The thing I have always loved the most about the worldwide web is how links lead to links which lead to links and still more links. Surfing the web has become such a banal term, but when I really step back and look at how I use the web, which is truly worldwide, I am in awe. For me it has always been an ever changing journey. I ride the information waves with abandon and I often find myself in the most wondrous places.
(BTW, I am a huge fan of StumbleUpon, not as a promotional tool, but as a way to ride the waves blind. So much fun!)
What does this have to do with 52 lists? Keep your panties on! I’ve got tons of time on my hands nowadays, so I have dramatically slowed down my pace in life and you will just have to take a deep breath, grab a cup of tea and be patient while my genius unfolds 
One of my favorite scrapbooking blogs is Scrapbook Obsession. Erika is a woman much like myself, who is a little too into scrapbooking and, in particular, we share an addiction to patterned paper. She doesn’t know that I am a lurker on her blog. I read every post she writes and never comment. I know that’s not necessarily cool, but I’m usually reading on an iDevice and I can hardly type on a real keyboard so… Anyway, on the first of the year she wrote a post about 52 Lists in 52 Weeks. I was truly intrigued so I followed a link in her post to another blog, which was promptly added to my reader, called Get the Words Out. Kellie did the 52 lists challenge last year and I have really enjoyed reading through some of her lists. They will serve as my prompts when I am stumped for a weekly list. She also has a linky thingy at the end of each post so you can share your lists with other listers.
Then I googled “52 Lists” and found this super fun site aptly named The 52 Weeks. This is not a site about lists, oh no, this is a site about doing things every week! Rather than trying to explain this myself, I will let the authors, Karen and Pam, share the concept via the description on their blog:
“This blog was created by two friends who made a pledge to try something new, fun, challenging, or even ridiculous every week for a year. At times, life got in the way, but we forged ahead. Our stories have educated, entertained or inspired many. In 2012, we hope to inspire many others to get better, get moving or get over it!”
I am pretty sure I am not ready to attempt that kind of challenge, but I know I will enjoy following them this year and I hope to get the courage to try some new things along the way.
From The 52 Weeks I ended up at a Huffington Post – uh post – about New Year’s resolutions, which seemed pretty pedestrian until I saw the final tip, Be Still. Hmmm, sounds like I keep bumping into the mindfulness thing everywhere I turn. Maybe someone is trying to tell me something
Now without further ado and rambling, I bring you my first list of my 52 Lists 2012 Project (insert drum roll)
Things I Wish I Were Better At
- Being Present: My mind always seems to be somewhere other than where I am. Whether it is in a fantasy day dream world, the painful past, the hopeful future or the plot of a recently watch TV show, my mind is seldom where it should be – with the people I love in the moment. Yes, I am learning to be more mindful, but I had no idea it would be this hard and some days I just don’t feellike making the effort.
- Writing: I have so many ideas and none of them ever make it on to paper or screen.
- Paper Crafting: I can work for hours on a project and be somewhat satisfied with what I’ve done then I’ll see something in a magazine or at a crop, and feel like I have no talent. Which leads us to #4.
- Being Nice to Myself: I feel that I should be better than I am at everything. No wonder the first list idea that popped into my head was the one I’m writing. I actually feel sometimes that I’m not good enough at being Melissa. What the f*** does that even mean? I guess it goes back to all those years in grammar school of getting those dumg SRA test results. I can hear nun after nun saying I was in the top 98th percentile for my age, and I am not living up to my potential. “You could do so much more!” I ask you all now – honestly, if you were a ten year old who could get A’s without having to study, would you work harder or would you spend that time doing something you actually liked? As part of being nice to myself I am starting to think like that ten year old girl again. I don’t have to be awesome, amazing or inspirational. I can be good enough and that will be good enough.
- Taking My Own Advice: The next time you hear me lament about my lack of discipline or productivity, just smack me upside the head and point me back to #4.
- Keeping Up with Current Music: I’m quite sure that I am missing out on a ton of really cool music, but I tend to slip back into the comfort of my long time loves. For me KISS, Queen, Motley(SixxAM),and old broadway show tunes are like a warm snuggy blanket with bunny faces on it.
Okay, that is my first official list. I had intended it to be longer, but #4 got me thinking quite a bit and then I started feeling guilty for any other items I might add to this list.
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