new years resolution part three

At the beginning of the year I made a resolution to do a public performance of some kind. I hadn't done anything in public since I was a bee in ballet class, unless you count marching band-- though who could see me under the hat? Anyway, I started by playing guitar at my daughter's preschool, just three chords while the kids sang. Mission accomplished.

Now I'm going public again, with a poetry reading on Monday at Busboys and Poets in Shirlington. Fortunately, I will be with the five other, more experienced poets who were part of this year's moving words competition for Arlington. Our poems will be published on buses here and in Fairfax County. We'll each read for 10 minutes or so, followed by an open mic night (which means if you go, you can bring a poem of your own).

Before this, I had threatened to be a part of an open mic night or even a poetry slam, which is something I'd always wanted to do in college, but didn't because a. I was chicken and b. I spent every waking minute at the school newspaper. I always had some regrets that I didn't do the artsy thing because I figured that was the only time in my life when doing the artsy thing would be an option. It was certainly the only time of my life I could've gotten away with wearing a beret.

I will not be wearing the beret on Monday, but I will be trying to tap into that creative side that has spent the last 20 years buried in newsprint.

P.S. I'm still chicken.

new years rez part deux

Not to brag, but I have now officially kept two (2) New Year's Resolutions from my lengthy list.
1. I got a physical.
2. I performed in public.

Okay, so the performance actually took place in front of 43 kids, ages 3 to 5. And okay, so my husband volunteered to play his guitar along with me so that I wouldn't have to do it alone. It still counts.

This marks the second time my husband has bailed me out of an uncomfortable situation (uncomfortable for me being anything that involves standing up in front of people.) When I wanted to speak before the school board over redistricting earlier this month, I signed my husband up instead. I was going to say he still hasn't forgiven me, but apparently he forgave me enough to join in at the pre school this morning. Whew.

Next up: A poetry reading in April. Now if I could just find a way to get him to read a few of those...

new year's resolutions

My son had a great New Year's Resolution last year: To do something he'd never done before. (He's 5, so it wasn't too difficult to keep, but still...) I've decided that's a good one for the rest of us, too. I'm one of those people who makes tons of resolutions, and so, in no particular order:
To do something I've never done before
To give a public performance of some kind
To yell less
To be kind
To notice something cool about my kids every day
To finish this writing project I've been wanting to finish. Make that two writing projects. Make that three.
To send out more queries
To be better about rejections
To make more $
To spend less $
To worry less about $
To get a physical
To run with Alison
To forgive without being asked for forgiveness
To have a social life that does not revolve around 5-year-old birthday parties
To send out a book proposal
To be on time
To refrain from freaking out when I'm not on time
To cook more
To pre-plan at least two meals a week (gotta start somewhere)
To go back and listen to more Buffalo Springfield and Patti Smith
To check email less
To write more
To FINALLY learn barre chords

More when I think of them. Suggestions welcome.