More importantly, I'm still learning things and keeping myself disciplined. I am rush-scrapbooking my Spain '05 trip and will do the same for Mexico '05. Russia-well, my Uncle is helping me out there. In any case, it's a nice hobby but a difficult one to keep up with retroactively.

Onto the 'try new things' bit. One eye-opening experience for me has been a recent experiment in music. My mom brought home about 75 CDs that she got at a district garage sale for $2. Most of them are elevator music, fairly unimaginative. Most of the artists I haven't ever heard of (from Trolldom to local quartets). Still the variety amazes me. The discs are no longer in my car, but I'm putting them back. I can listen to a different CD every day for two months. And that is amazing. If a disc is a single or ends early for other reasons, I turn to MPR's indie station for more new unusual songs.

Even more different, and I guarantee you can try this one wherever you are and whatever your music collection:

Turn your radio off for a day and pay attention to the sounds around you.

I learned a lot about my car that day, but also the way the wind blows and the sun shines and the birds sing. Don't turn off your radio often, only for a change of pace. You'll often find it welcome.