Forty Before Forty

Saturday, January 14, 2017

2016 Annual Goals: How'd it Go?

I thought a lot about what I wanted to accomplish and bring into my life this year. My top priorities were: Art, Music, and seeing more of the East Coast, as well as to be in more Green Space. In that way - I count this year a complete success! There were a few struggles along the way, but all in all - I feel like I figured how I wanted to spend this year - and did it extremely well.

1) Make Art

Goal: I wanted to use more creativity and tap into more creative thinking.
Parameters: Do something creative at least once a month.

So, How'd Art Go?
Success! It went well. I took an art class at the end of the year - that really makes this feel like it culminated in success. It was actually really hard at the beginning of the year, and I'm a little afraid I might fall out of the habit really easily. But this goal - helped me go the extra creative mile. Creating (no matter how badly) really grounds me. I'm now a member at my local art supply store - which has free Saturday classes. Something to consider for next year.

See my post about my art class experience!

2) See More East Coast
Goal: After living here over 3 years, I wanted to ensure I saw more of the East Coast.
Parameters: At least 1 East Coast Trip per quarter, get back to NYC at least once, and see at least 3 new local sights

So, How'd Seeing The East Coast Go?
Success! It went so well! I went to Maine/Boston, NYC, Charlottesville, Indiana, and Philadelphia. Locally I finally made it to the Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens, Dumbarton Oaks, and Great Falls. Woohoo!!

3) Go see Art

Goal: I wanted to embrace the art around me more while I am here and have the chance!
Parameters: Going to museums more often, go see live music (symphony, jazz, any thing), plays, etc. I actually set up a check list of places/types of art I wanted to be sure to hit/

So, How'd Seeing Art Go?

Success! I ended up getting a symphony ticket package (3 for $39!!), saw jazz in the park, went to more than 1 play, went to the opera, saw Misty Copeland in the ballet version of Romeo and Juliet, went to various events at Sixth and I, and author talks at Politics & Prose!

4) Adventure & Green Space
Goal: I wanted to face some fears this year and cross some things off my 40 before 40 list!
Parameters: Try 2-3 new things. And get to parks/forests/green space at least onc

So, How'd Adventuring & Green Space Go?
Success! I made it green space every month and went zip lining for the first time! I also learned how to shoot a gun for the first time - finally. It wasn't quite as much adventure as I'd hoped - but I met my goal.

5) Read & Ride
Goal: I wanted to continue pushing my comfort zone with reading and riding. With reading I particularly was concerned about not continuing reading non fiction and just going back to novels - so I made sure to include them.

Parameters: My original reading goal was 8 classics and 4 non fiction. Part way through the year I decided non fiction should actually be a 40 before 40 goal and I would need to increase to at least 6 non fictions. And originally I had a goal to do at least a partial century ride.

So, How'd Reading and Riding Go?

A mixed success. I decided part way through the year I wasn't going to pursue the riding this year.

As far as growing in my reading habits and pushing out of my reading comfort zone - Success! I added the goal of 40 non-fictions to my 40 Before 40 because I've found it so valuable, and am on my way. I had hoped to read 6-8 NF as well as 8 classics. I ended up reading all 8 classics (some short ones to make it work) and 6 non-fiction.

Saturday, December 24, 2016

Goal 26 Accomplished: Take an Art Class

Art Class. A/k/a: Embracing Failure!

I walk across the Mall after work before each class. A good reminder of where I live!

I don't want to over state it, but it feels like reconnecting with my soul. With my inner child in the best way. I'm saying that despite feeling truly, deeply terrible at art.

Mixed Media is one of those rare worlds where perfectionists can let go. Or more like, have to let go. Where there's not really a wrong. Even if something is ugly, or terrible - it can be art. So there's no way to fail. It's a weird, uncomfortable concept - but so liberating at the same time.

I'm sitting next to people doing beautiful/museum level work. There are multiple professional artists in the class that just wanted experience in a different medium or wanted a way back to art after an absence. There's no way I can operate at their level, so there's almost nothing to do, but do what I can!

The Class.

There were about 12 of us in the class - ended with about 7 of us. Its down deep in the belly of one of the Smithsonian buildings. It's actually really fun - there's a side pavilion that we enter through and then climb down and down through a spiral staircase to the lowest level. At the bottom there is a hidden world of art classes. On Wednesday evenings, our class and others meet in these small classrooms. There's a drawing class, and a flower arranging class, for sure.

Week 1

Accordion booklet night. We were given long black construction paper, and a couple buckets of goodies to play with.

This is one of those times where the journey, not the destination, is what counts. I know that, and yet I feel more comfortable posting my work here because you can't see the other work that was produced in this class! The class art was amazing. Let me assure you it made me feel like an elementary kid in a college level class.

An accordion booklet was our first project.

The teacher came over during the first class and said, "Oh, I like the sequins" because there was nothing else to say after seeing all the other masterpieces. But you know what? I loved it. The process, if not the result. It was freeing and calming.
Side note: Not sure the instructor ever had anything nice to say about my work. She gushed over other people's art. Other people really liked mine. But she was always seemed confused about my presence and my work. Oh well!

After a week of not seeing this, it seemed less like the Total Disaster I had remembered.

It reminded me of when I was in preschool. We used to play with shaving cream and draw and draw and then wipe away. It felt like that. it didn't matter what you did, it just mattered that you did something. Lesson one: embracing failure. Or really: Lesson one: There is no failure. It's not failure when you create; it's experience. At the very least, it's experimenting.

Week 2

I still feel very much that my creativity is at a different stage of unraveling than others' in the class, but I'm more content with week 2's end results!

Week two was a transparency project. We did the textured paint on one side and then did solid paint on the other side. (I should have taken a photo when it was still clear in the background, but my phone was put away for class!)

The background/backside. Acrylics on transparency.

Acrylics on transparency - used a textured tile, film strip, leaf, baby bok choy, and lace.

Side project of the day (strongly encouraged) on tar paper, oil pastels, and acrylics with a baby bok choy!

Weeks 3

Week 4: Jelly Plates!

My favorite week.

the instructor made these "plates" made of gelatin - and we added paint, rolled it out - then added texture with random objections and printed it on paper - or transparencies, tar paper, whatever. Loved it. Fast and fun.

Weeks 5-7

We started doing less project based work - and just doing what we wanted.

There was another girl in the class (I think we were the youngest two, other than the class volunteer)- and we were probably the slowest. At everything. We were slowest to understand the lessons, start a project each time. So when we had to work on our own thing - I was so relieved that she uncontrollably asked in a fairly high pitched tone - "WHAT?! What do you mean?" "There's no assignment?"

Because of course that's what I felt. The creativity panic riding in on a wave. My mind usually goes completely blank and I have the equivalent of writer's block.

But thankfully, I'd already started a couple things - at the instructor's encouragement to have side projects every class. I finally had enough stuff to start putting things together. Phew! It was so satisfying. It felt like all the elements we'd been working on, all the art skills that felt a little silly - came together. Amazing.

The sheer amount of creativity pouring out of some of my classmates was breathtaking. The speed at which they created and developed things was astounding to me. But by the end of the class, I realized that (a) I tend to take the slow approach to new things and (b) many of them have not only been tapped into their creative juices for a long time, but they have more practice and experience. It was certainly easier by the end of class to come up with ideas then it was in the beginning. And that was true for my fellow reluctant art class participant as well.

Week 8: Encaustics
My other favorite week. This was working with a kind of wax to build layers - there's special paint that goes with it, and I have to say - in my dream art studio in my dream home - I am determined to have an encaustics space. I loved it so much.

I like this plain, early version better - without paint. but this was about learning!

In Conclusion:

This was one of the most deeply satisfying 40 Before 40 goals accomplished to date. I feel like I broke down fears and barriers and gained skills, and had a new, unforgettable experience.

I'm seriously thinking about taking a drawing class or another art class of some kind soon. Sooner than later, I hope!

Life Lessons:
Let go of the fear of failure
Embrace experimentation - just try something!
Expression can be more fulfilling when you do it without words

Thursday, December 15, 2016

Classic 16 of 40: The Little Prince

Why the Little Prince?

I first bought a copy of this book in French, back when I was studying in France. It came sealed with a cassette tape! And I never unsealed it. It must be in my mom's attic at this point. Which means, it's gone unread for ... 15 years. Woops. Such a little book. It's everywhere in France, little references - shops sell postcards with the art and quotes. I'm finally in on it!

Thoughts on the book:

This little book about a little prince and an aviator was lovely. It was short and playful. It made fun of seriousness and adulating in a big way, but also questioned some big life issues: what does it mean to own something? what does it mean to be a ruler or be ruled? what is love? it even seemed to tiptoe into some meaning of life questions. Some big topics for a tiny book with a tiny protagonist.

The plot existed - with a beginning, middle, and end - to be sure, but meandered here and there a long the way.

It's so little - and such a fun ride, I don't really want to give anything away if you haven't read it! I will say this - this is one of those books that you recall as time goes by. As in, "This is just like what happened in The Little Prince" - loss, grief, tyranny. It keeps popping up and feeling relevant to a surprising degree.

I was surprised that the author died so young. I hadn't realized that. Apparently he was a French pilot (travelling to Africa, which makes sense given the book takes place in Africa), and during the war escaped to the US where he wrote this and another book or two. But then went back to fight and went missing in action.

Recommended for:

All ages - parents & school kids might have fun with this together. Anyone else - feeling a little lost in the world and wanting a quick perspective check.

Added note:
A friend recommended that I watch the movie the Little Prince on Netflix - and I definitely recommend it. I don't think you need to read the book first - it references the book and uses it as a jumping off point. The book is reinterpreted into our modern world.

Thursday, October 27, 2016

Classic 14: Tales of the South Pacific

James Michener.

Recommended for? History buffs, short story readers, or if you're in the mood for some classic 1940's language and perspectives about American life, men and women, justifications, and expectations.

Why Tales of the South Pacific?
James Michener came on my radar reading Wild, by Cheryl Strayed. She talked about how her mom read so many of his books, and read one on her hike with some nostalgia. The way she spoke about his novels, felt initially dismissive (though she seemed to come back around to them as offering more than she originally appreciated) and I figured that they were light hearted mystery books or easy reads. I want some balance in my lists, so light hearted sounded like just the ticket.

When I was looking at which book to pick of his, I kept seeing Tales of the South Pacific come up as one of the best. I also learned that the musical South Pacific was based on the book. Again - suggesting a nice, light hearted book. After I bought the book, I saw the seal that it was the winner of the Pulitzer Prize. Yeah, that was a bit of a surprise. And the first sign that maybe I wasn't about to read a fluffy, page-turning whodunit.

How was it?
Really good. I see why it won the prize. It fit incredibly well with the books I've been reading over the past couple of years in this reading quest. It stirred memories of Kurt Vonnegot, the realities of war. And resurfaced images from Bradley's non fiction, Flyboys. It was actually quite complimentary. Flyboys focused, as you'd expect, on pilots - whereas this book centered on those who supported the flyboys or what those boys got up to ashore. Shenanigans, that's for sure.

The book balanced serious issues of war with humor and perplexity. Luck and happenstance, forward and backward thinkers, hard work, honor, morals, and bravado - all woven into the story of these men and women. All considered. It didn't answer unanswerable questions, but simply took them as part of life. Jungles, seas, and unanswerable questions - that's war in the South Pacific. I appreciated it. There was just so much more to this book than I could describe here.

Chapters were more like short stories. Some floating gems, some with returning characters. The abrupt changes between narrators and tones was occasionally jarring, but suited the nature of the book. Linguistically, it felt like it could have been read by Humphrey Bogart at times. With talk about dames and scandal, Japs, and what it meant to be brave or bored in the South Pacific.

I ended up taking my time reading this book, because I didn't want to rush it. It was worth slowing down for. It was an unexpected book - and feels exemplary of why I started this challenge. To branch outside my reading comfort zone.

Tuesday, October 25, 2016

Goal 25 Accomplished! Drive through the New England Fall colors

Goal 25: Leaf Peeping!

My very good friend, Erin, and her beautiful family were travelling to New England - and kindly let me come crash their weekend. I'm so grateful to get to cross another item off my list with one of my favorite people and one of the best families that I know.

And, I mean, now I can say I've gone Leaf Peeping!

Fodor's had a suggested drive through Rhode Island that included a stop at this little store that's been operational since the 1800's and has a penny candy counter!
Fodor's Rhode Island Fall Foliage Drive

We stopped at a cheese farm in Vermont that had these cuties (above and below) to entertain.

Thanks Erin for finding a genuine Vermont Cheese Farm! With truly delicious cheese. That I, sadly, left behind in Rhode Island... Reason to go back? Absolutely.

We were staying in Rhode Island (where Erin's husband Mike had a conference the following week), and took a road trip through Rhode Island and Connecticut the first day. Inspired by that first day we went on to pile on a few extra states Day 2 - because why not?! We went to Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. 6 states in two days!

We had heard going into the trip that the fall colors might not be so bright as usual because of a dry summer - so we weren't really sure what to expect. Happily as we went further North, the colors became more dramatic.