52 New Things

While we were in Miami a couple of weeks ago, I got a little bummed when I realized we have no other trips on our horizon.  India and Miami were both pretty inexpensive since they were connected to Kevin's work, but now we've got to focus on saving more than spending.  I did one of those deep, woe-is-me sighs, thinking I had nothing to look forward to . . . and then we drove past a cemetery.

I know cemeteries creep some people out, but I've never really felt that way.  Cemeteries, to me, are always a good wake-up call.  Everyone lying under the ground in a cemetery was once a living, breathing person.  They may have had a lot of years or not enough.  They might have died full of happiness or full of regret.  I don't know all their stories, but I do know the story of one person who will join them one day.  I'm writing that story every day.  Every day, I have options.  Choices.  Decisions.  Altogether, they add up, and one day I'll either go to the grave feeling blessed or bitter.  It's my choice.

So as we cruised through Miami, I wondered why I'd let the lack of vacation plans get me down.  Why live from vacation to vacation?  Shouldn't life itself be an adventure?  Why settle for the mundane?  I decided my New Year's Resolution for 2013 would be to do something new every day.  Live it up.

In the two weeks since then, I've rethought that a bit.  A new thing every day isn't going to work.  For one thing, this Carpe Diem idea isn't new to me.  I've kind of been living it up for most of my life and done a lot of stuff.  To try to come up with 365 new things to do would be a lot of work.  And second, who has time for that?  I mean, if I'm focusing on positivity and living life to the fullest, I don't want my goal to become a burden.

So I've modified my plan a little.  One new thing every week in 2013.

That's still 52 new things, though, and when I brainstormed a bit yesterday, I could only come up with 31 ideas.  Can you help me out?  Is there something you've done that I should try?  Or something you've always wanted to do that we could try together?  Keep in mind that we're not made of money, so while "vacation in Fiji" sounds awesome, it's not going to make the cut.

Here are some ideas to get you started:

• make creme brulee with one of those torch thingies
• learn to drive a tractor (I know! I'm a farm girl and I don't already know this?  Come on!)
• drink a cup of coffee (I'm throwing up in my mouth a little just imagining it.) 
• try ski blades
• eat something I grew myself

So . . . nothing earth shattering, really, but things that will be outside my normal day-to-day operations and stretch me a little mentally (and sometimes physically).  I'm looking forward to your suggestions!!