The "one fun thing" principle

So over the past year and a half, J and I have been getting up to quite a bit of fun. We've been on the big trips: alaska and costa rica. We've been surfing, hiking, camping, biking, all over Washington in search of outdoor fun. So now we're both back at school, working on graduate degrees and life is full. Full of homework, classes, teaching for me, and we're both still working too. It's hectic to say the least. The fun things we could just take off and do are a little less feasible these days, mostly due to time, but also money. Also, the light is leaking out of the day time as it does when seattle returns to its damp wintery state. It's hard to remember just a couple months back when it seems like the days never ended.

So in the interest of keeping things balanced and sane, we've come up with the "one fun thing" principle. Simply put, we resolve to do at least one fun, interesting, hopefully either outdoorsy or athleticy, mind enhancing thing every weekend. At least one. So maybe we won't be able to take off and to the penisula and go surfing for three days, or go on a really long hike followed by an evening with the guitar by the campfire, but we're going to do some things, get creative, find fun that's closer and cheap.

We started last weekend with a bike ride to West Seattle to meet friends for lunch. It was a great ride, not as tough as I was fearing it might be. Plus on the way home we rode down forth avenue and I got to discover the Sodo Urban Arts Corridor - a collection of over 50 murals that line 4th avenue in this very industrialized part of the city. The murals' themes surrounded hope, industry, and a reimagined idea of America (which i'm not sure exists in reality) was inspiring to see painted on the side of warehouses. On the grey day we road, the colors of the murals popped out creating a show as I whizzed by on the bike.

If you have suggestions or ideas for adventurous times here in Seattle, I'd love to hear them.