2011 so far...

It's only been 2011 for three weeks, but I feel like it's been 2011 for ages.  I have tried to immerse myself in this year already - and I think it's working.

Random things on my mind related to my goal setting...

We are hoping to travel to Africa in late 2011 or early 2012.  The trip is just so expensive, and requires so much time off work.  I want to see Africa, but I am not sure I am going to love the roughness of Zimbabwe for more than a few days.


I used to say I could never live in New York City.  Now I am starting to think I could, and that we (me and Wes) might really love it.  Food for thought.

I made a goal to visit California once and didn't expect to reach the goal so soon, but I am traveling to San Francisco and Sacramento this weekend with Kate to help with her apartment search. I am sad to lose one of my very best friends, but am happy for her job promotion.  I am very much looking forward to the weekend and our travels!

I have already tried 5 (of my goal of 35) new restaurants in Atlanta - Local Three, Peter Chang's, Thumbs Up Diner, Corner Bakery Cafe, and Full Cup.  All were good, not sure if I'd call them superb.  Thumbs Up was perhaps my least favorite, simply because it's cash only and crowded.  Full Cup has good hearty sandwiches and soups, but the menu is tiny, as is the place itself.  I am probably most likely to go back to Peter Chang's (good Asian, close to home) and Corner Bakery (plenty of menu options).

I need to get some concerts on my calendar.  I have New Kids/Backstreet (don't judge) coming in June.  There aren't very many other good shows coming to town between now and summer, which is a bummer.  I also really want to visit a museum soon, but there's nothing happening on the Atlanta scene that looks too appealing - boo.

My husband has surprised me with tickets to the new Peter Pan CGI show in Atlanta for Valentine's Day - he is so sweet.  Looking forward to that!

With the combination of "The Biggest Loser Challenge" on Wii (harder than you'd think) and my women's gym membership, I am doing better than expected with working out.  I do find that my body needs more sleep, so I need to get into bed earlier.  I don't feel tired, I feel good and more alert, but my body needs re-charge time because I am being active instead of sedentary in my downtime.

My first healthy snack recipe to try: Pumpkin Spice Muffins.  Review to come.

 

Free your mind, Part 4

41. If you knew that everyone you know was going to die tomorrow, who would you visit today?
That's a hard one.  Wes, my immediate family, Kate and Amanda, most likely.


42. Would you be willing to reduce your life expectancy by 10 years to become extremely attractive or famous?
No.  I agree with Kourtnie - extremely rich I might give up 10 years for, because I could afford to live more in those previous years!


43. What is the difference between being alive and truly living?
The difference to me is two things - awareness and living deliberately.  I want to be alive - to be truly aware of the world and myself, and to live deliberately, make choices, love life.  One without the other doesn't mean being alive for me.


44. When is it time to stop calculating risks and rewards, and just go ahead and do what you know is right?
Interesting question.  I have tried to achieve a good balance in this regard - researching, calculating and being rational, but also doing what makes me happy.  For me, I need to weigh things out a bit in my brain, and then with my knowledge straight in my mind, go with my gut from there. 


45. If we learn from our mistakes, why are we always so afraid to make a mistake?
I'm not really sure.  Maybe people are afraid to look bad?  Living with fear of making a mistake is like living on a 3 foot leash your entire life.  It's not freedom.  I strive to not be afraid to fail, there's no shame in failing, only shame in not trying at all.


46. What would you do differently if you knew nobody would judge you?
I might cut my hair into a pixie cut.  I think they're so cute, but Wes doesn't think it's very ladylike (although he'd support it if I wanted to go for it) and something about the corporate world stops me - sometimes bosses frown on funky-ness like pixie cuts, tattoos, etc. (I like those too)


47. When was the last time you noticed the sound of your own breathing?
I notice my breathing every night, it's part of how I fall asleep - and it works almost every time.  I also notice it if I am deep breathing to de-stress.


48. What do you love? Have any of your recent actions openly expressed this love?
I love my friends (the true ones, which are very few).
I love books - really love them.
I love movies, and movie popcorn.
I love traveling and trying new things.
I love beautiful places.
I love waking up with no alarm, and love it even more if there's sunlight and birdsong.
I love delicious (but usually simple) food.

I express most of these really often, because they're part of my everyday life.  Things you love + everyday life = happy.


49. In 5 years from now, will you remember what you did yesterday? What about the day before that? Or the day before that?
I will remember the snow/ice in general, but nothing major about it, besides trying to enjoy my home time.  I will remember Wes passing his big test, but that's about it.  I plan to make some good memories next week!


50. Decisions are being made right now. The question is: Are you making them for yourself, or are you letting others make them for you?
Making them for myself, sometimes almost too much...I have to make myself take others in account and let them enter the decision making process with me.

Fair or unfair?

This morning, I heard something on the radio that has been bothering me all morning.  It began as the news that some counties in Georgia have decided to have school on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (this coming Monday) because students have now missed an entire week of school due to snow and ice.  The choices are really to take away this holiday, some of spring break, Memorial Day, or tack days onto the end of the year during the summer.

Because I have some school system experience, I can see how this makes the most sense (to have school on MLK Jr. Day) - lots of people plan trips for Spring Break, Memorial Day, and summer break, and some can't be refunded, so if they had school then, they'd get enormous backlash from parents and students.  Martin Luther King, Jr. was a very important individual in our history, but it's freezing on MLK Jr. Day and because it's only one day during winter, very few people travel for it.  What's more, people who have the day off generally stay home and don't do much of anything but relax, and a lot of the companies in Atlanta don't even consider the day a holiday.

Nonetheless, there were people calling in saying these school systems are racist.  No kidding.  They were saying that Martin Luther King was far too important to just "skip" his day.  So the radio hosts asked some of the callers if they'd be happier if the schools made a point of doing special presentations and readings that day about the man, to which they responded no, that wasn't good enough.  But when asked what special commemorative events they had planned for the day, none of the callers had a single thing to mention!  ?!?!?!?!?!

I was also highly frustrated when the radio hosts asked if it would be preferable for those callers if President's Day was canceled, and they said yes, "because white men have been celebrated enough."  Are you joking?

I absolutely love people of all races and really believe in equality.  I personally don't care if they hold school on MLK Day AND President's Day - both could be better handled for kids while they're in school anyway, as opposed to sitting at home watching daytime television and playing video games.  It was just so apparent from these radio callers that they WANTED to feel like "white people" were being unfair to "black people" about MLK Day.  Heaven forbid we should educate our kids as much as possible, why shouldn't they be in school for it?  Frustrating.

 

Snowed in - literally.

Besides the blizzard of 1993, I've never really been snowed in until now.  It's Wednesday night, and we've had snow/ice since Sunday.  It's really paralyzed the city.  The roads are getting better, but parking lots and bridges are sheets of ice, making it scary to do just about anything - go to work, run errands, etc.

Part of me thinks I could simply never be a stay-at-home-wife, I go a little stir crazy here.  It's good because it makes me productive (I have cleaned and organized almost everything over the past three days), but I like to be able to leave home for a bit whenever the mood strikes me.  I haven't been able to go to the gym, see a movie, or even take a walk because it's too slippery out.  The roads are stressing me out and won't be any better tomorrow (temperature is still below freezing), but I MUST get out to the dentist and the office.  I've love to go to the library as well, but that may not happen.  Schools and offices are closed all over the place, but an entire week of being not productive is stressing my co-workers out, I think.  Me?  I don't care, it's just work.  But I would like to get away from home for a few hours.  It doesn't really make it easier that I have to come home halfway through every day to let the dog out...


At any rate, I've cleaned out closets, cleaned out the kitchen, and cleaned out bathrooms.  The extra space and the lighter feeling are both very nice.  I've also had time to cook nice meals, which I love doing.  


The snow was lovely at first...but all in all, I'm ready for it to be gone.  I don't mind the snow and ice, but I prefer to be in a city that prepares for it and remedies it quickly if it's gonna snow.

101 Goals in 1,001 Days.

Stole this from Jamie and Kourtnie, think it's awesome!  I will update as I go along.

101 Goals in 1,001 Days.

Start Date: Friday, January 7, 2011.
Conclusion Date: Friday, October 4, 2013.

143 weeks

35 months

2 ¾ years

1. Travel to Africa
2. Travel to Europe
3. Travel to Australia
4. Visit New York City again (with Wes, this time)
5. Visit California once
6. Snorkel decently
7. Try 35 new restaurants (5/35 - tried Local Three, Peter Chang's, Thumbs Up Diner, Corner Bakery Cafe, Full Cup)
8. Attend 5 concerts (0/10)
9. Attend 5 musicals/plays (1/5 - Oklahoma)
10. Visit 2 museums and actually look at things (0/2)
11. Get dental work done that I hate (getting wisdom teeth out and braces again - right now, having all old fillings replaced with porcelain that will last forever, pricey but worth it)
12. Pay off 50% or more of student loans
13. Read 125 books (3/125 - A Postcard from the Volcano, Winter's Bone, 1984)
14. See 75 movies (8/75 - Blue Valentine, I Love You Phillip Morris, Winter's Bone, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, I Am Love, 127 Hours, Somewhere, The Witches of Eastwick)
15. Buy a new car for me
16. Workout an average of at least 3 times per week (gym, sports, other physical activity - with the combination of my Curves membership and The Biggest Loser Challenge on Wii, this is going better than expected)
17. Paint a picture I like enough to hang on the wall
18. Buy a bike
19. Improve at tennis
20. Find one beer-type drink I like
21. Begin my MBA courses, possibly finish them (accepted to the program!)
22. Take a wine tasting class
23. Take a random road trip
24. Take a weekend trip alone
25. Take a weekend trip with the girls
26. Volunteer at least 5 times (0/5)
27. Write at least 5 snail mail letters (0/5)
28. Eat all breakfasts and lunch IN for one week (prepare them myself)
29. Play three video games with Wes (1/3 - played Wii Sports while snowed in)
30. Take Macy to 10 different places for her to run/play (0/10)
31. Give 5 “I saw this and thought of you” gifts. (0/5)
32. Bake really good cookies from scratch
33. Go to the symphony
34. Go roller skating/blading
35. Go bowling
36. Hit golf balls with Wes
37. Make at least three healthy snacks (0/3)
38. Acquire a new piece of gold jewelry
39. Play trivia at least 5 times (1/5 - @ Harry's w/Wes, Laura, Matt)
40. Host/go to a game night
41. Buy Wes a real grill
42. Buy new bedroom furniture
43. Buy some Waxing Poetic Jewelry
44. Move into a home I love and want to stay in for a few years
45. Take some vitamins that are good for me (taking Biotin for hair/nails/skin, Saint John's Wort for falling asleep naturally, and C/Zinc/Lysine for immune system)
46. Clean out clothing and get rid of what I don’t wear (made some progress on this!)
47. Buy a filing cabinet and organize all our documents
48. Play three new board games (0/3)
49. Learn three new card games (0/3)
50. Ski once
51. Buy a bathing suit I feel really sexy in (I bought one, I need to work out a lot to feel sexy in it)
52. Go to an amusement park
53. Complete a puzzle
54. Pay off Wes's car
55. Go to the beach
56. Make three new friends I really appreciate
57. Go dancing at least 4 times (0/4)
58. Plant something
59. Buy a lottery ticket
60. Take a pole dancing class
61. Go on a picnic
62. Rent a cabin with a group of friends
63. Go to the opera
64. Take a ballroom dancing lesson
65. Get a massage (or several)
66. Keep up with my blog
67. Go horseback riding
68. Play in the rain
69. Watch a sunrise and a sunset
70. Take myself on a date
71. Send someone flowers
72. Do karaoke
73. Spend a night in a local hotel just because
74. Spend a day in downtown Atlanta
75. Check out 5 new ares of the city (0/5)
76. Check out 5 boutique clothing stores (0/5)
77. Scan high school photos
78. Learn more about my ancestors
79. Try 75 new recipes (3/75 - Hearty Lasagna Soup, Bobby Lee's Chicken Pasta, Southwest Beef Stew)
80. Write 10 random thank you cards and send them (0/10)
81. Try 10 new mixed drink concoctions (0/10)
82. Take a yoga class
83. Attend a Falcons game
84. Visit a winery
85. Become CPR certified
86. Take a pilates class
87. Go to a black tie/formal event
88. Go back to Disney World
89. Go to the Harry Potter Theme Park
90. Re-read the last Harry Potter book
91. Turn off cell phone for an entire weekend
92. Turn 30 and love it
93. Adopt a second dog
94. Give up French Fries for a month
95. Truly enjoy one of my birthdays
96. Anonymously help someone in need
97. Have a deep talk with someone
98. Visit California
99. Allow myself to spend more than $100 on a fabulous pair of shoes or a bag
100. Splurge on a pair of True Religion jeans
101. Make another list when this one is done!

Free your mind, Part 3

21. Would you rather be a worried genius or a joyful simpleton?
That is a hard question for me.  I am not a very worrisome person, really.  I don't worry too much, I prefer joy.  But I also really value intelligence, so I have mixed feelings.  I'll need to think about this one.

22. Why are you, you?
I am me because of the glorious mash-up of my genetics, my childhood and how I was nurtured, the environment surrounding me, the people I connect myself to, and the choices I make.  Some of what has made me "me" is the world around me, but a lot of it is what I can change and choose, which makes life wonderfully unpredictable but filled with great choices too.

23. Have you been the kind of friend you want as a friend?
Yes, I think so.  In fact, I've made a lot of efforts to be a great friend to some people who never noticed or cared to make the same efforts back.  I know I can be a great friend, so I expect people to be great friends back, which really sets me up for disappointment, which I am working on...

24. Which is worse, when a good friend moves away, or losing touch with a good friend who lives right near you?
Right now, I feel like a good friend moving away is worse, because that's actually happening.  But losing touch with someone close is also sad, and has also happened to me recently...but I think if someone lives basically next door and doesn't care to keep in touch, you're not really good friends anyway.


25. What are you most grateful for?
As cheesy as it sounds, the first word that comes to mind is just "life" - I like living.  I like experiencing, growing, learning, choosing, enjoying, loving, and even hurting, if it teaches something and makes me better (which it almost always does).  This gift of being able to live life encompasses everything I am grateful for.

26. Would you rather lose all of your old memories, or never be able to make new ones?
Lose all my old memories, definitely.  I have such precious memories, but the knowledge that life is ahead of me and I get to make more memories is what makes life worthwhile!


27. Is it possible to know the truth without challenging it first?
I don't think so.  I don't usually accept anything without challenging it within myself.  That doesn't mean I am difficult and sometimes people never know it happens at all, but I want to make sure I am examining life with open eyes and an open heart to truth - to ask myself if what's been said to me is really true, if the things I have accepted are really true, etc.  It's become part of how I live, and it's an amazing feeling to challenge something and realize it's amazingly, 100% true - beautiful feeling, seeing what I know is true (whether pretty or ugly).


28. Has your greatest fear ever come true?
No.  I don't have that many real fears, I suppose - I try not to imagine them.  Giving scary things power over my brain is not cool. 


29. Do you remember that time 5 years ago when you were extremely upset? Does it really matter now?
I remember a few times, and they did matter as turning points in my life, but I get it.  Don't be upset, it won't matter in 5 years. :) 


30. What is your happiest childhood memory? What makes it so special?
Hard question.  My childhood was really happy overall.  I love my memories of how solid and steady my home life was.  My parents and sisters were always there, and though it was a relatively quiet childhood, it was happy, with lots of imagination, family dinners where we laughed a lot, and fun vacations.

Curveeeeeey

One of my goals for the year is really to feel more healthy in my own body.  Even though I like my weight and shape, I know I need to be more physically active, or one day I will NOT like my weight and shape.

Interesting note - I read today that 70% of the known causes of cancers are totally avoidable and related to lifestyle only - isn't that amazing?  I can basically choose a lifestyle that will lower my chances of getting cancer by 70%, and if I don't do it, I have to take responsibility...

At any rate, Wes and I were members of a big awesome gym, but it wasn't an easy gym, i.e. it took me an hour and a half to really get to all the machines, do cardio, stretch, feel good.  So someone suggested Curves to me, which I sort of wrote off.  I had this incorrect idea that Curves was for older, really overweight women - which is not a bad thing at all, but I didn't think it was for me.  But because I liked the idea of only women in my gym, I read about it a bit and decided to check into it.  I visited the Curves in Vinings and had a great experience.  Things I like:
1. There were women from 21 to 65 there.
2. Some of the women I met have been Curves members for years, and they look fabulous.
3. The circuit only takes 30 minutes to complete twice, which is a hard, full-body weights and cardio workout. Faster = better for busy women.  Fun music plays, and it tells you when to change machines every few minutes.
4. The atmosphere is fun (music), social (people were welcoming and helpful), and very non-judgmental.  There were also things all over the walls celebrating the members' achievements, weight loss, number of workouts, etc.  Recognition helps.
5. The CurveSmart program is very cool - your magnetic wrist band sticks onto every machine you use and records what you do (calories burned, etc.) and the computer tracks your goals and workouts so you can really see it for extra motivation.
 6. They sell items specifically for women (protein shakes, etc.)

Overall, it was a really good first experience.  I am going to try to go 3 or 4 times each week, starting next week.  I am hoping to find a few workout buddies.  

Soon I will be curvy (I already am) but feel fabulous. :)

Looking to 2011...

It feels strange to be going into 2011...I graduated from high school ten years ago.  These ten years have been full in the best of ways.  When I consider the past ten years, I realize I have traveled quite a lot, met an amazing man and had a wonderful time dating and marrying him, never been unemployed for more than a couple of months, become financially stable, and have grown into who I am, becoming more comfortable with and appreciative of myself.  That's really a pretty good decade.


In 2011, I have my eye on the following goals...

1. Slow down and enjoy life more.  I am a planner by nature and I wouldn't change that for the world - it means my life is always pretty organized.  I will always stay active and busy, so I don't mean slow down and do nothing.  I mean not be as rushed driving from place to place, don't hurry to do the little things...less stress means a happier year overall.


2. Feel more healthy.  I like my body and weight, but I feel too sedentary at times, so I'd like to be more physically active.  I will be joining Curves very shortly to have a place where I can workout with other women and not be afraid to sweat!  I also want to learn to swim better...


3. Travel more.  We are going to Mexico in April, and while we'll mostly be at the resort, we do get to see some Mayan ruins, and hopefully we'll be in Africa at the end of the year, crossing another continent off my list to visit!

4. Hold a great class reunion in July, and really enjoy seeing classmates.


5. Start my MBA program around May...focus in Human Resources.  Kick butt at it.

6. Read lots of books, see lots of movies, and be a little more connected with the arts scene - shows, painting, museum, etc.


7. Be a good friend to those who are good friends to me, and make sure they know they're special.

8. Write more.


9. Become a better interior decorator - I have good visions but can't ever execute them.  I may need help.