A new dea

No I didn't spell that wrong. Magically I have adopted the speech of my niece and nephew.
They always seem to have what they like to call new deas. New deas on how to play games. New deas on what to do, and so forth. A lot of the time I have noticed that their new deas are cooler than my ideas. So deas it is.

I have a new dea. It is simple. Try something new.

The reason I say this is I seem to have gotten caught in a rut. For one, I am not really all that happy. I could blab about the unfairness of life and the economy. However, I think that makes me sound like a teenager and in all fairness my life up to this point hasn't been that hard. I mean yeah my ideal job kind of went out the window. I went to college for no apparent reason, and the economy sucks but everyone, for the most part, in my generation is going through that.

My happiness quota seems to be going unfilled mostly because of lack of purpose. I have no idea what to do or really what I want out of life. For the longest time purpose and reasoning were tied to school. Get through school and get to the next stage. After two years of being graduated, and carrying around a paper that says "Hey, I am kind of smart," I still have no idea what that next stage is. I'd hate to tie my anchor of who I am to my job, but then again why did I define myself by going to school in the first place? This is a question that I need answered.

Secondly, I tend to do the same thing all the time. Which isn't always a bad thing. If a place is nice, why shouldn't it earn my patronage? Still I feel by constantly subscribing to this very westside of Cincinnati mentality I am missing out on a boat load of interesting opportunities. Maybe not always great experiences, but stories all the same.

Thirdly, I really don't know myself which for the longest time I've held as a reason not to get to know other people. I always thought that if I didn't know who I was why should I lug other people with me. Grant it, some really cool people stuck by my side through all these years. I think it is because of my cooking ;-) I am going to confess, I purposely close people out. That sounds mean, it is really more of a subconscious thing. Still, I do it.

So for these three reasons I've decided to have a new dea. I'm going to try at least three new things a week. The reason I am documenting it is because I want to be held accountable. I know myself well enough to know that if no one else knows that I trying to do it, I won't. Case in point the only reason I quit smoking was because Allison knew I was trying. One of the reasons I have never finished writing a novel is because I usually never tell anyone about them. So accountability is huge for me.

I've also decided that ground rules should probably be put down.

First off the definition of a New Thing is as follows: Some thing I have never done, tried, ate, scene, **insert action word** ever or within the last ten years. I am putting in the ten years rule because 16 year old me is loads different from now me and a lot can change in ten years with places. Example Six Flags Louisville. The thought of which always makes me sad.

Rule one: Only one new thing per day. This will keep me from being overly ambitious and burning out.

Rule two: The number of food related new things can never be less than or exceed the number 1.
  (If this rule didn't exist I know I would cheat and just make a new dish 3 nights a week. That defeats the purpose of this challenge.)

Rule three: One new thing every week must take me a little out of my comfort zone. This might be a little harder to gage but it is worth listing.

Rule four: Only two new things can be done Friday- Sunday.

Rule five: Talk to at least one new person per week during a new thing (waiters and service people do not count).

So I am declaring the next 52 weeks my New Dea Challenge. By this time next year I will have written about 156 stories about what I have done. I may die of embarassement, shame, or fear. At this point though., if I don't accomplish this goal I will just be disappointed. My disappoint I hope will outway the previously listed three and keep me motivated. So that will be my punishment I guess if I don't succeed. Serious disapppoint and one less story to share.

So, I guess wish me luck. I will be keeping a regular chronical of all of my new things here. If you have any thoughts on items I should try let me know. I am open for suggestions.