Thursday, January 05, 2012

52 things in 52 weeks
first off, let me say... HAPPY NEW YEAR!

anyone who knows me, knows i am a lover of lists. i don't abide by them always but there's something comforting about lists of things to be accomplished and acquired... goals lists, grocery lists, task and to do lists (honey-do lists), wish lists, "40 by 40" lists, favorite moments lists, favorite songs lists, people i admire lists, favorite food lists, best books lists... even list poems. they are easy and they inspire me; they keep me moving onward and upward.

so, in the spirit of lists, i am writing my first blog of the year... you guessed it... as a list. not a list of resolutions. more like a list of 52 things i hope to do before year's end. things to help me break out of my daily routine and awaken the muse in me. in 2011, i don't feel like i had enough writerly moments. this list is meant to inspire the writer in me throughout 2012. i invite you, dear reader, to adapt it, or create your own, to see how much of it you accomplish by year's end.

(numbered, but in no particular order... here we go...)




  1. write a list of 52 things I can accomplish this year (good start, right?)

  2. read a blog (see, you can already cross one thing off of your list)

  3. start/write a blog (it will get the juices flowing)

  4. (PRIVATE)

  5. read a screenplay/work in your favorite genre

  6. finish writing a screenplay (ScriptFrenzy)

  7. enter a writing contest

  8. read a book of poems (suggestions?)

  9. read the autobiography of an author or a memoir

  10. see 12 movies (1/month)

  11. mentor a young person

  12. write a letter to 6 family members and mail them

  13. write using a prompt (suggestions)

  14. read the newspaper cover to cover

  15. take a dance lesson

  16. visit an art museum

  17. go to a poetry reading (venue suggestions?)

  18. read at a poetry reading/open mic

  19. parle francais avec ma soeur

  20. paint on canvas

  21. write a short film

  22. shoot a short film

  23. get a massage

  24. get a mani/pedi

  25. eat sushi

  26. eat tiramisuBold

  27. swim in an ocean

  28. walk barefoot

  29. ride a bike

  30. buy a cozy robe

  31. attend a professional conference

  32. apply for a fellowship

  33. skip

  34. sing

  35. (PRIVATE)

  36. make bookmarks

  37. make a carrot cake from scratch

  38. take a writing workshop

  39. lead a writing workshop

  40. make a tshirt

  41. create/order business cards

  42. buy some red toms

  43. get a new journal that i LOVE

  44. new collection of pens

  45. acquire 12 classic movies

  46. begin a collaborative project

  47. pitch a project

  48. volunteer for a day

  49. work freelance (builds muscle)

  50. write at least a poem/week during poetry month (APRIL, which is also ScriptFrenzy month so...

  51. journal, journal, journal!

  52. learn tai chi and incorporate it into my daily/weekly schedule

WHEW! that wasn't as easy as I thought it would be, though it was as, if not more, liberating! the tasks in bold type feel a bit more intimidating than the others for whatever reason, which means i'm likely to dive into those heart first. (my habit is to stare fear down and poke it's eyes out, no matter how much my knees knock, my stomach moans.)


so, this is it. if you write a list, i'd love to read it. not just so i can knock item #3 off of my list. i want to be inspired.


onward and upward, beautiful people...