Ugh, New Year and all these earnest resolutions. Aren't they just there to be broken? Yet at the same time, the flipping of the calendar (and the decade) does create a natural space for contemplation. Although 2009 was a marked improvement over 2008, there are still some areas to polish up. So here go my goals:
GOAL: Finish first semester of law school in top quartile of class. Oh, I guess first I would need to choose a law school.
GOAL: Walk the Eugene Half-Marathon on May 2nd. And finish.
GOAL: Create weekly meal plans and stick to them to save money and be healthier and keep the house a bit more sane.
GOAL: Leave the country
GOAL: Be a better sleeper. You laugh, because you think I sleep all the time, but it's never a restful sleep. I need practice because I lack natural talent.
GOAL: Wear a white tank top by July 4th...a strange goal I know, but last July 4 I saw my arms and it spurred me into action.
GOAL: Be one of the top 25 females most knowledgeable about beer...at least, according to ratebeer.com. That's good enough for me.
GOAL: Learn to cook Indian food. I can shovel in the Indian food until I explode but I've yet to learn to make it myself. Uh oh, tummy rumble.
GOAL: Read sixty books this year. I keep track at Good Reads (and if anyone else wants to join up, by all means, as it makes the site more interesting)and I read 57 books in 2009. I would prefer to up it by a bigger margin but there's a rumor that law school involves lots of reading.
GOAL: Own claret and blue shoes. Because I can't set a goal for Villa's GOALS. So I'll need to be content with my Prepared shoes.
Showing posts with label goals. Show all posts
Showing posts with label goals. Show all posts
Saturday, January 02, 2010
Sunday, January 04, 2009
The Final Three
Happy New Year! Where were we? Er, I guess that would be "I", since the last few posts have been fairly self-centered, but I'm hoping that changes with the advent of my blog revamping.
3. The Year of No Drama.
I don't know if it's my naturally inclined streak of actressness or my tendency, when I was younger, to surround myself with dramatic individuals--or perhaps it's all the chick-lit I read--but I have a tendency to blow things out of proportion. Particularly when it comes to relationships. My last relationship was such a series of highs and lows that I'm actually a bit confused that this one is on such an even keel. But it's time for me to realize that I am not a heroine in one of my novels and that no one is going to chase me across continents or profess a love he's been denying. I'm going to give steadiness a chance this year.
2. The Year of Seattle Food
It took moving across the country to get me truly interested in food. Now that I'm home, it's time to discover what food means in this city, from the daily farmers markets to the cheap eats in the International District to figuring out how I can afford the finest seafood.
1. The Year of the GracefullyPunk Kitchen
It's time to move this blog on from a place where I simply post random musings or thought wanderings, only tangentially touching upon food issues. The blog will be entirely reformatted (it might be by the time you're reading this) and it will focus upon eating food, on eating healthily and what that might mean, and on my new food discoveries here in Seattle.
Cheers, y'all. Happy 2009.
3. The Year of No Drama.
I don't know if it's my naturally inclined streak of actressness or my tendency, when I was younger, to surround myself with dramatic individuals--or perhaps it's all the chick-lit I read--but I have a tendency to blow things out of proportion. Particularly when it comes to relationships. My last relationship was such a series of highs and lows that I'm actually a bit confused that this one is on such an even keel. But it's time for me to realize that I am not a heroine in one of my novels and that no one is going to chase me across continents or profess a love he's been denying. I'm going to give steadiness a chance this year.
2. The Year of Seattle Food
It took moving across the country to get me truly interested in food. Now that I'm home, it's time to discover what food means in this city, from the daily farmers markets to the cheap eats in the International District to figuring out how I can afford the finest seafood.
1. The Year of the GracefullyPunk Kitchen
It's time to move this blog on from a place where I simply post random musings or thought wanderings, only tangentially touching upon food issues. The blog will be entirely reformatted (it might be by the time you're reading this) and it will focus upon eating food, on eating healthily and what that might mean, and on my new food discoveries here in Seattle.
Cheers, y'all. Happy 2009.
Monday, December 29, 2008
We're dropping out into the so unknown
The 2009: Year of Movement has already begun, and I only hope I don't tire out before the calendar actually turns. Due to my adversion to bus transfers, I will be walking approximately three miles each day.
It appears that I have lost my sheet of paper where I wrote my "9 for 2009", and so I've revised a bit, starting, appropriately enough, with number six.
6. Year of Organization.
During the last few months of my job at Tulane, I realized that I wasn't quite as good at organization as I'd previously thought. It's time to start writing things down, keeping a calendar, making reminders for bills to be paid. I'll use my g-calendar, I'll use my moleskin pocket books, I'll get all self-righteous about remembering everything.
5. Year of Financial Independence.
And yes, those bills. I was a silly little fool when younger. As mentioned in the previous entry, I'm not so good at planning for the future. I think it's just going to happen, as if by magic. And that somehow that money would just appear to pay off those credit cards. Now, having not used a credit card in well over a year, it's time to be serious about financial solvency. No more having someone pay my cell phone. No more mooching the use of a car for a year. The exception will be family, because I think it's acceptable to not pay rent at my uncle's. I will be paying utilities, however, and buying groceries and cooking.
4. Year of Baseball.
I know, I know, wasn't last year the year for baseball? Last year was my return. This year I want to know the teams and players. I want to go to the games. I want to figure out these fancy-pants statistics. This year I'll actually contribute to discussions rather than being a LLemming.
It appears that I have lost my sheet of paper where I wrote my "9 for 2009", and so I've revised a bit, starting, appropriately enough, with number six.
6. Year of Organization.
During the last few months of my job at Tulane, I realized that I wasn't quite as good at organization as I'd previously thought. It's time to start writing things down, keeping a calendar, making reminders for bills to be paid. I'll use my g-calendar, I'll use my moleskin pocket books, I'll get all self-righteous about remembering everything.
5. Year of Financial Independence.
And yes, those bills. I was a silly little fool when younger. As mentioned in the previous entry, I'm not so good at planning for the future. I think it's just going to happen, as if by magic. And that somehow that money would just appear to pay off those credit cards. Now, having not used a credit card in well over a year, it's time to be serious about financial solvency. No more having someone pay my cell phone. No more mooching the use of a car for a year. The exception will be family, because I think it's acceptable to not pay rent at my uncle's. I will be paying utilities, however, and buying groceries and cooking.
4. Year of Baseball.
I know, I know, wasn't last year the year for baseball? Last year was my return. This year I want to know the teams and players. I want to go to the games. I want to figure out these fancy-pants statistics. This year I'll actually contribute to discussions rather than being a LLemming.
Friday, December 26, 2008
I Have To Believe This Is Gonna Be My Year
I have never been one for New Years' Resolutions. They just don't stick, do they? But I've realized that I'm also not one for planning ahead, or thinking about the future. I've spent my life being random, and spontaneous, and thinking about today as though tomorrow would never come along. Well, now tomorrow has caught up to me, and I have no plans as to how to face it. So I thought I'd start with, well, not so much resolutions as ideas on how I'd like 2009 to look. Nine of them, to be specific. And, much like Chinese New Year with the Year of the Rat and such, I'll be declaring 2009 the year of the _____________
2009 will be the:
9. Year of the One State, One Calendar Year
Since graduating from high school, I have not lived in one state for an entire calendar year, save for 2004 when I lived and worked in Oregon. For the sake of my taxes, and the sake of finally putting down roots, in 2009 I will live and work in Washington State.
8. Year of the Non-Four-Wheels
When I moved across the country, I only brought a scooter. I haven't owned a car since living in Mississippi, but in Louisiana I had a car available for daily use. Now it's time to put all my green ideals into action, and take a year off from driving. Without a car, I'll save money on both car payments and insurance, as well as giving myself more opportunities to walk (and possibly even finally get myself a bike). Speaking of walking and biking...
7. Year of Movement
The last year of sickness left me sapped for energy and devoid of muscle. Now, I have no excuse for not moving my rear each and every day. Humidity is not 100% when the thermometer is at 95. There are parks everywhere. I'm constantly walking from buses to destinations to restaurants to homes. I'll be starting playing with an indoor soccer league. I also hope to learn Pilates and do a little more yoga.
Stay tuned...the other six are coming soon.
2009 will be the:
9. Year of the One State, One Calendar Year
Since graduating from high school, I have not lived in one state for an entire calendar year, save for 2004 when I lived and worked in Oregon. For the sake of my taxes, and the sake of finally putting down roots, in 2009 I will live and work in Washington State.
8. Year of the Non-Four-Wheels
When I moved across the country, I only brought a scooter. I haven't owned a car since living in Mississippi, but in Louisiana I had a car available for daily use. Now it's time to put all my green ideals into action, and take a year off from driving. Without a car, I'll save money on both car payments and insurance, as well as giving myself more opportunities to walk (and possibly even finally get myself a bike). Speaking of walking and biking...
7. Year of Movement
The last year of sickness left me sapped for energy and devoid of muscle. Now, I have no excuse for not moving my rear each and every day. Humidity is not 100% when the thermometer is at 95. There are parks everywhere. I'm constantly walking from buses to destinations to restaurants to homes. I'll be starting playing with an indoor soccer league. I also hope to learn Pilates and do a little more yoga.
Stay tuned...the other six are coming soon.
Monday, December 22, 2008
In the moments before time starts moving backward
Here I am.
Here I stand, I can do no other.
I am enough, just as I am.
All anyone wants from me is that I am.
Just be.
This is not enough.
Here I am in Seattle. There were a plethora of reasons to move here, from the emotional--seeing Puget Sound for the first time in months nearly made me cry--to the practical--this city actually functions on a day-to-day basis--but for the most part the reasons can be summed up by this: It is time to put down roots.
I didn't think this would happen. I'm a traveler, a vagabond, a sojourner filled with wanderlust. I didn't need home, history, connections, family. But pull me away from all that and it becomes apparent...yes, these things are exactly what I need.
But there's still that piece of me that says I need more. I am not content to simply be, to go from a paper-pushing job to dinner to watching tv to bed. Does life wear us out? Of course it does, but my restless self will not settle for this life. I may want roots, but only so the rest of me can grow.
It's been a snowfilled week, and it's given me lots of time to think. I'm thinking about 2009, about newness, about history, about where I am going from here. I'm not one for resolutions. I don't think I could be like Lauren and try something new every day. But I think I'm ready to set out some goals. I want to go into 2009 with some thoughts about how I'd like it to pan out. It's time to start shaping this life I'm so intent upon creating.
Here I stand, I can do no other.
I am enough, just as I am.
All anyone wants from me is that I am.
Just be.
This is not enough.
Here I am in Seattle. There were a plethora of reasons to move here, from the emotional--seeing Puget Sound for the first time in months nearly made me cry--to the practical--this city actually functions on a day-to-day basis--but for the most part the reasons can be summed up by this: It is time to put down roots.
I didn't think this would happen. I'm a traveler, a vagabond, a sojourner filled with wanderlust. I didn't need home, history, connections, family. But pull me away from all that and it becomes apparent...yes, these things are exactly what I need.
But there's still that piece of me that says I need more. I am not content to simply be, to go from a paper-pushing job to dinner to watching tv to bed. Does life wear us out? Of course it does, but my restless self will not settle for this life. I may want roots, but only so the rest of me can grow.
It's been a snowfilled week, and it's given me lots of time to think. I'm thinking about 2009, about newness, about history, about where I am going from here. I'm not one for resolutions. I don't think I could be like Lauren and try something new every day. But I think I'm ready to set out some goals. I want to go into 2009 with some thoughts about how I'd like it to pan out. It's time to start shaping this life I'm so intent upon creating.
Monday, March 17, 2008
We might not sit in our rooms and drink our daydreams away
Some days recently I've been feeling as though life is running away and I'm struggling to catch up. On those days I wish I had a maid, a chef and a personal trainer. Or just a mommy. We forget sometimes how necessary it is to get support from our parents--that as much as we'd like to rely on ourselves, or on our friends or partners, that sometimes it's truly just a few words from our parents that we need. I felt as though two huge weights were lifted after I talked to my mom last week...one from each shoulder...and something as simple as texting with dad can energize me, even if it's about something as banal as Guitar Hero.
This communication, along with a strong dose of prayer, has really strengthened me over the last few days. The double helping of naps on Saturday probably helped too. It's so hard to get my life in balance sometimes, especially with my health being on such shaky ground. I'll feel better and then I'll overdo it trying to squeeze in everything that I didn't do while sidelined--and then I'll get sick again. But I finally feel as though it's coming under control, even while I add even more to my list.
It feels more and more as though I have a purpose; as though I am finally following the call that God has set out for me. More and more I realize that I've been given a gift for writing and communicating that goes hand and hand with a passion for environmental awareness...and that this environmental awareness is directly tied to issues of justice, both in the US and abroad. I'm still in the stages of formulating a new blog to tie directly to this concept. I read environmental blogs and it feels like a slap in the face when someone speaks dismissively about Christianity...as though those who believe in God cannot possibly advocate for the environment. The blog, I feel, is a first step, a way of writing down something while I sit at this job that feels nearly useless and finish my studies.
I'm also realizing just how amazing it is to be on the founding team of the New Orleans Food Co-op. Food access goes hand in hand with environmental responsibility, public health and economic justice. And I get to help create a place for people in a ravaged city to have access to affordable, healthy food that is sourced locally and sustainably. I realize that this participation is going to mean some sacrifices, some relinquishing of weekends and some leaving of my comfort zone. It means I can't go to the Saint Pat's day parade tonight. But there will be others. I'm here for the long run. And I'll raise a glass of Irish whiskey to my Irish/adopted Irish friends tonight.
Remember...
----------------
Now playing: Roger Clyne & The Peacemakers - Better Beautiful Than Perfect
via FoxyTunes
This communication, along with a strong dose of prayer, has really strengthened me over the last few days. The double helping of naps on Saturday probably helped too. It's so hard to get my life in balance sometimes, especially with my health being on such shaky ground. I'll feel better and then I'll overdo it trying to squeeze in everything that I didn't do while sidelined--and then I'll get sick again. But I finally feel as though it's coming under control, even while I add even more to my list.
It feels more and more as though I have a purpose; as though I am finally following the call that God has set out for me. More and more I realize that I've been given a gift for writing and communicating that goes hand and hand with a passion for environmental awareness...and that this environmental awareness is directly tied to issues of justice, both in the US and abroad. I'm still in the stages of formulating a new blog to tie directly to this concept. I read environmental blogs and it feels like a slap in the face when someone speaks dismissively about Christianity...as though those who believe in God cannot possibly advocate for the environment. The blog, I feel, is a first step, a way of writing down something while I sit at this job that feels nearly useless and finish my studies.
I'm also realizing just how amazing it is to be on the founding team of the New Orleans Food Co-op. Food access goes hand in hand with environmental responsibility, public health and economic justice. And I get to help create a place for people in a ravaged city to have access to affordable, healthy food that is sourced locally and sustainably. I realize that this participation is going to mean some sacrifices, some relinquishing of weekends and some leaving of my comfort zone. It means I can't go to the Saint Pat's day parade tonight. But there will be others. I'm here for the long run. And I'll raise a glass of Irish whiskey to my Irish/adopted Irish friends tonight.
Remember...
----------------
Now playing: Roger Clyne & The Peacemakers - Better Beautiful Than Perfect
via FoxyTunes
Monday, October 01, 2007
I'm blistered but I'm better and I'm home
I only posted five blogs last month...and I've only read five books in the past TWO months. What on earth have I been doing with my time?
1. Sick. Being sick for ten days on an extreme antibiotic really took away any impetuous I had to write or to read (too hard to concentrate). Instead I cuddled in my bed, chatted on my gchat and slept away the afternoons.
2. School. Being back in real school is a bit of a shock to the system. I don't consider the classes I took at MSstate real school--they were easier than my undergrad classes. Although I love Epidemiology, it is extremely tough to keep it straight in my head. I can't always remember the difference between the formulas for cause-mortality and cause-fatality, and that's just one of the many instances of formulas sounding similar. However, Epi is the basic building block of public health and if I don't get it then...well, it's probably time to find a new graduate degree.
3. Social. I'm trying to be more social, and actually leave my house to see people. However, I must say that I love the fact that I'm finding people that enjoy being low-key social, and just hanging out and watching What Not to Wear marathons or cooking or something along those lines is a fun time. Still, we live in NOLA and it's necessary to go out and experience the city every once in awhile. This weekend I hit Bourbon Street with an old friend from elementary/middle school, and I remembered why I only venture down that path when I'm playing tour guide. Then Saturday night was E's birthday and we went out to see the Hot 8 Brass Band, but of course they played on NOLA time and rather than 10pm they took the stage around midnight. We only stayed for a couple songs. Although I loved both excursions this weekend, I definitely prefer a weekend that involves one night in, one night out. Just my personality I guess.
Oh, another part of my social is my community group--as always, the best CG ever. I'm becoming more involved in my group and feel more comfortable, and I've taken on the role of sending out emails to remind everyone of the time and such. I prioritize--Thursday night is CG night, not an option, because I know that my week will be better because of it.
I think I'm out of S words to describe what I've been doing.
Welcome October--I'm so excited you're here! This morning I walked out to the laundry shed and I actually felt cool! The temp definitely dropped and hopefully it will keep dropping. How exciting. October means my first exam, my new class starting, and my parents coming! Check out the countdown clock to see how long until they arrive (well, not exactly, apparently I'm not important enough to learn the actual time of their arrival, so I guess they're just going to apparate from the airport to their hotel).
Goals this month:
Pass my exam
Learn four new recipes (one per week)
Read four books
Post 10 times
Ambitious? Ah well
1. Sick. Being sick for ten days on an extreme antibiotic really took away any impetuous I had to write or to read (too hard to concentrate). Instead I cuddled in my bed, chatted on my gchat and slept away the afternoons.
2. School. Being back in real school is a bit of a shock to the system. I don't consider the classes I took at MSstate real school--they were easier than my undergrad classes. Although I love Epidemiology, it is extremely tough to keep it straight in my head. I can't always remember the difference between the formulas for cause-mortality and cause-fatality, and that's just one of the many instances of formulas sounding similar. However, Epi is the basic building block of public health and if I don't get it then...well, it's probably time to find a new graduate degree.
3. Social. I'm trying to be more social, and actually leave my house to see people. However, I must say that I love the fact that I'm finding people that enjoy being low-key social, and just hanging out and watching What Not to Wear marathons or cooking or something along those lines is a fun time. Still, we live in NOLA and it's necessary to go out and experience the city every once in awhile. This weekend I hit Bourbon Street with an old friend from elementary/middle school, and I remembered why I only venture down that path when I'm playing tour guide. Then Saturday night was E's birthday and we went out to see the Hot 8 Brass Band, but of course they played on NOLA time and rather than 10pm they took the stage around midnight. We only stayed for a couple songs. Although I loved both excursions this weekend, I definitely prefer a weekend that involves one night in, one night out. Just my personality I guess.
Oh, another part of my social is my community group--as always, the best CG ever. I'm becoming more involved in my group and feel more comfortable, and I've taken on the role of sending out emails to remind everyone of the time and such. I prioritize--Thursday night is CG night, not an option, because I know that my week will be better because of it.
I think I'm out of S words to describe what I've been doing.
Welcome October--I'm so excited you're here! This morning I walked out to the laundry shed and I actually felt cool! The temp definitely dropped and hopefully it will keep dropping. How exciting. October means my first exam, my new class starting, and my parents coming! Check out the countdown clock to see how long until they arrive (well, not exactly, apparently I'm not important enough to learn the actual time of their arrival, so I guess they're just going to apparate from the airport to their hotel).
Goals this month:
Pass my exam
Learn four new recipes (one per week)
Read four books
Post 10 times
Ambitious? Ah well
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