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  • Unknown's avatar

    Kimberly Hula 2:52 pm on January 9, 2010 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , design contest   

    If you are so artistically inclined 

    Do you have a repressed urge to design a logo?  Have an intense need to let your inner designer fly?  I would just love to enlist your help!

    I plan to present any and all adventurers who successfully complete 52 adventures a “Club 52” sticker and t-shirt and the close of the year. (I’ll make an abridged version for those who choose to complete a different # of adventures)

    It makes this something of an exclusive club!  How fun!

    But I’ve disastrous design skills, so I’m calling on YOU.  Let’s see what you’ve got!

    Submit all entries to: Kimberlyhula@gmail.com, subject heading: Club52 logo submission

    xoxo

    Hula

     
  • Unknown's avatar

    myndevore 11:05 pm on January 8, 2010 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: letters,   

    Adventure #1: kicking off the year-long adventures 

    Greetings friends!

    This week I worked on two year-long adventures:

    6. Write down one sentence everyday.

    27. Write letters to friends on their birthdays.

    Adventure No. 6 was inspired by McSweeney’s Issue No. 22. This issue contains three slim volumes cleverly stored in a leather bound cover with a magnetic binding. One of the volumes is titled, “From the Notebook: The Unwritten Stories of F. Scott Fitzgerald.” Fitzgerald, inspired by novelist Samuel Butler, began keeping a notebook filled with inspiration and ideas for future stories. Fitzgerald kept a list of ideas, a few words here and there to inspire him later. Some of the entries include: The Dancer Who Found She Could Fly, Driving over the rooftops on a bet, and my personal favorite, Girl and giraffe. McSweeneys selected 17 writers to use Fitzgerald’s ideas as jumping off points for their own stories. The stories are included in the issue. Such a brilliant idea!

    (More …)

     
  • Unknown's avatar

    jeindeer 12:49 am on January 8, 2010 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: Improv, , organizing,   

    Planning: No Pants T Ride 

    This Sunday (1/10) is apparently the 3rd annual No Pants Subway Ride organized through Improv Everywhere. A Boston version is being organized by the folks at Boston S.O.S. (Society for Sponteneity), with the facebook event below. Fear not, it doesn’t involve No Pants Whatsoever; more like Less Pants Than Usual. Shorts are acceptable, even encouraged. Contributions have to fall within the threshold of “legal,” but they also are probably “unwise.” There were over 100 participants in Boston last year.

    I’m a long-time fan of Improv Everywhere, and this is one of my favorite acts of street theater they’ve pulled off (har har har). The effort through facebook doesn’t seem to be very coordinated yet, but if they start putting down some concrete plans, I may just be swayed.

    http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=194245607559
    http://boston.going.com/event-706868;No_Pants_T_Ride

    http://www.soscities.org/

    I say we pack the stands.

     
    • Unknown's avatar

      Anonymous 2:46 am on January 8, 2010 Permalink

      Seven of my adventuresom friends and I have decided that instead of making resolutions we would each make a list of things we have never done and will do in 2010. The lists are being shared and they are great. My list includes: make a souffle, go on a winter picnic, visit a local shrine, take a helicopter ride, go to the top of our City Hall and take a watercolor class to paint something to hang in my home. My friends’ lists include everything from making an apple pie from scratch to going to a National Park to watch the moose mate. We will help each other and join each other as we work to do our “firsts”. By the end of 2010 we will have an impressive list!

    • jscribe's avatar

      jscribe 3:57 am on January 8, 2010 Permalink

      Anonymous! Join the Year of 52 and share all your adventures with all of us! So exciting!

    • Kimberly Hula's avatar

      yearof52adventures 4:26 am on January 8, 2010 Permalink

      I have to agree with jscribe. I love the idea and think you should all team up with us. I’ll assign you as authors and you can regale us again and again with your lovely adventures.

    • Aggie (anonymous)'s avatar

      Aggie (anonymous) 5:50 pm on January 8, 2010 Permalink

      I will share our adventures as we undertake them,

  • Unknown's avatar

    jscribe 12:04 am on January 8, 2010 Permalink | Reply
    Tags:   

    Adventure #1 – Finding the Words 

    “I’ll probably never write again.” I surely said, tipping back a pint of Stella at DC’s Fox and Hound about 6 months ago. After I graduated from my MA in Writing I put my realism hat on. I knew I’d end up in a desk job, try to make enough money to buy a condo and, in all reality never write much more than a grocery list ever again. There was no market, and I had no great ideas. I told myself that I was ok with this – that I went to grad school to develop a skill not to actually become a writer.

    In the months since that decision, I’ve post a few times on my blog, written a weekly article for TheNewGay.net, drank beers, and watched Netlix. I’ve also felt disappointed. When some one said I was a good writer I said, “Nah, I don’t even write any more.” When some one said I was a writer at all I said, “Nah, I work for a non-profit.” I spent two years studying writing, I love the act of writing, so why wasn’t I writing?

    The answers to that question were pretty simple. I was scared to start new work without support, without feedback, without deadlines. I was scared to fail.

    In comes Adventure #1.

    For the new year, I knew I needed to become a new me. Act instead of react; do instead of desire. I had to push myself. I searched online and found a Meetup Group of writers who got together twice a month in my neighborhood, and after a couple of days of second guessing my confidence and my ability, I replied yes. Yes, I would meet them at the Center on Halsted on Wednesday, January 6th. Yes, I would write.

    Because I knew this was the jumping point for a Year of 52 Adventures, I embraced my nervousness. Like a rollercoaster. I made jokes, shared tips from my writing program and felt my heart go all a flutter as the group talked about parallelism, imagery, structure and repetition. I felt more in my element than I have in months with 4 strangers and a piece of new writing in my hand. I may put on a suit and ride the El to my job at a non-profit everyday, but in the Year of 52 Adventures, I’m a writer.

     
  • Unknown's avatar

    Kimberly Hula 2:27 am on January 7, 2010 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: ,   

    ADV. #1: Baptism by Ice 

    2 ex-boyfriends of mine walked into a 2009 New Years Eye party I was attending.  Only one left unharmed.

    This is not how I hoped to jumpstart my year of 52 adventures.

    However, as a saving grace, it was the sage word(s) of the unharmed ex who really lent credence and gave meaning to adventure #1: The Polar Bear Plunge. See, after my fist met the shoulder of the harmed one, I put down my drink, found Mark (of the unharmed) and sighed.  And sighed.  I said how I always chose the wrong men and spoke how how I never learned and reminded him that I had punched someone!  Punched him!  Like a spoiled child.  My racing words did little to suggest maturity and I was lothesome, near tears and without a drink. (More …)

     
    • mjperry1's avatar

      mjperry1 3:22 am on January 7, 2010 Permalink

      I love this, but for the life of me I can’t htink of the new vocabulary term you taught me – something about ritual washing? I think it started with an “A,” but I don’t think it was ablution. What was it.

      PS – thanks for not punching me.

    • Kimberly Hula's avatar

      yearof52adventures 4:30 am on January 7, 2010 Permalink

      apotheosis!

    • cupcakeemergency's avatar

      cupcakeemergency 7:53 pm on January 7, 2010 Permalink

      love it! So kicking myself for missing it. 2011?

  • Unknown's avatar

    jscribe 6:52 pm on January 6, 2010 Permalink | Reply  

    It Took Me a Minute 

    I’m getting a handle on WordPress just as I’m getting a handle on the beginning of my 52 Adventures.

    My first one is tonight. The adventure was to join a writing group in my new hometown of Chicago. I meet tonight for the first time with my group. Woot!

    On my still growing list:

    join a sport
    get behind the scenes at a history museum
    ride the L from end to end
    run a 10 miler, maybe a 1/2 marathon
    ride my bicycle on the mean streets of chicago (as opposed to trails and paths!)
    join a writing group
    go on a blind date
    volunteer with an LGBT organization
    submit three pieces of writing for publication
    learn to make real part appetizers (hopefully containing bacon)
    learn to make a real dessert (that is not made of milk and cream and…ice)
    take a mini road trip to see a historical landmark
    eat a whole piece of fish without complaining

    Thats the list so far i have so many more adventures ahead. I’m thrilled.

    PS: Tweet #52Adventures

     
    • Lauren's avatar

      Lauren 7:50 pm on January 6, 2010 Permalink

      As far as the bacon part hors d’oeuvres are concerned— bacon wrapped dates stuffed with chorizo are a huge party pleaser. Take pitted dates, stuff with some Spanish chorizo/Portuguese chourico (not Mexican chorizo), wrap in bacon, affix with toothpick. Seriously the easiest thing ever– then just brown them in a saute pan, or even throw them all on a cookie sheet and pop under the broiler, flipping once. So easy, and ALWAYS a huge crowd pleaser– doesn’t get any better than salty sweet! (Especially when the salty is bacon…) Give it a go!

      Maybe I should just be an adventure-facilitator? 🙂

    • jscribe's avatar

      jscribe 12:15 am on January 8, 2010 Permalink

      Um. Theres not a whole lot id rather it than whatever it is you described. OMG. I want it. (I want to learn it!)

    • heididino's avatar

      heididino 4:09 pm on January 8, 2010 Permalink

      i’ll gladly try the dessert you make!

  • Unknown's avatar

    jeindeer 3:53 pm on January 6, 2010 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: ,   

    Possible Adventures 

    I don’t have 52, but some of the ideas I’m working with include:

    Take an exhaustive inventory of all the belongings I have with me here in Boston.

    Read a bunch of Poe, then take the “Raven in the Frog Pond” Poe walk through Boston as illustrated in the BPL exhibit.

    Attend a B movie marathon in its entirety.

    Participate in a poetry reading. As a reader.

    Attend a cake decorating class.

    Try to become an extra in a movie.

    Detoxification week. No caffeine, alcohol, sugary junk food, or meat, and easy on the cheese. Not so much a “cleanse” as airing out the weird shamanistic relationship I have with food—ice cream doesn’t solve problems.

    Take a chess lesson or attend a chess seminar to learn basic strategy.

    Same deal with playing pool.

    Extend my memorized multiplication tables up to fifteen–I’m embarrassed by how long it takes me to do simple math sometimes.

    Go to a wine tasting.

    Finish reading Infinite Jest in some specific place. It’s already been a memorable book for me, and I think it would be worthwhile to read the last hundred pages or so (granted, I’m not there yet) in a location I’d like to remember.

    Beg, borrow, or steal my way back to Pittsburgh to revisit the participatory improv show I attended in undergrad, and actually go up for a few scenes.

    Develop a “signature dish.” Document the preparation in some kind of faux food blog entry. (Sub-adventure: figure out how to work settings on camera.)

    Play a board game in a public place, with the usual degree of enthusiasm I use to play board games, which is: an embarrassing degree of enthusiasm. Attempt to recruit passerby.

    Possibly: No Pants T Ride on Sunday? The Boston version of Improv Everywhere’s annual No Pants T Ride is planned for this Sunday, and if they get their act together, I might be swayed.

     
  • Unknown's avatar

    Kimberly Hula 3:41 pm on January 6, 2010 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: Chicago Tribune, WGN News   

    Adventure for All: Surviving the cutting room floor! 

    It is with great pleasure I direct your attention to this article, re: the year of 52 adventures, in none other than the Chicago Tribune! (see it here: http://www.chicagotribune.com/travel/chi-talk-52-resolutionsjan06,0,2694118.story)

    I am also OVER THE MOON to report that Chicago WGN News did a segment on our adventure blog!

     
    • JScribe's avatar

      JScribe 7:20 pm on January 6, 2010 Permalink

      Soooo Awesome!

  • Unknown's avatar

    Lauren 3:00 pm on January 6, 2010 Permalink | Reply  

    I’ve Always Been an Overachiever 

    …just apparently not when it comes to adventures. Ever since Kim first told me about wanting to start this project, I’ve been trying to come up with adventures of my own. Well, after my “but I just changed my tail light all by myself!” attempt was voted off the adventure island, I came to the conclusion that my list was going to be on the smaller side. This is a bit strange, seeing as I’m a huge planner and list maker, and have always had a number of goals that I’ve pushed myself to meet. Apparently not so much in the adventure department– but that’s okay, I’m coping, and am thinking about joining an adventure-challenged support group 🙂

    But in the meantime, drum roll please…

    1. Successfully complete the culinary school section of my masters degree, with minimal cuts and burns (The class starts in exactly 1 week…eep!)
    2. Run the Hyannis half-marathon in February 2010 (With Miss Kim, of course)
    3. Run the Portland, ME marathon in October 2010 (Also with the lovely Kim)
    4. Start and maintain a food blog, complete with play by play of culinary school (It’s up! Now we’ll see how long it lasts…trialbyfireblog.com)

    …aaaand I’m spent. Thats right, 4 adventures. Take that, former-overachiever-Lauren– you’re a slacker now. (and loving every minute of it.) 🙂

     
    • Zariel's avatar

      Zariel 10:39 am on May 4, 2011 Permalink

      Now we know who the sebsnile one is here. Great post!

  • Unknown's avatar

    mjperry1 7:58 pm on January 3, 2010 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: 300 workout, French, , ,   

    Chose My Own Adventure 

    Okay friends. So adventures usually find me. I’ll get lost someplace and follow where the spirit takes me, meeting people and making plans as I go. So planning adventures in advance is a bit of a new thing for me. As a result, I’m not very good at it. The first 20 that I’ve come up with are below. The rest, dear friends, are up to you.

    I am hereby committing to engaging in any and all suggestions that you offer that are legal, adventurous, feasible, and at least arguably safe. Come friends, we have 32 more adventures to discover.

    1) Polar Bear Plunge – Chicago Illinois – January 1, 2010
    2) [Redacted]
    3) Fire a handgun (non-wimpy)
    4) Appear onstage sober
    5) Learn to cook a French dish
    6) Host a dinner party – and actually cook things, having removed the sweaters from my oven
    7) Redo counters and floor in Kitchen/bathrooms
    8) Find a job
    9) Complete the 300 workout
    10) Finally found my foundation
    a) Develop a way to avoid unnecessary alliteration
    11) Design that second tattoo I’ve been imagining for years.
    12) Get it – from a tattoo artist with a scary name – paid with tips.
    13) Memorize 1 Corinthians: 13
    14) Memorize the last monologue from Jumpers
    15) Build a fire, spend all night tending it and watch the sun rise
    16) Learn to do a standing backflip.
    17) Go on a squad car ride-along.
    18) Take nephew to attend his first play
    19) Snowball fight
    20) Poetry slam

     
    • mjperry1's avatar

      mjperry1 7:59 pm on January 3, 2010 Permalink

      Okay, wordpress is a tricky minx. It totally changed my number 8 into an emoticon. You should all just know that I didn’t do that on purpose.

    • Jen's avatar

      Jen 8:16 pm on January 3, 2010 Permalink

      Okay I keep hearing about this 300 workout. What is it?

    • mjperry1's avatar

      mjperry1 8:26 pm on January 3, 2010 Permalink

      Well, the guys in the movie 300 worked out many hours a day, many days a week, for several months before shooting began (sidenote: they also ate a diet of wild game). The 300 workout was originally conceived as a test for those guys. I think it was something like they had to pass this fitness test in order to actually be on screen. Or something. But it wasn’t an actual workout that they did regularly. The list for the test is:

      25x Pull-up +
      50x Deadlift @ 135# +
      50x Push-up +
      50x Box Jump @ 24” box +
      50x Floor Wiper @ 135# (one-count) +
      50x KB Clean and Press @ 36# (KB must touch floor between reps) +
      25x Pull-up

      you can find more about it at http://www.gymjones.com/knowledge.php?id=35

    • Jackie's avatar

      Jackie 10:51 pm on January 4, 2010 Permalink

      Ok, I couldn’t figure out how to start my own comment, so I’m replying to yours. But pretend like this is a new comment altogether. (Although I enjoyed reading your list)

      This is what I have so far, not necessarily to be done in this order:

      1) Get accupuncture
      2) Take a “hot” yoga class
      3) Get a Brazillian wax
      4) Take the kids to Medieval Times
      5) Spend a weekend with the kids in Amish country
      6) Volunteer with the St. Bernard Project in New Orleans
      7) Take a pole-dancing class
      8) Let my friend Jon teach me how to knit
      9) Eat only raw food for a week
      10) Milk a cow
      11) Visit an Indian reservation, sleep in a teepee

      Looking forward to completing some of these 🙂

    • mjperry1's avatar

      mjperry1 12:32 am on January 5, 2010 Permalink

      To create your own posts, you have to (1) register for an account with wordpress, and then (2) email kimberlyhula@gmail.com. She’ll set you up as an author.

      ps – I love that wordpress keeps changing the number 8 to a smiley.

    • Kimberly Hula's avatar

      yearof52adventures 2:54 am on January 5, 2010 Permalink

      Jackie, let me know if you need me to set you up as an author. We would love to have you. AND, do all the aforementioned adventures! They are wild and awesome. I’m all about the teepee.

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