Experience-junkie

The Spectrum (catalogue of local classes offered) came recently and I have a long list of classes I want to sign up for. If I had unlimited funds, and the time to do it all I'd sign up for at least these ones:

• Introductory Massage
• Landscape Design (Beginners)
• French
• Digital Photography
• Rock Climbing
• Middle Eastern Dancing
• Breads of India
• Pottery
  

Then there's the list of cooking classes offered by the local Superstore.

I was a little concerned when I looked at my eclectic list of potential interests, and recent interests (cake decorating, running, working out, scrapbooking, card-making). The list really goes on and on. Some become part of my life, and some don't beyond the initiation. I wondered if I am just flakey.

I think I've figured it out though. I want to try almost everything. I'm not looking to be an expert at every thing I try, but I enjoy each new experience of trying something I've never done before. I'm a bit of an experience-junkie (a term I coined that my sister makes fun of).

Another thing that has concerned me lately is the dilemma I find myself in:

As I was growing up, I was instilled with a solid belief that I could do anything. I've always been confident that I could do whatever I set my mind on, and have therefore made my life choices so far not based on what I had to do, or could only do, but on what I wanted to do.

Now, I'm 25, still pretty young, but thinking about all the things I want to do with my life, and realizing that it will be impossible to do them all. By making choices to include some things, I necessarily exclude other things.

The thing right now I guess, is to take advantage of the time and freedom I have right now. I don't want to wake up in 50 years and realize that I haven't much time left to tackle my "List of things to do before I die." I'd better order my life in such a way that I am taking advantage of the opportunities and time I have now.

What's that Latin phrase that's quoted way too often... oh right... carpe diem! :) This fall it's Middle Eastern dancing, sewing, drumming and maybe a bit more cake decorating.

1 year of blogging- 100th post

This is my 100th post. I've now been blogging for a little over a year. I think I may keep this up after all. :)

Blogs are interesting things. I've got a list of blogs that I read fairly regularly, and I like the way blogs let me follow along with someone's life even if we don't get to see each other often. Even for those I do see often, it's interesting to see the experiences/thoughts/pictures that they do choose to share, because inevitably I see a different side of them.

I recently looked over the last year's posts, all 99, and thought it was interesting that so much of my life and experience from the past year has been captured on here. At the same time though, I realize how limited something like this is. There's so much more to me than 99 blogs posts. It just made me stop and reflect on how complicated people are. Me, and everyone else.

It just makes life more fun, to be able to recognize and enjoy the endless mystery of each person around me.

Wing night

Tiger Jack's, Wednesday Aug 17th. 21 people (+2 kids). Our biggest turnout yet. It was nice to meet some new people, and some others from the blogosphere. I'll post the score soon.

The Wing Project

You may remember the debacle of the "pilates and wings" experience a few months back. The pilates didn't work out so well, but Amy and I united in our love for good chicken wings. We started wondering where the best places are for wings in London, and out of that experience came the Wing Project.
We've gathered a core group around us and started trying out a different wing place in the city each week. We record our opinions, judging various flavours, size, texture, as well as presentation, service, and atmosphere of the place itself. We've been to 7 places and will be visiting the 8th tonight.
Here is an open invitation to any Londoners, to join us at Tiger Jack's on Wharncliffe, at 9 pm.

Some of the group at Killaly Bar & Grill

Vicky & Christian's wedding

I'm still alive... in case you were wondering. Here are some snapshots from the the gap in my blogging:

NEW FRIENDS
I met Vicky at the beginning of July at one of our wing nights, and we hung out almost every day before she moved to Winnipeg this week. Here are pictures from her July 29th wedding:

The beautiful bride before the wedding

Me with one of the flower-girls, Gracie. I had the job of telling the flower-girls when to go down the aisle, and closing and opening the door for Vicky to go down when the second violin started playing. Vicky and I were poised just outside with our ears to the door whispering to each other, "Is that the second violin??" When we figured out that I'd missed the cue, I swung the door open a little too quickly, slamming it loudly against the wall. :)

The ceremony.With the beautiful bride after the ceremony.
(I miss you Vicky!)

MUSKOKA RETREAT
Our yearly team retreat at Muskoka. This is my third year in a row. See last year's post.

Deep in thought of course.Discussing major life issues with Eilleen and Melanie on the dock :)Mini-golf at Santa's Village on a team evening.