One Hundred Pieces of Me

Potentially New and Improved 
I love a challenge, particularly one that involves pitting my messy old self against my proposed tidy new self. It's far too easy to stay as we are, especially on the chance we're particularly comfortable wherever it is we happen to be -- not that there's anything wrong with that. I just know that when it comes to myself, I feel a whole lot better about my evolution of self when I take the initiative to give myself a strategically placed kick to the posterior now and again. Because without a bit of tough love I seriously question how motivated or likely I'd be to step-up my game, rattle my brain, or improve my personal package. 
In particular, it's the yearly calendar change from December into January that finds me pawing the dust ready to charge the red cape--anxious and exited to get started on whatever it is I've lined-up for myself. Both grateful and appreciative for another grand opportunity to line-up some shiny new resolutions, tweak old plans, and try new things. I'm inspired to be inspired!
Lessons to Learn 101 So here we, newly arrived into 2012 and first on my roster is a two month long online class being given by the very fabulous Kristen Lamb. (You can find her blog at: http://warriorwriters.wordpress.com It's my favorite, favorite blog to follow.) From the start it's been quite an experience throwing myself into structured lessons with REAL assignments when something in my psyche has been insisting whining from day one of classes that this stage of my life entitles me to a writing schedule that is a little less structured. (At which point I again remind myself that I, me, myself VOLUNTARILY paid money and signed up for this course.) Nevertheless, because Kristen is not your english teacher from jr. high, but rather, a funny, wonderfully wise, always interesting instructor, this course has been anything but drudge work.  I face, I actually feel compelled to drop the F word here, as in FUN, but I'm concerned that to do so makes the class sound a lot less serious then it is.
Onto Your Assignment
And so without further ado long winded build up, I'm feeling inspired to share one of my first and favorite assignments thus far, and hope you will take up your pen (or trusty keyboard) and give it a try:
"Write at least 100 individual words that describe you. If you were a jar of pasta sauce, these would be the ingredients. Memories, favorite bands, favorite movies, favorite songs, foods, etc."
Simple, right? Not too brain-straining. So, give it a try.  How well do you know yourself? If you have the same experience as moi, you'll find yourself a tad bit surprised by some of the words that land on your list of "ingredients."
Here's a little push to get you rolling, this is me:Barbara Forte Abate: writer, mother, wife, sister, daughter, friend, Godmother, word dreamer, mockingbird, books, cowboys, Indians, mountains, rollerblades, Jesus, Holy Communion, faith, teaching, sewing, painting, creative, dreaming, full moon, stars, thunder, lightening, rain, snow storms, reading, fashion, quirky, blackberries, buffalo, trees, blue jeans, white shirts, vintage clothing, jewelry, croquet, bocce ball, walking, quiet, prayer, solitude, peace, canoeing, This Property is Condemned, Barefoot in the Park, volunteer, history, architecture, old houses, ghost stories, To Kill a Mockingbird, Ave Maria, Vespers, opera, dance, piano, fitness, Italian family, country living, NYC, Cape Cod, winter, The Way We Were, The Rolling Stones, John Lennon, Imagine, Drops of Jupiter, Christian Pop, bible study, quilting, designing, yard sales, road trips, travel, 1956 Thunderbird, typewriters, dial telephones, potato chips, peanut butter cups, penguins, Batman, monopoly, Christmas Eve, cats, chipmunks, gardening, owls, falcons, old stuff, stones, leather, bicycles, Heaven, music, fire, perseverance, truth, dedication, tidy house, sculpture, coffee, pinball, learning, talking, optimism, healthy living, Project Runway, The Office, Moonstruck, corny, laughing, Saint Paul, weight training...
WARNING!!!Once you begin and push past the three second interval when you don't think you can possibly come up with 100 personal ingredients of yourself on demand, it immediately becomes very very hard impossible to stop...archery, bridges, fireworks, nuts, bears, campfires, wood-smoke, cheese, lightening bugs, BIG salads, Michael Jackson, Rabbits...No,I mean really REALLY hard to stop.
So, what's your One Hundred? Jump in and share! Even if it's just a handful, a bakers dozen, or half a hundred...