A New Challenge

Today I was inspired.

This happens to me a lot. 

However, I’m determined to make this time matter.  It’s a rainy day here in Madison, Wisconsin and after spending the morning cleaning up my desk at work I thought it would be a great day to have lunch in one of the local coffee shops.  I’m reading a book by Shauna Niequist titled “Cold Tangerines” and I was really in the mood for something warm to drink, a fireplace and a good book.  Once inside the coffee shop I ordered some lunch and sat down near the fireplace to begin my relaxation hour (well actually 40 minutes considering it takes 10 minutes to drive there and 10 minutes to drive back)

This is the second book of Shauna’s that I have read.  It’s the first book she has written so I’m going about things a little backwards but the end result is the same.  I’m hooked.  I feel as though she is my new friend.  I cry with her, I laugh with her.  There is something about her writing, her honesty and maybe the fact that she lives only 2 hours away from me in Chicago and spent some time in Grand Rapids, Michigan about 30 minutes from where my husband and I lived for 9 months.  I read her entire “Bittersweet” book on a plane ride to Texas about 2 months ago on my way to visit Luke, my husband.  I got off the plane ready to change my life for the better. 

I have always had many hobbies.  Growing up I played soccer, softball, took piano, flute, acting, gymnastics and voice lessons, was on the dance team, took ceramics and stained glass classes in high school, knitted, crocheted and wrote stories, the list goes on and on.  Each time I start a new hobby my husband rolls his eyes and says, “Here we go again, what happened to scarf making? Or scrapbooking?”  I just smile and think, this time it will be different.  This time I’m really going to do it.  Inevitably, it’s never different.  I loose interest, life gets a hold of me and I end up with a tub full of yarn and half crocheted scarves.

So here is my challenge to myself.  Instead of taking on one thing that is going to be my new hobby forever I will take on many things and write about them. 

To begin my new adventure I thought I would research classes at the local Technical College to see if there was something that sparked my interest.  I typed in the name of the college into google and pressed enter.  The main page of the college opened and I searched for the right place for me.  Exploring a Hobby? (YES!  That’s Me!).  A list of available classes came up and I was a little overwhelmed.  Who knew they had classes on Motorcycle Mechanics?  And Chair Yoga?  I don’t even know where to begin with that one.  There’s even a class on “How to write a Holiday Letter” are you serious?  Someone needs to take a class on how to tell their friends and family about their trip to Disney and their recent dog addition?

Anyways, I digress; here is a list of the classes that stood out to me:

Upholstery

Quilting

Stained Glass

Soap Making

Sewing

Knitting and Crocheting

Photography

Ceramics: Wheel Throwing

French I

Jewelry Making

Floral Design

Creative Writing

Yoga

Beading

Wine Tasting (really? You can take a class on this?  Where do I sign up?!)

Norwegian (My heritage is Norwegian so no this is not totally random)

Cake Decorating

As you can see, there are a lot of things I like to do.  After looking at this lengthy list I thought I would start with the basics. If I’m going to start writing more I need to learn to do it better.  I think a six week summer class of Creative Writing may be in my future.  If I can make it until the end of June before I ditch writing and move on to something else.

I’m counting on you to keep me on track.  Please feel free to post your motivating comments J