Tuesday, May 27, 2014

Bucket list: My painting adventure

My painting adventure

I am checking another item off my bucket list. I went to a painting class and attempted self expression on canvas. I think I am an artistic and creative person, but not as good with making master pieces with utensils in my hand. I've never been able to draw pretty pictures and my paintings often look like they're done with my fingers. I didn't have high expectations going into the class. I decided I would have fun and what ever happened on the canvas wouldn't be as important as the experience.



We completed a canned painting concept. By that I mean we were shown the piece of art we would be creating, we were taught the technique, and we were left to our creative devices to chose color and placement of the objects in the painting. Things turned out much better than I imagined, although at a time I thought the birch trees looked more like dalmatian trees. However, things worked out in the end and I was complemented on my color usage. I am most impressed with the color blending.

Modifying my list

I am cutting away at my bucket list and as I plan adventures to satisfy items on the list I realize I was far too specific when creating my list. I've learned that when making resolutions that they are more realistic and easier to accomplish if I am not bound by certain immovable factors like time.

For myself, when making goals that are not necessarily results based it is best to not be SMART. The SMART acronym is given when setting work or business goals, prompting people to make goals that are Specific, Measurable, Actionable, Realistic, and Time based. Those are great when working on a results based project like increasing sales, but life is not always a results based project. To be clear, I am talking about fun goals that I want to accomplish for my own entertainment.

In order to not set myself up for failure, I will interpret my bucket list goals loosely. When I made them I thought being specific added a touch of whimsy. I intend to maintain the whimsy but be more realistic in not attempting to seek out a lighthouse with an open flight of stairs.


Travel to Denmark

Ride in a hot air balloon

Take a cruise to Alaska

Black tie New Years Eve celebration

Take a dive from the stratosphere in Las Vegas

Get my hair braided in the Caribbean

Go on a relief mission for vacation

Take in breakfast at Tiffany’s

See the red wood trees

See Niagara Falls

Throw a New Years Day brunch

Visit all 50 states

Go on a bike tour through wine country

Go windsurfing

Learn to salsa dance

Climb to the top of a lighthouse

Send a message in a bottle

Write my memoirs

365-day photo project

Throw a dart at a map and go there

Drive route 66

Take a cooking class

Visit Stonehenge

Hike up volcano

Knit a hat

Make a gingerbread house

Learn to make dad’s peanut brittle

Go to a professional sports championship game/match

Visit a jazz club in New Orleans

Ride trolley in San Francisco

Cook a soufflé

Go gambling in Atlantic City

Invent a holiday and celebrate it

Grow my own vegetables

Ski New England

Go on a couples camping trip

Learn to dance the two-step and show it off

Take a sculpting class

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