Caveats

So I never actually wrote about my theme for 2011, a quote that embodies a guiding principle of sorts for the year. For example, 2010: You Shall Be Known As Usul, 2009: Begin anyway, 2008: The Sleeper Must Awaken, 2007: Engage. (I miss Jenny who inspired this practice with her own year themes.) Glancing at my previous year theme posts to grab links, I'm amused to find they are all variations on essentially the same thing: putting myself out there more.

2011 is no different in that regard. "A person needs new experiences..."

I include the ellipsis because it's actually part of a larger quote, but the way 2011 is playing out thus far, I feel like it's where I should have included my caveats.

The part of me that still feels compelled to tell my Dad he's jinxing us when he points out good weather or things being easy is glad I didn't write about my 2011 theme before. I did share it with Vahid via DM on twitter once, but in that context with whatever illogic I've got going (or perhaps logic in this case), I don't feel it jinxed me.

2011 has been full of new experiences to date and none have been what I had in mind or what I would wish on anyone.

That's the thing about themes: if they're vague, anything's game; if they're too specific, there's no room for the serendipitous or for exceeding your expectations.

My theme could've been: I want to go to Portland to meet some blog buds in person. But I also want to go to Seattle for the same reason. And I'd also like to visit LA. See? Specificity is troublesome for themes.

Why didn't I just make my theme: meet some blog folk this year? Hmm, that would've made sense, but it would still confine the theme to a small fraction of days out of the entire year. Also, the ways things are going right now, I doubt I will going much of anywhere for some time.

Back to my theme and caveats:

Positive is what I want to insert, as in, a person needs new positive experiences. But even that seems forced. Many experiences can be stressful for an introvert like myself and then become great. The word "positive" would probably rule those out even if positive was my ultimate assessment of the experience. (That's just my semantic take on it.)

So... for now I reckon I shall continue with "a person needs new experiences..." while remembering the rest of the line, "...they jar something deep inside allowing him to grow."

At this particular moment, I will hang on to the thought that no news means no worse news, and if that doesn't pan out, then there's always the time-honored mantra of days yore: Whatever.


A year ago on TTaT: I Know Where I'm Going: Katharine Hepburn, a personal biography