vendredi 4 février 2005

To-do list.

While at a flamenco performance last night - that's right, I am that cultured. Flamenco has to be my favourite type of dance - it's just so spectacular. Big swirly dresses, rapid feet, elegant hands... it's the best. And it's amazing what quick feet can do for masculine appeal - there was one dancer who looked totally greasy and unattractive while not dancing, but ohmygod when he was dancing I was so turned on.

Anyway. I digress (as usual). While at the flamenco performance last night, I realised that I turn 30 in 5 years, 6 months, and 5 days. I have big massive issues with birthdays and aging. It's not pretty. I go into massive denial and don't allow anyone to mention that I'm getting older. (And just think, it's only going to get worse). But since I have five more years to enjoy my 20s, I came up with a to-do list of things that I will aim to accomplish before I turn 30. Because there are five years, there are five items.
  1. I am going to take flamenco lessons. I have been a fan since I studied it for a Spanish class project eight years ago. I don't follow it as closely as I should, but I know a fair bit about it. And wouldn't it be cool if I could at least master some of the dance aspects? The voice and guitar parts, well, that's just asking too much and I'll leave those to others. And, since flamenco classes are hard to find, I have given myself the liberty to replace flamenco lessons with salsa lessons or something in that vein. Plus, I need help with coordination and to stop being such a damn klutz. I don't like waking up with mystery bruises (although those might be caused from drinking too much, who knows).

  2. I am going to learn Italian. I already have a head start on it, seeing that it's so similar to both French and Spanish, and one summer when I was bored I studied it enough so that I can read newspapers. But speaking-wise, all I can do now in that language are count to twenty, ask for directions, and ask for gelato in a variety of flavours (you know, the important things). Oh, and I can understand enough to know when sleazy Italian guys are attempting to yell "compliments".

  3. I am going to make a more focused attempt to learn German. Note that I didn't say that I was going to learn German, just attempt it again. Last time I tried, I stopped when I realised that there was a neutral tense (what, masculine/feminine wasn't good enough for them, they had to be like those damn Latin-speakers) and that with numbers, the higher you got the longer the words got, to intimidating lengths (yes, two days was all it took before I gave up). Thirty-five in English is fünfunddreißig in German. Yes, you astute German-speakers will counter, but that's literally "five and thirty". And you are right. But there is NOTHING separating those words, no spaces, no hyphens, NOTHING. Long words in new languages are scary. And there are an awful lot of consonants. I might have just talked myself out of trying to learn German again.

  4. I am going to learn how to play the saxophone. Because honestly, I think the saxophone is an awesome instrument and not twitty like the flute nor painful like the violin (because pressing on those strings hurt) - both instruments my father made me learn (in addition to the piano) because.. you know, I'm not sure why. He couldn't have been prepping me for college back when I was nine, could he? Who knows with him. All I know is that I spent many a Saturday morning in music lessons. But the saxophone is just gorgeous. However, actually getting my lazy ass to buy a saxophone, or even rent one.. maybe I will just practice my flute some more.

  5. I am going to travel by myself to somewhere random where I don't know anyone. This is all a part of my whole "it's-okay-to-do-things-by-yourself" initiative. I can now go to the movies by myself, as I have recovered from my first traumatic incident doing so (where I SWEAR two guys were having sex several rows behind me). I can sometimes eat at restaurants by myself, although I've only attempted lunch and not yet dinner. I really don't like eating by myself. And I'm giving myself five years to go somewhere by myself. It could be fun, who knows. And it is the ultimate "doing-something-by-oneself" activity. I'm not quite at that stage yet, but I'm putting it out there.
Of course, I don't know that I'll ever really get around to any of these. But if I'm looking for something to do, it'll be something off this list. (Really, what I am doing is procrastinating on all my reading. So what should be on my list is to better manage my procrastination, but please, that'll never happen,we need to be realistic.)