See What Sticks

So I did learn what a Bordeaux was and it totally involved getting drunk.

caitiemparker — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 19:48:57 +0000

Wine class was surprisingly fun. I was fearful that it’d be stuffy or that I’d feel over my head because I can’t smell the asparagus. It was, however, far better than I anticipated. I tried white wines that I would normally bypass in the store and enjoyed them quite a bit. I tried port again and I still hate it. I drank some sweet champagne and was immediately tipsy. Beyond the beverages though, there was a lot of detailed explanations and important facts. I absorbed the information like a sponge. It turns out that I’m fascinated by the way wine is made and even more so by knowing what wines I ought to buy. It was great to have multiple wines open and to be able to compare them in one sitting. I could never afford such a luxury at home. After this class I feel like I’m more justified in being particular about the wines I’ll purchase. Wine can seem so intimidating when you don’t know anything about it. This class served to help me stop feeling that way. I usually walk into wine stores and just buy what’s already tried and true. This class has encouraged me to branch out because I’ve got more background to work with. Wine has always been fun for me to drink but it’s also an art and I want to be able to appreciate that properly. I don’t know about making a career out of it but I’d certainly be interested in taking more classes, reading some books, and of course going to more wineries.

I don’t know if this is even a fair entry for this blog because I think we all knew that wine was going to stick.

This one includes getting drunk.

caitiemparker — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 20:26:25 +0000

I have been a touch too concerned with unemployment and destitution to worry about blogging but I’m earning cash now, so I guess I can return to my promised blog. In 2 weeks, DH and I will be taking a wine class. It’s two Wednesday’s in a row and I think I’m going to finally learn what the hell a Bordeaux is. Everyone knows how much of a red wine drinker I am and it only makes sense for me to finally learn a thing or two about it.

This idea, when we first signed up, started a whole onslaught of fantasies. They ranged from me working in a vineyard and essentially living my own version of Sideways to opening a small specialty wine store and schmoozing it up with the locals. I pictured myself in a fancy wine bar that I just bought and serving tempranillo and cheese samples. Usually that then pans to me drinking all of my profits and worrying about how this plan wouldn’t lead to a problem. Maybe the classes will inspire me to become a full on connoisseur. Maybe they’ll just be an excuse to drink expense wines that I could never convince myself to buy. Either way, it should be a good time.

I’ll report back after September 2nd and let you all know if it sticks.

the challenge…

caitiemparker — Mon, 18 May 2009 18:26:44 +0000

Sometimes I have freak outs. I realize that I’m 26 years old and I have no idea what I like to do. I am shocked that I am bored by most activities. I do not find joy in what others call hobbies. I never was captured by sports. I don’t particularly enjoy writing. Most things leave me with a luke warm feeling at best. I always think about embarking on a new activity. Every summer there are unfulfilled promises to myself that I will be a yogi. When I was 18, I bought myself a keyboard with the intention of teaching myself the piano. I never opened it and sold it to a friend’s girlfriend for half the price. I watch my friends engaged in their activities and I wonder what it is like to be really passionate about something. To do something just for yourself. In my spare time, I find that I end up watching teen drama reruns and wishing I was getting a massage. Now I find myself in the second half of my 20s, and I realize that something has to give.

Here I embark on a new mission. Over the next year, I aim to try as many activities as possible. These will range from hobbies to recreation to athletics. I will try my hand at everything in search of who I am. I am determined to find out what I am passionate about and I intend for this blog to aid me in this endeavor. I have a small list of things I’d like to try but all suggestions are welcome.

First on the list is blogging. I don’t blog. I hate the word “blog”. I barely follow other blogs. I’m not tech savvy at all. I google “bagel” in attempts to get one delivered. However, maybe, just maybe, I will love blogging. Maybe this blog will inspire me to do all sorts of blogs in the future. The point is, I have to try to know. Since I plan on making a before and after entry for every activity, at the end of this experiment I’ll let you all know how I feel about blogging. Hell, anything’s possible.