fabulously lazy

Continuing the theme of exploring my 2010 New Year’s Resolutions, resolution #3 expands on my “being open to new experiences” theme by encouraging myself to learn new things.

Resolve to learn new things. Sign up for cooking classes, dance lessons, or learn to tend bar. A class you sign up for in advance will get you out of the house, no excuses, and it will almost always lead to something fabulous.

For me, there is two parts to this resolution. Besides the things I will get to learn, I also want to learn them in some kind of class environment, outside of the house, preferably something I have to sign up for. Knowing my lazy ways, if I just try to, say, learn a new language through audiobooks on my own, I will never follow through.

So, here’s a few of the things I’d like to consider learning this year:

Cooking

I took a one-day cooking class last year with a couple of friends, and it was a wonderful experience. It was a different and fun way to hang out with friends, for one, and we got to make some wonderful food that we got to sample at the end, while drinking wine and having a delicious time.

Most cities and some small towns have cooking classes to offer. If you can’t find one in your area, or if they’re just too expensive, consider getting some friends together at someone’s house (preferably someone with a large kitchen, plenty of equipment, etc.) and go through a couple recipes from a beginner-level cookbook. I’m a fan of Mark Bittman’s How to Cook Everything — simple recipes explained well for all kinds of good eats.

Dance lessons

I’ve been dancing around the idea of learning Argentine Tango for years. It’s a delightful dance, smooth, romantic, or cheerful and energetic, depending on the mood of the music and the dancers. Plus, I’m a big fan of any hobby where I get to wear heels and pretty dresses.

If you don’t have a partner to learn with, that’s usually okay. Check with the studio to see if they have partners rotate during classes. If you’re not comfortable learning such a “romantic” dance with strangers, try searching for a Lindy Hop class or Salsa lessons. These dances are generally more social by nature.

Dancing is something very near and dear to my heart; I’ve been a performing dancer and an instructor in several different styles. If the tango thing doesn’t pan out, maybe I’ll take belly dance classes, or flamenco! Wouldn’t that be fabulous?

Rock Climbing

I don’t know why I want to take a rock climbing class, maybe because I play too many video games where my character scales the sides of buildings.

I think it would be a great way for me to gain upper body strength and challenge my body and mind in new and very different ways.

Other ideas:

Bar Tending or Barista Training

This one isn’t for me, but I have a friend who thought learning to tend bar would be pretty cool, so I thought I’d throw it in. I didn’t know there was such a thing as bar tending classes, but a gal who cut my hair the other day told me all about the bar tending class she was taking.

Some cities also offer barista training, which I learned to do in high school when I worked at a coffee shop. It was really fun — we made our own whipped cream and chocolate from scratch, and served lattés in glasses so you could see how if you pour the espresso and the milk carefully, they sit in distinct layers. (Was milk heavier than espresso, or the other way around? I can’t remember, but it was pretty!)

Photography

I took photography in high school, developing my own black and white film, working with manual cameras and lenses, the works. It’s much easier (and less expensive) these days with digital photography. I purchased a used Nikon D40 camera and an inexpensive 50mm lens and can take a really high quality photo or experiment with creative ideas.

Life Drawing

I’ve taken several drawing classes in my time, and found life drawing to be the most interesting. If you have the chance to take a class, you should definitely give it a go. It’s amazing what we tell ourselves we can’t do (“I can’t draw”) when we’ve never really even tried.

If this sounds interesting, also check out the book The Creative License: Giving Yourself Permission to Be The Artist You Truly Are by Danny Gregory. It’s a lovely story about a man finding his creative spirit through sketching, and is very inspiring.

A few more ideas: Take voice lessons, guitar lessons, or sewing lessons. Never stop learning. What do you want to learn this year?

Related posts:

1. New Year’s Resolutions for the Fabulously Lazy