enfinblue's Bluey (credit to Fifi for the nickname!) Diaryland Diary

"I am seeking, I am striving, I am in it with all my heart." -Vinc3nt V@n Gogh

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And a happy evening to you!

As usual, Ms. BoXx had an excellent suggestion. She suggested a book called "How to think like Leon@rdo da Vinci," I'm assuming to stimulate my willingness to forge forward in my creativity.

So I briefly went online this morning to seek a review for it, and I found this description of the seven principles advocated by the author. I liked them so much that I wrote them each out and put them on the bottom of my massive computer screen. I know. The taxpayer is glad to have paid for that activity. :)

Curiosita: An insatiably curious approach to life.

Dimonstratzione: A commitment to test knowledge through experience.

Sensazione: The continual refinement of the senses, especially sight, as the means to clarify experience.

Sfumato: A willingness to embrace ambiguity, paradox, and uncertainty.

Arte/Scienza: The development of the balance between science and art, logic and imagination ("whole-brain thinking").

Corporalita: The cultivation of ambidexterity, fitness, and poise.

Connessione: A recognition and appreciation for the connectedness of all things and phenomena; "systems thinking."

With apologies to the website on which I found these (oops, I forgot the name; I think it was goodreads), I really thought that these principles were worth another think.

The funny thing is that upon first glance I evaluated myself as living by these principles. (I even patted myself on the back!) Upon deeper thought, however, it occurred to me that although I'm philosophically and spiritually totally on board with these ideas, my problem is probably that I DON'T actively and fully implement them.

Take number 2, for example. I have a sense of just "knowing" many things, mostly as a result of the refinement of my intuition (or believed refinement, anyhow). But do I really test them through experience? Do I really take action? That's the whole fear of leaping thing that I've been suffering with lately. I've been feeling paralysed, overwhelmed, bound up.

I'd be interested to hear how you feel about these ideas, and whether you do or would like to live by them. Hmmm...

So what else? Well, I also wasted taxpayer time - just joking; it was lunchtime - looking at courses that I could potentially take this fall. See, BoXx, I'm an ACTION GIRL now!!!! WHEEEEEEEE

I looked at an Ottawa sports and social league first that C. had suggested as a possibility. This one was an outside shot for me in that my sense is that it's mostly a meat market league for people in their early 20s, newly moved to Ottawa. Not for me. I had noticed that in the winter term last year, however, they had offered something that looked cool: a course in all sorts of sports, mixing up things like cross-country skiing and snowshoeing and orienteering and such interesting things.

The fall session, however, consists of floor hockey, gymnasium dodge ball, blah blah. Can you imagine me playing dodge ball with a bunch of 25-year-olds?

Um, no.

I think it's mostly that I have VERY BAD MEMORIES of dodgeball played in school. Well, hockey, too. I was always a step behind the other girls in growth and so all gym sports were PAINFUL for me. I was bruised and knocked over and, well, THAT IS NOT FUN.

Yes, I preferred band practise.

But anyhow. :)

So I DID notice that they have yoga on offer. I looked at the yoga schedule and it turns out that one must travel to a gymnasium on the other side of town. To top it off I worked out the cost per session and it was almost twice as much as the classes offered at the very popular yoga studio down the street from my house.

So, nix that one. I'm going to start going to drop-in yoga classes at the local studio tomorrow evening.

So what else? Well, I looked into Italian. But the only Italian class offered through the city programs in their gigantic guide are offered in an eastern suburb of the city that depresses me even to say the name - I'm highly visually stimulated and sensitive - so I just don't see myself taking a bus for 45 minutes to that horrible place in order to take an Italian course of questionable quality. I think I'll find a private tutor. ;-) Maybe mountain bike man would like to take on the job. :)

And then I found the following in the Ottawa local guide. Do you not think that this is the PERFECT course for me? ;-)

Chivalrous sword handling � level 1. Here�s the text: �Sword fighting? You mean like Lord of the Rings? Train in the safe handling and fair usage of the European Broad Sword. Instruction includes parts and history of the sword, shield work, code of Chivalry and how to make chain maille armour�

I know, I know - I'd be most likely to meet guys who still live in their parents' basement. I'd almost rather date Bob AND Doug McK3nzie. If you don't understand that reference, let me just say that it's a Canadian thing that involves Scarborough, bad haircuts, Kenora dinner jackets (bushman plaid jackets), an excess of facial hair and a delicate vocabulary enhanced with plenty of "fookin' eh, man!" and "Yeah, eh!" And here you are: Bob and Doug

My alternatives though are ikebana and adult ballet, both of which I would LOVE to do. Not real man-attractors, those. :)

AH, who needs a man, anyhow! Now that I think about it, I SHOULD take ikebana, AND my drawing course, AND something else. In the winter I've already decided to do x-c skiing and snowshoeing, and also the 16-week indoor cycling course again. And maybe some tango! :)

C. was just over because he is feeling sad (girl trouble) so I am a bit off topic and drifting and all. I'll therefore throw in the towel for today.

xoxoxoox to you all!

6:56 p.m. - 2008-08-18

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