Below is an excerpt from the New Year's post I wrote at the beginning of 2010, making my predictions or hopes for the year. After of living the last 365 days, let's compare notes (my new comments will be left in red):
----------
What will 2010 hold? There are a few things I know for almost sure:
Graduate (square hat: check, defend thesis: check, get diploma: check. Fantastic)
Get a big-kid job (kinda, sorta. If you squint and look at it sideways, it's a big kid job)
Run the Buffalo Triathlon (And the Brewhouse too! Also, PR on Buffalo even after a bike collision that sent the bottom half of my leg in a different direction than the top)
Run the Muddy Buddy race with Kim (Ski slopes were meant for skiing. Not biking and running up and down, up and down. Still an awesome time!)
Continue to make art (Even sold a few)
Continue to consider the three mile loop around Lake of the Isles "mine" (Moved to the suburbs, became a gym rat. Consider treadmill 3rd from wall on left, 4th row "mine")
Turn 24 on my golden birthday! (And had a fabulous Uptown birthday party to boot)
face challenges I can probably not even dream of but I feel confident that I can overcome
Hopes for 2010:
I don't really know, actually. I hope that I can be injury-free and successful in my races (well, mostly), that school provides me enough challenge to know that I have earned the degree but not so much that I run fleeing from the University (mostly), that my relationships with family and friends stay strong (I think they got stronger), that something I do (large or small) makes someone happier or relieved for even a moment, that I continue to surprise myself by trying new things and taking calculated, but exhilarating risks (Oh, I surprise myself everyday. Whether I like it or not).
Resolutions? Meh, not really, but if I think about "starting over" in the New Year, there are a few things I would like to try, like: better organization and time management (Sources Unknown. Please Try Again), better/more meaningful communication with friends, and learning to cook awesome food (think more Asian inspired dishes, learning to cook fresh fish, and maybe even an attempt at sushi) (Think: grilled cheese and tomato soup. From a can). I guess I would like to expand my "life learning" in general after 18 solid years of dedicating myself almost solely to academic learning. We'll see what happens.
----------
So, what's in store for 2011?
Well, I will run my 3rd Buffalo Triathlon on June 5. In October I will run my first (and probably last) marathon. I am planning on biting another adulthood bullet and moving into my own place in March/April. Purchase of kitty cat to follow. I certainly hope that 2011 is the year of a permanent, full time job-- this temporary stuff is stressful. There is a potential Spring Break trip to Ft. Myers, FL with two women who have known me for 10 years (10 years!!). I think it is going to be full of promise, excitement, budgeting, fantastic conversation with friends, maybe some heartbreak. I am sure there will be a twisted ankle or shin splint, hurt feelings, and loss. Time will pass like any other year, bringing with it opportunity and wisdom. And more funny stories to tell.
I know I have the good life because every year is better than the one before it. 2011 has big shoes to fill.
Happy New Year, everyone!
Friday, December 31, 2010
Reverb 10.31: Core Story
December 31-- Core story. What central story is at the core of you, and how do you share it with the world?
Genetics, schmenetics. My blood type was given to me specifically for the way happiness courses through me daily.
B Positive.
And that, I think, is my core story. I looked back through all the reverb prompts, figuring those were a pretty good reflection on the year I have had. If not the events, at least the way the year makes me feel, having survived all 364.5 days of it so far. And despite the honesty about a rough go here and there, the common themes included: a newfound safety in reliance on friends, a continued reliance on perspective about my various situations (living in your sister's basement is better than not having anywhere to live, having a temporary job in your field trumps going back to my barista days), and the huge role that humor and laughter play in my life.
Appreciating life doesn't mean looking at how things could be worse. It means feeling positively about how things are. Just because they are.
Genetics, schmenetics. My blood type was given to me specifically for the way happiness courses through me daily.
B Positive.
And that, I think, is my core story. I looked back through all the reverb prompts, figuring those were a pretty good reflection on the year I have had. If not the events, at least the way the year makes me feel, having survived all 364.5 days of it so far. And despite the honesty about a rough go here and there, the common themes included: a newfound safety in reliance on friends, a continued reliance on perspective about my various situations (living in your sister's basement is better than not having anywhere to live, having a temporary job in your field trumps going back to my barista days), and the huge role that humor and laughter play in my life.
Appreciating life doesn't mean looking at how things could be worse. It means feeling positively about how things are. Just because they are.
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Reverb 10.30: Gift
December 30-- Gift. This month gifts and give-giving can feel inescapable. What's the most memorable gift, tangible or emotional, you received this year?
This year, I got more than what I wanted. I got exactly what I needed.
The gift of friendship when being my friend isn't easy.
When I am angry. When I am stressed. When I am overexcited. When I am too chatty. When I am making decisions that may later leave my friends picking up the pieces. When I am idealistic. When I am running late.
Friendship stuck in there.
A lot of people say that's what friendship means-- being there even when people aren't at their best and most enjoyable. And while that might be true, I know I am awfully lucky.
Reverb 10.29: Defining Moment.
December 29-- Defining moment. Describe a defining moment or series of events that has affected your life this year.
I spent agonizing afternoons looking for the dress that simply stated "I am young and fresh (and a little stylish, to boot!) but I am also ready to face this world as a new professional who acts with maturity and resolve." And I found the dress: a beautifully structured cotton dress with modest neckline, gorgeous bold watercolor floral print, a cute bright yellow belt, and pockets. All dresses should have pockets.
And for all that searching, the little gem sat on a hanger in my room for 6 weeks because I vowed I would not even consider wearing it until the event for which it was purchased.
May 17, 2010 came, and I slid the dress over my recently tanned shoulders and a body that had too long been away from the gym or trails. And then immediately slid a too-big one-size-fits-most black robe right over that beautiful dress, put my round head in a square hat adorned with a salmon pink tassel that clashed with the intense hues so carefully chosen weeks ago. I covered feet that had figuratively and literally run miles and miles over the last two years with a fabulous pair of brown kitten heels and in the blink of an eye, I had taken no more than 20 steps across a dramatically lit stage in Northrup Auditorium at the University of Minnesota, accepted a scroll and alumni gift, and quickly found my seat amongst dozens of other 30 second graduates of the University of Minnesota School of Public Health.
For years I had been joking that I was going to put the MPH in 'triumph' and, in fact, you readers have heard the joke many many times (sorry). But walking across that stage defined what this year has been all about: the passage from one stage of life to the next.
And looking fabulous doing it.
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Reverb 10.28: Achieve.
December 28-- Achieve. What's the thing you most want to achieve next year? How do you imagine you'll feel when you get it? Free? Happy? Complete? Blissful?
Achievement of 2011: Own a toaster.
Achievement of 2011: Own a toaster.
Because owning a toaster means I have moved into my first "own place." Moving in to my own place means I had the financial means to do such a thing. Having the financial means is indicative of one of two things: I have earned and maintained gainful employment and/or have saved and spent savvy enough to afford to live on my own. Gainful employment and saving/spending wisely means I have crossed an important threshold in the journey towards adulthood and greater independence. And this is what 24 year old, bright, well-educated, fabulous young women are supposed to do.
And then I am making Jesus toast. Lots and lots and lots of Jesus toast.
Reverb 10.27: Ordinary Joy.
December 27-- Ordinary Joy. Our most profound joy is most often experienced during ordinary moments. What was one of your most joyful ordinary moments this year?
The frenzied typing of a term paper would slow and eventually stop. The last dishes from the dinner meal would be dried and put away. The TV would fall silent after playing the preview for next week's episode of [fill in the guiltiest pleasure reality TV show]. And from all corners of a charming second floor Uptown apartment, my roommates and I (and often Roommate 2.0- one of the boyfriends) would gather around the most sacred space our combine student loans could afford: the kitchen counter. Every night, between 8 and 10 pm (or whenever the last roommate navigated the tiny front stairwell after a long day of class), the three/four of us would sit on the $10 kitchen stools in the bluest of blue kitchens and have our "kitchen counter pow wow."
At the time, they didn't seem anything special. They weren't even really a scheduled event. But somehow, a block of time-- at least 30 minutes-- found its way between class schedules, long nights at work, piles of homework, and social engagements. And this time, sometimes stretching hours and going way past bedtime on a school night, is the time I got to know my roommates best. Sometimes we just talked about our day: how great/awful our classes were, the weirdos on the bus, a planned 8 mile run that turned into 3 miles and a latte instead. Sometimes we talked about more serious things: heartbreak, how we imagined our future lives, things that scared us, things we were excited about. Sometimes we watched YouTube videos so many times we could quote them for months following. One time we broke into "MmBop" by Hanson. Always we appreciated knowing that someone was checking in to make sure we were each okay, all separated from our families by the drive to earn post-grad degrees. Always we appreciated the different views each of us brought to the kitchen counter.
Each night I understood these women better than the night before, each night our friendship became stronger, each night we laughed, and each night we made an unspoken commitment that no matter how crazy our lives got, there was always time to say "Hey, I am thinking about you and I hope you had a good day."
Sunday, December 26, 2010
100 Reads: Three Cups of Tea
I recently finished Three Cups of Tea, that tells the story of Minnesota native Greg Mortenson and how his failure to climb K2 is changing the world. Mortenson starting working to build schools in Pakistan, and particularly schools that will educate girls, when he had hardly any money and was sleeping in his car. He earned the respect of many people worldwide, and most importantly in the Muslim communities of Pakistan. While some did not trust the big American, many welcomed him and did as much as they could to convince Mortenson to build one of his famous schools in their village.
Mortenson's story is an inspiring lesson in many ways: with nothing but passion and a reason to act, one can achieve many things; you cannot (and do not have to) do things by yourself; you can make big change with few traditional resources; despite cultural and religious differences, all people want a better life for their children; and it is so important to educate girls.
I haven't yet decided what book from the list to read next, but with 70 to go, I don't think lack of options is my problem!
Happy page-turning!
Mortenson's story is an inspiring lesson in many ways: with nothing but passion and a reason to act, one can achieve many things; you cannot (and do not have to) do things by yourself; you can make big change with few traditional resources; despite cultural and religious differences, all people want a better life for their children; and it is so important to educate girls.
I haven't yet decided what book from the list to read next, but with 70 to go, I don't think lack of options is my problem!
Happy page-turning!
Reverb 10.26: Soul Food.
December 26-- Soul food. What did you eat this year that you will never forget? What went in to your mouth and touched your soul?
Now, I am positive that the following answer was not at all what this author was hoping to inspire out of all the Reverb-ers out there. But this is something I will certainly not forget for a very long time.
---
November 11 is Veteran's Day and as a government employee, I have to take the day off whether I like it or not. This year it was on a Thursday, awkwardly interrupting my week and forcing me to try to be productive on the lonely Friday workday that would follow.
So, in Mugwump fashion, I griped about having to take the day off. I waxed on quite dramatically about how I would MUCH rather take the Friday off instead, and since I am not a veteran, should I really get a day off at all?
By the afternoon of the preceding Wednesday, I had warmed to the idea of a whole day off from work (guilt free!) and even made a few plans so I didn't spend my day off on the couch eating tortilla chips.
But all of that changed with the most fateful and unforgettable lunch of 2010: pre-packaged sushi. At 2 AM on November 11, I awoke with a mild crampy stomach and stretched myself and tried to go back to sleep. 10 minutes later, the pain was unbearable and had me balled into the fetal position. Shortly after, I found myself crying into the toilet bowl, vomiting the entire contents of my stomach. Like clockwork through the morning, I would wake up on the hour and vomit the meager contents of my stomach, until about 7 AM when I simply dry heaved until I could no longer take it. I tried to drink water to stay hydrated, but to no avail. It was simply expelled with the next hourly installment of the Great Gastrointestinal Cleanse of 2010. And that continued for most of my vacation day, which I ended up spending on the couch, now totally exhausted, unable to eat or drink, too weak to move, and most distressing: hungry.
I wasted my whole day of forced vacation, had to take the following Friday off from work as well, and felt generally like a greasy pile of sludge (and HUNGRY) through the entire weekend.
I haven't gone in to every detail about those four days, particularly the heaving of Day 1, because I'd be shocked if you would stay and read through all of that. It's not very "holiday spirit" of me either, particularly for those of you who may have overindulged on the Christmas cookies and baked hams and are feeling a little gut-busty yourselves. But let me tell you, while I think the author was looking for me to share a story of some exotic food discovery or to confess about the day I fell in love with Chobani greek yogurt, this sushi really touched my soul this year.
All 28 intestinal feet of my soul.
Now, I am positive that the following answer was not at all what this author was hoping to inspire out of all the Reverb-ers out there. But this is something I will certainly not forget for a very long time.
---
November 11 is Veteran's Day and as a government employee, I have to take the day off whether I like it or not. This year it was on a Thursday, awkwardly interrupting my week and forcing me to try to be productive on the lonely Friday workday that would follow.
So, in Mugwump fashion, I griped about having to take the day off. I waxed on quite dramatically about how I would MUCH rather take the Friday off instead, and since I am not a veteran, should I really get a day off at all?
By the afternoon of the preceding Wednesday, I had warmed to the idea of a whole day off from work (guilt free!) and even made a few plans so I didn't spend my day off on the couch eating tortilla chips.
But all of that changed with the most fateful and unforgettable lunch of 2010: pre-packaged sushi. At 2 AM on November 11, I awoke with a mild crampy stomach and stretched myself and tried to go back to sleep. 10 minutes later, the pain was unbearable and had me balled into the fetal position. Shortly after, I found myself crying into the toilet bowl, vomiting the entire contents of my stomach. Like clockwork through the morning, I would wake up on the hour and vomit the meager contents of my stomach, until about 7 AM when I simply dry heaved until I could no longer take it. I tried to drink water to stay hydrated, but to no avail. It was simply expelled with the next hourly installment of the Great Gastrointestinal Cleanse of 2010. And that continued for most of my vacation day, which I ended up spending on the couch, now totally exhausted, unable to eat or drink, too weak to move, and most distressing: hungry.
I wasted my whole day of forced vacation, had to take the following Friday off from work as well, and felt generally like a greasy pile of sludge (and HUNGRY) through the entire weekend.
I haven't gone in to every detail about those four days, particularly the heaving of Day 1, because I'd be shocked if you would stay and read through all of that. It's not very "holiday spirit" of me either, particularly for those of you who may have overindulged on the Christmas cookies and baked hams and are feeling a little gut-busty yourselves. But let me tell you, while I think the author was looking for me to share a story of some exotic food discovery or to confess about the day I fell in love with Chobani greek yogurt, this sushi really touched my soul this year.
All 28 intestinal feet of my soul.
Saturday, December 25, 2010
Reverb 10.25: Photo.
December 25-- Photo- a present to yourself. Sift through all of the photos of you from the past year. Choose the one that best captures you; either who you are, or who you strive to be. Find the shot of you that is worth a thousand words. Share the image, who shot it, where, and what it best reveals about you.
June 6, 2010. Buffalo, Minnesota. Buffalo Triathlon, sprint distance.
What does this photo reveal about me, besides that I am a bit of a Tubby Trotter?
Photo credit: Dad
June 6, 2010. Buffalo, Minnesota. Buffalo Triathlon, sprint distance.
What does this photo reveal about me, besides that I am a bit of a Tubby Trotter?
- I design good shoes. Despite their minor role in the photo, check out those babies! Fantastic.
- "Happy" comes pretty easily.
- I see a good photo op coming and I take it!
- Despite being relatively out of shape and suffering a minor, but tears-inducing, bike crash earlier on the course, I didn't quit. I am not a quitter (and the medal was shiny and you only get one if you cross the finish line on your own power).
- I don't look good in bike shorts. At all.
- I imagine I will continue to spend all kinds of money so I can keep running in circles at events like these. The feeling of being this close to the finish line and then crossing it never really gets old.
Merry Christmas, everyone! XOXO
Reverb 10.24: Everything's OK.
December 24-- Everything's OK. What's the best moment that could serve as proof that everything is going to be alright? And how will you incorporate that discovery into the year ahead?
Knowing everything is going to be okay happens as soon as you let go of searching for that 'one moment.' I don't need a defining moment to tell me I am doing okay. I am not asking for permission to feel like life is turning out just fine. That which did not kill me may or may not have made me stronger. The point is, it didn't kill me. So, everything must be okay.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
