# New things to get into in the new year



## Duvel (Mar 16, 2014)

I don't believe in the proverbial resolution, necessarily, but I do enjoy going into the new year wifh fresh ideas and new ambitions. This year I have several ventures in mind I'd like to try:

1. More new jazz. I'd like to explore more of what is new in jazz. I have been listening to the 2015 "best of" countdown on the local jazz station (KCCK-FM), and I've realized there is so much great stuff flying under the radar. Undoubtedly I'll have to buy much of this stuff on CD instead of my preferred format, but I can find a way to be okay with that.

2. More liquor. I mean this in the best way. I pretty much know my around the world of craft ales and such, and I'm familiar enough with the varities of wine. I find whiskey particularly fascinating, and I'd like to develop better knowledge.

3. More art. I want to refresh my knowledge of art history, and I want to take up pencil, pen, paintbrush, and camera, and renew my artist-wanna-be credentials.

So how about you guys?


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## Duvel (Mar 16, 2014)

I also plan on putting more of my money to supporting local cultural venues. Last year the beauty and I became paying members of the Walker Art Center. (It's a few miles away but we so enjoyed our visits this fall and winter that we felt compelled to give back.) I would feel really good about becoming a supporting member of our local, downtown art house film theater, for instance.


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## Dhaller (Jan 20, 2008)

Well, as the father of the three-year old, that's a fairly dominating factor in how I spend my time.

At the end of 2015, I introduced her to camping (she's been hiking and bouldering since age 1), once in late summer, and a recent taste of cold-weather camping. In 2016, I'll probably expand on that: longer multi-day excursions, light backpacking, more remote and harsh areas, and so on, as well as introducing elements of bushcraft, and hopefully cultivating the budding naturalist in her.

(We did a small mountain today, approach and ascent, explored some interesting granite cliffs, collected some fungi which she'll examine in her new microscope - a Christmas present. A six-mile trek with a nearly 45-degree ascent at times, over five hours. Two snack breaks. I think the only people I've ever seen more exhausted than she are soldiers after an engagement!)

For me, it means boning up on my botany, zoology, and geology. I live in the Southeast now, but didn't grow up here, so I've never particularly mastered identification of tree, wildflowers, beetles, etc. As her favorite phrase currently is "what's this?", I plan on being ready with answers. I may finally get around to reading Bartram...

DH


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## Duvel (Mar 16, 2014)

I'm convinced I need to stay away from AAAC generally, especially the dress-up threads, due to the overabundance of negativity. I'm resolving to drop by once in a while if I have a rig to show off and to buy from the exchange, but that's going to be it. It's going to be part of my plan to be cooler.

I appropriate this from the Put This On site:

So for 2016: *Resolve to be cooler.* [EDIT: One way I will resolve to be cooler--spend less time on AAAC, and when I am there, ignore any comment with any hint of vitriol.] Wear your favorite clothes all the time. Find some new favorite clothes. Take good care of your things and better care of yourself. Broaden your cultural horizons. Read good books. See more art. Listen to good music, and new music. Eat/cook delicious food. Travel as much as you can. Work to figure out what you're best at, and do that thing all the damn time. Be cooler, and you'll probably look cooler, too.


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## Duvel (Mar 16, 2014)

That's excellent, Dhaller. Something I need to do more of is get outdoors. I can't say I'd be up for winter camping, but I like the idea of hiking and getting out for some biking and such. I may even become a jogger!



Dhaller said:


> Well, as the father of the three-year old, that's a fairly dominating factor in how I spend my time.
> 
> At the end of 2015, I introduced her to camping (she's been hiking and bouldering since age 1), once in late summer, and a recent taste of cold-weather camping. In 2016, I'll probably expand on that: longer multi-day excursions, light backpacking, more remote and harsh areas, and so on, as well as introducing elements of bushcraft, and hopefully cultivating the budding naturalist in her.
> 
> ...


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## Shaver (May 2, 2012)

I would miss you Duvel and urge you to reconsider your proposed abstinence. 

For my part, in 2016, I am firmly committed to a strict regime of idling, drifting, avoiding ambition and relentless self indulgence.


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## Duvel (Mar 16, 2014)

I appreciate the nod, Shaver. Thank you. And your goals remind me of one of my favorite quotes, from a friend who'd just completed a USAF officer leadership/management course. He was asked by the instructor what,now that everyone had completed this inspiring course, their plans were for carrying out their future, etc., etc. The response from my good friend Darin, who had passed with flying colors, was: *"I've already perfected becoming an underachiever; I'm going to continue pursuing that."
*
It was not well received.




Shaver said:


> I would miss you Duvel and urge you to reconsider your proposed abstinence.
> 
> For my part, in 2016, I am firmly committed to a strict regime of idling, drifting, avoiding ambition and relentless self indulgence.


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## DaveS (Dec 11, 2011)

Learn more about opera. I took an introductory class way back when in college, but have not pursued this.

I'm SOOOO sick of listening to the 150 rock songs that have been recycled from about 1966 on. (One can only tolerate KQRS and the KQ Morning Show for so long, right Duvel, LOL!)


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## Duvel (Mar 16, 2014)

So true! Do the Twin Cities still have any good alternative/college rock stations? Any jazz stations?



DaveS said:


> Learn more about opera. I took an introductory class way back when in college, but have not pursued this.
> 
> I'm SOOOO sick of listening to the 150 rock songs that have been recycled from about 1966 on. (One can only tolerate KQRS and the KQ Morning Show for so long, right Duvel, LOL!)


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## Dhaller (Jan 20, 2008)

Duvel said:


> I'm convinced I need to stay away from AAAC generally, especially the dress-up threads, due to the overabundance of negativity. I'm resolving to drop by once in a while if I have a rig to show off and to buy from the exchange, but that's going to be it. It's going to be part of my plan to be cooler.
> 
> I appropriate this from the Put This On site:
> 
> So for 2016: *Resolve to be cooler.* [EDIT: One way I will resolve to be cooler--spend less time on AAAC, and when I am there, ignore any comment with any hint of vitriol.] Wear your favorite clothes all the time. Find some new favorite clothes. Take good care of your things and better care of yourself. Broaden your cultural horizons. Read good books. See more art. Listen to good music, and new music. Eat/cook delicious food. Travel as much as you can. Work to figure out what you're best at, and do that thing all the damn time. Be cooler, and you'll probably look cooler, too.


I have pretty well lived this way for some time (I'd say since perhaps late undergraduate school, when I started to "plug in" to a more international community than I'd grown up with). I could broaden my musical horizons more (I pretty exclusively listen to classical music and pre-1970s jazz), and while I have a very versatile palate, I do not cook.

I think the critical requirement for being well-balanced, though, is less being resolved to it one's self (though that's important) than in surrounding one's self with adventurous people... hitting up the late-night Turkish eatery, and then on to a basement jazz club is easier with a group of smart friends (using "smart" in the cultural more than the intellectual sense.)

Of course, *doing* interesting things will expose you to interesting folks, so it's largely a matter of directionality.

DH


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## Shaver (May 2, 2012)

A monumental, yet admirable, undertaking Dave. More than any other Art, Opera demands that you devote a not inconsiderable amount of time in order to properly appreciate it. The rewards, however, are well worth the expense. There are arias which may provoke my rapturous weeping.

Jesus Christ! What is it with the ultra short login timeout of this forum? I just wrote a few paragraphs of advice which failed to submit due to this annoying feature.



DaveS said:


> Learn more about opera. I took an introductory class way back when in college, but have not pursued this.
> 
> I'm SOOOO sick of listening to the 150 rock songs that have been recycled from about 1966 on. (One can only tolerate KQRS and the KQ Morning Show for so long, right Duvel, LOL!)


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## sbdivemaster (Nov 13, 2011)

Contact Juggling

Quit smoking, now I need something to do...


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## DaveS (Dec 11, 2011)

Duvel said:


> So true! Do the Twin Cities still have any good alternative/college rock stations? Any jazz stations?


One of the best, in my opinion, is the newly-discovered (for me) MN Public Radio station, The Current at 89.9. It can get a little weird at times, but still, lots of new artists, a variety of styles, some staple rock artists, but "deep cuts" of theirs never heard on other stations.

A start, though not for opera. For that, it's MN Public Radio Classical. And, of course, thee is my late parents vast collection of "vinyl."


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## DaveS (Dec 11, 2011)

Shaver said:


> A monumental, yet admirable, undertaking Dave. More than any other Art, Opera demands that you devote a not inconsiderable amount of time in order to properly appreciate it. The rewards, however, are well worth the expense. There are arias which may provoke my rapturous weeping.
> 
> Jesus Christ! What is it with the ultra short login timeout of this forum? I just wrote a few paragraphs of advice which failed to submit due to this annoying feature.


I agree, Shaver! I feel a bit like Julia Roberts' character in Pretty Woman when she hears opera for the first time. While I may know little about it (and have forgotten much of my college course from decades ago), I do know what touches me when I hear it.

Not sure about the time-out; I've not experienced this. I'll inquire.


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## orange fury (Dec 8, 2013)

This forum is cheaper than a therapist lol.

I have several goals for 2016, but first and foremost, we're trying to hit a "hard reset" on our lives. Without getting too personal, Mrs. OF and I are feel like our lives are being spent running in place as it were, so we're exploring options for starting over essentially (new careers, new location, etc). The rest of my list:

Spend Less: I've spent way too much on clothing/meals/hobbies/etc over the past 6-8 months (a significant portion for my job)- we're going to cut our expenses, downsize some of our stuff, and attack our debts with a vengeance.

Get Outdoors: I've gotten nostalgic recently about my time in Boy Scouts (camping/hiking/kayaking/etc)- we're going to spend more time in nature this year. 

Travel More: Goes hand in hand with the "get outdoors" goal- even if it's just weekends away to a state park or something. Bonus points awarded for road trips.

Journal More: I tried keeping a journal several years ago and didn't last past a month. I picked up several Rhodia notebooks over the past few months, as well as fountain pen inks and a box of Palomino Blackwing 602's- so I'm pretty much set. Along with this, I'm going to try my hand at sketching and remastering cursive (which I've been working on for the past couple months- I remembered far more than I thought I did).

Read More: I read a lot as it is, but I want to increase this.

Learn a New Instrument: I've played guitar (casually) for almost 15 years now, but I'm really wanting to learn the violin and trumpet. I also want to learn harmonica, which would certainly be cheaper lol. I think this will be the year for violin though.

Stay Healthy: we've done a great job of this over the past couple years, and running my first marathon at the end of this month will be the culmination of several years of hard work (as well as crossing off a bucket list item), but I'm going to continue to strive towards this.

i think the way to sum all of this up is this:
•Remove artificial stimulation (i.e., unplug the electronics)
•Get outside
•Live life


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## Duvel (Mar 16, 2014)

Very noble ambitions there, OF. Interesting about the trumpet. I regret having abandoned it after high school, and I've been feeling the need to pick it up again. A good trumpet is a little pricey, though, so I may have to save my pennies.


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## Duvel (Mar 16, 2014)

A matter of directionality. Yes, that nails it.

Where are these basement jazz clubs of which you speak? Any downtown Mpls?

Iowa City has a great jazz festival every summer, and there's a great local jazz station. Unfortunately the regular music venues are devoted either to the stuff college kids are into these days (and I'm not even sure what that is) or more mainstream rock (though some tasteful stuff at the Englert, such as the Cowboy Junkies and Lucinda Williams once in a while). As of yet, I haven't found any good jazz places though.



Dhaller said:


> I have pretty well lived this way for some time (I'd say since perhaps late undergraduate school, when I started to "plug in" to a more international community than I'd grown up with). I could broaden my musical horizons more (I pretty exclusively listen to classical music and pre-1970s jazz), and while I have a very versatile palate, I do not cook.
> 
> I think the critical requirement for being well-balanced, though, is less being resolved to it one's self (though that's important) than in surrounding one's self with adventurous people... hitting up the late-night Turkish eatery, and then on to a basement jazz club is easier with a group of smart friends (using "smart" in the cultural more than the intellectual sense.)
> 
> ...


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## David J. Cooper (Apr 26, 2010)

My one true love in life other then my family is the world of traditional wine. It's tough these days because nobody wants to hear about it. Even my wine drinking friends barely tolerate my enthusiasm. I've only been obsessed for the last 35 years so it may pass.

My obsession this year is the wines of Piemonte. There you go mock me to your hearts content or read my notes on Cellartracker.


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## Dhaller (Jan 20, 2008)

David J. Cooper said:


> My one true love in life other then my family is the world of traditional wine. It's tough these days because nobody wants to hear about it. Even my wine drinking friends barely tolerate my enthusiasm. I've only been obsessed for the last 35 years so it may pass.
> 
> My obsession this year is the wines of Piemonte. There you go mock me to your hearts content or read my notes on Cellartracker.


Wine interests me in principle (I have degrees in chemistry and biochemistry!), but it's just so BIG. It overwhelms me a bit.

I focused instead on an interest in single-malt scotch whiskies (a more manageable, but very interesting, world).

Fortunately, wine enthusiasm is a big enough hobby that you can replace your dismissive friends with like-minded ones!

In seriousness, one of the best things about wine is that it provides a wonderful context for travel: wine regions tend to be synonymous with "lovely".

DH


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## Dhaller (Jan 20, 2008)

Duvel said:


> A matter of directionality. Yes, that nails it.
> 
> Where are these basement jazz clubs of which you speak? Any downtown Mpls?


In general, cities with very expensive real estate foster, of necessity, thriving underground club scenes: offhand, Tokyo and Paris come to mind (both with rich subterranean jazz communities). I'm sure NYC does as well, but I've never explored that aspect of the city.

I don't know about the Twin Cities! My guess is that above-ground is affordable there (as it is here in Atlanta), thus trumping the need to dig.

I would assume London has them (or worse: London may be so expensive that jazz is limited to the Yorkshiremens' options of cardboard boxes and paper bags!)

DH


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## Duvel (Mar 16, 2014)

Agree about the wine enthusiasm. I would love to become a connoisseur, but it is indeed overwhelming, and expensive.


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