Do Something New!

I've been reading the book "The Happiness Project." The book isn't really that great to be honest with you, but I tried to see the silver lining anyways. There were certainly aspects that I enjoyed as far as new ideas of things I could do to jazz up my own life and make things more interesting. The academic side of me loathed it, as the author kept writing "studies show" and then didn't cite ANYTHING, and there was definitely an unacknowledged white middle class viewpoint. Blech. Damn you sociological imagination!!! (and yet I love you!) Her whole point of the book (I think, sometimes it got lost) was that we should challenge ourselves, and savor the simple joys of life and work. I will say that this past year or so I've really learned to take in the pleasures of simple things--riding my bike, reading, a great latte, walking around Whole Foods and finding the newest green thing, going to the library, playing games with friends, etc. According to Gretchin Rubin (author of aforementioned book), I'm pretty happy. The thing about me though is that I tend to stick to what I know, and it's not that I don't branch out, but it's not my first inclination. I was telling my friend Beth today (as we sat in a new found coffee shop) that I need something for this blog to be ABOUT. I like when people have challenges that they are pursuing, and they journal about them along the way, or ones where they say, go to various bakeries and then write about the best one. We decided a good goal might be to blog about something new that we do once a week. So there, that's it! My goal is to make more of a habit of exploring all of the exciting things that the East Coast has to offer. Whether its something as simple as trying a new drink, or as extravagant as going to get acupuncture, I will make an attempt to try something new...and tell you about it of course! It's those little moments that make life so worth it.

Unbenownst to me, I actually did TWO new things this week. Hookah and yoga (I feel so relaxed!). Yoga might be my new thing--I'm not quite sure. As I was standing in the "Warrior" petition I thought to myself "this is so easy!" Ha ha ha Mr. Yoga laughed at me--just you wait! Halfway through I started sweating like one of the perps on Law and Order:SVU. And I left relaxed, rejuvinated...and sore (well, at least the next day or two). And hookah was...erm. Interesting. I mean I guess if you like smoking things I suppose it might be for you, but I looked anything but classy as I took a deep break and nearly hacked up a lung upon my exhale. I did enjoy the atmosphere though--lounge-y couches and good conversation. At least I tried, right?

These are some ideas that the RA's and I came up with that I might pursue:

*Kareoke

*Acupuncture

*Belly Dancing (one of the RA's is doing a program on this--I'LL BE THERE!)

*Spinning Class

*Run a 5K (on my goals list anyways)

*Try a new restaurant (Whole Foods Guy suggested a vegan one in Middletown I want to go to. He also told me it is legal to be nude there and is teeming with hipsters...it sounds very similar to Seattle.)

*Visit a new city

*Try online dating (only go on one date...not in hopes of meeting anyone, just to say I did it. Something tells me it would provide me with good blog material. Rule is after one date the profile IMMEDIATELY comes down!)

*Bake a new kind of cupcake

*Full body massage

*Dye my hair a new color

*Get a tattoo?!

*Give someone my phone number (I only have ever done this once, and it wasn't even to the guy's face, so I don't know if that counts. That might be like Month 8 before I get up the courage to do it)

*Go to an 80's club

*Learn to knit

Got any more suggestions?