March Improvement Plan

My March Improvement Plan is beginning to take shape as a First Quarter Improvement Plan and since we have barely seen 0 degrees as a high for a week...4 to 7 inches of snow tomorrow...it may be that 2010 will be the year of the post-holiday event bonanza.

On my lunch break, I mowed through every web site I could think of in and around town: art museum, botanical center, living history farms, Salisbury House, the bigger churches in town, music associations, community and professional orchestra, the universities, the sports listing of runs and walks, community education, local libraries, etc.

Everything that interests me was copied and pasted into a document. When I'm done, I'll go through the document and put things on my calendar. I'll decide what I absolutely, positively want to do even if I have to do it alone. I'll ask around and see if friends want to do anything, but I won't get hung up on that.

So far I've discovered that the art museum is showing three films in January, like The Maltese Falcon. There are some neat art classes that are only one day. I signed up for that class at the pool and intend to go through March with that. My library has a reading program that goes through January and February and in years past, I've gotten some decent coupons for free things around town through that program.

There's a run in February, three Irish music concerts...I have a lot to chose from and so far while there may be two things on the same day, there isn't anything that would be double booking me. There's a fundraiser for the local animal rescue place at a local bar, too. My Irish class is looking for something to do and of course, St. Patrick's Day is right around the corner. I will think of something to suggest to them, possibly centered around making food or going to a great Irish restaurant about 30 minutes away.

I found The Importance of Being Earnest at Iowa State University and two different lectures on the Edward Hopper exhibition at the art museum. Gardening classes, chamber music, the symphony and a class at the playhouse for tap dancing. I still have my tap shoes in the closet! I can't wait to figure out what I'll be doing.

See how fun this is? Do it for yourself. You don't have to cram pack your schedule, but pick out a few things and give it a try - do something different and beat cabin fever.