Recently, I was talking to my girlfriends about how enthusiastic I am going into 2012 with only a small number of expectations. Literally, I can count them on one hand.
2011 was an ultimate years of highs and lows. I embraced my friendships and chose to let go of one that defined my life for four years. Romance meant both a steamroller and a mack truck, forcing me to pick myself up after I just discovered my footing again.
Professionally I'm happy and after three years in the same building, I better be. Of course, I want more and I'm on the right path. I'm expecting only big things in the recent future and am enthusiastic about the possibilities.
Thank God for friends. With them, I've created some of the best memories. Ski trips. Birthday bar crawls. Trolleys. Thursday nights playing volleyball on the beach. Softball teams, each with their own set of teammates. Bike rides out to the lake. Then you have the more surreal moments of 2011. Naked bike rides. Bottle service at 2 a.m. Spontaneous boat rides on Lake Michigan. Trolling college bars. Back-to-back Ad World Series Championships!
In late summer, some people told me that the next few months were "supposed to be harder" but they couldn't be more wrong. I'm happy. I'm learning what it's like to be myself, even if that means talk to empty air while watching TV on a Monday night.
One friend said that going into a new year without expectations or plans would make her nervous. But I'm a little different. In the game of taking what life throws at you, I'm all in this. And looking forward to the results.
Showing posts with label 2011. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2011. Show all posts
Friday, December 16, 2011
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
0
Q1 Life Update
If this blog was a child it would be dead. So dead. Neglected, starving, lame and whimpering for help. I am a horrible mother.
Lots of changes have been happening lately. I have a new work "team" which is both scary, and exciting, as all of a sudden I am the go-to employee with thoughts of "don't screw up" running through my head. In the past few weeks my baby brother (22) visited, I saw my family for the first time since Christmas, taught mom how to say "Riesling," and generally spent time with some of the coolest people I know. I'm making excuses for ignoring this and I get that.
The other day I read my 2010 goals and I might as well review them, seeing as I shared them and all.
1. Looking for inspiration in the place St. Aloysius school told me to find it and then expanding upon that. A good friend and I had a heart to heart this weekend (over McDonald's) about how I was her "different" kind of friend. I firmly believe a person needs to make her own decisions but if I need to politely shove someone to get her head on straight, I will. I never mean to insensitive or brash, but only want to be strong for others when they may need me. For anyone who knows me this is somewhat ironic but I'm working on that too. Sometimes I need to find faith within other people and I'm thankful for the ones who provide it.
2. Obviously making the big suck on writing more. My daily writings have turned into a few times a week but, on the flip side, I've set a larger goal of reading more. This has been a subject on this blog multiple times but I'm on book #7, I think, of the year and currently being held captive by Water for Elephants.
3. Kicking ass is going good so far this year. Surprisingly enough, this has predominantly been achieved by yoga. For everyone who thinks yoga is child's play you cannot even fathom how incorrect you are. I have tortured myself through 60 to 90 minutes of intense hot room stretching, weight lifting and downward facing dog to the point of vomiting. After all this I can honestly say that I just feel in shape. Mock that statement as much as you want but my biceps can punch the hell out of your face right now. Just ask the guy I hit in the face last week at dodgeball.
Half marathon is still on the "maybe" list. However, the Bunny Rock 5K is a GO! Who DOESN'T want to listen to rock music and run 3.1 miles?
4. Being less indecisive. Heh. Still being vague, still not disclosing. I'll get there. Just give me moments.
Lots of changes have been happening lately. I have a new work "team" which is both scary, and exciting, as all of a sudden I am the go-to employee with thoughts of "don't screw up" running through my head. In the past few weeks my baby brother (22) visited, I saw my family for the first time since Christmas, taught mom how to say "Riesling," and generally spent time with some of the coolest people I know. I'm making excuses for ignoring this and I get that.
The other day I read my 2010 goals and I might as well review them, seeing as I shared them and all.
1. Looking for inspiration in the place St. Aloysius school told me to find it and then expanding upon that. A good friend and I had a heart to heart this weekend (over McDonald's) about how I was her "different" kind of friend. I firmly believe a person needs to make her own decisions but if I need to politely shove someone to get her head on straight, I will. I never mean to insensitive or brash, but only want to be strong for others when they may need me. For anyone who knows me this is somewhat ironic but I'm working on that too. Sometimes I need to find faith within other people and I'm thankful for the ones who provide it.
2. Obviously making the big suck on writing more. My daily writings have turned into a few times a week but, on the flip side, I've set a larger goal of reading more. This has been a subject on this blog multiple times but I'm on book #7, I think, of the year and currently being held captive by Water for Elephants.
3. Kicking ass is going good so far this year. Surprisingly enough, this has predominantly been achieved by yoga. For everyone who thinks yoga is child's play you cannot even fathom how incorrect you are. I have tortured myself through 60 to 90 minutes of intense hot room stretching, weight lifting and downward facing dog to the point of vomiting. After all this I can honestly say that I just feel in shape. Mock that statement as much as you want but my biceps can punch the hell out of your face right now. Just ask the guy I hit in the face last week at dodgeball.
Half marathon is still on the "maybe" list. However, the Bunny Rock 5K is a GO! Who DOESN'T want to listen to rock music and run 3.1 miles?
4. Being less indecisive. Heh. Still being vague, still not disclosing. I'll get there. Just give me moments.
Thursday, January 6, 2011
0
A Fitting 100 Post.
Happy 100th post! In honor of this allow me to be generic in terms of writing about goals and those magical four self improvement terms of, ahem, improving myself:
1. Spiritually
2. Mentally
3. Physically
4. Emotionally
This entry will be about those, in terms of my new year, and in my own terms. For 2011 I prefer "goals" over "resolutions" but Thesaurus.com puts these on the same level so I'll roll with it. I googled the terms above to find just where I heard these last and one of the top results that popped up was a pregnancy book. Negative. (See what I did there?) Anyways.
1. I started off the New Year with something that justifies a smirk (and pancakes) and followed that up with a date at St. Clement with my beloved roommate. After being doused in holy water by a woman with a blinged out belt buckle and designer jeans, I was entranced by the best homily I have heard since my old priest told us he was "going to make this short, the Packers game is on at noon." New priest spoke about how, like the three wise men, we're often looking for some sign to lead us to promise. Unlucky for us, we will never find this and have to create our own star to discover the path. It's more like a treasure map than a straight shot, full of turns and challenges, to bring us to the desired conclusion. Inspired, I went home and wrote this down in a notebook I use from time to time leading me to...
2. I'm going to write more. I typically write my blog posts before I type these. Whether it's scrawl on paper, tapping away on my notepad app or even on a napkin J.K. Rowling style. Ever since the iconic story I penned in second grade, about a pet triceratops living in my parents' pool, writing has been a passion. Anyone can write; I'm not exactly penning the next great American novel on this blog. But in 2011, at the end of my day, I will jot down a few sentences about an event that occurred walking down the street, a dumb thought that popped up in the shower, or a small goal to achieve. In hindsight, you learn a great deal from your past self. Joyful, down on your luck, confused. You would be surprised about everything that changes in 365 days.
3. Try something new...while totally kicking ass. If you read any of this you may notice that while I enjoy watching sports I love playing them even more. There's no such thing as being too old for recess and shows like the Biggest Loser strike me with overzealous fear. To mix it up in 2011, I already joined a dodgeball league and bought a Groupon for boxing and boot camp classes. Once the temperature is above freezing, or maybe not, I'll likely be playing softball.
Also, I'm also throwing around the idea of running a half marathon. I don't care to share more on this until I finally convince myself to know I can do it. So here we go full circle with...
4. Being less indecisive. I did not mean to type "be more decisive." I know what I mean here so bear with me. Last night, laying in bed thinking of this, I initially thought of "stop being indecisive." But, being the traditionally rational human being that I am, realize that's ridiculous. I need to be able to juggle a decision before committing. Some of this sparked from a New Year's Eve discussion. My friend and I joked about being 25 and what we thought our 18-year-old selves would think if they saw us on the verge of 2011. That 18-year-old would be so wrong and likely jealous they were not drinking legally out of lime green Solo cups. At 25 I was supposed to be fresh out of law school, on the verge if not already married, and with a silver Audi (though likely used). Wrong. Wrong. Wrong. I no longer really think of age as a bench mark for decision making, however, with 25 close there are some decisions that warrant my attention. I'm being vague on purpose as disclosing them in the process just takes away the fun.
That's it. Long entry. Happy 100. These goals aren't lofty or unreachable but they are all encompassing and an improvement process to get myself in check. Here we go!
1. Spiritually
2. Mentally
3. Physically
4. Emotionally
This entry will be about those, in terms of my new year, and in my own terms. For 2011 I prefer "goals" over "resolutions" but Thesaurus.com puts these on the same level so I'll roll with it. I googled the terms above to find just where I heard these last and one of the top results that popped up was a pregnancy book. Negative. (See what I did there?) Anyways.
1. I started off the New Year with something that justifies a smirk (and pancakes) and followed that up with a date at St. Clement with my beloved roommate. After being doused in holy water by a woman with a blinged out belt buckle and designer jeans, I was entranced by the best homily I have heard since my old priest told us he was "going to make this short, the Packers game is on at noon." New priest spoke about how, like the three wise men, we're often looking for some sign to lead us to promise. Unlucky for us, we will never find this and have to create our own star to discover the path. It's more like a treasure map than a straight shot, full of turns and challenges, to bring us to the desired conclusion. Inspired, I went home and wrote this down in a notebook I use from time to time leading me to...
2. I'm going to write more. I typically write my blog posts before I type these. Whether it's scrawl on paper, tapping away on my notepad app or even on a napkin J.K. Rowling style. Ever since the iconic story I penned in second grade, about a pet triceratops living in my parents' pool, writing has been a passion. Anyone can write; I'm not exactly penning the next great American novel on this blog. But in 2011, at the end of my day, I will jot down a few sentences about an event that occurred walking down the street, a dumb thought that popped up in the shower, or a small goal to achieve. In hindsight, you learn a great deal from your past self. Joyful, down on your luck, confused. You would be surprised about everything that changes in 365 days.
3. Try something new...while totally kicking ass. If you read any of this you may notice that while I enjoy watching sports I love playing them even more. There's no such thing as being too old for recess and shows like the Biggest Loser strike me with overzealous fear. To mix it up in 2011, I already joined a dodgeball league and bought a Groupon for boxing and boot camp classes. Once the temperature is above freezing, or maybe not, I'll likely be playing softball.
Also, I'm also throwing around the idea of running a half marathon. I don't care to share more on this until I finally convince myself to know I can do it. So here we go full circle with...
4. Being less indecisive. I did not mean to type "be more decisive." I know what I mean here so bear with me. Last night, laying in bed thinking of this, I initially thought of "stop being indecisive." But, being the traditionally rational human being that I am, realize that's ridiculous. I need to be able to juggle a decision before committing. Some of this sparked from a New Year's Eve discussion. My friend and I joked about being 25 and what we thought our 18-year-old selves would think if they saw us on the verge of 2011. That 18-year-old would be so wrong and likely jealous they were not drinking legally out of lime green Solo cups. At 25 I was supposed to be fresh out of law school, on the verge if not already married, and with a silver Audi (though likely used). Wrong. Wrong. Wrong. I no longer really think of age as a bench mark for decision making, however, with 25 close there are some decisions that warrant my attention. I'm being vague on purpose as disclosing them in the process just takes away the fun.
That's it. Long entry. Happy 100. These goals aren't lofty or unreachable but they are all encompassing and an improvement process to get myself in check. Here we go!
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