Self-improvement list.

Random list of things I want to learn how to do--many of which haven't been useful in the past hundred years or so...

- Hand-sewing. I have this problem where I can't read or type or surf the internet while I'm listening to music, because it all gets processed by the verbal part of my brain, which is not very good at multitasking. So I need something nonverbal and time-consuming that I can do while I listen to music, and hand-sewing has the benefit of producing things I'd actually wear (unlike knitting)

- Vintage/historical dance. I'm a little leery of ballroom dance--I have no particular desire to learn how to foxtrot--but waltzes and mazurkas and quadrilles would be right up my alley. The only problem is that I have a gigantic embarrassment complex about dancing due to various unpleasant highly public incidents, and I'm generally not very good at it. There is a historical dance society in Paris, but it is quite possible that language barrier + something I'm not good at in the first place = way too embarrassing.

- Fencing! On the one hand, where better to learn it than in France? On the other hand, where am I more likely to feel like a complete dweeb and n00b? Maybe I should wait until I get back to Smith.

- Riflery. Well, maybe I should start with "how to handle a gun without causing anyone serious injury (unless they are jumping you in a dark alley)" and then progress to "how to actually hit what you're aiming at."

- Auto repair. Because it makes me leery to operate heavy machinery without knowing how it works or how to fix it if it gets screwed up, and because I am sick of being one of those girls who don't know shit about cars. (Also: drive stick shift. Might have to enlist brother in this, as father always conveniently forgets he promised to teach me.)

- Speak German. Okay, once upon a time I could sort of speak German. I might as well own up to the fact that I can't anymore, and that if I'm going to learn again I'll have to be taught.

- Sing opera without killing my voice. See "speak German" for history of said skill--I stopped classical voice training when I was eighteen, so, a little over three years ago. I still have a lot of the muscle memory, but my breath support is crap now and I don't want to develop bad habits in the absence of a teacher.

- Cryptography, assembly language, relational databases--oh wait I'm probably going to be learning these things in Paris, never mind.

Self-improvement list.

Random list of things I want to learn how to do--many of which haven't been useful in the past hundred years or so...

- Hand-sewing. I have this problem where I can't read or type or surf the internet while I'm listening to music, because it all gets processed by the verbal part of my brain, which is not very good at multitasking. So I need something nonverbal and time-consuming that I can do while I listen to music, and hand-sewing has the benefit of producing things I'd actually wear (unlike knitting)

- Vintage/historical dance. I'm a little leery of ballroom dance--I have no particular desire to learn how to foxtrot--but waltzes and mazurkas and quadrilles would be right up my alley. The only problem is that I have a gigantic embarrassment complex about dancing due to various unpleasant highly public incidents, and I'm generally not very good at it. There is a historical dance society in Paris, but it is quite possible that language barrier + something I'm not good at in the first place = way too embarrassing.

- Fencing! On the one hand, where better to learn it than in France? On the other hand, where am I more likely to feel like a complete dweeb and n00b? Maybe I should wait until I get back to Smith.

- Riflery. Well, maybe I should start with "how to handle a gun without causing anyone serious injury (unless they are jumping you in a dark alley)" and then progress to "how to actually hit what you're aiming at."

- Auto repair. Because it makes me leery to operate heavy machinery without knowing how it works or how to fix it if it gets screwed up, and because I am sick of being one of those girls who don't know shit about cars. (Also: drive stick shift. Might have to enlist brother in this, as father always conveniently forgets he promised to teach me.)

- Speak German. Okay, once upon a time I could sort of speak German. I might as well own up to the fact that I can't anymore, and that if I'm going to learn again I'll have to be taught.

- Sing opera without killing my voice. See "speak German" for history of said skill--I stopped classical voice training when I was eighteen, so, a little over three years ago. I still have a lot of the muscle memory, but my breath support is crap now and I don't want to develop bad habits in the absence of a teacher.

- Cryptography, assembly language, relational databases--oh wait I'm probably going to be learning these things in Paris, never mind.

*plan plan plan*

All right, who-all is still interested in the lake-house weekend vacation? If it happens, it's going to be either next weekend or the one after it. My mom let me know that my grandparents might be using the cottage this month; I tried to call them to find out when they're going to be there, but they didn't pick up. Left a message, will see if they call back, etc. But for now let's assume they're going to be there. Are people okay with sharing the cottage with my grandparents during our grand weekend of booze, fangirling, and great-outdoors Romanticism? They're quiet and nice, and if they can deal with thirteen extended family members descending on the house every Independence Day and cooking and drinking and shooting off fireworks and playing cutthroat croquet and double-solitaire matches, I'm sure a handful of fangirls wouldn't faze them.

So, who's in?

*plan plan plan*

All right, who-all is still interested in the lake-house weekend vacation? If it happens, it's going to be either next weekend or the one after it. My mom let me know that my grandparents might be using the cottage this month; I tried to call them to find out when they're going to be there, but they didn't pick up. Left a message, will see if they call back, etc. But for now let's assume they're going to be there. Are people okay with sharing the cottage with my grandparents during our grand weekend of booze, fangirling, and great-outdoors Romanticism? They're quiet and nice, and if they can deal with thirteen extended family members descending on the house every Independence Day and cooking and drinking and shooting off fireworks and playing cutthroat croquet and double-solitaire matches, I'm sure a handful of fangirls wouldn't faze them.

So, who's in?