Bird At Heart: Live Curious.

"Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever."

-Mahatma Gandhi

The most interesting people to me are the ones that are genuinely curious about life... constantly trying to figure out how this or that works, craving to know the history behind a monument, trying to craft something by hand. They have stories to tell, photos to show, hobbies to perfect, collections to fill, places they have been... They want to get stories out of people, become passionate about other cultures and ways of life and then incorporate bits of those flavors into their own. I am fortunate to have a collection of those people in my life and I am grateful for the ways they inspire me. Do something new and keep learning like you'll live forever. So... Play! Learn! Get lost! Make something! & Get curious...

.ryn

Somewhat easy ways to add some "different" to your day:

1. Repair something that's broken: You'll save a few bucks and be proud of how resourceful you are

2. Be inventive in your decorating: Use something unusual to display your favorite collection

3. Take a new road to work: You might discover that the best-tasting peaches in the world are minutes away from where you live... then go home and bake a pie

4. Stop at those blue roadside historical markers for a change: You may discover that slaves hid in the basement of the church you're looking at on their Underground Railroad Journey

5. Play: Bananagrams is our latest post-dinner obsession. "Peel!" Have a stash of games at hand for some spontaneous fun

6. Make a film: This is a great way to tell a simple story! Shoot, find a music track, edit... share

7. Set up a photo shoot: Get some costumes and a friend and go out in a field for a photo shoot

8. Collect and grow heirloom tomatoes: Then make a caprese salad with fresh mozzerella and homegrown basil. Dry the seeds and share with your friends

9. Learn square-dancing moves: Swing your partner, do si do!

10. Explore a zoo

11. Get someone's story: My Mom is the best at this... she's engaging and genuinely curious about people and their lives and they are always willing to tell it... even the shoe salesman! Interview someone special: Story Corps helps you create a custom set of questions

12. Cook up a storm: Pick a random cuisine you know nothing about and make a four-course meal

13. Re-color: Try new paints on your walls to give your spaces a fresh feel

14. Forage: With utmost caution, forage your woods for delicious mushrooms for your stir-fry or linguini dish

15. Design your dream garden this winter: Get some graph paper and sketch it out. Watch your dream blossom in the spring

16. Take a pottery class and make new stuff your your kitchen: My sister Laura should be a professional potter

17. Volunteer: Help out with something totally out of your field... love animals but work in a cube? Give your time to the dogs at the Humane Society

18. Research stuff: Play around with Google's new Books Ngram Viewer. Addicting!

19. Share a skill: Host a jam-making party with your friends (like my sister, Annie did)

20. Set up a treasure hunt for yourself: See if you can find the perfect vintage bird pin to add to your collection

21. Get moving in new ways: ice skating is oh so fun at midnight

22. Trivia: Play Trivial Pursuit (wouldn't want to be on the team opposite Dad, he knows everything)

23. Collect nature: Collect treasures from your hikes and display them in your home

24. Felt something: My sister Jenny is amazing at this... she felts Santas, pumpkins, owls...

25. Watch old-school "Wild America" episodes with Marty Stouffer: Especially the ones on Timberdoodles, Marmots and Possums... another world's out there, folks!