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| Thank you, Kym! This daily reminder on my refrigerator is just what I need! |
My new thing for July was an archery seminar at Cabela's. Both John and Justin shoot bows and it's always looked like something I might enjoy. The seminar was okay, but it was a long four hours that didn't really teach me anything new. I had hoped there would be some hands-on time actually trying bows at their indoor range, but that wasn't something they could do with 30 women. I did learn that archery is an expensive enough hobby that I'm not sure I'm ready to invest in just yet. I have been looking for used bows on ebay, but then there are also arrows, a sight, an arrow rest, etc. I keep thinking that money could buy a lot of yarn, but a bow is still under consideration.
In August, my new thing was that I finally got rid of our land line. I have been ranting about and threatening to do this for several years, and since we very rarely got calls that weren't somebody selling something we didn't want, we had basically stopped answering it. I was expecting a semi-important call but I wasn't sure how the name/number would show up on caller id, so I actually answered the phone for almost two weeks. That experience showed me that we were getting at least five or six nuisance calls every day, and paying $50/month for that privilege. As soon as I got the important call, I cancelled the land line and it's been fine so far. I have to make sure to keep my cell charged and keep it nearby but I don't regret the decision. Cable TV may be next.
For September, I went out to dinner by myself. My desire for fish and chips overcame my reticence, so I went back to the English brew pub, ate, took some photos as proof for Ryan, and found it was wonderfully pleasant. I went yesterday and was feeling exhausted after only three hours of sleep and my airport drive, so I didn't risk having a beer and falling asleep on the way home, but I took my Kindle, read a bit, and had a great dinner. John leaves again for work travel on the 24th, and since I'm no longer afraid of going out to dinner by myself, I will definitely do this again.
Have you done anything new recently? It's much more fun than I thought it would be!
Well, good for you! I actually like going out to eat by myself, though I'm sure I wouldn't enjoy it if it was my only choice.
ReplyDeleteI need to try some new things. I'm not afraid of most stuff, just lazy ...
These are AWESOME things, Bonny! I hope you'll try to find an archery class where they actually let you TRY archery! Erin was interested in archery when she was still living at home, and we found a local hunting/fishing store that offered lessons in their basement. They provided equipment. Maybe there's a place where you can try it before committing to the equipment? (And that fish and chips? Oh, man. Now I want some.) XO
ReplyDeleteAlso ... I really need to dump my landline. And my cable. You may be my inspiration here. :-)
ReplyDeleteI have not tried anything new in a very long time. I think I should try ignoring the Facebook / Instagram / Candy Crush world for a week! :-) Have a nice weekend Bonny - you're looking good!
ReplyDeleteLove this post! Yay for you. Sorry the Archery didn't turn out as you had hoped. I am loving it (Fletch and I started again after not doing any over the summer). I don't have a sight or an arrow rest. My bow was a Christmas present last year. Arrows ARE expensive (especially if you lose them..), but we just fool around with it in our back yard and it is fun (and a real workout for shoulders and arms).
ReplyDeleteI've been toying with dumping the landline...Fletch needs a better cell phone first. And cable too (but that is like Fletch's security blanket).
Those fish & chips look amazing! Have a wonderful weekend.
You go!! And, I love the selfie! SO MUCH! I am with you on the "landline" but cable? I am not sure I can do that...yet!
ReplyDeleteI really like that you are trying something new every month, I might have to make that a goal for myself. I dumped my landline about six months ago and don't miss it at all...especially those annoying robocalls! My gosh, your fish & chips look delicious! Hope you have a wonderful weekend!
ReplyDeleteYeah you!! I dumped the cable 7 years ago? Maybe 8? I subscribe to other things now -- Tivo, Netflix, etc. -- but feel better paying for those things because they're actually things that I want. It made me sick to surf through all those ridiculous channels. I've never regretted it for even a second. We still have the "land" line but only because it's part of a package that helps keep down the cost of internet. It's stupid that I can't buy only the service that I want for a fair & equitable price, but there you go. I have a service on there that weeds out junk calls, but I've also been known to unplug it for months at a time. I think I'm going to go do that right now. ;)
ReplyDeleteyou are a cutie!! We still have the land line but in my defense we have canada to talk to and it's been cheaper than the cell phone plans, until ATT came out with a new plan.....I ran the numbers and it might just might save me 50 dollars a year. I am dragging my feet on that switch.
ReplyDeletewe cut the cord 3 years ago and use over the air channels with tv tuners, netflix, hulu plus and just this week......amazon prime! I feel so hip!
I haven't tried anything 'new' but I am going to think on this. I like the idea :)
You are an inspiration! Smith will never give up cable because he "thinks" he has to have all the channels (we rarely watch TV). I enjoy the British shows on Netflix more than anything. We're going to pull the plug on our landline this month. Plus, I've been teaching myself to do some doodling. I might even try an art class next. Doodles are fun! Love your selfie!
ReplyDeleteWOnderful steps youve taken! How encouraging. As for me, I'm trying to let my grown children figure their own things out. Guess what? They do.
ReplyDeleteThat's new for me.
I will be out on a jet ski this afternoon. That's new too. I think i was only on one once. I'm going to ask t drive it. maybe........
Land line abandoned long ago. No regrets!
Letting grown kids make their own choices is a tough one, but I'm learning myself! Your new adventures on the jet ski are quite exciting; have fun!
DeleteThese are ALL such awesome new things that you did! I went out to dinner by myself for the first time back in my twenties. I made myself do it and it was awkward but I'm glad I did it! Archery is big around here with Dale, he shoots every day. I tried for a while but I'm left handed and I whacked myself really good with the string and wound up with a bruise the size of a football on my upper arm. That was the end of my archery career!
ReplyDeleteI would like to drop the land line, but then I would have to answer my cell phone consistently, and I won't. I just hate talking on the phone. My husband won't drop the land line, but I did get him to stop caller ID, and I am working on him just letting the land line go to a machine. Baby steps. All we get is robo calls, but I get several a day on my cell phone as well. I find both of them a huge bother. I have priced taking the individual packages rather than DirecTv, and it's not cheaper since my husband uses cable as one of his primary forms of entertainment. You are right, it's generally the anticipation that is more difficult than the doing with new tasks. Learning new things is one of the recommendations for aging well and keeping your brain agile, so keep it up! It's good for you! Kudos to you for trying archery. I am sure that I would never have enough upper body strength to do that without injury. I liked the selfie very much. You look happy and calmly confident. I hope you have a wonderful weekend.
ReplyDeleteEveryone has to do what works for them; there is nothing wrong with a landline and cable! My husband watches about 10 minutes of tv/month (but peruses ebay as his main form of entertainment!), and I mainly stream Netflix and Amazon Prime, so cable tv is isn't something we really need to be paying for. I hardly ever take selfies, and rarely post them, so I'm going to take calmly confident as a compliment. Thank you and have a great weekend!
DeleteGreat post. Trying something new is a great idea. Maybe we will also give up the landline. I am ready.
ReplyDeleteThe trying something new every month was my oldest son's idea, and I'm glad he's holding me to it. I don't miss the landline at all; I wish I had gotten rid of it sooner!
DeleteGood for you! I like going to eat by myself, as long as I have a book or magazine. But somehow it does take courage the first few times.
ReplyDeleteWe've never had cable, but I do love my land line. I kept thinking about it during Irma -- which is ridiculous considering that I live in Wisconsin. Somehow, the landline feels safer to me.
You may be right with the safety considerations. We lost power for a week with Sandy, but the landline worked and was nice to have. I decided that for the $600/yr the landline cost me, I was willing to gamble. We'll see!
DeleteLovely post, I did this last year, was pushing my sewing skills and trying new projects, it is a good feeling. But have got my middle child trying something new and booked her in for a couple of trial drama lessons.
ReplyDeleteMy oldest son knows that if I don't try new things it will be far too easy for me to get stuck in a rut. I'm grateful he's the one that gave me the push!
DeleteYes to landlines out the door, but then cell phones are in the hands? I'm not sure going from the arcane to the perplexing is necessarily better for me. But one needs to get more technical these days, doing something new is almost similar to keeping abreast. I do new things to keep my brain active, what a job, yikes! But I'm with you - we gotta keep a'moving and sort of get out of our comfort zone. I love eating out alone, I get to read . . . more.
ReplyDeleteI just decided that getting rid of the landline was right for us, but everybody has to do what works for them. It's is far easier to stay comfortable with the familiar, but not everything new is good. I'm just looking for that balance between them!
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