WHEN DID YOU LAST TRY SOMETHING NEW?

It was like a light went on above my head. I took the alert position with my index finger pointing up and my mouth shaped like an "O". Just like one of those pictures of a 1950's housewife.

Yes, that sounds so very corny. But that's how this all started.

In the midst of our last minute Christmas shopping (just two days before Christmas), we were at our local Shoppingtown. We had bought hard, and it was nearing lunchtime. We were hungry.

My son made his usual Thursday Special Treat Outing Request. "Can we have chippies?"

Silence.

Then he went for the second option, "How about 'Donalds?"

Silence.

I made a suggestion, "How about something different?"

Silence.

You see, I love good food. Different food. But my husband, he likes what he knows. And as a result, the kids are exactly the same. We've become The Chips Family. Chips every Saturday night, Soup on Friday night, Stew on Tuesdays, and a roast dinner thrown in there for good luck on another night. Something exotic on my table? Hardly ever. A dinner out? Usually McDonald's.

It's all happening at our place (or at Mickey Dee's).

And even though my favourite food is pizza (not the Pizza Hut kind, but the good kind), a close second is Thai. And close third - anything that is done well. I'm really not that fussy and love to try new things.

So back at Shoppingtown, I saw China Bar. It's amazing. It really is. And I ordered Sizzling Noodles for Madison and a Salmon clay pot for me. He was hesitant at first, and for the first (and only) time, I was grateful for the TV show Yo Gabba Gabba.

"Try it, and you'll like it" I said.

And he did. He tried it, and not only did he like it. He loved it. So did his little brother.

And that's when I had my little epiphany.

A while ago I posted this article about living like a tourist in my own town. I wanted to see new places, and get out of the 20 km radius I limit myself to. Even though, we've upped the ante a tad, we're still terrible at doing new things. I even have a list to remind me.

And to keep myself accountable, I'm going to record it here. In my little part of the blog world.

The best bit is: I'd like you to join me. To try something new. Every week.

Perhaps it's doing too many of the mindless jobs like washing dishes that gives me too much thinking time on my hands, but I think this will be just great.

It doesn't have to be limited to trying a new food or ordering differently from the menu. It could be trying on an outfit, colouring your hair, going to a new place, a new activity with your kids, doing nothing out of the ordinary - just in a different order.

What do you think? Do you think we could do something new every week?

Let's try it and see how we go... in fact, you can link up right here this week (the linky will be open all week), and we'll do this every Thursday from now on.

Are you with me? Yes?