My friend Robin, over at Breezes At Dawn, posted her list of 15 things she wants to do this year. Her list sounds like a lot of fun and a lot of quiet observation time. It got me to thinking that I should make a list. I didn’t make any resolutions. I did choose my word of the year (CREATE) but there are some things I would like to do.
I didn’t pick 15 things because I usually have to do most things by myself or with one of the grandchildren so that somewhat limits what I can do. So I shortened my list.
1. Go to Multnomah Falls. I’ve been more than a few times but I haven’t been there in about four years. It is different every time I go, depending on how much or how little rain we have had. Sometimes the falls are roaring and sometimes they are a trickle. I want to go again. It’s not that far. It’s about a half hour drive.
2. Go to the Portland Rose Garden. Again, I’ve been before but it was usually when I was taking someone from out of town. I haven’t had any out of town visitors in a while so I haven’t been to the gardens since 2011. It’s a beautiful place to go, even when the roses are not in bloom. It’s tranquil and on a clear day there are some wonderful overlooks of downtown Portland, Mt. Hood, Mt. St. Helens, and beyond.
3. Go antiquing. I used to go at least once a week. Not really to buy but to look. It got me out of the house and I would often find things that reminded me of things my mom and dad had or that I had and those reminders sometimes sparked memoir pieces for this blog. There are some shops on Hawthorne Blvd. that I used to go to often. Then there are others I haven’t ever visited. I think it’s time to treat myself to a visit or two…or three.
4. Attend a writing group meeting. I belong to a number of writing groups but haven’t ever attended any of their meetings. I am not one for putting myself out there in a vulnerable spot with new people so I don’t go but I think this year might be the year that I go to at least one.
5. Submit a piece of writing to a contest or a publication. I haven’t done this in a long, long, long time. I think I should start doing it more often and since I haven’t done it in a long, long, long time, anything is “more often”. I can do that.
6. Take a boat tour of the Portand bridges. I’ve wanted to do this for awhile but it never works out. My grandson loves going over the bridges here. He would be happy having us drive him over every bridge. This summer he will finally be old enough to go on the Portland Bridges tour so maybe I can take him and go.
7. Learn to use a DSLR camera. When my daughter upgraded this past month, I bought her old one from her. Other than five or six test pictures when she gave it to me over the Christmas holidays, it hasn’t been used by me. I think I’m a little afraid of it. But I will change that.
8. Develop photography skills. Not just with the digital SLR but in general. There are so many potential photographs all around me but I don’t take them. I want to start going out, camera in hand, with the intention of taking pictures.
9. Meet a friend from the blogging world. I’ve met six or seven of my blogging friends in real life but I haven’t met any of them since May of 2013 when I met my friend Wendi when I went to Baltimore for my daughter’s graduation. It has been a year and a half so it’s time to meet someone else from the blogging world!
10. Make at least one new in person friend. I don’t know anyone here in Portland other than my daughter and a few of her friends. I know two other people but one is busy with her family and we don’t have a lot in common. I haven’t seen her since before I moved here in 2008. The other is busy with her work and her volunteer work and her circle of friends so it’s difficult to get together. I haven’t seen her since 2010. So it’s time to find a new friend.
Okay. I think that’s a lot but I also think it is doable, especially if I start soon…now!
How about YOU? What can you put on a list of things to do for this year?
Great list, Corina! I need to get out and meet some people, too. I don’t know anyone here except my husband, the cats (do they count?), and all the medical staff I’ve seen lately. I’m pretty sure they don’t count, no matter how many times I’ve seen the doc or her nurses.
Don’t let the DSLR intimidate you. I’m guessing it has auto settings. Start with those. Take lots of pictures to see what the camera can do and then play with the manual settings. I deleted a ton of pictures when I got my DSLR last year, but I eventually figured it out. š
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Hi Corina! Great list! At least you are on lists for writing groups…I haven’t joined one but that might be something I could do this year š I was recently inspired to do a reading challenge, which I have never done before but sounds fun! Enjoy accomplishing the things on your list – they all seem exciting!
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