The Friday 4: Minor Goals

I'm going with minor here instead of major b/c I'd like, at the moment, to avoid all the soul-searching and philosophizing that attends making a list of major life goals - such an effort requires so much energy . . . and it's summer! So let's call this little list Life Goals in C Minor in honor of my #4 goal. 

4. Learn how to play the piano. 

Turns out my mother was right. "When you're older, you'll wish you could play the piano. I would've loved to have the opportunity to take piano lessons!" she'd say as she nagged me to sign up for lessons that I would have, invariably, loathed at the age of 9, 10, 11, 12, etc. 

A pretty old Steinway 

But now, I do so wish I could play, and I've felt this way for some years. Perhaps it's b/c Brad turned me onto classical and jazz years ago, and now I appreciate instrumental music in a way I never before had (with the exception of "Orinoco Flow," haha). Whatever the case, I hope some day we can get a piano (it need not be anything fancy), and I can get schooled in the ABCs of piano playing. 

3. Be able to run 5 miles (again). 

I used to be quite the runner - if not fast, at least dedicated. From about 7th grade through my junior year of college, I'd take to the streets and hoof it on a fairly regular basis. During the summer after my senior year of high school, I was running 40 miles a week (10 miles at a clip). 

These days, I can run approximately .27 miles. (Okay, I made that up. But you get the point.) In fact, I don't run at all. Just over eight years ago I fell (while running) on a sidewalk in Oakland, tore my labrum, and did some other unidentified damage to my hip/lower back. Despite seeing four orthopedics surgeons, enduring PT and an unncessary cortizone shot, and even going to a chiropractor and a rheumatologist, much of the problem remains a mystery, and I'm still in pain. And, as one might suspect, running is basically out. 

Well, it's my hope - however dreamy, lofty, and unrealistic this may be - to work my way, slowly, back into running and then, slowly, work my way up to 5 miles. Is it gonna happen? I guess time will tell. 

2. Learn woodworking. 

Brad and I have a friend who made us new cabinet doors for the windowseat/bookcase in our living room. He came to visit last spring, I randomly complained about the cabinet doors, he said he'd make news one, and three or four weeks later he showed up with the new ones and put them on and viola! our crappy so-called built-in was a lot less crappy. This same friend has also made himself and his children headboards, end tables, etc. etc. 

I want to be able to do that. I love refinishing and painting furniture - being able to make it seems like the next logical step! 

1. Live in a big old house with lots of character - and bring it back to its full charm. 


I've got a thing for Victorians (this one's in Georgia) 

There are very few things I find more beautiful than an old house. Arched doorways, etched glass, enormous front porches, hardwood floors, high ceilings, built-ins, huge windows, dormer windows, fish-scale siding - I could go on and on and on. To have a wrap-around porch would, for me, be the equivalent of a sports car or yearly trip to Jamaica for someone else. Sigh . . . gush . . . swoon . . . . 

And whereas Brad would enjoy snapping his fingers and having all of our house projects magically completed, I like the actual doing of these project (see #2 above). 


A fabulous federal style house in CT 

Okay, wait - I can't stand hand-stripping wallpaper and I loathe refinishing floors. But otherwise, I'm pretty much down with it. There's a sense of accomplishment that comes with looking at your home and thinking, "I did that." Even pulling weeds makes me feel like I'm gettin' things done. (Okay, truth be told, I really like pulling weeds. Sometimes when I'm at my parents' house, I get my mom to come outside and pull weeds with me. Brad thinks this is weird; I do, too. Oh well.) 


A sweet little Kansas City Tudor 

Gimme me an old house in decent but far-from-perfect shape (I don't want to be dealing with ductwork, roof problems, etc.), some tools, and, of course, enough money to shape things up - and I'll be in my glory.