Einstein said that Time was relative...just put a deadline out there and you'll see how true that is!

You can't help but notice that when you are doing something you love time seems to fly by but if you are doing something you hate, or moan and groan about...like...sitting in a dentist chair, the time seems to drag (no offense to dentist...chalk it up to a bad childhood experience). 

But another way to guarantee that time will fly by is by setting a deadline.  I set a deadline for myself to do 524 new things in 2010.  Why?  Well first of all, why do it can be answered by saying "I wanted to get out of a rut".  And the 524?  That was a rather arbitrary decision...just a take off of the "Julie/Julia" movie where Julie cooked her way through Julia child's cookbook.  I have since figured out that doing 524 new things is harder than I expected and I may not make it there...but that if I don't that will be okay as well, as long as I enjoyed the ride.  Because in the last couple of months I decided that to do something just for the sake of getting one more item on my list probably isn't really getting me where I want to be anyway.  The key is that the Quest keeps me questioning myself as to what I am or am not doing.  It helps me push myself to do more, get out more, try more things etc and it's working.  I may not be on track to reach that magic number but I am enjoying some new experiences I might not have tried if not for my quest.  So here's my first quarter update.

I'm at 72 new items.  You'll notice on the list that I started going to an exercise bootcamp at 5:30 in the morning 3 mornings a week this month.  Originally I thought that would only count as one item...however I decided as difficult as it is for me to get my butt out of bed at that time of day to do something I don't enjoy (sorry to Stephanie my awesome trainer...) but I don't care how you slice and dice it exercising is not fun for me...period, end of sentence.  And to make me jump, run and sprint, well that is plain mean.  Not Jillian on Biggest Loser mean, but hey I'm the oldest in the group, haven't worked out in years and I never was a jock.  To be honest...there are moments in most every class that I find myself actually wanting the trainer to say something about the fact that I am jogging around the room not kicking my heels to my butt as hard as I should.  Or I'm taking too long of a break between push ups.  Or those jumping things, with your feet together...well forget what i'm thinking there.  But she doesn't say a word.  She must see my mind working, there I am almost spoiling for a fight.  Then when 6:30 rolls around and we're done for another day and we walk out of there our faces red and sweating like pigs, I am proud of myself for making it through.)  So anyway every day doing this is a new experience for me so I'm counting it as such.

Another highlight for the month...I auditioned for a small part in what I think is a Feature Film.  Even though I almost didn't go to the audition, for one it was in Dallas, and for two it was described to be an "elderly woman" (though admittedly the writer must be in his early 20s as he then said, in her 50s-60s...ouch) with white hair streaked with brown.  I had to pull back my ego and remind myself that I am in my 50s-60s.  But anyway thanks to my Quest I decided to go ahead and audition.  After a call back and some days of assuming I didn't get it, I got word I got the part.  Yay!!!  it films in Tennessee which will be a first as well as I've never been on location out of the area and I've never been to Tennessee. 

I'm also learning to relax more, even if that means reading "junk" books (I'll hit my 100 books probably mid summer).   I go to Starbucks often enough now that they know to fix me Green Tea before I even open my mouth.  Then I sit and read a bit.  I'm getting to know some regulars and as I reuse the tea bags several times it really isn't a lot of money.  I can relax there easier than at home as I home office and feel the need to be on the computer or phone whenever I'm there.  I used to hide my book cover when I was reading a romance novel or such...now not so much.  It is what it is and if it is one of the few things that help me forget about the client that is driving me nuts or the fact a deal fell through...so be it, heck with what others think.

So yes I'm behind schedule, but you know what?  I'm enjoying life more and I think my blood pressure has gone down.  Things don't upset me as much or as quickly as they used to...so all in all the first quarter went very fast, but feels pretty good.