Most of us probably have a lot of things we’d like to do more often. But between the pesky needs for sleep and work and such, these activities get parceled out on a more rationed basis.
There’s the well-reasoned idea that enjoyable things get more mundane if they become an everyday occurrence. Plenty of children have wished they could have hamburgers for every meal; plenty of parents have responded that they wouldn’t appreciate them nearly as much if that particular wish was granted.
But there are always goals to strive toward. Some time ago, I wrote a personal blog entry tallying up five things I wanted to do more often. In no particular order, they were:
- Listening to or watching public broadcasting
- Cooking
- Creative expression
- Cross-country skiing and other outings
- Giving to charity or volunteering
My circumstances and surroundings have changed since I made the list, but it’s still pretty relevant. Well, I’ve got shorter drives now and didn't bother to set up a TV package so I’m probably listening to the NPR quiz shows and interviews even less. But looking back, it seems like I’ve made an almost unconscious effort to improve on the other deficiencies.
Cooking is a more recent one, and a fairly simple strategy. Even though I sometimes end a day exhausted enough to just sandwich for dinner instead of breaking out the pots and pans, I’ve started picking out one recipe just before a shopping trip so I can get the necessary ingredients. It’s just one new dish a month, but it’s a start.
As for creative expression, well, I could probably stand to do some more artwork. But getting into a to work on a book and a couple of blogs has been working well. It’s a slow and steady pace, but it ensures that none of those projects fall by the wayside.
I could definitely stand to travel more, but I’ve done my best to abide by the goal of at least one outing per weekend. Cross-country skiing will be a little more difficult. Aside from the occasional opportunity to go , there isn’t much in the reason. But someday, if we get more snow than this previous winter, I’ll have to load up the skis and head around the Arboretum or one of the other parks in the area.
As for charity and volunteering, I could probably do more. But I’m getting there. Patch has , and there’s a team in the Terri Brodeur Breast Cancer Foundation’s Walk Across Southeastern Connecticut on Oct. 6 (here’s the point where I ask for your donations). And the volunteer section allows you to recruit the local editors around here for other volunteer projects as well, so there’s always the chance to recruit some young blood to your cause.
It’s a simple lesson, I suppose. Find some things you want to do more, set a few goals, and get to it. You might still wish you had more time for them, but it’ll certainly be an improvement.
