Date: February 27th, 2010
When I was a little kid I used to love making box forts and pillow forts and blanket forts and fort forts. I was a fort making machine. Now, fort is a technical term. If you're talking to a boring, stuffy old grown-up then it means, you know, that place with all those men and guns hanging about. An NRA meeting? No, silly, army men. If, on the other hand, you're a child, a fort is, well, anything. Fort is the generic term used to describe any play structure created to build one's imagination. When I was very young I was an astronaut (none of that "I'm a pretty princess, come live in my castle crap). As I got older I became a politician. I'm not sure why I needed a fort, as a politician, but the point is that I had one. When I officially, legally entered adulthood (aka: some moron gave me keys to a car), I dropped the fort pretense and decided it was time to move into my own little world full time.
Since then, perhaps my favorite little fantasy adventure has been being a spy. I'm not kidding. When I lived in California and worked at Cisco I used to drive my mother's light blue, two-seater T-Bird convertible to work. That car was zippy. Perfect for an imaginary car chase every morning. San Jose traffic was less conducive to such things, but that's the thing about fantasy - no one said it had to match up. When I got to Michigan I would pretend to receive communiques on my printer. Sometimes I printed off gibberish and walked briskly down the hall with it to see if that aroused suspicion. I have an amazingly rich and interesting fantasy life. Most of it involves me knowing kung-fu.
February 28, 2010
Day 51 - Stay at a Real Bed & Breakfast
Date: February 26th, 2010
This week its 365 Brand New Days: The Travel Edition!!! Michigan is on break and I'm taking it on the road. Specifically, I'm heading to Washington DC and San Francisco for tons of adventures in bad decisions. And first on the list of life-alteringly bad decisions, fraught with peril and sure to result in a lifetime of regret, to kick it off right, I spent the first night in a bone fide Bed & Breakfast in Amish Country. WOO! Spring break!!! OH YEAH!
This week its 365 Brand New Days: The Travel Edition!!! Michigan is on break and I'm taking it on the road. Specifically, I'm heading to Washington DC and San Francisco for tons of adventures in bad decisions. And first on the list of life-alteringly bad decisions, fraught with peril and sure to result in a lifetime of regret, to kick it off right, I spent the first night in a bone fide Bed & Breakfast in Amish Country. WOO! Spring break!!! OH YEAH!
February 27, 2010
Day 50 - Harvest Aloe Gel
Date: February 25th, 2010
In our continuing series that I will call "Accidental Plant Week", I went over to my parents' house again to play around in their indoor garden. When I went to pot the flowers, my dad mentioned that they had to cut some large stalks off their aloe plant. It was getting too big to fit in the room and he'd found a way online to gather gel from the plant. If you've ever gotten a sunburn, you'll know the cool, soothing, neon green joy that is aloe vera.
In our continuing series that I will call "Accidental Plant Week", I went over to my parents' house again to play around in their indoor garden. When I went to pot the flowers, my dad mentioned that they had to cut some large stalks off their aloe plant. It was getting too big to fit in the room and he'd found a way online to gather gel from the plant. If you've ever gotten a sunburn, you'll know the cool, soothing, neon green joy that is aloe vera.
February 24, 2010
Day 49 - Meditate at a Botanical Garden
Date: February 24th, 2010
I love meditating. It clears my head for the day, gets me centered, makes me feel more focused. That being said, I've always had some problems with... distractions. Why sit quietly with your hands folded when there's a new episode of the Real World-DC? That's a question I've really asked myself before. I went to Matthaei Botanical Gardens with Justin this afternoon because of an exhibit they were holding on aromatherapy and colors, but then discovered a meditation area they'd set up. It was lovely.
I love meditating. It clears my head for the day, gets me centered, makes me feel more focused. That being said, I've always had some problems with... distractions. Why sit quietly with your hands folded when there's a new episode of the Real World-DC? That's a question I've really asked myself before. I went to Matthaei Botanical Gardens with Justin this afternoon because of an exhibit they were holding on aromatherapy and colors, but then discovered a meditation area they'd set up. It was lovely.
February 23, 2010
Day 48 - Learn to Pot Plants
Date: February 23rd, 2010
Read that title carefully. It sounds like something bad, but that's totally not what actually happened... man. What happened is this: I like plants. That's always been true. They're all green and whatever and that makes me happy. I have, despite being so deeply in like with them, managed to kill them very quickly. I never learned how to care for a plant because, well, not unlike carnival goldfish, mine were dead long before actual life-skills could be learned. Unlike my goldfish, though, my parents never snuck into my room to replace a dead plant with a live one so I would think I had skills as a caregiver. That is completely unrelated to today's activity, but I thought I'd share.
Read that title carefully. It sounds like something bad, but that's totally not what actually happened... man. What happened is this: I like plants. That's always been true. They're all green and whatever and that makes me happy. I have, despite being so deeply in like with them, managed to kill them very quickly. I never learned how to care for a plant because, well, not unlike carnival goldfish, mine were dead long before actual life-skills could be learned. Unlike my goldfish, though, my parents never snuck into my room to replace a dead plant with a live one so I would think I had skills as a caregiver. That is completely unrelated to today's activity, but I thought I'd share.
February 22, 2010
Day 47 - Get Business Cards
Date: February 22nd, 2010
Today was what I like to call a "back-up" day. I intended to head over to Lansing for the afternoon and do something there. That being said, 7+ inches of snow changed my mind darn quick. So, I turned to the section of my list reserved for snow emergencies, personal-bad-days, finals and other natural disasters of epic proportion.
Today was what I like to call a "back-up" day. I intended to head over to Lansing for the afternoon and do something there. That being said, 7+ inches of snow changed my mind darn quick. So, I turned to the section of my list reserved for snow emergencies, personal-bad-days, finals and other natural disasters of epic proportion.
Day 46 - Learn to SCUBA dive
Date: February 21st, 2010
On day two of my inexplicably all-water-activity weekend, I headed over to the Detroit Boat Show to try my hand at SCUBA diving. You wouldn't think that February would be the time to take a dunk in Michigan, but I've got mild-hypothermia, a tee-shirt and several snapshots that say otherwise. My original plan was to haul myself out to some town in East Deliverance Nowhere and partake in a polar plunge and some random Sunday activity out there. That was until I was gently reminded about a friend's birthday party. I believe Kari's exact words were "what the hell, you're bailing on Tom's birthday?".
On day two of my inexplicably all-water-activity weekend, I headed over to the Detroit Boat Show to try my hand at SCUBA diving. You wouldn't think that February would be the time to take a dunk in Michigan, but I've got mild-hypothermia, a tee-shirt and several snapshots that say otherwise. My original plan was to haul myself out to some town in East Deliverance Nowhere and partake in a polar plunge and some random Sunday activity out there. That was until I was gently reminded about a friend's birthday party. I believe Kari's exact words were "what the hell, you're bailing on Tom's birthday?".
February 21, 2010
Day 45 - Do a Polar Plunge
Date: February 20th, 2010
Some friends may see the title of this entry and think "gosh, she's been talking about doing this forever, when is she going to get around to it". And my answer is... yesterday! Doing a polar bear swim or a polar plunge (basically jumping in freezing cold water) has been on my list since the beginning. In Michigan, apparently, winter season is also swim-in-cold-water season. I have seen polar bear swims or polar plunges every single day since I started my project. However, they all had a couple things in common that kept me from doing them.
Some friends may see the title of this entry and think "gosh, she's been talking about doing this forever, when is she going to get around to it". And my answer is... yesterday! Doing a polar bear swim or a polar plunge (basically jumping in freezing cold water) has been on my list since the beginning. In Michigan, apparently, winter season is also swim-in-cold-water season. I have seen polar bear swims or polar plunges every single day since I started my project. However, they all had a couple things in common that kept me from doing them.
Day 44 - Get a Hot Stone Massage
Date: February 19th, 2010
I'm what you'd call.... a tightly-wound person. I don't consider that a bad thing. For all intents and purposes, it got me into law school and has done a considerable amount to keep me in law school now that I'm here. That being said, having cultivated such a persona does tend to put knots in one's back.
About once every year or two years I start to get some serious pain in my back along my shoulder blades. Anyone in a computer-intensive job should recognize this as the natural result of sitting in an unnatural position. That pain means you need to stretch more. Or, if you're a Warcraft player, that you need to take a five minute pizza break before resuming play. Either way, that's your muscles screaming for some lovin'.
I'm what you'd call.... a tightly-wound person. I don't consider that a bad thing. For all intents and purposes, it got me into law school and has done a considerable amount to keep me in law school now that I'm here. That being said, having cultivated such a persona does tend to put knots in one's back.
About once every year or two years I start to get some serious pain in my back along my shoulder blades. Anyone in a computer-intensive job should recognize this as the natural result of sitting in an unnatural position. That pain means you need to stretch more. Or, if you're a Warcraft player, that you need to take a five minute pizza break before resuming play. Either way, that's your muscles screaming for some lovin'.
February 19, 2010
Day 43 - Buy a Piece of Jewelry from Tiffany's
Date: February 18th, 2010
I'm not generally a super fancy person. Give me clothes that fit, a roof and a DVR and I'm a happy camper. That doesn't mean I would turn down a nice night out on the town or a fine bottle of wine. For the record, I would not turn those things down. But... elegance was never really a forte of mine. You know what, let's not kid ourselves here. I wouldn't know elegance if it bit me in the... *ahem*... moving on.
I'm not generally a super fancy person. Give me clothes that fit, a roof and a DVR and I'm a happy camper. That doesn't mean I would turn down a nice night out on the town or a fine bottle of wine. For the record, I would not turn those things down. But... elegance was never really a forte of mine. You know what, let's not kid ourselves here. I wouldn't know elegance if it bit me in the... *ahem*... moving on.
Day 42 - Make A Wool Needle Case
Date: February 17th, 2010
A few days ago, I discovered the joy of quilting (and, of course, it helps my rep as a mad player). I spent most of the day with my gramma learning the basics and making my first ever quilt. It is the size of a place-mat or small table-mat. It was so much fun and it turned out so well (for a first timer) that I decided I wanted to make another quilt with my gramma. So, on Wednesday, we spent the whole day over in her basement (AKA: the quilting palace) piecing a significantly larger quilt. It won't be huge, but it will be big enough to curl up with on a couch. I'm very excited about it.
As the day wore on, we started talking about sewing and detail work. She showed me some things that she had created. They looked store bought. That isn't to say that they looked boring or anything - just the opposite. The quality was good enough that it looked like they could be sold in a major chain. She has patterns for creating pin cushions and other small sewing accessories, using sewing. Its trippy.
A few days ago, I discovered the joy of quilting (and, of course, it helps my rep as a mad player). I spent most of the day with my gramma learning the basics and making my first ever quilt. It is the size of a place-mat or small table-mat. It was so much fun and it turned out so well (for a first timer) that I decided I wanted to make another quilt with my gramma. So, on Wednesday, we spent the whole day over in her basement (AKA: the quilting palace) piecing a significantly larger quilt. It won't be huge, but it will be big enough to curl up with on a couch. I'm very excited about it.
As the day wore on, we started talking about sewing and detail work. She showed me some things that she had created. They looked store bought. That isn't to say that they looked boring or anything - just the opposite. The quality was good enough that it looked like they could be sold in a major chain. She has patterns for creating pin cushions and other small sewing accessories, using sewing. Its trippy.
February 18, 2010
Day 41 - Get Paczki in Hamtramck on Paczki Day
Date: February 16th, 2010
As I've looked for things to do during this project, I've found that I could probably eat celebratory food for something every single day. So... that's probably not a great idea for my health. However, there are some holidays that, were not for food, would simply not exist. That is the case with the appropriately named Pączki Day. Pączki are Polish pastries that are generally only made right before Lent. Pączki Day is more commonly known as Fat Tuesday or Mardi Gras.
At first I wondered why Mardi Gras is so much more commonly known than Pączki Day. Then I realized that I was trying to compare a holiday celebrated by standing in line for donuts to one celebrated by watching women lift up their shirts for $0.05 worth of plastic beads. Its a testament to young male laziness. Well, technically both celebrations fit that bill, but that's neither here nor there.
As I've looked for things to do during this project, I've found that I could probably eat celebratory food for something every single day. So... that's probably not a great idea for my health. However, there are some holidays that, were not for food, would simply not exist. That is the case with the appropriately named Pączki Day. Pączki are Polish pastries that are generally only made right before Lent. Pączki Day is more commonly known as Fat Tuesday or Mardi Gras.
At first I wondered why Mardi Gras is so much more commonly known than Pączki Day. Then I realized that I was trying to compare a holiday celebrated by standing in line for donuts to one celebrated by watching women lift up their shirts for $0.05 worth of plastic beads. Its a testament to young male laziness. Well, technically both celebrations fit that bill, but that's neither here nor there.
A Call to Arms (and wallets)
Hi all!
This is one of my few, unusual and wholly amazing non-dated entries. The reason for it is the potential for great benefit to the world around us. Well, small benefit to the world around us. Well, a chance for anyone to benefit from me doing something silly. Let me explain!
For about the last month, I've been considering doing one of those polar-bear-crazy-person-icy-water plunges. I kept finding them at festivals around Michigan and finding something else that I'd rather do, or that would be easier, or that would be more fun to write about... or that wasn't FREEZING!
Its time to stop being scared and take the plunge (GET IT? I made a pun). I found a polar plunge in Ann Arbor that isn't just for the freezing cold heck-of-it, but for an actual good cause! Not unlike fun runs, marathons and walks for charity, this polar plunge is part of a larger fundraising opportunity for the Special Olympics. My great-uncle, Seibold, participated in the Special Olympics before he died and I still get teared up looking at pictures of his smiling face as he got his medals. It is a wonderful program that does great things for the people who participate.
So I'm including a link to a secure donation site that attaches to my plunge - same thing as a fun run. If y'all reading this could see fit to toss a five-spot my way (through the official site), that would be amazing! I set a fundraising goal of $100 total. I'm not asking for people to empty their wallets, by any means - I'm just hoping to help out in some way. I'm doing it by jumping in freezing water - help me help them with last year's quarters.
You know you want to!
This is one of my few, unusual and wholly amazing non-dated entries. The reason for it is the potential for great benefit to the world around us. Well, small benefit to the world around us. Well, a chance for anyone to benefit from me doing something silly. Let me explain!
For about the last month, I've been considering doing one of those polar-bear-crazy-person-icy-water plunges. I kept finding them at festivals around Michigan and finding something else that I'd rather do, or that would be easier, or that would be more fun to write about... or that wasn't FREEZING!
Its time to stop being scared and take the plunge (GET IT? I made a pun). I found a polar plunge in Ann Arbor that isn't just for the freezing cold heck-of-it, but for an actual good cause! Not unlike fun runs, marathons and walks for charity, this polar plunge is part of a larger fundraising opportunity for the Special Olympics. My great-uncle, Seibold, participated in the Special Olympics before he died and I still get teared up looking at pictures of his smiling face as he got his medals. It is a wonderful program that does great things for the people who participate.
So I'm including a link to a secure donation site that attaches to my plunge - same thing as a fun run. If y'all reading this could see fit to toss a five-spot my way (through the official site), that would be amazing! I set a fundraising goal of $100 total. I'm not asking for people to empty their wallets, by any means - I'm just hoping to help out in some way. I'm doing it by jumping in freezing water - help me help them with last year's quarters.
You know you want to!
February 17, 2010
Day 40 - Take a Cooking Class
Date: February 15th, 2010
I learned how to cook the hard way. By passing out 35 hours into a semi-solo attempt at Thanksgiving for 75 at my church. Isn't that how most people learned? Well, apparently, while this gave me a good idea of when a turkey is done and how much Jesus likes gravy (I would like to believe that He's all about the gravy), it did not actually teach me any of the fundamentals of cooking.
I learned how to cook the hard way. By passing out 35 hours into a semi-solo attempt at Thanksgiving for 75 at my church. Isn't that how most people learned? Well, apparently, while this gave me a good idea of when a turkey is done and how much Jesus likes gravy (I would like to believe that He's all about the gravy), it did not actually teach me any of the fundamentals of cooking.
Day 39 - Go to "Zoorotica"
Date: February 14th, 2010
I have a love/hate relationship with Valentine's Day. Let's just say I'm a love diabetic - too much sugary-sweet-lovey-dovey goodness and I'm in a bad way. Its not that I don't get giddy for flowers and candy. I do. Its called being female. Look it up.
Its just that, for some reason, Valentine's Day is the one time a year that my need to be non-traditional kicks into overdrive. Despite having a boyfriend for most of the Valentine's Days of my undergrad years, I still partook in Singles Awareness Day celebrations. To be fair, it was a long distance relationship so, it was like being single. Lisa, Alana and I would go to restaurants in Ann Arbor and write sweet nothings to waiters on the bill. And then we'd pay in cash and not eat there again for a month. It captured both the hopeful promise of new love and the inevitable ennui of rejection associated with the holiday. Well, and it kept me out of trouble with the boyfriend for not actually hitting on random waiters. Then again, I don't remember if I actually told him about Singles Awareness Day celebrations so... there's that.
This year, being actually single, it seemed too boring to have a little Singles Awareness Day celebration. So, instead, I went to a couples activity with a friend of mine. A romantic stroll in the park? Dinner for two over a candlelit table in a quiet restaurant? Perhaps a rom-com at the local theater? No! Not when there's... Zoorotica!
I have a love/hate relationship with Valentine's Day. Let's just say I'm a love diabetic - too much sugary-sweet-lovey-dovey goodness and I'm in a bad way. Its not that I don't get giddy for flowers and candy. I do. Its called being female. Look it up.
Its just that, for some reason, Valentine's Day is the one time a year that my need to be non-traditional kicks into overdrive. Despite having a boyfriend for most of the Valentine's Days of my undergrad years, I still partook in Singles Awareness Day celebrations. To be fair, it was a long distance relationship so, it was like being single. Lisa, Alana and I would go to restaurants in Ann Arbor and write sweet nothings to waiters on the bill. And then we'd pay in cash and not eat there again for a month. It captured both the hopeful promise of new love and the inevitable ennui of rejection associated with the holiday. Well, and it kept me out of trouble with the boyfriend for not actually hitting on random waiters. Then again, I don't remember if I actually told him about Singles Awareness Day celebrations so... there's that.
This year, being actually single, it seemed too boring to have a little Singles Awareness Day celebration. So, instead, I went to a couples activity with a friend of mine. A romantic stroll in the park? Dinner for two over a candlelit table in a quiet restaurant? Perhaps a rom-com at the local theater? No! Not when there's... Zoorotica!
February 15, 2010
Day 38 - Write a Play
Date: February 13th, 2010
There are certain things that should not be attempted in a single day. Among them, I'd have to say learning karate to a black belt proficiency, making stock for French Onion Soup, and mastering the art of dance are probably at the top of the list for me. If I'd been asked, (which, for the record, I wasn't) I'd have placed writing a play on my "do not attempt in one day" list. There is, however, an event that throws caution to the wind and plays by its own rules. Except there's no drinking, smoking or nudity... so I guess partly by its own rules and partly by society's rules. But not the rule about not writing a whole play in one day - that rule it throws out.
My point is... I wrote a play. In one day.
February 13, 2010
Day 37 - Build a House of Cards
Date: February 12th, 2010
After the ruckus that was a community, downtown treasure hunt, it seemed only right to do something calmer and cheaper. As I grew up, I quickly learned that if you're going to do something difficult, its best if it either means something to you or accomplishes something for you. To that end, I never embarked on things that, when initially described to people, got a response of "oh wow, that is so hard to do", unless they had some meaning for my life. Logic puzzles, for example, I totally did all the time. On the other hand, building a house of cards neither held any lifelong promise for me nor any perverse sort of appeal as a means of spending my time.
After the ruckus that was a community, downtown treasure hunt, it seemed only right to do something calmer and cheaper. As I grew up, I quickly learned that if you're going to do something difficult, its best if it either means something to you or accomplishes something for you. To that end, I never embarked on things that, when initially described to people, got a response of "oh wow, that is so hard to do", unless they had some meaning for my life. Logic puzzles, for example, I totally did all the time. On the other hand, building a house of cards neither held any lifelong promise for me nor any perverse sort of appeal as a means of spending my time.
February 12, 2010
Day 36 - Go On a Treasure Hunt
Date: February 11th, 2010
Have you ever lost something for so long that when you found it, you felt like you got something new. Like an unwrapped present hidden just long enough that it gets its shine back? I love that feeling. And being horribly personally disorganized, its a feeling I get often enough. Take that and throw in a perfect, beautiful love of Where's Waldo?, and what you've got is a person just like me. I love Where's Waldo?. I don't love Waldo himself... I mean, gosh, he's never there when you need him. He's always hiding. That's not boyfriend material. But finding him is simply a delight.
In any case, I outgrew scavenger hunts a long time ago. I'm too sophisticated for them. You know, with my fine jewels, fancy dresses, perfect etiquette and fantastically decorated abode. While most of that last sentence was a lie, I still didn't want to have to push little children out of the way to participate in a scavenger hunt of some kind. So imagine my surprise and joy when I discovered that the town of Saline is hosting a month long scavenger hunt at its fine local business establishments. Not to mention that yesterday was Ladies Night. Awwww yeah.
Have you ever lost something for so long that when you found it, you felt like you got something new. Like an unwrapped present hidden just long enough that it gets its shine back? I love that feeling. And being horribly personally disorganized, its a feeling I get often enough. Take that and throw in a perfect, beautiful love of Where's Waldo?, and what you've got is a person just like me. I love Where's Waldo?. I don't love Waldo himself... I mean, gosh, he's never there when you need him. He's always hiding. That's not boyfriend material. But finding him is simply a delight.
In any case, I outgrew scavenger hunts a long time ago. I'm too sophisticated for them. You know, with my fine jewels, fancy dresses, perfect etiquette and fantastically decorated abode. While most of that last sentence was a lie, I still didn't want to have to push little children out of the way to participate in a scavenger hunt of some kind. So imagine my surprise and joy when I discovered that the town of Saline is hosting a month long scavenger hunt at its fine local business establishments. Not to mention that yesterday was Ladies Night. Awwww yeah.
Note the pink paper and simple map layout. For the ladies.
February 11, 2010
Day 35 - Play Hooky with my Mom
Date: February 10th, 2010
Hooky: the favorite pastime of delinquents and newly liberated office workers. Being neither a delinquent or a liberated office worker, I had not played hooky. Now, I should clarify - I've cut class. I'm not a total loser. Only total losers go to class (stay in school kids). I consider hooky something different. Its a high art. Only the few, the proud, the Bueller, can really pull it off.
Hooky: the favorite pastime of delinquents and newly liberated office workers. Being neither a delinquent or a liberated office worker, I had not played hooky. Now, I should clarify - I've cut class. I'm not a total loser. Only total losers go to class (stay in school kids). I consider hooky something different. Its a high art. Only the few, the proud, the Bueller, can really pull it off.
My mentor for the day
February 10, 2010
Day 34 - Make a Fake Flower Arrangement
Date: February 9th, 2010
I love flowers the same way I love puppies. As long as someone else feeds it and makes sure it doesn't die, I will love it like my own. But man that keeping it alive, thing, its really annoying. So much work. I have had fake puppies. They're called stuffed animals and its totally normal to have them well into adulthood; I've been told. I've been thinking recently how much happier I am when I surround myself with beauty and I decided that I wanted to cut that pesky "keep them alive" step out of having beautiful flowers around.
I've never arranged fake flowers before. I wanted something that would look nice and fit well in my office. I've started adorning my bookshelf in my office with all the little creations I've amassed these last few weeks so it seemed like a good idea to make sure it would look good in that room. So, I braved the blizzard and dragged myself out to JoAnn Fabrics to find some fake flowers and other necessary tools. There was, quite frankly, way too freakin' much to choose from. It was awkward and annoying. Like I imagine a blind date to be.
I love flowers the same way I love puppies. As long as someone else feeds it and makes sure it doesn't die, I will love it like my own. But man that keeping it alive, thing, its really annoying. So much work. I have had fake puppies. They're called stuffed animals and its totally normal to have them well into adulthood; I've been told. I've been thinking recently how much happier I am when I surround myself with beauty and I decided that I wanted to cut that pesky "keep them alive" step out of having beautiful flowers around.
I've never arranged fake flowers before. I wanted something that would look nice and fit well in my office. I've started adorning my bookshelf in my office with all the little creations I've amassed these last few weeks so it seemed like a good idea to make sure it would look good in that room. So, I braved the blizzard and dragged myself out to JoAnn Fabrics to find some fake flowers and other necessary tools. There was, quite frankly, way too freakin' much to choose from. It was awkward and annoying. Like I imagine a blind date to be.
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