43 Stitches

I've been 'tagged'! This is new, another little stitch in a small life.

This particular 'tagging' is for 43things and seems to have been started by Reej at pcstuff.co.za and come to me via Acidicice and Sketches, so it's been across 2 continents and pretty much half way around the world.

So what's it about?

43things seems to be a very simple site where you can make a list of things that are important to you and that you'd like to do. These can be small things, big things, fun things or challenges. Some interesting examples are:

• Learn to do the Thriller dance.
• Be kissed on the top of a ferris wheel.
• Sponsor at least one child's education. (one of Sketches things)

Basically anything you want, but whatever you choose has to be achievable. It's quite flexible, allowing you to add and remove things easily and it optionally lets you chat to other people who might have the same interest. It came to me in the form of the following challenge:

1. The list has to be a minimum of 5 entries long but you can add as many items as you want. Anything added to the list should be achieved within a year of adding it to the list.

2. Things such as: "I want to change the world", or "Save a rain forest" do not count. The list is for personal goals or things you have always wanted to do such as watch the entire 10 season of Friends in a month (if that sort of will make you feel good) or better yet, Learn how to paint a self-portrait.

3. The website 43things is a great resource if you need help, most things you would like to achieve has already been attempted and there are people to help you.

4. You can/should tag at least 1 other Blogger.

I don't usually fare well with lists of tasks, life already being quite cluttered, but I've decided to give this a try for two reasons. One, Sketches tagged me, and two, I initially found it difficult to come up with a list of things that I wanted to do. Well difficult things are like waving a red rag at this bull, so I've decided to give it a go.

These are the guidelines I've set myself:

• Where new things are concerned, small starts are best, so I've chosen 4 things to begin
• They should be doable.
• Personal evolution is about making mistakes to learn more about ourselves. So it's OK it I can't do one or some of my 'things'. I shouldn't consider it a failure, but simply learn from the experience and move on.
• We live in a throw away society but that doesn't mean we have throw away lives. Each one of these 'things' involves a process, an experience, no matter how small. I should learn something from each 'thing'.

So, what's going on my list?

1. See a play at the Edi(n)burgh Fringe Festival (it seems I'm the first to choose this combination)
   It’s been 7 years since I went to see a play and I’ve never been to the Fringe. This particular little aim is more than it seems and I'm going to have to blog about it soon.
   
   
2. Improve my photography (shared with 224 other people)
   I'd like to know my camera better so I can spend more time observing and less time fumbling while taking photographs. I'd also like to have a better understanding of light and contrast.
   I've seen so much inspiring amateur photography recently, that I feel inspired.
   
   
3. Create a mosaic (shared with 1 other person)
   I'm struggling with painting (having set my goals too high) but ceramic/glass mosaic seems much more practical so I'm going to have a try in the medium term.
   Art is a particular bugbear of mine so this is a small part of a larger struggle.
   
   
4. Find the courage to blog (I'm alone here although 1128 other people would like to 'Be a better blogger')
   I have read a number of blogs where the writers show courage in talking about their own lives.
   I on the other hand, am struggling to blog what I feel. I haven't found my courage yet.
   This is a complex 'thing', so I'm putting a year on it. I don't know quite how it's going to work out, and I can see that it's stretching my guidelines, but it's gotta be here.

"You can/should tag at least 1 other Blogger". I've tagged 3 other people on their own blogs, but not as a challenge, simply as an interesting idea. You can find my 43things here

I had better mention that someone else has claimed my name on 43things, the same person as did this on Blogspot, I'm guessing. So http://www.43things.com/person/bunnyman is not me.