There are only a few weeks left to go before I have completely finished my goal of doing something new all fifty-two weeks out of the year. I know what I'll be doing for the final three weeks, but I was unsure what I would do between this Sunday and Saturday.

I thought I could invite just about everyone I know to a big party for my birthday, since I really don't throw myself parties, but I didn't organize that and my heart wasn't set on using it for my book. I try to avoid anything of which I feel ambiguous; I do have to write about this too, so if I feel unsure about the idea, I usually find something else.


Instead of having a party, I thought I could to a spin on that by cooking a big meal--I've never cooked much of anything--and invite people over for it. But as my friend Jo said, would that really be something done out of kindness or cruelty? Of course I can learn to cook, but I have to give myself enough time and planning so what I've made is really enjoyable to eat. I'm not really prepared for that either. Preparation is the key for accomplishing all these things.

Yesterday I thought I could take a Pilates class--I've wanted to do that all year and never taken the opportunity. I looked at a schedule of a local studio and there was one the next day. Only then it hit me . . . like a few other new things this year, I've had something new and significant right in front of me the entire time I've been trying to figure out what to do. Portraits are one of the things I am known for, and right now I'm doing a commission for a girl named Jody who I met a few months ago. It is a Christmas present for her mom and there are eight figures: Jody, her husband, her sister, her three brothers and her mom and dad. I've never painted more than four figures in a single picture. The canvas is only 12x16 inches, but I managed to comfortable fit them all in despite the small size. So there is my new thing right there . . . I realized, "Wait a minute, I need to talk about my portraits somewhere in my book! That's what I do!"

It is amazing how fluid this whole experience has been. When I first made the decision to write this book, I felt happiness to the point of tears, followed by feeling sick to my stomach a few hours later when I realize I'd actually have to find fifty-two new things and then actually find a way to do them. To be honest, I wasn't sure if I would be able to do it. Yet sometimes when you make a decision your heart is truly set on, your perception begins to change and that which you were blind to before now is visible and accessible and its just a matter of keeping focused and being sure to keep your eyes and mind open. With only three weeks to go and already knowing my plans, it is now just a matter of fulfilling these final few new experiences before I can say I've done something new every week for an entire year.