Sunday, January 19, 2020

Post 2 - Genius Hour Final Rose Ceremony

I really wanted to entertain an idea that involved my physical health...workout goals, eating healthy, etc. but I have done that before. I trained for a triathlon and loved it. I liked the schedule and structure. It felt like it was cheating to do it again. I considered desserts, it would be so fun to learn how to decorate cakes. My girls loved this idea (young metabolisms) but then I realized I would gain so much weight taste testing and licking my fingers with sugary goodness. Um, no thanks, that can't happen. There was also an investment in supplies, baking materials and time that led me away from my cake fantasy.

I have wanted to take a tap class ever since "Fake Monica" and Rachel, Monica, and Phoebe from FRIENDS took a class together. After some soul searching I realized I really wanted to be with THEM, not by myself learning to tap! My family also exercised veto rights on tap. I am already doing Zumba moves all around the house and the thought of me tapping in the house would drive us all crazy! I watched several tutorials online and obviously it is learning many very basic steps first before I could throw down some mad tapping like Gene Kelly!

Learning to do a handspring, a life long dream and one that I do often in my dreams was an idea that my middle-aged body strongly disagrees with. I watched several tutorials and while my heart wants to do that, I also don't want to be in a cast with broken wrists! Each tutorial was led by a lithe teenage girl showing incredible flexibility that I am self-aware enough to know, I don't have.

Snowboarding? Sure if I were out in Colorado on the real slopes but Four Lakes bunny hill didn't feel like a challenge I wanted to pay $300 for, plus I hate cold weather. Swimming a mile? Fair enough. I knew it was attainable but ultimately I know how hungry I get when I swim and that is a problem I don't want to contend with. I also got scared away from a couch to a mile swim program that was almost in a foreign language. "4 to 8 times 100m FC with 15-30 seconds rest between each. On the first 50m of each, breathe every 5 or 6 strokes and on the second 50m breathe every 3 strokes or try a 3-2-3-2 breathing pattern." What does any of that even mean? 

So that leaves me with Calligraphy. I love fun fonts (dafont.com is one of my favorite sites) so I figured traditional Calligraphy would be fun until I realized it didn't excite me and is a little too stuffy for me. See what I mean by being undecisive?!?! Now what crazy lady? I arrived at the decision to do a spin-off of Calligraphy called "Hand Lettering." It is fun, whimsical and artistic. It is easy to do at home and has little investment because I LOVE markers and pens and already have quite a collection. I feel like it will be a skill that I can use forever and am envisioning handwritten notes, birthday announcements for my students on the whiteboard, and making people feel special that I took the time to do something with them in mind executing my own personal flare!





7 comments:

  1. Julie,
    I love the idea of learning hand lettering! I love when my students write with it. You are so right that it will be a great way for others to feel special when they receive something you have hand lettered. So cool!

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  2. Julie - I went through all the same thoughts as I contemplated this assignment that would be taking over my life for the next eight weeks - exciting and yet intimidating all in one. I love how you came to your conclusion of hand lettering, although I would love to see you tap out a Gene Kelly number for my own entertainment. I have never even heard of hand lettering before, but your explanation makes it sound like fun and something you will use over and over again. Good luck and I can't wait to see your work.

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  3. Love your idea of hand lettering. I can't wait to see what you create. BTW, I went through the same indecisive process. I was literally laughing our loud reading your post. You could have been describing me.

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  4. Okay, all of this made me laugh! You have the best ideas, but I totally also understand why some of them aren't worth tackling at the moment. Swimming in January? No thanks. I'm excited to watch your hand lettering journey, though! You might need to teach me some of your tricks of the trade - I hate my own handwriting!

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  5. Hmmm, I don't know much about hand lettering, so I'm looking forward to seeing your work! I just read one of our IRA books entitled Silent Music to my students. It's about a boy who uses calligraphy to find inner peace. I know calligraphy and hand lettering are different, but maybe it'll be therapeutic for you :)

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  6. Hand lettering sounds like so much fun! I'm jealous I didn't think of that one. And it's such a useful skill to have. You can hire yourself out to hipster cafes and decorate their sidewalk chalkboard signs for them :) That wasn't sarcasm - I think this idea is awesome!!

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  7. I LOVE this idea. I also love that it can be practiced during the Bachelor time, already carved out during the week. :) Great choice! You will use this a ton as a teacher.

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