To do: save the world

I know I said I wouldn't write a list, but I lied. I'm writing one anyways. I can't help it. I'm a compulsive list taker.

This is my list (as of now) of things I plan to include in my branching out/ reinventing the way I live process as I explained in my first post. If you're not bored to tears with that can of paint analogy, think of each bullet as a can. If you are, promptly erase that last sentence from your short term memory and move on.

1. Keep working on martial arts. I've been training in the Isshin-Ryu style for a year this August. It's a form of karate. I love it. It challenges me. It gives me something completely new to learn. It's something I can't learn from wikipedia or books, though books help round out the history knowledge. It's something I will never be "done" achieving because it's a life long discipline but with the same hat it's something I will have with me forever. It's something I can't fully explain how it has changed me.

The water goddess of Isshin-Ryu also known as the Mizugami. There's some debate apparently about the name Mizugami, some call her Megami and claim the former is incorrect. My Sensei, whom I have the utmost respect for, calls her the Mizugami. That's enough for me, people can debate all they want. She's painted on our dojo wall and quite frankly, I think she's kick ass.

2. Train up to run a mile, nonstop. When I get there, run two. And so on.

3. Write a novel. In the mean time, just write. Write write write write. I love to write.

4. Write a blog post at least once a week, minimum of 100 words or about in length. This idea is manifold, one being it's a way to keep the blog up and moving, it's also a way to develop my writing (practice makes perfect, right?), it's a creative outlet, it's an excellent reflection tool, it's fun. The word limit is because I know it might get difficult once I'm back in the swing of things with my classes to take the time to write for pleasure. I'm going to do it anyways. Thank you Lakota for this idea.

5. Creative cooking! Try new recipes. Try old ones. Experiment.

6. Get thrifty! Be on the look out for old clothes and accessories. Try repurposing some things most would never wear again.

7. Break out those water colors again. One of my favorite sections of my art class in high school was water color painting. I still find myself, especially if I'm driving at dawn or dusk, staring at the horizon and thinking about how I'd mix my water colors to get the right colors and the right contrast and depth in a painting.

8. Container gardening. I've already started a small container garden complete with two pepper plants and a cilantro plant. I have plans to incorporate other veggies and herbs but for now my goal is to keep what I have alive. This should be interesting as I've never been successful with keeping plants alive. I bought a cute yellow mum and stuck it in a fun red pot to brighten up my dorm a few years ago. Suffice it to say, a month later the pot was in a box, empty, on its way back to home base where it has sat ever since on the back porch. There's a first time for everything!

Here's my little garden now. I bought them already partially grown as it's too late in the season to start from seed. That will be next year's endeavor, with close advising from Momma and the internet. I have a pepper bud on each plant and my cilantro has already grown a good 1/2 inch!

9. Archery. Tapeworm recently came to me and said he wanted to take up archery as a routine activity. I couldn't agree more. We're both experienced with archery from years of Boy Scouting and Venturing. I learned a little from Girl Scouts, as well. I will say that this sport is surprisingly expensive to get into, given that you pretty much need just a bow and a set of arrows. I suppose one could even shoot off arrows in your back yard, depending on its size and as long as you live in a place that doesn't specifically prohibit it. Then you'd need a target. I live in an unincorporated part of the county and as such, we have no city ordinances to obey. Yay freedom! But jeepers, bows are expensive! This will be a sport that will take some time to work up to.

10. Learn to shoot (better). I've been shooting guns for a fair number of years now. At this point I own one and reload the ammo. I love target shooting. My favorite thing is to go to a steel plates range. The targets are set up similarly to the creepy fuzzy critters that are lined up in rows at various amusement parks and arcades, where people throw balls at them to knock them down? Think that only there's steel circles instead of fuzzy critters, one row instead of three or four, you're at a much further distance from the target, and there's a gun involved. It's great fun. I'm content with indoor ranges though, too.

11. Take up biking again. Tapeworm and I usually bike quite a bit in late fall before it gets too icy and early spring before it gets too hot. There's a trail nearby that follows a river and it's lovely, except in the dead of summer (now) when the air is saturated with moisture and bugs. As fall is approaching, I will be taking this up again.

12. Go camping more. I haven't really gotten the chance to camp much in recent years. This makes me sad as I used to be an avid camper. I have all the gear still for this. Just need to actually go!

13. Photography. I love being creative with photography. I joined a photography club my Senior year of high school. I loved it so much, my parents got me a Nikon D40x that year for Christmas. I freaking love that camera. She's sitting with me right now.

14. Take a road trip. Take two. And so on. Go anywhere. A few hours or a lot of hours. Just because. Alone or with a friend. With two friends, maybe. Spend some money along the way or don't. Just go, see what I find. Take the camera along.

15. Read all the books I've been meaning to (some are re-reads) but haven't. They've piled up. Some include:

-To Kill a Mocking Bird

-I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings

-The Lovely Bones

-Screwtape Letters

-The Great Divorce

-The Chronicles of Narnia

-Alice in Wonderland

-Till We Have Faces

-The Shack

-Abarat

16. Listen to the sermon more closely on Sundays. If it helps, take notes. Crack that bible more during the week. Read up some things that are "spiritually stimulating."

17. Do things that affirm to myself that I'm beautiful. Remove such words as: calories, fat, too fat, pudgy (and the like), heavy, weight, diet, etc. from my daily vocabulary, or at least in reference to me. Go through my wardrobe and take out everything that I don't wear anymore because it's too small. I've been the same size for about two years now. Put the items that I still like and I might wear again someday in a box. Donate the rest. With the remaining items, play around with different combinations. Make some new, funky outfits! Do a "glamour shot" photo shoot either alone or with friends. Strike some funny poses. Experiment with fun eye make up. Find a new perfume to try. "Dress up," i.e. wear something besides a t-shirt and jeans, a minimum of three days out of the week- be bold! Try new hairstyles. Say "you look pretty today" to yourself instead of "ew, my hair looks gross."

That's all for now. There will be more in the future.