The End

Today is November 1st, 2010. Today, I turned thirty.

A little over a year ago, I had a crazy idea, big plans, and a list scribbled on a piece of scrap paper. Over the course of the year, this project has consumed hundreds of hours, thousands of dollars, and a large portion of my (remaining) sanity.

It was worth it.

An enormous thank you to all the people who helped me (knowingly or unknowingly), supported me, and held me accountable. I couldn't have done it without you.

Michelle

Finished.

This weekend, with less than 48 hours to go before my 30th birthday, I managed to complete the 3 remaining items on my List.

The first one to be completed was no. 21, 'Throw a party'. The party took place at a local pub, with the theme 'The Nerd Convention'. Geeks, dorks and nerds (aka, my friends and family) converged on the pub's back deck, much to the bemusement of the other patrons.

My nerdy parents

Rob and Emma make good use of 3D glasses

Myself, with Leah and Graham (I am dressed as Tim the Enchanter. For those of you who don't know who that is- first of all, shame on you. Secondly, go here and educate yourself).

Michael, aka Captain Hammer with his prize for winning the 'Knerdy Knits' contest.

Dana Scully and her 'Goodies' obsessed husband.

There was much talking, drinking and laughter. We played 'nerd pass the parcel', 'Knerdy Knits' (in which the players had to identify movie/tv/video game characters I had knitted) and 'Pin the Photon Torpedo on the Thermal Exhaust Port'.

Before I can continue with the narrative of the party, I need to briefly flash back to Friday- the day when my friend Leah came for a visit, and we spent several hours transforming this...

...into this.

Here's Leah, working on the cake. Notice how she manages to look stylish and refined while coating a cardboard box in garishly pink paint.

Okay, flashback over. We return to the party, where I have just retrieved the cake from my father's car and shuffled my way back to the party underneath it. Then...

...I jump from within, to rapturous applause. List item 22 completed!

Then, there was real cake.

It was delicious.

That left only one list item to go- the time capsule.

And, with that, the list is completed. My wacky, frivolous, somewhat insane project is actually finished.

Tomorrow, I will attempt to sum up my feelings about this project in a touching, meaningful way. More likely, I will end up rambling on and on like an undeserving Oscar winner. Either way, it should be entertaining.

The Final Countdown

One week to go. Three items to complete. It is ON.

Oh, and before I forget, this project actually got some media attention last week! Here's the article that appeared in the local paper (click for bigger)-

From the sublime to the ridiculous

Friday night was the big one: the 'Musique pour Medecins' concert.

I spent the day manically running about, buying nibbles, setting out chairs, practicing piano accompaniments and crossing items off lists. By the time the audience began to arrive, I was nothing but a frantic blur in a red dress. (No photos of the frantic blur exist. Apparently, I was moving too fast).

I looked very much like my father (the blur at the back). But in red. And female.

Le Gall Patisserie had donated many fabulous mini-quiches, and local vintner Tony Hatch brought a selection of fabulous wines. (Note to anyone else who would like to organise this sort of thing in future: local small businesses are fabulous, and will be happy to help you. Large, multinational corporations will not. I learned this the hard way).

At 7pm, the concert got underway.

This is only a very small sampling of the performers, by the way. There were 13 different performances, all of which were fantastic. Good food, good wine, good music- and a good cause, for which we raised $610. That, plus the $459 I'd previously raised puts the total money raised at $1069, thus exceeding my goal!

To all the performers to donated their time and talents, the businesses who donated their wares and the audience who donated their money, may I say an enormous:

I couldn't have done it without you.

With the serious business done and dusted, I was free to spend this weekend on... less sensible pursuits.

The List is now 90% completed! Only three items to go!

A long walk

Today I completed one of my most long-term List items- I have now travelled 1000km on foot in under a year! I tried to make an epic video of my last triumphant kilometre, but it ended up looking lame and boring. Instead, please enjoy this clip of David Tenant singing with the Proclaimers.

You'd think that after walking 1000km, I would have buns of granite and legs like steel springs. Sadly, this is not the case. Damn.

Countdown- Two weeks to go

Yipes! Only 14 days remaining! Luckily, everything is (more or less) under control. Sort of. I think.

I'm only a day or so away from finishing my 1000km (I only have 5km to go), Friday's concert is looking like a great event (I just hope we get a decent audience), and sometime soon I'll stand on my head for your ridicule amusement.

Just to recap, here are the List items yet to be completed-

14. Raise over $1000 for charity

18. Create a time capsule

19. Travel over 1000 km on foot within the space of a year

21. Throw a party

22. Jump out of a cake

28. Learn to stand on my head.

If you want to help me through this home stretch, don't forget the handy link in the sidebar!

Uke can do it!

I play the ukulele. There, I said it. I, a classically trained pianist and vocalist, play the ukulele. And I LOVE it.

It's easy to learn, but difficult to master. It's portable, makes a nice sound, and works as a great accompaniment to singing. In fact, that's what I've been using it exclusively for- an accompaniment to my singing.

This year, I started learning a few pieces from this book. These pieces were a lot more technical, and (shock!) I suddenly couldn't hide my shoddy technique behind my singing. I had to work hard, extend my skills and, you know, be vaguely competent.

My List challenge- 'Perform a ukulele solo in public' was just that. A ukulele SOLO. No singing to hide behind and mask my playing. Just me, the ukulele, and the inevitable stage fright.

Yesterday, The Blue Mountains Ukulele Group (or BMUGs, for short) came to town. They were here to provide a couple of ukulele workshops and present a concert/jam night in the evening. As a lonely solo uker, the prospect of a group jam was an exciting one, and so I grabbed my uke and sallied forth to the afternoon workshops. Sadly, I forgot to bring my camera. Just picture a room full of about 40 ukulele players of all ages sitting around, having a drink and playing 'These Boots Are Made For Walking'. It was great fun, and I learned a lot of technique tips and tricks.

After the workshops, I went home, got changed, grabbed the camera, and headed back for the evening concert.

First the local ukulele group played-

You will note that I am not there. Sadly, these guys rehearse at a time when I'm at work. Darn.

Then the Blue Mountains Group played-

This was part of a 'Blue Brothers' medley

And then... then came the time for my solo.

I am making a mistake here. I can tell because I am smiling.

It went quite well, all things considered! I was a bit sad that there wasn't time for me to play the other songs I'd prepared. Never mind, I'll subject people to them play them next week at an open mic event.

After a few more solos, there came the all-in performance-

This is a more accurate depiction of what the lighting in there was actually like.

The highlight of the concert was Dominic, pictured here with his lovely girlfriend Jessica-

Dominic is a very, very good uke player who ended up at the concert through sheer coincidence. The two of them were travelling back to Sydney, stopped to stay the night in Bathurst, and wandered into town to see what was on. He had to borrow a ukulele from someone else in order to perform. He was probably the best uke player I've ever seen live. His band website is here, should you wish to check it out.

The whole evening was big, big fun. This morning, my forearms are sore, and I have ukulele-shaped bruises on my right arm. Totally worth it.