Plant Prowess

Here is my assignment from Miss Mennesson:
-What is the one skill you wish you had learned, or are realizing you want to learn? Why and how would it benefit you personally and/or professionally to know that skill? And come up with a plan to start learning it.

Okay, at first I didn't like this question. And the reason is because the correct answer is not an answer I like at all. The correct answer is web coding. In the field I'm currently in, this is the final frontier. Put five journalists in a room. They all have the same people skills and the same writing skills but one of them knows how to code. That guy's got the job. Web is everything. I understand the basic concepts, but if I were to become skilled at this, I would be infinitely more attractive in my business.

But here's the thing: I don't want to be a webmaster. I don't want to code things. I don't even know if I want to work in media. What I do know is that I want to write. And if that's going to happen, I have to learn to be more creative. I just decided 30 seconds ago that my answer to the assignment is creativity! I came into this blog post thinking I was going to write about how I want to get better at photography, but that's not it ("plan to start learning" was to buy an expensive camera, which I'll probably still do). I want to be a writer and while it may never be my profession, I've never thought so long and hard about anything as about this growing desire to write a book. So, I think the first step in being more creative with my words is to be more creative with my hands and my eyes. I'm going to go find some versatile classes that interest my creative side. I'm going now. I'll be back.

1. Painting - Oil and Acrylics, Multnomah Art Center
2. Handbuilding and Wheelthrowing (Clay), Multnomah Arts Center
3. Jewelry and Metalsmithing: Intro to Fabrication, Multnomah Arts Center
4. Creating Children’s Picture Book illustrations, Oregon School of Arts and Crafts

I like all those ideas, but I sat on this post for a few days. Then, on a sunny day last week, I walked to meet Margaux for lunch and chose to venture down Washington street in downtown Portland; I was astonished by how much foliage there was. It was a pleasant surprise to discover a route in the city that was so full of plant life. It instantly perked me up. I love plants. Lately, the only two careers I've really been interested in are writing and botany. I'm pretty good at houseplants. I've dabbled in vegetable gardens. I haven't really had the opportunity to grow a flower garden. But I really want to expand my plant prowess. These are my first steps toward becoming a more well-rounded plant-person:

1. Help roommate plant/maintain vegetable garden
2. Buy book on plant identification and go on a weekend excursion with said book to play and explore
3. Go mushroom hunting 3 times in the next 6 months
4. Plant or get a bonsai tree. Love it until I die.
5. Give somebody a gift of a plant once a month.

Number 5 is the most important. I've always loved taking care of my houseplants, but almost just as wonderful is watching a friend grow that same affinity. Perhaps someday, I'll write a book about plants. And it will be everything I ever wanted.