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The Year of Art and Things I've Never Done Before

Welcome to Jan's Birthday Blog. This blog exists to keep me planning and taking action, share this year with those who are interested, and also to invite you to do things you have always wanted to do but never have. What are you /I putting off till it is the "right time"? What is it, that if you and I look back at our lives years from now we will regret not having done?

Please share what you dream of doing or have taken action on and gotten done. Tell me what you are up to. Make suggestions that I can add to my list! Use some of my ideas. Join me or invite me to do something with you.

I invite you to consider that all any of us has is right now.... there is no "later". This blog is a reminder of that for me.

(I am not promoting anything that is reckless, illegal, or negative! I am out to create life-enhancing experiences. Please plan accordingly.)

Things I've Never Done

  • Take a train somewhere DONE! - To NYC for Lauren's Advanced Course. 2014 Thanks for the invite honey.
  • Create a blog - DONE!
  • Audition for pro musical theater - DONE! TWICE
  • Get a hot stone massage- DONE for the 1st time but NOT the last! See link for PCCHH
  • Raise money for a cause -DONE! Want to do more. Donated a quilt that auctioned for over $300 For Hair Peace Charities - see link. Vagina Monologues raised money for women & girls in Pittsburgh and around the world!
  • Go to a Chiropractor -DONE! Thanks Dr. Kukich UPDATE: began regular chiropractic treatment 2 days after I bought that house. Hmmm- any relationship to those two events?
  • Go to a spa with Lauren - DONE! We have the pretty feet to prove it.
  • Work for a floral design company - See link to Mocha Rose. I'M HIRED!
  • Take my daughters to New York - DONE! 3rd weekend in May.
  • Yoga -DONE with first session. One session does not a practice make but I am on my way. YOGA update November 2011 - started going to Yoga On Freemont. My first week I went 4 times. I love it. I feel more open and my body is smiling! 2011 update : Yoga on Fremont, 2 times a week average. Good stuff!
  • Go to an "Iron Chef" restaurant. DONE! Bar Americain in NYC - Chef Bobby Flay.
  • Buy or build my dream house - I bought a 1925 Tudor Revival. It needs work before I move in. That work is creating another list of things I have never done before.
  • Tear down a wall - DONE! See photos of bathroom demolition.
  • Operate a steam shovel or some such machine. SOoooo DONE! Thank you Mike Isbir, Mark Miller and crew. See photos below.
  • Hop in the car for a trip with no idea where I am going FINALLY DONE! ORB to 51 S to 88S, eventually to Maryland and back
  • Dip my toes in the Pacific Ocean _ SOOO DONE!! Thank You Wendy!
  • Throw a pot - (on a wheel, not at a wall) DONE! Pittsburgh Center for the Arts 4 week crash course with my pottin buddy, Lauren.
  • *************************************
  • Detonate something
  • See Lindsay Benner live
  • Be an 'agent' for an Improv Everywhere mission
  • Learn to make glass beads
  • Teach my dog to make friends and play well with others - see Animal Friends link
  • Learn to weld - turns out I know two people that can weld
  • Hire a talent agent
  • Drive a classic Thunderbird - preferably Starmist Blue
  • Paint a mural
  • Fly a plane
  • Learn to sail
  • Drive a race car - Have I told you about Women-Drivers.com?
  • Be on TV
  • Write a book
  • Go surfing
  • Sky diving
  • Travel to Spain, Greece, Morocco, South America, The Grand Canyon, Alaska, Hawaii, pretty much anywhere in the US...
  • Eat vegetarian for a week
  • Get a tattoo
  • *************************************
  • BLOG BONUS - Stuff I didn't know I wanted to do:
  • Work as a standardized patient educator. Had no idea that's what I wanted to do. DONE
  • Do home staging to get a house sold - twice yet. Thanks for asking, Justin and Tom
  • Ride a lap at the Vintage Grand Prix in Schenley Park - DONE!
  • Go to the James Taylor / Carol King concert at the last event at the Civic Arena DONE! It was the BEST! Thank you Diane
  • Buy a share in a Community Supported Agriculture farm. DONE! Kretchsmann's to be exact. Thanks Edie and Mad.
  • Visit St. Anthony's Chapel in Troy Hill. DONE! Thank you Paula!
  • Make a web site - DONE - will be unveiled soon
  • Gravity Hill - DONE!
  • Eat a raisinette dipped in hot sauce - Done! I was double dog dared. I had to.

About Me

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
I was born on June 27th, 1960. Quick math will tell you I turned 50 in 2010. That milestone has inspired what I am up to this year. Now that the birthday has passed, what do I count down next?

Sunday, June 27, 2010

James Taylor and Carole King

I didn't know that I wanted to go to this concert. But Diane did. She said, "This isn't on your list but it should be." In the past 3 or 4 years I have come to love two James Taylor songs more than all his others. How completely wonderful to hear him perform them live. And Carole King? I mean c'mon! She has such a fantastic and broad range of style. It is all Carole King, but there is simple joy, a bit of heartache, dance music, sweetness, tenderness, and some good advice, all in the form of songs. These two are so great together. It was professional musicians at their warmest and best. No ego, no upstaging. Just beauty. Much gratitude for Diane and other James Taylor fans.
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Saturday, June 26, 2010

Birthday Weekend Art Tour





Considering I have made this the year of Art and Things I Have Never Done Before, I decided to spend my birthday weekend on an art tour of the city. For me, food can be art so of course I had to have great food too.
Yesterday we had lunch at Kaya in the Strip, went to Pittsburgh Center For The Arts in Shadyside for a fiber arts exhibit. Then off to my favorite bead shop - Crystal Bead Bazaar - in Lawrenceville. My mom joined me for dinner at The Gypsy Cafe' on the Southside - extremely yummy food! Then we headed over to the City Theater for a staging of "Celebrity Autobiographies" which was pretty funny in a "what a shame they actually wrote that" kind of way.

Today, my daughters and I had lunch at Perk Me Up in Lawrenceville and then saw "Art" - the play- at the Pgh Public Theater. I think the O'Reilly is my favorite theater in the city. I love that place. We stopped at the Mattress Factory art gallery on the North Side this afternoon. First time for all of us. I love the interaction. Saw some very curious stuff.

Some of the rest of my weekend will be spent doing things planned by my good friend Diane. She has promised to help me check off a few things on my blog list but what they are remains to be seen. Can't WAIT to see what she has come up with. I am getting really excited for tonight.
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Thursday, June 24, 2010

YOGA


And not just any yoga.....Bikram HOT yoga. Hot as in, during the 90 minute session, the windows were opened a few times and I felt a cool breeze come in... and it is 83 degrees outside. Hot, as in, I smelled pizza baking and realized the smell was probably coming from INSIDE the yoga room. Hot as in, I left the yoga place almost 3 hours ago and my face is still flushed, really, my face is red. Did you know your earlobes can sweat? And the instructor says, "Now, look over there at those two who are in the full expression of this position." These women were looking at their toes...they also happened to be lying on their stomachs and their toes were coming from overtop of their heads. I had to ask someone else nearby to look at my toes for me. The practice is actually really rather unique and I can see why it is ultimately so good for you. The stretching felt great, and I think a gentle beginners yoga may suit me best and at regular room temperature please. I found this particular yoga place through Angela who is a co-worker at Mocha Rose. All 4 of us went yoga-ing today so a big shout out and huge thank you to Angela, April and Jill. So great to have you all along for the ride. Ya'll are the BEST!
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