Chronicles of a Novice

I’m a novice. Pretty much everything I do is at the beginner level. I’m the new kid on the block in every activity I try. I’m the assistant but never the top dog. I’m the backup but never the lead. I’m a jack of all trades but an expert in none. Case in point: I can sew but nothing too extravagant. I’ve made a quilt but I had lots of help from the quilt masters in my family. I’m learning how to knit but it takes forever and I get confused quickly. I can play a few chords on the guitar but spend lots of time staring at my uncooperative, Freddy Flintstone fingers. I can paint…sort of. I can write short stories but I’m not immensely creative and I lose steam quickly. I love to craft but the end products are always riddled with slight imperfections no matter how many times I go over it and how hard I try. I’m an eager cook but I lack the patience to enjoy and absorb the entire process. I can dance but I’m at my best dancing solo after a few glasses of wine in my cozy apartment with my two cats as an audience. I can sing but don’t put a microphone in front of me cause I’ll clam up. You get the point. I’m an eager learner. I take notes, I show up for the lesson, I invest the time, and I am genuinely interested in learning the trade, whatever it may be, but I’m at a point in my life where I really want to be good at something. Like REALLY REALLY good at something. While I’m aware of my novice skill set, I’m also in tune with the things I AM good at. I’m great with punch lines and can get almost anyone to laugh, I can tell a story like any true Irish woman can, I can handle my liquor like a champ (also like any true Irish woman can), I have a contagious laugh, I’m genuine, loyal and believe there is good in everyone. I’m a great gifter, I’m a hard worker and I’m a quick learner. I know my character flaws and my forte and I am simply hoping to capitalize on the strengths and downplay on the weaknesses by finding my perfect “thing.”

I’ve always admired people who have a “thing.” You know who they are. Your friend Mary who makes homemade jam from scratch and you can’t wait to be gifted a jar. Or, your Aunt Carol who can knit ANYTHING and it always looks adorable. Or John, the fantastic, creative, entertaining and enchanting cook. Or Jamie, the girl with the beautiful voice, John, the wicked guitar player, Joyce, the gifted painter, Charlie, the mixed drink MASTER, James, the Factoid King who could tell you everything you wanted to know about mythology and ancient history or Christie, the super put-together chick with perfectly coifed hair and unbelievable makeup technique, etc, etc, etc. I’ve always wanted to be one of those people. I’ve wanted something that I’m known for besides the girl that can make you laugh. Or the one that has tons of shoes. Or the red head. Whatever. I want to CREATE something. I want to have a tangible skill. I know that having a skill is part luck and part practice. Some people are just naturally gifted with a fantastic ability. Some people work their asses off to learn all the ins and outs of a trade or skill. For some people, it’s a combination of both. Up until this point, I’ve coasted on my novice status and been satisfied with knowing how to do many things at an ok level. No more. I’m ready to put the work in but, unfortunately, I have no idea where my skill set lies.

Hence, this blog. I’ve created this blog in order to chronicle my endeavors. Today, a coworker and I were talking about New Year’s Resolutions. We admitted that neither one of us ever make any but we do set goals for ourselves. Every single year I set the goal of “getting in shape and losing some weight.” DUH! How unoriginal. I’ve done this every year of my life for the last 10 years and it never happens. Part of the problem? I don’t have a hobby. I don’t have a “thing” to keep me busy and away from the after work snackies that keep the poundage on. I’ve decided that rather than have weight loss on my mind when entering the New Year, I will instead focus on a new goal: Finding my “thing.” I haven’t seen the movie Julie and Julia yet but I think the premise is sort of the same as mine. I want to create a blog about all of my creations from my successes to my failures. I hope to, day by day, come closer to discovering the thing that I’m best at. I don’t have outlandish expectations of trying a new task every single day but I do hope to take something new on each week. This may be a craft, a new dish, or an activity. This is my goal. This is what I’ve been searching for. This is the perfect solution to the longing I’ve had to find my “thing” for years now. I’ll take inspiration from lots of sources throughout the year including Martha Stewart (the woman really is quite brilliant), RealSimple, fellow bloggers, friends, coworkers, allrecipes.com, my immeasurably talented and supportive quilting mom, my brilliant and witty dad, my two, fervently opinionated but nonetheless loving and encouraging brothers and the rest of my passionate, chaotic, slightly abrasive but always lovable and welcoming extended family.

I hope to gather some friends along the way. I hope to gain insight from my blog readers and will always welcome tips and suggestions. I’m a novice remember? I need to learn from the experts and I can’t be afraid to ask questions. I’m honestly not sure where this year will take me and what this project will teach me about myself but I’m, for the first time in as long as I can remember, excited about my New Year’s goal. This blog is not created to be down on myself or toot my own horn but simply to chronicle my trials and errors (and if I toot my own horn from time to time…who can really blame me!). As I’ve so clearly illustrated, I am a novice. This includes the tender art of blogging. This is my grand experiment and some days will hit while other days will miss. This blog will not be perfect. This blog will not always be P.C. This blog will not always be upbeat, sassy, funny or life changing. This blog will be honest. This blog will reflect me. This blog will be just as dynamic, forthright, and eager as I try to lead my life every single day. I hope you decide to follow my journey and perhaps be encouraged to embark on your own. Happy New Year.