Because I Like Lists

Hiking on Mt. Tam, looking over the Pacific Ocean. The Bay Area has some nice view, I give it that... (photo by Brother, who was not a lazy bum and who has downloaded his photos...)

So. Last we heard, Miss D. was complaining. A lot. Does this girl have nothing nice to say? (not really).

But, in the interest of not turning off everyone around me, I've decided to try some new things and see how it goes. So here's a list of new things I'd like to try. I'd like to try each of them at least once during the next couple of months.

1. New Art Medium: Pen and ink drawing. I love pen and ink, and for some reason it has never occurred to me to try it. I would like to try oil painting as well but that seems more daunting. So pen and ink it is. Plus, this means I get to go to the art store.

2. New Recipes: It's almost summer and so our lovely Northern California grocery stores (especially Berkeley Bowl, which I am completely in love with now that I can shop on Mondays) are filled with yummy fresh things, so I'm going to pick out a few new recipes online and get approval from the Doctor (otherwise known as Dr. Terri, Ph.D., who likes to look at photos of prepared dishes before she approves them), and test them out. If they require a new technique, all the better.

3. New Craft Project: This one is up for grabs. I'd like to try something new. I thought about making a woolen braided rag rug, but, uh, that takes a long time. And it's going to be a warm summer up here in our top-story apartment. So maybe something else. I don't know what yet. Something crazy. Time to get outside comfort zone.

4. New Art Subjects: I'm liking my Ugly Bathroom trees more and more. So it's time to continue to branch out. I do like making paintings, and I've always been taught that it's good to just try new crazy things when making art. I don't usually like to do this, because I am a reluctant perfectionist. However, something's gotta give.

5. Update Wardrobe: Somehow my style has gotten completely boring. Bo-ring. No fun. So, since I am doing the thrift-garage-sale-cheapie-shopping thing, might as well have fun with it and see what I can do. I own lots of good basic pieces. Time to jazz things up with some new (to me) items.

6. Find Some Community: This one will be hard. I'm an introvert, and I don't have a ton of time to spend away from home (or rather, I don't WANT to spend much time away from home). However, it's time. So maybe I'll go to an evening drop-in art class. Maybe I'll join our neighborhood association. Maybe I'll start my own thing. I'd like to make two new friends by the end of summer. Is that crazy? It's crazy! But still, I'd like that. Two doesn't sound like a lot, but to me, that's a lot.

Ok, six things are enough to keep me occupied. Tonight I'll start on the New Recipe task. Because I'm craving late-spring salads and need to figure out some things to bring to work for lunch.