100 New Things

Thursday, April 17, 2014

New Thing Number Twenty-Four

Sunday, April 13, 2014

I did not make any purchases for a week.

Not even gas or to pay bills. I got all the bills taken care of beforehand and I lasted on half a tank of gas.

It really put a few things into perspective for me. Normally when I'm out running errands or coming back from the doctor (I'm a total pansy at the doctor), I feel that I deserve a treat. But with this goal of not spending any money, I was able to keep myself from "nickel-ing and dime-ing" my money away on tiny pleasures, and I made something yummy at home, which usually tastes better anyway.

I'm also a huge fan of buying things to save myself the trouble of making them. What's the point spending 30 minutes making my mom's delicious spaghetti sauce when I could pick up a jar of okay spaghetti sauce while I'm at the store? Needless to say, I had some amazing spaghetti this week. And lots of leftovers.

I kept myself from stopping by the store to pick up that one ingredient I need, too. It's actually a fun challenge, making do with whatever you have in the pantry and fridge. Sure, you probably can't make that incredible dish you've been craving, but you get to exercise your creativity and experiment with substitutions. More times than not I end up with something really good, and I feel like a professional chef from one of those Food Network shows.

When it came to gas, I found myself thinking, Do I really need to drive there? Is going to that store necessary? How can I run all my errands using the least amount of gas? I never pulled out a map, but I was mapping out my errand route so I could get the most done on half a tank. The last couple days of the week I had to drive about 100 miles to and from cities, and because I had rationed my gas so well I got home with enough gas to get me to the gas station on Monday. (I actually didn't fill up my car until Tuesday. That's how awesome I was.)

I wouldn't recommend not spending anything for an entire week, but it was a good habit to rethink my spending tendencies and ask myself if what I wanted was really necessary. I'm probably not going to learn from this as quickly as I should, but I can honestly say I will attempt to think like this from now on.

Tuesday, April 1, 2014

New Thing Number Twenty-One

I sent a letter to J.K. Rowling.

Why? Because I was struck with an epiphany. And because I wanted to.

This is what it says:

Ms. Rowling,

I have been struggling with severe anxiety and depression for quite a while now. Various coping mechanisms, therapy, medications, self-help books, etc. have not helped me in the way I have hoped. However, as I was perusing the Pottermore site, I came upon a remarkable discovery. These are my findings:

Depression is the unfortunate situation that one finds oneself in when a dementor seeks to abide in one's house. Those suffering from depression will find that leaving the house tends to noticeably lift one's mood—at least in a small fraction but generally in a large amount. There are very few reports of dementors following humans, especially muggles, outside of the house. Of course the clearest solution would be to request a witch or wizard to cast a Patronus charm and rid the house of the dementor, but since the implementation of the International Statute of Secrecy in 1692, it has become quite difficult for a muggle to locate a witch or wizard who can perform the Patronus charm. The only known muggle solution to combat dementors—albeit a temporary solution—is chocolate.

For reasons inexplicable to everyone but myself, this epiphany helps me a great deal. Not only do I have the justifiable excuse to eat chocolate, I also feel like I am battling an unseen enemy; now I’m not the problem, the dementor is.

Although I have fallen to the great misfortune of being a muggle—I waited weeks for my Hogwarts letter, thinking the owl might have been delayed due to altitude sickness—I will start working at once to produce a Patronus charm, or whatever equivalent I can find that is suitable for a muggle. If you have suggestions on how I can accomplish this, I would be eager to hear from you.

I want to thank you for the wonderful world you have created and for your perfectly rational explanations of seemingly unnatural occurrences. For example, the night I fell asleep chuckling was the night I finally got rid of the boggart under my bed. Non-magical communities around the world have you to thank for improved living conditions, greater peace of mind, and expanded imaginations. I will be forever grateful.

Thank you again, Ms. Rowling. I wish you well.

Most Sincerely,

Tiana Moe

Friday, March 28, 2014

New Thing Number Twenty

I asked to be refunded a fee I was charged.

This one probably sounds really weird. People ask for stuff like this all the time.

I don't.

I was raised with the mindset that if I make a mistake, I deal with the consequences. If I came home after curfew, my curfew would be earlier the next time. If I procrastinated doing my homework, I would stress out the day before it was due and I probably wouldn't get a very good grade. If I got charged a fee, for whatever reason, I would pay it.

So for the first time in this kind of situation, I decided to ask for mercy.

I pride myself in being one who doesn't ask for free handouts, so calling in was maybe not embarrassing, but very humbling. They were understanding and didn't even hesitate to grant my request. I assured them that I would not be making that type of call again. I don't want to exhaust mercy.

This was an eye-opening experience for me. I play by the rules, but I make mistakes once in a while. Thanks to a kind representative--and a forgiving Savior--I don't always have to pay the price of my mistakes. Too often I feel like I have to pay, even for things a Certain Someone has already paid for. I don't have to keep punishing myself. I am worthy of forgiveness.

I am worthy of mercy.

Thursday, March 27, 2014

New Thing Number Nineteen

I agreed to swear in Russian for some kids.

Correction: I agreed to "swear" in Russian for some kids.

I actually told them they were beautiful, but they don't need to know that.

New Thing Number Eighteen

I volunteered at my mom's school for a couple days.

Is it still considered volunteering if they also volunteer to pay you?
My volunteering came first.
And I wasn't expecting to be paid.
But I obviously wasn't going to say no to being paid.

I kept an eye on the 9th graders while they worked in the media center. I guess it was a good experience, because I've been casually toying around with the idea of becoming a substitute teacher. You know, to experience new things.

Yeah, not doing that.

I became the "cool" sub and made friends with the kids, and some of them were really awesome. But my patience has its limits. I barely survived two days. If I had to actually teach them instead of just supervising, I fear heads would have been rolling down the hallways by the end of school. (If questioned, I will neither confirm nor deny anything.)

But it was a good opportunity to learn a few new things:

1. I sooooooo wasn't like that in 9th grade. And I will keep my biased memories tucked in a faraway corner forever so I will continue to remember 9th grade that way.

2. What happened to enjoying learning? Granted, middle school is more of a social torture chamber instead of a place of learning, but even I got a few things figured out by 9th grade. That was the year I decided to become an editor. Five years later, I became one. Another five years later, I get to charge the big bucks. Provided anyone is willing to pay the big bucks for real editing.

3. My kids are going to be the most awesome kids by the time they're teenagers. None of this "pretending to be cool" crap. They're going to be happy with who they are and that will make them sooo cool.

4. There still are the brave few out there who are proving to the up-and-coming generation that liking "nerdy" things is not only acceptable, it's awesome too. Who says cyborgs are lame? Who says anime is a waste of time? Who says time travel is unrealistic? The people who end up working minimum wage jobs their whole lives, that's who. The nerds be makin' the big bucks these days. Hopefully that will remain the case.

5. Help one kid? Awesome. Help three or four kids? Fine. Figure out how to manage thirty-five of them? No frickin' way.

Very important life lessons, as you can see.

Saturday, March 22, 2014

New Thing Number Seventeen

I created a game.

And I'm not saying I pulled out some Uno cards and invented some new rules. I created a game. An entire game.

I did base it on a popular idea, but it's popular enough that I don't really think it belongs to anyone. Hopefully.

The work-in-progress title: Pirate Curses.

I don't think I've tried something this elaborate before. I mean, 225 specialized cards (on a budget, of course) an entire set of rules, and little game twisters once in a while. Like, if I had enough money to mass-produce and buy all the rights I need, I could be a multi-millionaire. ...okay maybe a multi-hundredaire. But every penny of income is appreciated.

I feel quite the sense of accomplishment. And after the trial run tonight I'm pretty sure it'd be a smashing success at other social gatherings, provided the people at said gatherings are willing to make utter fools of themselves. (But really, why go to a party if the people there aren't willing to look a bit like fools? Those are my favorite people.)

Man, if I can make a game that people love, I can do anything.