One of the Artist's Way week 2 exercises is to list 20 things you enjoy doing and think about when you last did them. So in no particular order, I offer the following list (or for those of you playing along at home, you can make your own list of 20 things, then come back later to compare...)
1. Painting and just playing around with art supplies - the kind where you're just tinkering (ok - having an aha! moment, here) around, not trying for any specific product but just letting the kid in me have some fun. Hmmm...
2. Playing with clay or polymer clay...I'm not really much of a sculptor, but I like to play with it.
3. Dance - just for the fun of it. One of the perks of working where I do, is that we do have Dancercise for our clients, as well as dance parties. It's really very inspirational, and frees you from your own self-consciousness when you're dancing with someone who's in a wheelchair, or on a walker, can't see, etc. If I'm trying to help someone else have fun and not feel self-conscious - it makes me realize how silly I am to worry about what I look like - so I'm able to just let loose and have fun.
4. Sing - (see #3 above - we also have karaoke.) And we all get applause; because we're all GOOD
(OK, Simon - none of us is getting a recording contract anytime soon - but we're all having a great time!) And LOUD (so go put cotton in your ears if you don't want to listen to us!)
5. Go to the beach (actually I just went the day before New Year's on an artist's date to Laguna; but prior to that, it was Labor Day weekend and that was probably the first time in six months, then.
I know most people don't associate going to the beach with winter, but in Southern California, that's actually when I enjoy it the most...I can beachcomb to my heart's content, without 90 bajillion other people. (This last time, when I was snapping my New Year's photo, I turned around and there were 3 - THREE - dolphins! CLOSE to shore! And I had used all the pictures, trying to get the "perfect" writing in the sand photo - which never did really get perfected - and so I couldn't get a photo of them - aack! I think the Universe was trying to tell me something there...)
6. Read; just for the sheer pleasure of losing myself in a story...The 13-1/2 Lives of Capt. Bluebear (Walter Moers), being the most recent.
7. Play with my animals. Look, see the string? Catch it! Oh - almost! Gotta jump higher! Get it! Sorry, got distracted with the cats for a minute there...
8. Play with my grandgirlies...Who's ready for a tea party? Or coloring? Ok, puppet show, then!
9. Napping - naptime! Ok, no more playing. Your grandma needs to rest, now, girls...
10. Gardening...especially the harvesting part; although I'm really fond of the "let's just sit here on the swing and watch how many hummingbirds, dragonflies, etc. come by" part, too.
11. Swim...actually just playing/lounging in the pool. Must reclaim pool from Black Lagoon Creature first, though...
12. Bubblebaths...and blowing bubbles. While drinking a glass of bubbly. (But only one, or I slide under the bubbles...O O 0 0 0 o o o...bloop!)
13. Playing boardgames/word games/card games. Love the new games like Cranium & Hoopla, as well as my favorites: Boggle, Scrabble, rummy.
14. Putting together/acting in funny skits. One of my best friends from my previous job and I, put on a little skit for a Christmas party; then someone special was retiring and the boss asked us to put something together for the retirement party...next thing we knew, we were getting asked to put on skits for everyone's birthday, retirement, holidays...the only events we didn't do were funerals! We really had fun, coming up with spoofs of the person's favorite TV show or a song, using pertinent references to them - I know it sounds silly; I'm under no illusion that SNL was scouting us (we were DEFINITELY not ready for primetime or even public access), but we enjoyed it & apparently others did, too, since we only did it if they asked us to come up with something. I really enjoyed making people laugh...That's what my husband said first attracted his attention to me (we met while working in the same, large organization). This was a lot of years ago. Even MORE years ago, I played the Jester in our high school production of "Once Upon a Mattress." Loved the laughter and applause then, too. (Takes a bow) Warning - Pelting the computer with fruit will only damage your screen!
15. Snuggling down with my honey, listening to music or even late-night radio...ok, speaking of which, this list is long enough for now; it's late & I'm ready to snuggle down!
I'll finish this up later - Good night, everyone - you've been a wonderful audience! (Audible snore heard, coming from the auditorium, as giant hook hauls Tinker off into the wings...)
p.s. I'd love to hear what 20 things (or almost 20!) you enjoy doing...
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