Week 6 (Feb 5- Feb 11)

New # 11: Fixing my scratched up dansko's.  For some reason the toe and heel area's on my shoes are shredded as all get out while the rest of the shoe is in perfect condition.  So I decided to see if I could savaged the shoes enough to be able to still wear them to work and not just keep them as everyday shoes.  I sanded the rough edges and then painted over the entire shoe with acrylic paint in wrought iron grey and then sponge painted over that with gunmetal silver.  When it is completely dry tomorrow I will spray over it with waterproofing.

Before with scuff marks

After: Shiny with 2 new shades of grey

New #12: Added a yoga class to my weekly workout routine.  It is fantastic to have that back in my life!  I can start working on some of my flexibility goals now.  My strength training and regular fitness goals were already underway and it is about time to add in flexibility/  Plus the stress relief that comes from yoga is so wonderful..  I don't actually do well with the meditation part but to be told to try to shut my mind off for a bit is something I need weekly.  

Week 5 (Jan 29-Feb5)

A bit late not due to lack of new things but due to being overwhelmingly busy in a fantastic way. I am now a volunteer swim instructor, on anew work-out regimen, and a new calorie cycling diet that is more natural to the way I usually eat that it barely feels like dieting.  However none of these are the new things of the week

New #9:  Cooking with cumin.  I have been afraid of this seasoning for some reason and have never cooked with it before.  Never ever.  So I decided that this week I would tackle it in the same way I use garlic: it belongs in everything.  So Cumin goes excellent with eggs, black bean soup, couscous, and most vegetables.  I did not like it with peanut butter, broccoli, or popcorn.

New #10: Went to two new places in one week.  I went bowling with a friend on last Sunday and then technically went to Denny's in town for the first time (but it was a Denny's does that really count).  I am still as awfully as always at bowling.  I did manage to make it through half a game right-handed before my shoulder dislocated and I had to switch to lefty.  On Friday night went out dancing at a bar/nightclub here in town.  Wow! I will not be a repeat customer there, but had fun with my friend's from work.  It was a good night out. I am not sure want to get to know my town any better but there has got to be somewhere I will like around and I will not find unless I keep looking.

Week 4 (Jan 22- Jan. 28)

I know the week isn't quite over but it has already been a busy one.

 So here we go....

New # 7 Worked out with a personal trainer for the first time.  I get three free sessions with my new YMCA membership, which I got for all of the Zumba classes and Yoga I will get to and have been taking, but I thought why not relearn how to weight-lift. I have not done a formal weight regime since high school, just dumb bell kicks that I will on for a bit and then stop and now sporadic random shovel-gloving for the Balla Guerra.  The trainer seemed a good idea because I torn some muscles in my right shoulder many years back and certain movements have always hurt that side.  So I figured why not take advantage of someone who is paid to workout and is knowledgeable in this area and can help me figure out what I can do to build up my strength without injury myself further.  It was a fantastic idea because I basically can not use any of the machine weights for the upper body so I learned to use the cable machines and learned some specific dumb bell lifting moves that will target my injury.

New #8  I actually styled my hair all by myself, not just my usually scrunch and go or ponytail.  I blow dried it out twice and did an up-do- a side twist pony tail, whatever that is.  The up-do started to fall about halfway through the day but it was super cute at first and is pretty easy so I will try it again and hope that with practice I get better at it.  Hooray I am a girl!

New #8.5  Got a new roommate!  That will help me not be stressed so this is a good thing.

Week 3 (Jan 15- Jan 21)

New # 5: This one is a bit more intangible than the rest as it is a new of feeling about  way an experience I have had many times.  But as this is a journey of discovery including self-discovery, I think this counts.  On Saturday I once again helped with the backstage parts of a yearly dance show in Richmond.  I have done crew stuff before, I even directed a few plays back in the day, and I have performed in shows.  So this is not a new experience in and of itself.  The newness comes from the overwhelming feeling of rightness and confidence that I felt during this particular show.  Gone was the myriad of self doubts and worry that usually plagues me, even if only for a short while.  This brief reprieve of anxiety might in part be due to the fedora that I was able to borrow and looked so smashingly amazing in.  However the confidence to even accept the hat for the afternoon rather than demurely decline such a gracious offer from someone I had just met was a new confidence.

New # 6: In an effort to get to know my town better, I went into three new stores this week.  I found a shoe stores that sells Danskos and an international grocery store!  The other store was supposed to be a thrift store but I am convinced it is a front and I will never set foot in it again.

Week 2 ( Jan8- Jan14)

New Thing #3: First Zumba Class.  Drove up to Chambersburg, PA for an open house to take this class for free.  I am so much in love with Zumba.  What is not to love about dancing non-stop with different styles to different kinds of music.

New Thing #4: New recipe- 13 bean soup.  super easy, but not as tasty as hoped.  Next time I will add more garlic and less bay leaves.  Maybe make a bit less healthy by topping with croutons and cheese.

Week 1 (Jan1-Jan7)

New Thing #1:  Enter Pic of Koy and tree roots into online Photo contest.

New Thing #2 : Cooked new recipe,homemade red beans and rice.  Took longer than expected but was very tasty when done.

Purpose

While living in Richmond, I not only learned important school related lessons.  I learned some fabulous lessons on motivation, creativity, passion, and drive.  I became inspired to follow several people's path in creating a 365 project.  Now that is a bit more than I am willing to realistically undertake, so a 52 week project is where I am starting out.  My project is to continue the evolution that I started in Richmond.  I want to continue learning and growing as a person.  My 52-week project is to discover at least two things each week, whether it is cooking a new recipe, going some where new, or trying something new.