Sunday, October 4, 2009

Eight Years Later

Eight years is a long time. This year it snuck up on me. This last week has been a whirlwind, and I've written the wrong date all week. Then I looked at my watch this morning and saw it is the 4th.

Eight years ago yesterday, I thought that the fact that the 9/11 attacks happened 5 hours before I would have been at the WTC for a college fair was the closest I could ever come to losing.

Eight years ago today I learned that no one in invincible. I lost an acquaintance in an instant, and watched a friend's life tailspin in response for months. Eight years later and I still feel like someone just threw a bowling ball at my stomach when I think about that morning.

So CSF, just know you are in our thoughts. Even eight years later.

Thursday, July 23, 2009

On exercise


In hopes of getting around to goal #1, I started the 30 Day Shred this week. I started it technically on Tuesday, but couldn't walk yesterday, so I couldn't do it again until today. And now I still can't walk, but it's just a teensy bit less scream-inducing to stand up than yesterday was.

You may have heard about it. I'd read about it via a few bridal blogs, I think. These brides that were 30 or so days out from the big day wanted toning, so they went to Jillian Michaels to help them out. In all fairness, they did say they were sore the next day. But holy crap on a cracker, they did not mention that Jillian Michaels will make you want to die after a mere 22 minutes. Seriously. I was calling her all sorts of colorful things by the end. And when I couldn't do ANYTHING that involved bending, straightening, or putting weight on my legs the next day? I had all sorts of things to say about her "combo moves" and the fact that this was supposed to be good for me. And stairs. Why does this house have to have stairs?!

In my head, I know a few things:
1. I have to get more exercise than this in my day. I bought the DVD with a birthday giftcard because I want something that I can do at home that has a bit of a regiment to it. Telling myself I will do 20 pushups and 100 crunches on the ball won't do it for me. I've been telling myself I'll do that tomorrow for months. I only remember that I forgot to do it as I drift off to sleep. So this is a start, but it's not the only thing I should be doing. 22 minutes a day just isn't enough.
2. Pain is good. I know I didn't seriously injure myself, but my quads, pecs, glutes, calves, deltoids and a bunch of other muscles in my legs and shoulders that I didn't even know could be sore are sore. Sore is OK. Sore requires rest and water and more rest, but it can be worked through. Mostly. Unless I wake up feeling tomorrow like I did yesterday.
3. I friggen hate exercise. I don't enjoy going to a gym by myself, I will cut corners while I am there, and I have trouble motivating myself to do things. My current mentality is that this is less than 30 minutes a day. Combine that with my idea that I will ride my bike more (because I should, and I don't), and maybe I will get into a habit. Takes 3 weeks to form a habit right? I figure, new house, new habits. Yes? Well, let's hope at least.

And if you see me, please ignore the grandma hobble I have going.

Monday, July 13, 2009

Wedding Decision #6?

A lot has been happening.
We got the house.
There could be 20 blog posts about that subject alone.
This won't be one of them.

We made a real live wedding decision tonight. First dance? This song, this version:
Assuming, you know, that we do a first dance. But at some point in the night, that song will be played. And we will dance to it. Decision made. In truth, the decision has been made in my head for quite some time. When people ask for first dance suggestions, I do not give them this one. I've been very protective. So even when we weighed other options, that was the standout in my head. Bridezilla blooming? I bet not.

And if you think you are the first person to buy a dress for our wedding, you'd be wrong. You'd also be wrong if you thought that person was me. Or that we set a date and forgot to tell you. Or a season. Or a year. Nope, haven't done any of it.

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Things I shouldn't have the time for: blogging.


We are closing on a house on Thursday. For anyone keeping score at home, that means it has been 2 weeks from when we first saw it to closing. For anyone who hasn't bought a house before, let me just say, never EVER try to do it all in two weeks. Not if you enjoy little things like your sanity.

It's been a whirlwind 2 weeks. Inspections, meeting with lawyers, trying to get the mortgage pushed through. Making a back up plan if the mortgage does not come through in time. Pricing out appliances. Looking at paint options. Learning about locks that you can change without a locksmith. Collecting paperwork to prove exemption from a transfer tax. Finding the damn city office to get said transfer tax stamp from. Homeowner's insurance. Oh yea, and classes started last week. Overall, I think I've been handling it well.

Except I withdrew from a class for the first time ever today. It was stressful, and I feel guilty that I gave up for fear of failing. But the class is not necessary for my degree (unlike my other 2 classes) and required more work than the other 2 already demanding classes. The result? I need to take it at a different time. Rationally, I understand this. But damned if it doesn't make me feel a little less together.

So yes, all in all, despite the huge amount of stress, life changing aspect of the next 2 days, things are going well. I'll confess, there was a mini meltdown tonight when Doug came home with a case of wine. He had a final class at a wine bar, and got an impulse to buy wine. Two bottles he picked out for me, and I know the intention was sweet. But he got home, and all I could think was, "Hello?! Buying a house, here!" It was, in a week that has been stressful already, a breaking point. Because he and I spend and save differently. And while I understand that right now it is his money he's spending, I can't help but be just a little crazed by him coming home with a case of wine (that we'll probably end up moving with us, because we probably won't drink any of it before moving) when I am thinking about things like dishwashers and blinds.

In the end, I know the money he spent on the wine won't make or break us. I do understand that. But next time I'm thinking he should leave that stuff in the car until after we have to get the biggest check I've ever seen for closing!

Today, I rediscovered this song. The piano and the acoustic guitar, and the duet. I'm such a sucker for those things. I didn't really appreciate the movie, but I do appreciate the music. Especially this. And the fact that they sound just as good live? Yea, that helps.


In fact, I just remembered this song popped into my head yesterday, and has also been stuck there. I guess my brain is going for comfort music.

Tuesday, June 9, 2009

On houses



If you've been listening to the news, reading the paper, or generally doing anything that is not living under a rock for the last six months, you know that right now is the time to buy a house if you can. Especially if you're a first time buyer. Especially especially if you want to get it cheap.

It is a buyers market, they tell you. So, if one should have a down payment available (we do) and qualify for a loan (we do), you can find the house you want!

That's what they will tell you at least. But then comes the hard part. Not how many bedrooms or bathrooms you want. Not what town you are looking in, but what you want. The nitty gritty. The little stuff. The details.

We know the basics. We want a starter home. We plan to live there 5-6 years, let the economy rebound, and then have steady income so we can "move on up". American dream, yes? So then, what is there to take into account?
1.) Budget (we are, after all, not yet raking in the big bucks. Or much bucks at all, in fact)
2.) Resale opportunities (what will resell best? How will we get the most out of a resale?)
3.) Details!

That last one, it's a doozy. The fundamental problem is that Doug and I have different likes and dislikes when it comes to houses. I grew up in a home built in the 1930's. He grew up in a more modern home. I look for character, he sees home projects. He likes subdivision neighborhoods, I see cookie cutter.

Kind of a problem, yes? Yes. Twice, we have come down to 2 houses. We both agree they are the top 2 houses. We do not agree, however, on which is at the top of the list. They end up being two completely different houses on our list, which makes it hard to compare between them. It really comes down to the character vs. (in my opinion) cookie cutter. We understand they will attract very different buyers when we resell. But since both of us are fuzzy on our crystal ball predictions, we don't know which one will be more beneficial in the long run.

So imagine my surprise today when we saw a house built in 2004 that is (literally) days away from foreclosure. In a subdivision! And now we are putting an offer on it. It's nothing that I thought I wanted, but even I have to admit, we won't get a better bang for our buck.

The bad news is there's already a cash offer. And an IRS lien. It also wants to be closed in 2 weeks, or else it goes to foreclosure and auction. That's a whole lot to do in 2 weeks. And very little of it is in our hands. More is in the hands of the banks and mortgage companies. Blargh.

We made an offer lower than the asking price, with an addendum saying we'll pay the lien. You know, sweetening the pot.

But there's a good chance that they'll take the cash either way. At this point, we've done all we can, and we have a few ... tricks(?) up our sleeves that might make it more enticing. Maybe. As long as they don't reject us outright. Man, I dislike gambling. Oh well, I suppose it's one vice I won't fall victim to.

Deep breaths and happy thoughts, yes? Yes. Hopefully, we'll hear something tomorrow. We have to deal with the bank approving the sale and the seller, so hopefully we'll hear something tomorrow. If not, we have to wait until Monday. Which also means less time for the closing to fall into place. Oh man, I will need to think about other things if I want to sleep tonight.

Thursday, June 4, 2009

101 goals in 1001 days (part 3)

Given my current transitional stage in life, I thought the best way to introduce myself is to introduce who I want to be. Make sense?

I started the 101 goals in 1001 days project. I thought I would go through my goals one by one.

To catch up, here's part 1 and part 2.


The Mission:
Complete 101 preset tasks in a period of 1001 days.

The Criteria:
Tasks must be specific (ie. no ambiguity in the wording) with a result that is either measurable or clearly defined. Tasks must also be realistic and stretching (ie. represent some amount of work on my part).


Money

  1. Continue debt free on my credit cards
    I imagine this will be difficult to do while in grad school, but not impossible.

  2. Figure out a financial system with Doug
    Currently, we split most everything because it's convenient. But I'd like us to figure out a system that really works for us, especially once his student debt kicks in and mortgage payments happen.
    I would like us to be as organized as Sara over at 2000dollarwedding. The truth is, I probably have to be the one organizing such a thing.

  3. Save for a vacation
    Right, so in the travel area I talked about wanting to take such trips. But in order to do that, we need to get organized and actually save money. Hence the above goal. I thought this would be an excellent way to reward our organization.

  4. Keep money in ING account unspent
    This might be a changed goal. I am a saver, and after college I changed over the account I had from when I was young (deposited birthday money etc) until I was about 16 (when I got my first job and opened my own account). That money was meant to be kept untouched until I bought a house. Pushing up the time table on that means that money will probably be spent...but in the way I'd intended it.

  5. Learn about investing by reading at least 2 books (0/2) and meeting with a financial adviser
    This is a topic I know NOTHING about. OK, that's not true, in recent months (you know, when the whole economy went to crap and all) I've learned what not to do. Or at least certain things to avoid. But I've learned that saving early is a good idea. So I want to figure out how to make that happened.

  6. Plan for buying a house/condo within 2 years from end date. Goal includes determining where we want to buy, and how much of a down payment we’ll need.
    Right, so here's the big change. With grad school coming pretty much free, and the understanding that we are staying in the area for a few years (and the current economic climate), we are looking at buying now. We aren't looking at a "forever house", but something that will last us 5-6 years. We've been actively looking since March. You'd think that we'd have found something by now, and we may have. But we are working on a limited budget and want at least 3 bedrooms and 1.1 baths for resale value...it's complicated.

  7. Maintain John Houston Finely Society standing and star with Knox
    This means I have to give to my Alma Mater every year.

  8. Save at least 1/5th of each paycheck once I have a "real world" job
    This may change once I actually land the job, but it makes me nervous to have a savings account that isn't growing. And in the last few years, that's sort of how I've been rolling.

  9. Replace the Saturn
    Our second car is going on 15 years young. Understanding it won't last forever, saving for a newer car is going to be important.

  10. Buy a new computer
    My desktop was purchased in 2002, laptop in 2006. If not replaced, the desktop needs at least a new video card and more memory. By the time I upgrade, it might be smarter to just buy a new computer.

  11. Start a retirement fund

  12. Make more in 2011 than I did in 2008, 2009 & 2010 combined
    Shouldn't be that hard. If I got a job with an average starting salary in the field I'm going into, I should be able to meet this goal. In six months. Being a student again is fun.

  13. Create a living will
    I have a family friend that had a really tough time when he needed hospitalization and had no living will, power of attorney, or any of that information. As such, I've seen how difficult it can be to get care when you don't have a clear plan of action and are unable to make decisions on your behalf.

Food

  1. Make at least 15 meals at home each week (this can include making lunch and breakfast for myself)
    This is a double win for me. It saves money and means I don't eat as much.

  2. Shop at local farmers market at least twice a month in appropriate weather
    OK, so my local farmer's market is not grand, but it is lovely. And fresh fruits and veggies? You can't beat that.

  3. Eat beef fewer than 5 times a month
    In fact, I'd like to explore more vegetarian options over all. It is an idea that scares Doug a bit, so I usually add some meat to things, but supplement it with non-meat items.

  4. Eat dinner with Doug at least one night a week
    This is really a goal for us. Sounds silly when we live together, but with his internship, work, classes, and other activities, eating dinner with him was actually a challenge this year. We've gotten a bit better about it, but I fear that with my clinic hours, it will become a bit more of a challenge in the future.

  5. Try at least 50 new, healthy recipes (3/50)
    I am constantly looking for new things to make, especially crockpot friendly recipes that are healthy. So far I've tried:
    1. Slow Cooker Italian Chicken
    2. Eggs Benedict on a Muffin with Garlic Alioi

    3. Spaghetti Carbonara

  6. Have less than 15% of groceries be prepared foods (freezer meals, prepackaged sides, etc)
    I'd like to do healthy eating with as few preservatives and least amount of sodium possible.

  7. Start an herb garden
    I'm sort of doing a tester run this year. I have a pot of basil and a pot of parsley going right now. We'll see how it goes before we graduate to "garden" status.

  8. Make Sangria
    It's a simple thing, but I've never done it, even though I like sangria. Perhaps for my dinner party?

  9. Try 3 new cooking techniques (poaching, braising, etc) (1/3)
    I poached an egg to make my eggs benedict.

  10. Start a real garden, growing at least 3 different types of veggies
    This will have to wait until I get an actual yard, or at least space for a container garden. My parents had a garden for many years, and I enjoyed helping. Mostly, I enjoyed fresh cucumbers!

  11. Try at least 5 new foods
    Should be easy, right?

Home

  1. Vacuum floor at least once every 2 weeks
    Doug has the same goal. We need to alternate!

  2. Change bed sheets once a week
    This goal was more to get in the habit of doing it on one day of the week and sticking to a schedule. So far, so good. Sundays are my sheet-changing days.

  3. Brush cat once a week
    She's a short hair cat, but she still sheds like a long-haired. Dark couch, dark comforter...light cat. You see my problem.

  4. Take cat to annual checkup (1/2)
    Between moving to a new city last year, and just generally forgetting, the cat had not been to a vet visit since July 2007. She's young, she's healthy, and since she's strictly an indoor cat, there wasn't any huge risk. But I feel like she should get it annually.

  5. Buy & decorate a Christmas tree
    I typically visit my parents for the holidays, so I haven't had my own tree. Or ornaments. In fact, I have 2 ornaments: 1 is a pickle with arms and legs, and one is a star-fish shell brought back from Hawaii by Doug's mom. Probably, I need to increase my collection, first, yes?

  6. Keep clothes off bedroom floor for 30 days (0/30)
    Oh man, I am terrible about this. Always have been. Hoping this creates a habit.

  7. Frame at least one thing I made (photograph, cross stitch, art piece, etc)
    This would involve finishing something to frame.

  8. Get a real futon frame
    Done! In our next living environment, the futon mattress will not be on the floor.

  9. Figure out how to participate in Sycamore's recycling program, even if my apartment complex doesn't.
    This may not be relevant if we move in the next month or two. But every time a cardboard box goes in the dumpster, I feel quite guilty.

  10. Get a real entertainment center.
    We bought a nice new TV almost an entire year ago, and then couldn't agree on the type of entertainment center we need. So we've sort of reached a stalemate, and put a few IKEA end tables together in a not very organized fashion. It's OK for now, but I don't want the college-chic look forever.

  11. Buy a bed
    It's on a frame, so that's a start. But I'd like there to be an actual headboard. And maybe even nightstands (not plastic drawers). Stepping up from that college chic again.

Other

  1. Take a picture a day for a month (0/30)
    One of those things I've wanted to do to recognize that there are little things every day worth noticing.

  2. Blog every day for a month
    I've always meant to do this, but never have. I considered splitting this list to 30 parts, but thought that would be cheating.

  3. Watch at least 1 Netflix DVD a week, or cancel account
    I've put it on hold before, but I hate when I forget that I have the DVDs sitting in a pile of mail and don't watch them for a while. I know that's how they make their money, but I hate to be just giving it away. I've learned that watching TV series helps with that.

  4. Spend all the gift cards I currently have (Barnes & Noble, Amazon, WaMu, Target, iTunes)
    I'm awful at spending giftcards. I forget I have them, or think I should wait for something special.

  5. Calculate carbon footprint.
    I read Radical Simplicity a few months back, and got very interested.

  6. Reduce by 15%.
    I've been bookmarking ways that I could save energy for a while now. I think owning a house would help, and things like collecting rain for the garden, tankless water heaters, ecolawn... I see many possibilities.

  7. Donate blood twice a year (0/6)
    I can't just walk off the street and donate blood. I am naturally anemic, so I have to beef up (literally) before donating. But donating blood is such a (relatively) simple thing to do with a positive result, so I should do better about donating more often.

  8. Take a dance class
    I almost signed up for a belly dancing class this summer, but it conflicts with a class I actually have to take for school. Nuts. It's been a while since I've been in a movement based class, and would love to try it again.

  9. Donate any books I no longer need
    Done, but I consider this on-going. I donated about 12 books to a student program in March. I'm sure Doug and I could go through our collection and remove about 20 duplicates...mostly college texts.

  10. Buy a sewing machine
    I just think I should own one and remember how to use it. Maybe actually make a few napkins or table runners.

  11. Buy a shredder.
    Again, something I think I should have. And use.

  12. Read at least 25 books I've never read before (9/25)
    I was sort of lax on the number, because I figure I won't have much time while in school. So far I've read:
    1. Running With Scissors by Augusten Burroughs
    2. A Wolf at the Table: A Memoir of my Father by Augusten Burroughs
    3. One Perfect Day: The Selling of the American Wedding by Rebecca Mead
    4. Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling
    5. My Stroke of Insight: A Brain Scientist's Personal Journey by Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor
    6. The Kid: What Happened When My Boyfriend and I Decided to get Pregnant by Dan Savage
    7. A Mind of My Own: A memoir of recovery from Aphasia by Harianne Mills
    8.
    Outliers: The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell
    9. The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

  13. Reread 5 books I read in high school
    I was talking to someone about this: I remember certain things from books I read in high school, but not enough to make me confident that I could answer questions on Jeopardy! about them. Some of the ones I want to reread include The Stranger, 1984, The Great Gatsby, Animal Farm, and The Lord of the Flies. If I were feeling particularly masochistic, I guess I'd give Beowulf another shot as well. And maybe The Picture of Dorian Gray. Couldn't stand that one at the time. I think I would "get" them more today. Or at least I'd like to try.

  14. Clean out my closet. Donate unwanted items
    I've been trying to keep on top of this, but you can always do more, right?

  15. Attend 5 year college reunion
    Because I will be old. OK, not old, but at the 5 year mark, I will have done everything on this list. I should feel pretty accomplished, no?

Wednesday, June 3, 2009

101 goals in 1001 days (Part 2)

Given my current transitional stage in life, I thought the best way to introduce myself is to introduce who I want to be. Make sense?

I started the 101 goals in 1001 days project. I thought I would go through my goals one by one.

To catch up, here's part 1.

The Mission:
Complete 101 preset tasks in a period of 1001 days.

The Criteria:
Tasks must be specific (ie. no ambiguity in the wording) with a result that is either measurable or clearly defined. Tasks must also be realistic and stretching (ie. represent some amount of work on my part).




Relationships/ Social

20. Write to Uncle Frank at least once a month (1/36)
There are a few people in my life that don't do email, and do better if they get written word than phone calls. I don't see why I can't take a few hours a month and write a letter to update them on what's going on with me.
21.Write to Uncle Don at least once a month (2/36)
Same deal as above. Although this might change, because he recently did take to email, and I've been responding to emails 5-6 times a week.
22.Get engaged
Done! :)
23.Plan a wedding
Probably easier said than done. I only say that because with graduate school and the fact that we are from two different parts of the country, the whole planning thing isn't as easy as it seems. It's been about 6 weeks since the engagement, and we still haven't picked a year!
24.Get married
Or at least have a date very close in the future when this thing is done. Follows, right?
25.Throw Doug a graduation or birthday party
This may end up being a housewarming BBQ, depending on when we move. Point being, a gathering of friends...he would like that.
26.Make 5 new friends in a graduate program
Sounds silly, right? Well, I have 2 years full time with the same folks, and I would like to make a few close friends out of it. Of course, I wrote this before I was admitted to the program I will be in. There are a few lovely ladies that I will be working with for the next few years.
27.Plan a visit with college friends within driving distance at least once every other month
I have quite a few friends in the Chicago area, and it's silly to be relatively close and not see them. So far, I've actually been pretty good about this.
28.Have Sandi and Bob over for dinner at least twice (0/2)
Doug's family.
29.Visit Bob & Pam at least twice (0/2)
More of Doug's family
30.Visit a couples counselor for a pre-wedding assessment
We aren't having a religious ceremony, so we won't have a pre-cantana (that's what they are called, yes?) At any rate, the idea of it isn't a bad one, minus the religious aspect. It makes sense to me to make sure we really truly are on the same page with everything. After all, this is a first for both of us, and we don't want to screw it up out of the gate.
31.Send birthday cards (via the mail) to 30 friends and family (3/30)
There can be improvement here. I enjoy getting mail, and imagine that others do too. I know a birthday card isn't much, but I enjoy them. If I really want to challange myself, I'd add "on time" to the goal. I have a horrid habit of sending two friends cards well after their birthday. They do the same, so I don't feel too awful, but it's sily when I buy the card 3 months ahead of time and send it two months late!
32.Send at least six updates to family/friends via email or mail (2/6)
For a while I was sending out an email update to friends and family every few months, and then I stopped. While I know my mom is really good at updating family, I figure I should take the torch at some point. Lucky for this goal, getting into grad school and getting engaged happened, so that was two down!
33.Host a dinner party
Current digs don't really allow for a dinner party, but I would feel very "adult" to host such a thing. Perhaps with a theme.
34.Visit with Grammy 3 times
Doug's grammy, who, despite living within an hour of, we rarely see outside of large family gatherings. His other grandmother passed away a few months ago, and we also never visited her as often as we said we would.
35.Take a decent set of pictures with Doug
We mostly have ridiculous pictures of ourselves. A few years back, we took a few nice pictures together, but we could definetly stand to do it again.
36.Learn 4 new games
(1/4)
I've learned Chraunonauts since starting these goals. I suppose I learned a new DS game this weekend, but I mostly despised it, so I won't count it.

Travel/ vacation
37.Plan a vacation that involves a plane or train ticket
My most frequent trips have been visiting my parents in recent years. In fact, Doug and I haven't taken a vacation together...ever. Unless you count the overnight we did on the drive back from my parent's 2 years ago. That's what we get for being students.
38. Visit 4 state parks (0/4)
I like new places and adventures. State parks are cheap, which is a big plus. I also like being outside, and want to be more active overall. I consider this a goal that attends to many things.
39. Go camping at least once
Planned! For five years, I've wanted to go camping with Doug (yea, my idea of a vacation isn't exactly a 4 star hotel).
40. Take at least 30 day trips to see things in the area (2/30)
Again, this is for my sense of adventure. When we have time off, we tend to be lazy about it. But it's silly to live in an area and not know anything about it. Even if it's something like walking around a downtown area of a cute local town. It doesn't take much.
Places we've traveled to so far:
1.) The Ellwood House
2.) Mini golf course

41.Visit the ocean
I grew up on the east coast, so to me, a summer wasn't complete without a dip somewhere in the Atlantic. Doug, on the otherhand, has spent one day in Mystic, CT, and we had dinner along the water. I hardly think it counts. We need to remedy such things. I'm not picky about which ocean we visit, but considering our current distance, completing this goal may also knock out our "by plane or train" goal.
42.Get a new passport

Time to replace!
43.Go to Cedar Point
Two years ago, we meant to stop by on our trip out, but ran out of time. Then it sort of got pushed to a back burner.
44.Go skiing at least once
Again, grew up on the east coast, so skiing was aplenty. I started when I was 3, and slowed down in high school. College and beyond in the midwest, I'd sort of forgotten I could. While home this winter, I as able to go with some friends, and remembered that I absolutely adore it.
45.Visit every stop on the Metra Union Pacific West Line
OK, so small adventure, but kind of neat. There are a lot of little downtown areas built around the Metra stops, and they seem very cute. With the $5 weekend pass, I imagine I could do this cheaply and learn new places and have tiny adventures.

Education/Employment

46.Get into graduate school
Done! I applied to 2 places, got into 1, which made the decision easy!
47.Apply for graduate assistantship/ grant programs
Done! After being accepted and applying for other graduate assistantships, I found out that I actually was being offered one through the department. Hooray!
48.Finish graduate school
In progress! Slated for May 2011 (which sounds REALLY far away)
49.Get a full time job in speech pathology
It makes sense, since that's what I am getting a MA in.
50.Take one class for self – letterpress, calligraphy, digital design, photography, cooking
I've always thought I'm not good at art. And that's true...I can't draw much worth a damn. But I can do the crafty stuff, and I would love to learn more in that realm. This may have to wait until after graduate school, though.
51.Attend one conference or professional workshop
I've never done it before. I will have to anyway for the career, but I think it would be neat to go to a conference. Plus, free goodies!

And now you can jump to part 3!

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

101 goals (part 1)

Given my current transitional stage in life, I thought the best way to introduce myself is to introduce who I want to be. Make sense?

I started the 101 goals in 1001 days project. I thought I would go through my goals one by one. I started these goals in February, although I will admit two things.
1) The hard thing about being in a transition period is that big things can change drastically. You'll notice that I had the goal to start researching buying a house. Thanks to the turn in the economy and a cheap grad school bill, we are looking to buy now. So things have changed since I wrote this.
2) I haven't really been keeping up with this, so I am hoping that reposting this will help remind and motivate me.

The Mission:
Complete 101 preset tasks in a period of 1001 days.

The Criteria:
Tasks must be specific (ie. no ambiguity in the wording) with a result that is either measurable or clearly defined. Tasks must also be realistic and stretching (ie. represent some amount of work on my part).

Health, Beauty, and Well Being

  1. Reach healthy weight
    For me, this means about a 35lb weight loss. I got very close to this goal about 3 years ago, but once I graduated college, settled in to domestic bliss, and otherwise got lazy, some of the weight came back. I can do better, and I will.

  2. Maintain aforementioned healthy weight
    I might get better with this once I am back down to the weight. Part of it means a reshaping of our meals together. Hy idea of making dinner and his aren't always the same. I am hoping to learn more about the Mediterranean Diet and how we can incorporate that into our world, since it seems that it is one of the more successful healthy eating programs.

  3. Do cardio 3 times a week for half hour each session
    I have been terrible about this. I have my ups and downs with consistency. I need to do a much better job of sticking with it.

  4. Go to the gym at least twice a week while school is in session
    Yea, this also fell by the wayside this semester. I fell off the wagon while recuperating from surgery in early January. I started to get back in the habit, and then got a nasty bout of the flu. I need to figure out how to make it happen around my schedule.

  5. Weight train for 30 minutes at least twice a week while school is in session
    Also fell by the wayside. Hence the need for a goal.

  6. Do Wii Fit every day for a month.
    I have the game, and have used it some. But I would be curious to see if it really makes a difference. At the very least, I can get in the habit of putting it on and doing the free step while I watch last night's Daily Show.

  7. Be able to do more than 10 consecutive push ups
    Right now I think I'm at about 5 honest push ups. That just seems silly.

  8. Grow my hair past my shoulders
    I donated to Locks of Love about 3 years ago, and have kept my hair shoulder length (or shorter) since. Since it's been a while, I thought I'd try a new look.

  9. Get a haircut that involves making an appointment
    I can't remember the last time I did that. I tend to walk in to hair cuttery or some other $15 haircut place. Once my hair is long, I want to go somewhere that I can say "do something that will look good" and trust that it will work.

  10. Grow my nails long enough to get a manicure
    This gal is a nail biter. Stress and boredom are my two biggest triggers, but I've never really had nice nails.

  11. Whiten my teeth
    I doubt it will be with a fancy dentist appointment. It might be crest strips, it might be whitening toothpaste.

  12. Research Lasik procedures
    This is one of those things I go back and forth on. I don't know enough about the procedure to make a decision, but from what I do know, I'm probably a pretty good candidate.

  13. Know my cholesterol, blood sugar and blood pressure numbers off the top of my head. Get screened at least once a year.
    One of the things that spurred my weight loss 3 years ago was high cholesterol and blood sugar levels. Not dangerous, but higher than I would have liked. Given family history, I want to stay on top of those numbers.

  14. Participate in an organized bike ride
    Something I've never done before.

  15. Keep a food journal for an entire week (0/7)
    Domestic bliss has meant I sometimes eat things I am not thinking about eating, and I'm sure my portions have distorted.

  16. Buy (and wear) a bikini
    The last bikini I had? Sometime in elementary school, I think. Even when I lost the weight a few years ago, I didn't really see myself as much thinner, which is also probably a reason that I gained some back.

  17. Get a tan
    And I mean this in a safe, not cooking myself kind of way. It's really more a goal to spend more time outside in the summer, wearing sunscreen.

  18. Buy a real pair of running shoes.
    I want to go to a running store and actually get fitted for sneakers the way I should be.

  19. Get at least 3 massages (1/3)
    When I lived in Chicago, there was a time when I regularly visited the School of Massage and had massages twice a month. But moving and changed financial situation means it was the first luxury to go. This year, I treated myself for my birthday. It was wonderful.

Jump to part 2
Jump to part 3

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Obligatory Introduction

I've debated doing this for some time. You see, since I was 17 (my junior year in high school), I've had a blog. True story. So I just hit my 8 year mark over at LJ, but I feel a bit as though I've ...outgrown it. There's a lot of emotional baggage associated with that account for me. It's locked up, access granted to a number of friends who probably no longer read it. Giving access to new folks would probably result in airing out a lot of laundry that need not be seen by people in my current life. Teen years are hard, y'all!

So, then, why now? Why start fresh with something public? Why do I think I'll update it more than I do LJ? Yea, no, the last two questions, I don't really have an answer for. But the first one, I do.

I woke up one day recently, and realized I'm an adult. Holy crap. I have an actual idea of what I am going to be doing with my life, and am making that happen. I have a fiance. We are looking to buy a house. I have a cat.

None of this happened overnight. The fastest thing that happened was getting the cat, and even that took 6 weeks of planning (side note, I'm a bit obsessive about planning). We've been looking at houses since March. Graduate school took 2 years to get the ball rolling on (doing prerequisite work not related to my undergrad degrees). The fiance thing? More than 5 years before we made it "official". So none of this happened overnight. But all at once, it clicked.

So here I am. Things clickity clacking into place for me. And I can't help but think I need a new place to do that.

I also need a new place for less heavy things. My style with my other blog was to mostly use it as a venting tool. It was very theurapeutic, but the truth is, I forget a lot of the small, happy things I encounter daily. And then I start to think I don't encounter them at all. Which is probably half true. I do need to spend more time enjoying daily things...a well made dinner (without having to do dishes), a new adventure walking to the post office-- you know the drill. Big things are falling into place for me, but they are also stressful things. And that's not so good. So a place where I can step back from bad days at school or one more project on whereever we end up living will be good.

Right?
Right.