1. I took very expense speech class in the Upper West Side with a relatively famous voice coach.
- This last for about a year, it help a lot but it was too expensive, and I need real life interaction not practice talking to the same group of people once a week. I don't remember a single person by name now from those weekly Thursday session. I still have email for the instructor for years after my last class.
2. Sign up for dance classes at the New School.
- This was a disaster. I was too busy freaking out at being that close to a stranger to think about my feet, the music or anything else.
3. Sign up for my first organize running race with the New York Road Runner
- I take up running with a vengeance. Running became an activities I can put all my frustrated energy into. I trained 7 days a weeks and keep a close eye on my standing after each race, trying to see what the next speed I need to achieve to beat that last guy and to improve my average standing in my age group, I was very proud each time I inched up on my age group average. I was at 89% of my age group when I drop out of competitive running. I forget the reason why I take up "social" running in the first place. I takes running classes and join multiple daily running group without speaking to anyone. After my appendix operation, I tried to get back to running in organize races to be frustrated my ability to train and run competitively. After a couple of false started at getting back to racing I give up running in races in 2012. I did not make any running friend in that 12 years I runs. I meet so many nice people but I just was never able to connect. I am now running just for fun and clearing my mind. I give up on the illusion that because I get up every Saturday and run with thousand of people that I am not alone.
4. Join a couple of political organizations.
- I don't know what I was thinking. For a person not comfortable declaring what my favorite favor of ice cream is to a stranger, talking politic is not my thing. I try my best to be a joiner thought. I come to every meeting and social gathering, 99.9% without being able to speak a word to anybody but I was there. I don't know when I stop going, it just became too much.
5. Sign up for first foray into online dating.
- Money I will never get back is all I can say about this foolishness. I never get a message back from any ladies I show interested in. Sadly, this first attempt wasn't my last. All end the same way.
6. Kayaking
- Kayaking is the last man standing as it was. I am still kayaking as of last year. I still have all my boats and equipments but the excitement of kayaking is gone. I don't know when it left and I don't know if i want it back. Kayaking give me a lot of what I am looking for socially. A place to belong and for that I am grateful. I love the sense of community I have at Sebago Canoe Club. I enjoy being greet with nice loud shout of my name and a hugs at social gathering. But I feel myself regressing into my anti-social mode again. I don't know what happen in the last couple of years. I still enjoy being in the water but the getting myself out of bed to do it getting harder and harder. I used to be part of a tight group that go out and do thing only crazy kayakers would do but somehow that have fallen to the way side, and I missed that. I have to decide this year where to go with kayaking. Redouble my effect to be involve or take a break from kayaking for a while. Who am I kidding, if I take a break it will be it for kayaking. Like running I just don't have the enthusiasm anymore. Waking up early to go kayaking and running used to be worth it now sleep till 10 AM win every time. Maybe I am must be lazy. Or depress. I am afraid I am reverting to those dark pre-2001 days when I have too much time to think and drive myself half crazy. My kayaking buddy Stevie moving to Tucson don't help matter.
- 2016 - the year I must get more fully involve or get out.
