January 21, 2013

Eat. Play. Change Tires.

We now return to our regularly scheduled neuroses.

In order to get caught up on my 40 by 40 list, I'm trying to do seven of the items in the next 19 weeks (before I turn 36):

#2 Bake a pie from scratch
#6 Learn to play guitar
#24 Learn to play poker
#34 Read Don Quixote
#35 Write each one of my friends a letter saying what they mean to me
#36 Eat at Per Se
#38 Learn to change a tire

Now, when I say "trying," I mean that I've chosen these things and I'm working on one of them currently. I started guitar lessons last Tuesday! I never really bothered to think about what I meant by "learn to play guitar" so I'm not really sure how much I have to learn before I can consider it done...I'm thinking that if I can learn to play and sing a song all at once, I'll feel like I accomplished something. 

That might sound easy, but I've taken guitar lessons in three separate periods of my life and I have never successfully played a song while singing. I don't actually think I've ever played a whole song. I love the idea of playing guitar, but I hate practicing. I also used to hate staying home on Saturday nights and running, though, so really anything is possible. 

Ok, so you're reading that list and thinking, "Wow! Those are pretty boring." And maybe you're right, but when you're playing catch-up, you have to go for the low-hanging fruit. Plus, they're totally NOT boring (to me, anyway) because they're all things I want to do...or learn to do. Honestly I don't really ever want to have to change a tire, but not knowing how makes me feel like a weak girl and we can't have that.

I'm going to state for the record that I'm having internal debate about #36. The thing is, I am going to Per Se in April with my BFF on my previously-mentioned foodie trip to NYC. Yes, I'm going to Per Se!!! (If Thomas Keller alone doesn't make you excited about Per Se, I suggest you read "Service Included" to understand what makes it special.)

I am going to Per Se to eat the new Dessert Tasting Menu that's served in the Salon (aka, the bar). I may need to shoot a video to remember the experience, as I will likely be using all of my brainpower not to shout with glee after every bite. But as thrilled as I am, I won't be getting the real Per Se experience because I won't be eating in the dining room. And I don't know if I can cross it off my list and feel like I really ate there, if I haven't eaten in the dining room. (Read the book and you'll understand.) 

I've decided to go eat the dessert and then decide if it feels cross-off-worthy. I suspect that the experience will make me want to go back and eat in the dining room even more than I already do. (And if you're wondering why I'm not just going to eat in the dining room on this trip, I'll point out that the Chef's Tasting menu is $295 per person before wine...it would consume practically my entire trip budget...plus, I kind of have it my head that my husband and I will eat there on a special occasion.)

As for the other items on my list, they should all be doable. I just have to do them. A couple friends have offered to teach me both poker and tire changing...sounds like I should probably start planning a poker/tire changing party with homemade pie. A Pie Tire Poker Party! Dress code is circle.

(P.S. The cleanse is over in less than 5 hours! Hooray for the return of lattes and cake!)

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