Trying Out: The Wrap-Up

I survived.

I told myself I would try to do something new or challenging every week. Some were a bit much. Some were rather mundane. But I did one each week. (I did take a week off. However, I put in a fifty-third week to cover my bases.)

There were several reasons why I started this experiment.

-I did not want to sit at home each and every day. I like being home. I like sitting around with a cat and reading. Yet there is more to life than being comfortable on my couch. I wanted to push myself to get out in that great big world. (Well, not too much. I am still passport-less.)

-I wanted to have more to talk about. “What did you do last night?” “How was your weekend?” The go-to replies were: “I went to church and then went home.” “I had a long day at work so I went home and collapsed.” Those answers were still valid most days. However, I was allowed to pepper in a few different replies. “I drove down to see a friend in Oregon.” “I went to a museum.” “Some guy pushed me out of a plane, but we walked away as friends.” Variety, spice of life; you know how it is.

-I wanted to meet new people. My friends have been busy. No blame, no raging at the heavens; folks have kids and get new jobs and schedules get crammed. I figured that if I was out in the world, I might run into new interesting people out there. Truthfully, I never really met anyone. Most of that is because I like to stick to myself. Why interact with people when you can focus on the exhibit in front of you? Also, I did most of my activities when there were few people around. (Less traffic and fewer crowds are all well and good, but, no surprise, it means less people to engage.)

Then there are the reasons that presented themselves after I had finished my adventures.

-I surprised myself. I like to think I know myself pretty darn well. I am usually inside my brain enough that I know how I will react. Still, I learned a thing or two. Self-discovery is hardly the worst side effect of getting out there. I am still capable of running without too much pain. I have very little freak-out capacity, even as I am falling at terminal velocity. And losing my cat did not completely and utterly wreck me. (Though it certainly made a sizable dent; I still miss her.)

-I got to reconnect with friends. Some things are better with buddies. That drive to Oregon would have been more pleasant with company. I found that out after taking two trips with a certain friend and being surprised at how quickly the time seemed to pass with them chatting away. Going to a park where you are required to pair off could be an opportunity to meet folks, except when everyone else comes as couples. Having a family member along made it much easier. I do not need someone to help me redecorate a wall. Now there are times when having another person in a museum is annoying because they cannot shut up. In the end, it is nice to be able to have the option of saying, “Hey, I was going to do this thing. Care to join me?”

-I surprised some people. I like getting a reaction. I am a stable individual. Folks usually know what to expect from me. Thus it is rewarding and gratifying to have those that have known me for decades raise their eyebrows. “You did what yesterday?!” –my sister. “I can’t believe you did that.” –my mom. “I can’t believe you did that” –my boss (she said this repeatedly about one trip. She still says it). I like knowing that I can still leave people guessing.

That about wraps it up. I will not stop trying new things. If they are interesting, I will write them up like their brethren. However, I no longer feel the need to find something to do each and every week. (I have pretty much exhausted the museums and parks in my neighborhood. There are some left, but not that many.) Plus, I would like to catch up on all the reading that has been piling up. I am not retiring, simply slowing down a little.

Just in case you missed any of the shenanigans, here is the complete list:

• Week 1/ Week 2: Answering the door in a towel/ Seattle Underground tour
• Week 3/ Week 4: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation/ talking suicide
• Week 5/ Week 6: Henry Art Gallery/ talking to tattoo artist from news
• Week 7/ Week 8: Changing a diaper/ trying out Twitter
• Week 9/ Week 10: Driving a “scary car”/ reading the entire Sunday paper
• Week 11/ Week 12: Swim lessons/ watching a radio play
• Week 13/ Week 14: MoPOP/ Chihuly
• Week 15: Donating platelets
• Week 16: MOHAI
• Week 17: Oregon road trip
• Week 18: Escape room
• Week 19: Giving away a car
• Week 20: Big Finn Hill Park and Juanita Beach
• Week 21: Blyth Park and taco truck
• Week 22: Burke Museum
• Week 23: Visiting a psychologist
• Week 24: Touring a television studio
• Week 25: Acupuncture
• Week 25b: Putting my cat to sleep
• Week 26: Adopting a new cat
• Week 27: Taking a week off
• Week 28: Decorating
• Week 29, 30, & 32: Active listening, volunteering, and Netflix
• Week 31: Skydiving
• Week 33: Visiting a mosque
• Week 34: Protesting
• Week 35: Podcasting
• Week 36: Trespassing
• Week 37: Neighborhood bar
• Week 38: Adventura
• Week 39: Baby shower
• Week 40: Calling my representatives
• Week 41: Roller coasters
• Week 42: Karaoke
• Week 43: Taking a different path
• Week 44: Jet City Comic Show
• Week 45: Downloading digital comics
• Week 46: Working other branches
• Week 47: A/NT Art Gallery
• Week 48: Audio book
• Week 49: Ice sculptor
• Week 50: Washington State History Museum
• Week 51: Ice Skating
• Week 52: Half-marathon
• Week 53: Walking new park

Thanks for tagging along.