Twelve Things for 2010 -- Part Two, Five through Eight

5.  Take a regular Yoga class.   I consider myself to be neither flexible nor particularly athletic but when I see a person doing yoga, no matter what their physical appearance, I think to myself, "wow, not only are they flexible but they must be very athletic."  Now, am I saying I want to be like this yogi?

No.  It's just that I no longer want to feel like this Yogi:

(Actually, striking that pose, even Yogi Bear seems to be more flexible than I am.)

6. Create a music space in my home.  I like to strum my guitar and write songs every so often; songs that I have no intention of sharing with the world, with titles like, "The Relationship Song (or, Just Tell Me What You Want, Already)." 
I have no interest in starting a band, or going on tour, or even necessarily making an album but by the power of Ziggy Stardust, it sure would be nice to have a dedicated space to sing badly and make up songs that make me laugh, cry and occasionally, confuse me...maybe a lil' sumpin' like this (courtesy of Elle Decor):

7.  Stage a play in my backyard (Summer '10).

I have always wanted to stage a play outdoors, under the twinkling stars of a warm summer night but as I don't have access to the Delacorte Theater in Central Park, I thought, "Why not my own backyard?"  I have been writing a play that I want to stage this summer.  Now, I just need to finish it, cast it, have six weeks of rehearsals, create scenery, lighting and all of the rest and panic through opening night!  More details to come.

8. Clean up and decorate my backyard (in preparation for #7).  Below, is what my backyard kind of looks like now (except, not so neat):

You do the math (see photo in #7).

Twelve Things for 2010 Part One - One through Four

Here are 12 projects that I would like to complete this year, in no order (in other words, whichever I get to first is cool beans with me).  I will be posting the progress of these (and others) in the future so, now that I've posted it here, I'm committing myself to following through on these (.....gulp...).

1. Create a Writing area.  This is not to be confused with a surfing the web/eating/paying the bills/cat nap destination/putting my feet up and joining the cat in a nap area.  Just a place to WRITE...and nothing else.  Maybe with a handful of books, a bulletin board to post things that will inspire me (to write) and a desk with a small drawer or two for the necessities (paper, pens and...what else do you need?).  Just thinking about that sounds like heaven.

2. Create an Arts & Crafts area.  No, not where I would glue raw elbow macaroni to paper plates to make faces (although that sounds tempting).  But a place where I could make stuff that I like to make which can't be made in my wood shop (because it's too dusty and loud most of the time); stuff like, leather goods, drawings, paintings and what have you.   All I would need is a work surface, some shelving and some leisure time.  The former two will be easy to come by, the latter, not always so much but this year I'm committing to living the way the Italians do; with ease, grace and plenty of good food, wine and friends around.

3. Make a guitar.  "Like a real guitar? with strings and everything??" you may ask.  Well, of course, what other kind is there?  Actually, a flamenco guitar, to be exact (in the style of Antonio de Torres, like the one pictured below, would not be too shabby).  I have always wanted to do this and I've never taken the time despite having a fully equipped woodshop.

4.  Finish decorating my place.  It's been three years since I've moved and I still have curtains hanging from my walls with thumb tacks.  Enough said.

More to come...