I wish I can crochet that nicely.. sigh 
It’s 2012, and the world is ending tomorrow. Though an early demise is non-negotiable, would you be able to say that you lived your life fully–thus far?
So many people today waste their time watching t.v, not mending fences and not taking any chances. Your life is a gift and if you are able to live in the United States then you have more then most people across the globe. I know the whole Mayan prophecy is a bunch of crock but the hindsight behind it is worth thinking about.
I baked a seven layer bar from scratch. I think I have a good chance at baking things right 
What if the world ends, and it it concludes before you reached for the stars. Before you went bungee jumping in Costa Rica, baked a seven-layer cake or even told that special person in your life how much you truly care about them.
Time is precious and I know this. So, I am using everyday to not only look for a long-term job in this insidious economy but am also trying to grow mentally, physically, intellectually and spiritually.
I’ve been putting of so many things for years, thinking that I can always fall back next year. Procrastination like this has kept me from growing and I dont want to waste anymore years, just stalling for tomorrow. What if today is all I have?
I'm no Michelle Kwon, but I think I am getting better at it. Some how?
Keeping all this in mind, I am trying out new hobbies. I am pretty good at some and pretty awful at the rest. But even though i’m less than par at some hobbies doesn’t mean I will quit. Quitting is never in my vocabulary since I believe hardwork is key in mastering any skill.
Anyone who is immensely bad at an endeavor, initially, and who works arduosly at mastering something is someone I have the utmost respect for. In the 90′s “Forrest Gump” came out and yes, it sparked a wave of people poorly doing a southern accent but the movie also exemplified that you don’t need to be smart to go after your goals. Forrest had a below average IQ but lived life like a genuis.
With that in mind, I am going to venture into the following this year:
1.) Crocheting: I recently bought a beginners kit at Michaels and have, surprisingly, progressed. I started with making a row of tangled knots into four rows of tangled knots. It’s progress, I swear! I’ve wanted to do this for years but have been putting this hobby off for several years due to insipid reasons that lack a proper backing. I want to know that before the world ends, that I can atleast crochet a scarf.
2.) Ice Skating: Ever since I was 9 years old, I wanted to do arabesques, pirouettes and twirls on the ice. I was too chicken to ask for lessons and would just timidly glide around the ice. Now, I am taking lessons in Silver Spring and am starting to do more than just glide along the rink.
3.) Reading the classics: In 2010 I was more adament with reading the classics and knocked off works from Albert Camus, Malcolm Gladwell and even some Franz Kafka. This year, I found a list of 30 classics I must read before I turn 30. I get that I have years away but I better start now if I want to make any tracks on this.
4.) Sketching: I bought a sketch kit and I drew a picture of Jigglypuff ( POKEMON). I’ve always been pretty good at capturing the shape of an object but was often remedial at shading. I practiced this kit a few times and have made marginal success. This one portrait I drew of this little boy from a German chocolate bar is starting to look real and not stick-like. Yay!
5.) Swimming better: I’ve taken lessons on and off for several years. I’m still pretty bad but always better than before. I figure that the more I practice, the better I will be in the future.
6.) Baking: I used to bake in high school but took a long-term hiatus from it, due to laziness. I wanted to learn how to bake goodies from scratch versus being highly dependent on those easy-to-bake packs. Well, during Christmas time I did make sugar cookies from scratch and for my blog party, I made 7 layer bars the same way. Both cookies turned out fine and everyone who has tried them, liked them and didn’t croak. I hope to bake more harder and intricate recipes.
7.) Listening to the greats: I love my Indie and Hip-Hop music but I think it’s time for me to grow up. I’m going to start listening to albums from Pink Floyd, Beethoven and anyone else deemed respectful in the music world.
8.) Vocabulary: My vocabulary is pretty decent but I feel like I can always improve. I play dictionary.com’s, Shephard Software’s and Free Rice’s vocab games whenever I have free time. I often dont do well at first, but after multiple practice sessions tend to start acing these games. It’s also kind of fun and has helped me in my Boggle gaming from time to time.
9.) Travel: I get that traveling is not necessarily a skill but it is to me. I want to be able to travel alone better and be able to figure my own way, all by myself. I hope to do that this year and not be so insecure about being lost in new surroundings.
10.) Write Non-Fiction: I will always be everyone’s go-to blogger, and that will never change. Yet, before blogging, I was all about my creative non-fiction stories. I would write them up in my dorm room and share them with close buds. I miss those brainstorming sessions and I miss putting my life into words. Into funny words, so to speak. I hope to be able to do this more this year and not just say I will do it more.
11.) Hip-Hop Dance: Amina Vohra’s Hip Hop dance sessions are widely acclaimed in the DMV area. She’s one of the bestest dance instructers i’ve ever met and it totally sucks that all my school classes are on Hip Hop dance nights. I hope around summer time, I will be able to learn how to bust a move properly versus in my dreams.
12.) Dance: I am hoping to learn how to do basic swing, fox trot and waltz. I am taking a few lessons at Arthur Murrays in Columbia and still remember how to dance without tripping on feet. Miracle, yes!
13.) Extreme Sports: Okay, I am terrified of extreme sports. Bungee jumping, sky diving and anything water related. Yuck! However, the best way to combat fear is to confront it, head on. So, before the year ends I want to have been able to do one extreme sport or atleast do something I am terrified of doing. Why live life in fear? Take a chance, right…
14.) Math: I am more terrified of math than sky diving. And that says alot. I am going to work on this fear and try to come out strong. Seriously, what if the world ends? I want to know that I gave my all in living life to the fullest and with combating all and any fears I have.
15.) Snakes: I am more scared of math than I am of snakes. But I am scared of snakes, fyi. Before the year ends, I will have a snake on my hand or some how befriend one of those evil looking creatures. Did you know snakes made Matt Damon cry in the making of his last zoo-related movie? Yeah, I hope I don’t end up like Matt Damon..
So, before the year ends, I hope to be a warrior versus a snively little creature encumbered with wild and feral fears. I’m still that creature but am taking baby steps for a better tomorrow. If there is even one, it is 2012 after all.
