercial will make my one-blue-one-green pair of eyes well up with tears of touched admiration. That young mother saved a kitten from a burning tree and then fell in love with a firefighter? Aww. Despite being perfectly willing to cry about spilled milk, the drop of a hat and (the perfect storm) a hat dropped into spilled milk... well... apparently when it matters, I'm not a big fan of crying in front of people.
Like all people, I do need some time to mourn and I feel a lot more comfortable doing it privately. I don't want the pitying "how you doin'?"s every time I talk to people, but a side effect of that is that comedy isn't exactly flowing from my pores at the moment. I am sure, with time, it will be easy to see the joy in little things. Right now though, it takes a lot of work.
I don't know if any of you have ever had to work to be joyful. Its worth the work. That being said... my hope is to get back in track some time in the next couple days to a week in terms of writing. I've had really wonderful experiences these past few days (except doing my taxes... holy Uncle of Sam did that suck) and I don't want to sell them short because sharing the joy in them would be "too hard". So, instead, I'm going to make you wait. So... ya know... suck it up.
Finally (and most importantly in this entry), I wanted to say thank you to the people who offered kind words of condolence both to me and to my parents. If there was ever a question in your minds about if your words mattered - let me assure you - they made all the difference in the world. They made an unbearable situation bearable. Thank you all.
Hello loyal minions and/or readers of my blog. I know I've gotten a bit behind on entries so I'm writing this small addendum to assure anyone who is concerned that the project is still a go. I have the next two-three weeks of things decided and I have yet to skip a day.
Enough with the back-patting. I'm writing this more to apologize and explain my written tardiness. I'm sorry. Ok, golden. The apology is done. Now for the explanation.
Most people who know me well know that a well timed Kodak commercial will make my one-blue-one-green pair of eyes well up with tears of touched admiration. That young mother saved a kitten from a burning tree and then fell in love with a firefighter? Aww. Despite being perfectly willing to cry about spilled milk, the drop of a hat and (the perfect storm) a hat dropped into spilled milk... well... apparently when it matters, I'm not a big fan of crying in front of people.
Like all people, I do need some time to mourn and I feel a lot more comfortable doing it privately. I don't want the pitying "how you doin'?"s every time I talk to people, but a side effect of that is that comedy isn't exactly flowing from my pores at the moment. I am sure, with time, it will be easy to see the joy in little things. Right now though, it takes a lot of work.
I don't know if any of you have ever had to work to be joyful. Its worth the work. That being said... my hope is to get back in track some time in the next couple days to a week in terms of writing. I've had really wonderful experiences these past few days (except doing my taxes... holy Uncle of Sam did that suck) and I don't want to sell them short because sharing the joy in them would be "too hard". So, instead, I'm going to make you wait. So... ya know... suck it up.
Finally (and most importantly in this entry), I wanted to say thank you to the people who offered kind words of condolence both to me and to my parents. If there was ever a question in your minds about if your words mattered - let me assure you - they made all the difference in the world. They made an unbearable situation bearable. Thank you all.
March 25, 2010
Day 77 - Get Invited to Speak to a Class
Date: March 24th, 2010
I'm an expert at a lot of things. I'm great at pontificating. I have a PhD in imagination. I could write a book on procrastination, ya know, in theory. And, well, you may not know this about me, but I have six toes and I'm a world class liar (those last two things are, of course, meant to be read in tandem). Sadly, none of those pursuits are the kind of thing that get you invited, well, anywhere. Surely not to an institution of higher learning.
I'm an expert at a lot of things. I'm great at pontificating. I have a PhD in imagination. I could write a book on procrastination, ya know, in theory. And, well, you may not know this about me, but I have six toes and I'm a world class liar (those last two things are, of course, meant to be read in tandem). Sadly, none of those pursuits are the kind of thing that get you invited, well, anywhere. Surely not to an institution of higher learning.
March 24, 2010
Day 76 - Buy Property
Date: March 24th, 2010
After years of hoping, waiting, wanting and wringing my hands in anticipation of being a property owner; I have finally arrived. That's right kids: I'm part of the landed gentry. Were I man, I'd have earned myself a vote in Colonial America. Since I am not, I have earned my future husband a vote in Colonial America. Where is this glorious parcel, you ask? In what delightful shaded grove shall I now sit and drink tea as the sun sets.
Well. Its a little bit of a trip. You see, the land I bought... its on Mars.
After years of hoping, waiting, wanting and wringing my hands in anticipation of being a property owner; I have finally arrived. That's right kids: I'm part of the landed gentry. Were I man, I'd have earned myself a vote in Colonial America. Since I am not, I have earned my future husband a vote in Colonial America. Where is this glorious parcel, you ask? In what delightful shaded grove shall I now sit and drink tea as the sun sets.
Well. Its a little bit of a trip. You see, the land I bought... its on Mars.
March 23, 2010
Day 75 - Play a Slide Whistle
Date: March 22nd, 2010
This entry is not about a slide whistle. This entry is about my gramma. That being said, my gramma took great pride in this project. She was excited to teach me quilting and wool-working and hoped that there would be time for more projects. There was not. My gramma, Melba Turpen, died at 6:32am on Monday morning with both of my parents by her side. One of her finals wishes (and true proof of how selfless she was) was that her death not cause my parents or I to fail at our pursuits. She said to my mom, numerous times, that it was important to her not to disrupt my mom's graduation from law school. She was less concerned about mine (not being until December and all), but she was proud that I continued with my projects and brought them home to show her as long as possible. She got a good look at our greener world sculpture last weekend and saw the Mentos and Diet Coke trick video.
While it goes without saying that yesterday was hard, I knew she wouldn't want me to fail at this project (or any other) on her account. So I grabbed the slide whistle I got for Christmas (and never took out of the box) from my closet and gave it a few puffs. I hope no one will fault me for not writing extensively about the experience of passing air through a tube to make a sound. The rest of this entry is about my gramma. I'd like to share some things about her with you all, if you're willing to read on. Thank you.
This entry is not about a slide whistle. This entry is about my gramma. That being said, my gramma took great pride in this project. She was excited to teach me quilting and wool-working and hoped that there would be time for more projects. There was not. My gramma, Melba Turpen, died at 6:32am on Monday morning with both of my parents by her side. One of her finals wishes (and true proof of how selfless she was) was that her death not cause my parents or I to fail at our pursuits. She said to my mom, numerous times, that it was important to her not to disrupt my mom's graduation from law school. She was less concerned about mine (not being until December and all), but she was proud that I continued with my projects and brought them home to show her as long as possible. She got a good look at our greener world sculpture last weekend and saw the Mentos and Diet Coke trick video.
While it goes without saying that yesterday was hard, I knew she wouldn't want me to fail at this project (or any other) on her account. So I grabbed the slide whistle I got for Christmas (and never took out of the box) from my closet and gave it a few puffs. I hope no one will fault me for not writing extensively about the experience of passing air through a tube to make a sound. The rest of this entry is about my gramma. I'd like to share some things about her with you all, if you're willing to read on. Thank you.
Day 74 - Be Part of a Vigil for a Loved One
Date: March 21st, 2010
The thing about the word vigil is that it evokes images of people standing in public squares, holding candles and weeping for an iconic stranger. People go to vigils whenever a young girl was kidnapped, whenever a celebrity dies and once a year on the anniversary of the Iraq War. They are ingrained in our conscious as a public rite of mourning for someone who has already passed.
However, the word itself simply means a period of watchful attention. There is a lot less ceremony to a vigil in honor of a loved one. Over the course of the night on Saturday and Sunday, my parents and I kept watch over my grandmother. It was important to her (and us) that someone be there when she passed and starting on Friday night she went into steep decline.
I took turns with my parents watching at her bedside until Sunday night. When I made the decision to go home and sleep, I knew my parents would continue to watch her bedside and see to it that she was cared for. They were awake all night on Sunday and into Monday morning watching her and making sure she was comfortable and unafraid.
There was nothing joyous about keeping a vigil over my grandmother, but there was a sense of purpose to it. There was so little left that we could do for her - making sure she was comfortable and that she knew she was loved were all we had left in our bag of hospice tricks. So that's what we did.
The thing about the word vigil is that it evokes images of people standing in public squares, holding candles and weeping for an iconic stranger. People go to vigils whenever a young girl was kidnapped, whenever a celebrity dies and once a year on the anniversary of the Iraq War. They are ingrained in our conscious as a public rite of mourning for someone who has already passed.
However, the word itself simply means a period of watchful attention. There is a lot less ceremony to a vigil in honor of a loved one. Over the course of the night on Saturday and Sunday, my parents and I kept watch over my grandmother. It was important to her (and us) that someone be there when she passed and starting on Friday night she went into steep decline.
I took turns with my parents watching at her bedside until Sunday night. When I made the decision to go home and sleep, I knew my parents would continue to watch her bedside and see to it that she was cared for. They were awake all night on Sunday and into Monday morning watching her and making sure she was comfortable and unafraid.
There was nothing joyous about keeping a vigil over my grandmother, but there was a sense of purpose to it. There was so little left that we could do for her - making sure she was comfortable and that she knew she was loved were all we had left in our bag of hospice tricks. So that's what we did.
March 22, 2010
Day 73 - Do a Home Repair Without Any Help
Date: March 20th, 2010
There are little things around my house, car and life that are, quite frankly, baffling to me. Fixing sinks, plumbing, doors, lights, electronics, computers, any part of a car etc.. its all new and scary. I took my first little foray into the pit of darkness known as car maintenance when I changed the washer fluid a few days back, but I had yet to crack into the elusive home-repair area of the brain.
There are little things around my house, car and life that are, quite frankly, baffling to me. Fixing sinks, plumbing, doors, lights, electronics, computers, any part of a car etc.. its all new and scary. I took my first little foray into the pit of darkness known as car maintenance when I changed the washer fluid a few days back, but I had yet to crack into the elusive home-repair area of the brain.
Day 72 - Build a Mousetrap Powered Car
Date: March 19th, 2010
In what is going to go down as one of the all time sweetest things a father has done for a daughter, my dad arrived back from Lansing (he and my mother had gone there for the afternoon to take care of a few things) with two bags filled with project materials for me. It was a huge lifesaver - I'd been at my parent's house every day that whole week so I was running out of little at home things to do.
In what is going to go down as one of the all time sweetest things a father has done for a daughter, my dad arrived back from Lansing (he and my mother had gone there for the afternoon to take care of a few things) with two bags filled with project materials for me. It was a huge lifesaver - I'd been at my parent's house every day that whole week so I was running out of little at home things to do.
March 21, 2010
Day 71 - Eat at Dominick's
Date: March 18th, 2010
I've lived in Ann Arbor since 2003. There are some things about this town that are so quintessentially Ann Arbor that not doing them is a travesty of epic proportions. Never eating at Charlie's or Pizza House are unforgivable sins against this city. Just like never going to Pinball Pete's, walking through the fountain between the MLB and the League or stepping on the M at the center of the diag are all completely inappropriate. Now, be careful with that one - legend has it that anyone who steps on it before their first blue book exam will fail the test.
I've lived in Ann Arbor since 2003. There are some things about this town that are so quintessentially Ann Arbor that not doing them is a travesty of epic proportions. Never eating at Charlie's or Pizza House are unforgivable sins against this city. Just like never going to Pinball Pete's, walking through the fountain between the MLB and the League or stepping on the M at the center of the diag are all completely inappropriate. Now, be careful with that one - legend has it that anyone who steps on it before their first blue book exam will fail the test.
Day 70 - Learn to Play the Harmonica
Date: March 17th, 2010
Saying that I come from a musical family may be a bit of an understatement. My extended family on my dad's side is so musical they could make an amateur Glee knockoff without blinking an eye. I look forward, hopefully, to going to a family reunion this summer (schedule permitting) and seeing them break into a seemingly choreographed song and dance number rivaling that of the great Jerome Robbins. I assume that's what happens at family reunions, right? In any case, it goes without saying that I won't be getting a spot in the DCamp Family Band any time soon. That would require, ya know, music talent.
Saying that I come from a musical family may be a bit of an understatement. My extended family on my dad's side is so musical they could make an amateur Glee knockoff without blinking an eye. I look forward, hopefully, to going to a family reunion this summer (schedule permitting) and seeing them break into a seemingly choreographed song and dance number rivaling that of the great Jerome Robbins. I assume that's what happens at family reunions, right? In any case, it goes without saying that I won't be getting a spot in the DCamp Family Band any time soon. That would require, ya know, music talent.
March 18, 2010
Day 69 - Been the "Tech" Person on a Project
Date: March 16th, 2010
I believe I mentioned this when I installed the cable at my parent's house a couple months back, but I am not technologically literate. It may seem that way, but I manage my way around a computer the same way an illiterate person knows not to drive through a stop sign. Its not the S-T-O-P that does it - its the bright red symbol of authority surrounding the word.
As for computers? If its not in the help menu, the FAQ or the Google, its not within my expertise. Well, even counting Google may be a stretch - there's a lot of stuff on the Google. I'm serious. A lot. Of stuff. In the meantime, I manage pretty well as long as what I'm doing doesn't involve C++, PERL, HTML, A/S/L, OMGWTFBBQ etc...
I believe I mentioned this when I installed the cable at my parent's house a couple months back, but I am not technologically literate. It may seem that way, but I manage my way around a computer the same way an illiterate person knows not to drive through a stop sign. Its not the S-T-O-P that does it - its the bright red symbol of authority surrounding the word.
As for computers? If its not in the help menu, the FAQ or the Google, its not within my expertise. Well, even counting Google may be a stretch - there's a lot of stuff on the Google. I'm serious. A lot. Of stuff. In the meantime, I manage pretty well as long as what I'm doing doesn't involve C++, PERL, HTML, A/S/L, OMGWTFBBQ etc...
Day 68 - Do the Mentos and Diet Coke Trick
Date: March 15th, 2010
Americans have a unique ability to discover and exploit things that have absolutely no practical purpose whatsoever. There is no greater example of this than the Mentos & Diet Coke trick. The short explanation of what happens is that if you drop Mentos (regular flavor only) into a bottle of Diet Coke (other sodas work, but diet is better), it will cause an intense, pressurized reaction of fizzy awesomeness. The short explanation is really all you need to enjoy the trick, which is why its absolutely insane that this article, this article, this article and this TV show actually exist.
Americans have a unique ability to discover and exploit things that have absolutely no practical purpose whatsoever. There is no greater example of this than the Mentos & Diet Coke trick. The short explanation of what happens is that if you drop Mentos (regular flavor only) into a bottle of Diet Coke (other sodas work, but diet is better), it will cause an intense, pressurized reaction of fizzy awesomeness. The short explanation is really all you need to enjoy the trick, which is why its absolutely insane that this article, this article, this article and this TV show actually exist.
March 17, 2010
Day 67 - Be Responsible for Someone's Final Wishes
Date: March 14th, 2010
As I mentioned a few entries back, my grandmother is very ill. While she isn't dealing with immediate medical concerns like she was last week, we are at the "make her comfortable" stage of things. In the past few weeks, I've come to admire her bravery so much. I know everybody goes through that whole "contemplate your mortality" phase at some point so I'm not going to dwell on whatever thoughts I'm having, except to say this: it is outside of my comprehension to see how well she is handling herself through everything. I can't say I've seen her cry a single time, even when she's talking about the most serious aspects of her situation.
As I mentioned a few entries back, my grandmother is very ill. While she isn't dealing with immediate medical concerns like she was last week, we are at the "make her comfortable" stage of things. In the past few weeks, I've come to admire her bravery so much. I know everybody goes through that whole "contemplate your mortality" phase at some point so I'm not going to dwell on whatever thoughts I'm having, except to say this: it is outside of my comprehension to see how well she is handling herself through everything. I can't say I've seen her cry a single time, even when she's talking about the most serious aspects of her situation.
March 16, 2010
Day 66 - Enter a Sculpture Contest
Date: March 13th, 2010
Among the many things I initially hesitate to do is building a sculpture and entering it into a contest. There's something about having to make an object that is both artistic and structurally sound that makes the two sides of my brain get into a knife fight. Seriously. Last time I tried, my sculpture collapsed, leaving nothing to enter the contest with. I decided it was time to face up to the personal, life-altering tragedy that was trying to sculpt by entering a contest I found online. The theme was "Dreaming of a Greener World" so... ya know... y'all should recycle and junk.
The part that made it appealing to me was that it was billed as being part of a workshop. So, I figured I could make my perfectly structurally sound sculpture and enter it, then pretend the contest was rigged when I realized I'd forgotten to be artistic. The set up, it would seem, made it a lot easier to be in denial about the sculpture situation than it collapsing in front of me. For kicks (and cause they're awesome) I brought Justin and Dawn to build it with me.
Among the many things I initially hesitate to do is building a sculpture and entering it into a contest. There's something about having to make an object that is both artistic and structurally sound that makes the two sides of my brain get into a knife fight. Seriously. Last time I tried, my sculpture collapsed, leaving nothing to enter the contest with. I decided it was time to face up to the personal, life-altering tragedy that was trying to sculpt by entering a contest I found online. The theme was "Dreaming of a Greener World" so... ya know... y'all should recycle and junk.
The part that made it appealing to me was that it was billed as being part of a workshop. So, I figured I could make my perfectly structurally sound sculpture and enter it, then pretend the contest was rigged when I realized I'd forgotten to be artistic. The set up, it would seem, made it a lot easier to be in denial about the sculpture situation than it collapsing in front of me. For kicks (and cause they're awesome) I brought Justin and Dawn to build it with me.
March 15, 2010
Day 65 - Attend a Cultural Festival
Date: March 12th, 2010
Given how I was raised, this is about as shocking as not having done a paint-by-numbers at 25 years old. My parents always fostered an interest in different political and cultural points of view, but for some reason, I cannot for the life of me, remember going to any kind of festival put on by a particular cultural group. No Octoberfest, no St. Patty's Day (though I did enjoy roaming the early morning drunken streets of Ann Arbor a few years back), nada. Maybe I've forgotten, but for the purposes of this exercise, I've determined that forgetting makes it count.
Given how I was raised, this is about as shocking as not having done a paint-by-numbers at 25 years old. My parents always fostered an interest in different political and cultural points of view, but for some reason, I cannot for the life of me, remember going to any kind of festival put on by a particular cultural group. No Octoberfest, no St. Patty's Day (though I did enjoy roaming the early morning drunken streets of Ann Arbor a few years back), nada. Maybe I've forgotten, but for the purposes of this exercise, I've determined that forgetting makes it count.
March 12, 2010
Day 64 - Learn How to Break a Fever
Date: March 11th, 2010
People who read this consistently may have noticed that the entries since I got back from DC are mostly small things that I've done. Though I'm deeply committed to this project, I am also committed to my family and it is the latter that has required some attention. Most of you know that my grandmother has been ill for some time. She's been battling cancer for over a year and recently things have gotten a lot worse.
Those who've known me for a while know that I don't like going on about personal things in a public forum, but I'm also aware that some rough times are ahead in the near future. If we are extremely lucky, she will be with us for another couple weeks, but even that would be a blessing at this point. One of the things that happens when someone is nearing the end of their life is that their body becomes less capable of controlling its internal temperature. So, if you bundle up in blankets, the temperature goes way up and if you lay about with only a thin layer of clothes on, the temperature drops.
She was running a high fever the other night - up around 103 for a while. That's not something I've ever experienced. My solution to fevers is Tylenol and bed rest. But then... we're talking 101.5 max. Turns out, when it comes to breaking a fever, nothing beats an old classic. We prepared a ton of ice packs and put them on her neck, head, chest and feet to cool her down. It took several hours, but eventually her temperature went back down to about 99. Its still a little warm, but its not the dangerous temperature she had last night.
Helping get a fever down isn't something I've ever done before and its vitally important to me to be there for my gramma and my parents in the days and weeks ahead. My gramma has told me how highly she thinks of this project and, in that spirit, I will continue to do new things every day. I have been fortunate not to lose someone close to me in a long time and, for that reason, I haven't ever done the things that go along with that before. I hope no one will be too terribly bothered if there are a few times when I need to take the day for my family.
Not all new experiences are as joyful as the one's I've found so far, but that is part of living. I am much more aware of how lucky I am not to have experienced deep loss like this until now thanks to this project. The fact that I've never had to break a fever, for example, is a sign of how blessed I have been in my life so far. In a vain attempt to cheer y'all up, I will leave you with some words of wisdom I stumbled onto the other day.
Fair warning - there's some cursing - but it cheered me up, so, ya know, deal with it.
People who read this consistently may have noticed that the entries since I got back from DC are mostly small things that I've done. Though I'm deeply committed to this project, I am also committed to my family and it is the latter that has required some attention. Most of you know that my grandmother has been ill for some time. She's been battling cancer for over a year and recently things have gotten a lot worse.
Those who've known me for a while know that I don't like going on about personal things in a public forum, but I'm also aware that some rough times are ahead in the near future. If we are extremely lucky, she will be with us for another couple weeks, but even that would be a blessing at this point. One of the things that happens when someone is nearing the end of their life is that their body becomes less capable of controlling its internal temperature. So, if you bundle up in blankets, the temperature goes way up and if you lay about with only a thin layer of clothes on, the temperature drops.
She was running a high fever the other night - up around 103 for a while. That's not something I've ever experienced. My solution to fevers is Tylenol and bed rest. But then... we're talking 101.5 max. Turns out, when it comes to breaking a fever, nothing beats an old classic. We prepared a ton of ice packs and put them on her neck, head, chest and feet to cool her down. It took several hours, but eventually her temperature went back down to about 99. Its still a little warm, but its not the dangerous temperature she had last night.
Helping get a fever down isn't something I've ever done before and its vitally important to me to be there for my gramma and my parents in the days and weeks ahead. My gramma has told me how highly she thinks of this project and, in that spirit, I will continue to do new things every day. I have been fortunate not to lose someone close to me in a long time and, for that reason, I haven't ever done the things that go along with that before. I hope no one will be too terribly bothered if there are a few times when I need to take the day for my family.
Not all new experiences are as joyful as the one's I've found so far, but that is part of living. I am much more aware of how lucky I am not to have experienced deep loss like this until now thanks to this project. The fact that I've never had to break a fever, for example, is a sign of how blessed I have been in my life so far. In a vain attempt to cheer y'all up, I will leave you with some words of wisdom I stumbled onto the other day.
Fair warning - there's some cursing - but it cheered me up, so, ya know, deal with it.
March 11, 2010
Day 63 - Learn Something New with eHow
Date: March 10th, 2010
A while back I discovered this website that essentially has instructions for everything. Need to know how to change a tire? Its there. What about the best way to shampoo and condition in the shower - yup, there are easy to follow steps. Making money quickly? Indeed, there is an article. Its user generated and rated content, which is brilliant -- if you know how to do something and you think others could benefit from your knowledge, post away! The site is called eHow and it is conveniently divided into sections based on subject areas - in case you feel like surfing.
I decided I wanted to learn how to do something small and random so I went surfing until something interested me. In the wake of my glorious visit to the spy museum (and being out-spied by Ben and Lisa), I went for something a little sneaky. Did you know that if you dial *67 before you call someone, it will hide your caller ID from them? I didn't, but now I do. Its the magic of learning.
One of the main things to note about today's activity - the site made it so easy to learn my new thing. All I did was surf for ten minutes, read the article and then try it out. Maybe a 10-15 minute time commitment for learning a new skill. At any given time there are between 10-50 things that I wish I knew how to do, floating around in my mind. Sometimes I learn by doing (a la the washer fluid) and others by watching someone else's example. I'm digging the fact that there's now a way to just... look it up. I mean, the Wikipedia let's you look up what something is - but not how to cook it or build it or do it.
I love the fact that information like this is at our fingertips now.
A while back I discovered this website that essentially has instructions for everything. Need to know how to change a tire? Its there. What about the best way to shampoo and condition in the shower - yup, there are easy to follow steps. Making money quickly? Indeed, there is an article. Its user generated and rated content, which is brilliant -- if you know how to do something and you think others could benefit from your knowledge, post away! The site is called eHow and it is conveniently divided into sections based on subject areas - in case you feel like surfing.
I decided I wanted to learn how to do something small and random so I went surfing until something interested me. In the wake of my glorious visit to the spy museum (and being out-spied by Ben and Lisa), I went for something a little sneaky. Did you know that if you dial *67 before you call someone, it will hide your caller ID from them? I didn't, but now I do. Its the magic of learning.
One of the main things to note about today's activity - the site made it so easy to learn my new thing. All I did was surf for ten minutes, read the article and then try it out. Maybe a 10-15 minute time commitment for learning a new skill. At any given time there are between 10-50 things that I wish I knew how to do, floating around in my mind. Sometimes I learn by doing (a la the washer fluid) and others by watching someone else's example. I'm digging the fact that there's now a way to just... look it up. I mean, the Wikipedia let's you look up what something is - but not how to cook it or build it or do it.
I love the fact that information like this is at our fingertips now.
March 10, 2010
Day 62 - Create a Personal Budget
Date: March 9th, 2010
I have been very fortunate for most of my life in that my family has been comfortable when it comes to money. You know the old saying "champagne taste on a beer budget"? My life has been more of a mid-grade whiskey on a mid-grade whiskey budget. While that's been nice and simple so far... it doesn't lend itself to forming good habits about money.
Why, you might ask? Well, think about it for a second. If the only thing you really want is to buy sliced ham, sliced cheese and white bread for sandwiches and you know you have enough money to do that - are you going to keep close track of said money? I'm sure some people would, but my own happy little world is a very nice place and in it, running detailed budget figures is like the big, bad monster of boredom coming to eat the schoolchildren. In other words - not happening because things like that don't happen in a nice little world.
In any case, I don't have money in the budget to go buy 87 ponies, name each one of them Goldrina, Princess of Lightness and then set them free in the central American plains area. Then again, I don't have a desire to do that either - and that's generally why I've been lazy about my budget. That being said, there comes a point when it becomes clear that you're missing out on a life skill. I don't care about the pony stunt, but I sure do like my car running smoothly and having a house to live in. Those things are, ya know, nice...
So I sat down, with some familial help, and laid out all the major spending and saving categories and made cost estimates on a per month basis to figure out how much should be coming in and going out at the moment. One thing in particular that we chose to do was put down all the major categories I'm likely to experience in the next decade. So, for example, there is space on my lovely budget spreadsheet for housing taxes even though that's not something I'm responsible for yet.
It was a good exercise and now I have the framework necessary to make important life decisions - like what kind of pay I need to live on once I'm out of school. That, ya know, seems important.
PS: No, I will not tell you what my budget looks like in detail, including numbers. I will share one and only one detail - there is a section for soda and only soda. Because I'm on a health food kick.
I have been very fortunate for most of my life in that my family has been comfortable when it comes to money. You know the old saying "champagne taste on a beer budget"? My life has been more of a mid-grade whiskey on a mid-grade whiskey budget. While that's been nice and simple so far... it doesn't lend itself to forming good habits about money.
Why, you might ask? Well, think about it for a second. If the only thing you really want is to buy sliced ham, sliced cheese and white bread for sandwiches and you know you have enough money to do that - are you going to keep close track of said money? I'm sure some people would, but my own happy little world is a very nice place and in it, running detailed budget figures is like the big, bad monster of boredom coming to eat the schoolchildren. In other words - not happening because things like that don't happen in a nice little world.
In any case, I don't have money in the budget to go buy 87 ponies, name each one of them Goldrina, Princess of Lightness and then set them free in the central American plains area. Then again, I don't have a desire to do that either - and that's generally why I've been lazy about my budget. That being said, there comes a point when it becomes clear that you're missing out on a life skill. I don't care about the pony stunt, but I sure do like my car running smoothly and having a house to live in. Those things are, ya know, nice...
So I sat down, with some familial help, and laid out all the major spending and saving categories and made cost estimates on a per month basis to figure out how much should be coming in and going out at the moment. One thing in particular that we chose to do was put down all the major categories I'm likely to experience in the next decade. So, for example, there is space on my lovely budget spreadsheet for housing taxes even though that's not something I'm responsible for yet.
It was a good exercise and now I have the framework necessary to make important life decisions - like what kind of pay I need to live on once I'm out of school. That, ya know, seems important.
PS: No, I will not tell you what my budget looks like in detail, including numbers. I will share one and only one detail - there is a section for soda and only soda. Because I'm on a health food kick.
Day 61 - Pray the Rosary
Date: March 8th, 2010
I don't know about you, but driving across several states in a single day really takes it out of me. I was still very tired on Monday when I started looking for something to do for the day, so I wanted something that wasn't too... rowdy. You know, no wrestling galactic invaders or learning a catering business from the ground up. Those things would be... a little too involved. So, I swung all the way the other direction and decided to spend some time looking inward for the day.
I don't know about you, but driving across several states in a single day really takes it out of me. I was still very tired on Monday when I started looking for something to do for the day, so I wanted something that wasn't too... rowdy. You know, no wrestling galactic invaders or learning a catering business from the ground up. Those things would be... a little too involved. So, I swung all the way the other direction and decided to spend some time looking inward for the day.
March 9, 2010
Day 60 - Change the Washer Fluid in my Car
Date: March 7th, 2010
I have, thus far, managed to make most of the major milestone days that I've passed into incredibly basic new experiences. I feel like I should do something epic on day 65 - there will be fewer than 300 days to go at that point. In the meantime, I managed to schedule my little road trip such that I would be driving the entire nine hours back to Michigan, from DC, on day 60.
I have, thus far, managed to make most of the major milestone days that I've passed into incredibly basic new experiences. I feel like I should do something epic on day 65 - there will be fewer than 300 days to go at that point. In the meantime, I managed to schedule my little road trip such that I would be driving the entire nine hours back to Michigan, from DC, on day 60.
March 8, 2010
Day 59 - Go to a Roller Derby
Date: March 6th, 2010
I find that most activities are a lot more fun when they are done on wheels, blades, a board or some combination of those three things. Why run in a circle, pushing people and yelling at them, when you can strap wheels to your feet and do it at least 5-10 MPH faster? This is a point about which I feel great passion. Were it feasible, I would argue that all people should be on some form of wheels, blades or boards at all times. Walking is so passe.
I find that most activities are a lot more fun when they are done on wheels, blades, a board or some combination of those three things. Why run in a circle, pushing people and yelling at them, when you can strap wheels to your feet and do it at least 5-10 MPH faster? This is a point about which I feel great passion. Were it feasible, I would argue that all people should be on some form of wheels, blades or boards at all times. Walking is so passe.
Day 58 - Visit a Real TV Studio
Date: March 5th, 2010
If there's one thing I've found out in the past couple months, its that museums are absolute treasure troves of things people haven't done before. I generally like museums, but I took them for places to see things that were unusual and interesting more than experience things that were new and interesting. Yeah, I know, I'm just splitting hairs, but would you really still be reading if every entry started with "and then we stopped at the Museum of Whatever-the-Heck?". Maybe some of y'all would, but that's cause we're all huge nerds.
If there's one thing I've found out in the past couple months, its that museums are absolute treasure troves of things people haven't done before. I generally like museums, but I took them for places to see things that were unusual and interesting more than experience things that were new and interesting. Yeah, I know, I'm just splitting hairs, but would you really still be reading if every entry started with "and then we stopped at the Museum of Whatever-the-Heck?". Maybe some of y'all would, but that's cause we're all huge nerds.
March 5, 2010
Day 57 - Crash a Convention
Date: March 4th, 2010
I have crashed plenty of things in my life, but that's not the kind of crash I'm talking about here. See, there are two kinds. There is the "ram into something with something else" kind. That I've done a lot. I've crashed my bike into a tree, a wall, the ground, a car, another bike, the ground again and in one of the most embarrassing crashes ever, the beach. That's right, soak it in and let it simmer - I crashed into the beach once. I've crashed on roller blades - pretty much only into the walls of the roller blade place though. If scraping a parked car counts then I've crashed a car. I'm choosing not to count that. Forget I mentioned it.
I have crashed plenty of things in my life, but that's not the kind of crash I'm talking about here. See, there are two kinds. There is the "ram into something with something else" kind. That I've done a lot. I've crashed my bike into a tree, a wall, the ground, a car, another bike, the ground again and in one of the most embarrassing crashes ever, the beach. That's right, soak it in and let it simmer - I crashed into the beach once. I've crashed on roller blades - pretty much only into the walls of the roller blade place though. If scraping a parked car counts then I've crashed a car. I'm choosing not to count that. Forget I mentioned it.
Day 56 - Accept the Kindness of a Stranger
Date: March 3rd, 2010
On Wednesday, I flew back to DC from San Francisco. While I was in San Francisco, I was reminded of why I'm not the biggest fan of California. Now, don't get me wrong - there are things I absolutely adore about California. I think it is a great place. However, there are also things that really bother me about it. When I was walking around on Monday and taking in the sights, one of the stores I stopped at sold novelty magnets. I bought a couple for gifts and for my fridge, but I noticed one magnet in particular. "There may not be a Heaven, but there is a San Francisco". Wait. What? Then I saw another one. "There is no life outside of San Francisco".
See... that's what bugs me about California. It is a great place, but man do the people already know that. There is no value in modesty there. There's pride whether or not the job is well done and if you don't leave a tip, well, there's something wrong with you - not the service. There are wonderful and awful people everywhere in the world, so please don't think I'm saying San Francisco is all bad people - its definitely not. But there is a collective sense of entitlement there that drives me up a wall. That was a realization I was first putting into words when I got to the airport and walked around centuries old jade statutes from China that were, you know, being used as display pieces there.
On Wednesday, I flew back to DC from San Francisco. While I was in San Francisco, I was reminded of why I'm not the biggest fan of California. Now, don't get me wrong - there are things I absolutely adore about California. I think it is a great place. However, there are also things that really bother me about it. When I was walking around on Monday and taking in the sights, one of the stores I stopped at sold novelty magnets. I bought a couple for gifts and for my fridge, but I noticed one magnet in particular. "There may not be a Heaven, but there is a San Francisco". Wait. What? Then I saw another one. "There is no life outside of San Francisco".
See... that's what bugs me about California. It is a great place, but man do the people already know that. There is no value in modesty there. There's pride whether or not the job is well done and if you don't leave a tip, well, there's something wrong with you - not the service. There are wonderful and awful people everywhere in the world, so please don't think I'm saying San Francisco is all bad people - its definitely not. But there is a collective sense of entitlement there that drives me up a wall. That was a realization I was first putting into words when I got to the airport and walked around centuries old jade statutes from China that were, you know, being used as display pieces there.
March 4, 2010
Day 55 - Fly
Date: March 2nd, 2010
I believe I can fly, but I'm less than certain I can touch the sky and I certainly don't dream about it every night and day. That being said, I recently found a way to fly that didn't involve a high possibility of death, scaring my mother or puking at 35,000 feet. Around the country there are indoor skydiving locations. They are set up partly just for fun and partly to help train real skydivers to do what they do best... give the finger to God by challenging gravity to a game of chicken.
I believe I can fly, but I'm less than certain I can touch the sky and I certainly don't dream about it every night and day. That being said, I recently found a way to fly that didn't involve a high possibility of death, scaring my mother or puking at 35,000 feet. Around the country there are indoor skydiving locations. They are set up partly just for fun and partly to help train real skydivers to do what they do best... give the finger to God by challenging gravity to a game of chicken.
March 2, 2010
Day 54 - Get Lost in a Mirror Maze
Date: March 1st, 2010
Yesterday. Was. Epic.
So, I'm in San Francisco for a couple days. Sunday was Teatro ZinZanni and today I have something planned as well. Yesterday, however, I had a bunch of ideas, but no real plan. Time was, if I didn't have something planned to do for the day, I'd just sit around on whatever couch I was crashing on until the next day and watch TV or play video games. Since my couch, also delightfully known as Jeff, had class all day... I had to decide whether to stay in and play the aforementioned video games until he got back or go out and experience the city. Guess which one I chose?
Yesterday. Was. Epic.
So, I'm in San Francisco for a couple days. Sunday was Teatro ZinZanni and today I have something planned as well. Yesterday, however, I had a bunch of ideas, but no real plan. Time was, if I didn't have something planned to do for the day, I'd just sit around on whatever couch I was crashing on until the next day and watch TV or play video games. Since my couch, also delightfully known as Jeff, had class all day... I had to decide whether to stay in and play the aforementioned video games until he got back or go out and experience the city. Guess which one I chose?
Day 53 - Go to a Dinner Theater Performance
Date: February 28th, 2010
There are a couple different things that come to mind when people think of dinner theater. One of them is washed up actors performing to people who aren't paying a lick of attention and being forced to smell their food for hours while they sweat under hot lights. This was not the experience I was looking for. There is another thing that comes to mind when people think of dinner theater -- a unique, exquisitely performed piece of theater that comes with a gourmet meal, served to a highly entertained audience. That sounds just utterly fantastic to me.
There are a couple different things that come to mind when people think of dinner theater. One of them is washed up actors performing to people who aren't paying a lick of attention and being forced to smell their food for hours while they sweat under hot lights. This was not the experience I was looking for. There is another thing that comes to mind when people think of dinner theater -- a unique, exquisitely performed piece of theater that comes with a gourmet meal, served to a highly entertained audience. That sounds just utterly fantastic to me.
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