So I'm trying something that I've never really done in earnest on my own before. On my own meaning, NOT because my mother or my youth group suggested (with various levels of forcefulness) that I do it. This something is coming up with a list of personal goals in a variety of areas. I've always been sort of squeamish about the whole goal-setting thing, mainly because I've had the perception that if you're the kind of person that does that, you're the real go-getter type who has figuring their lives and themselves out down to a science. In other words, not me. At all. However, since graduation, I've been finding myself changing in ways that I didn't really expect or plan on. I'm definitely still not the type that has a definite, mapped-out plan for my life, but I've become a little more of a go-getter as I've realized the school safety net is gone, and this is it. This is life now. So, these goals aren't legalistic things that I will beat myself up about if I don't do these things every single day, or whatever. It's more like I've been thinking about things I would like to accomplish, the person I would like to be, and here are some things I can do to move toward that, at whatever pace I need to. So,

Goals:

- Be constantly in the process of reading at least two books: one informational, and one just for recreation. I'm not setting limits on how long it'll take or how often I'll go through books, but I hope to always be in the middle of something. I just started The Brothers K as my recreational book, and I'm already in the middle of a few informational books, so I'll have to narrow it down soon.

- Journal on a more regular basis.

- Burn candles...most likely while I'm doing one of the two above items. I have a buttload of candles that I received pre-college, then when I lived in a dorm, I couldn't burn them. The whole time I was at school, I told myself I was going to burn lots of candles when I got out, but I still haven't done it. But I'm starting now!

- Practice music regularly. Learn new songs on the guitar, try practicing piano on my parents' little electric keyboard, brush up on the violin. I really want to make playing music a big part of my life, and since I can't afford or make time for lessons right now, I'll just do what I can to keep my skills fresh until that is feasible.

- Get books from the library to study for the GRE and the MAT. Then take it. I figure while my brain isn't toooooo far out of school mode, and at the same time, I'm free of the pressure OF school that would make it stressful to prepare for big tests like that, I should probably go ahead and take them. The scores will last me for five years if I decide I want to go to grad school within that time.

- Always be in the process of making a creative project, such as a card, a gift, etc...

- Spend time with Mom, Dad, and Carrie, at least once a week. I live about 15 minutes away, but I started noticing a while ago, that I didn't see too much of them. Since my time here is limited, I want to make the most of the opportunity to be so close, and in order to work around everyone's busy schedules, it's probably going to have to be a more planned thing. It doesn't have to be the same day or time every week, just so long as I see them for more than an hour.

Again, these are not the kind of goals that mandate that x must always happen, and always at y time, or z often. Also, this list doesn't include the bigger goals I've already been working on because I could not put them off any more, such as making and keeping to a budget and losing weight. But I think I'll enjoy seeing these things happen more as I work toward being consistent with that way of life.

I'm looking forward to it.

So this is it, the final push.

Between Thursday and Tuesday of next week, I have 7 major(ish) things due, and then I will have written my last in my undergraduate career. I've been thinking about this all year, but reality hasn't started really hitting until the week before last, and it's just now hitting hard now that I'm in my last week of classes. How weird is it going to be to not refer to or think of myself as a college student? So weird.

Now, about the future. I'm gonna skip over talking about what may or may not be happening next, because in all honesty, I have no idea how the next little bit of future is going to go, exactly. But I've been thinking a bit lately about what I would LOVE to do, what makes my heart just tug at the reigns and say, "let's go, already!" I'm not sure what order I'd like these to occur in, but here are some of the things that really appeal to me right now:

-West coast...Think Portland, Seattle, etc...if they're anything like Seward, I'm so there. I want to visit first, and then if it's like I think it is, I'd love to live there.
-Open up a bakery or some sort of shop there. There are so many possibilities.
-Use that shop as some kind of avenue for ministry in the community I'm in.
-Get really involved in a church and pour into younger people in a mentoring role.
-Do all of these things with that boy that I love and enjoy our life together.

Sigh. There are other things that appeal to me too, but this is all I have time for, as well as the most fresh right now. Back to work I go, writing fictitious psychological assessments. Once that's done, I'm down to five things of the seven.


Yippe-i-o oy vey.

So it’s been a while since I’ve done one of these things, and honestly, this is only a half-hearted effort, but I’m at home and I can fritter away time relatively guilt-free and I figured what the hey. So this is my summary of 2008. All I have to say about 2009 is…I think it’s gonna be a really good year. ;)

 

1. What did you do in 2008 that you'd never done before? Gwow, a lot. Went to Alaska. Went to Michigan. Went on a train trip- twice! Flew in an airplane for more than 4 hours at a time. White-water rafting. Wore contact lenses. Baked a pie. Went to Smoothie King, believe it or not. Listened to Eisley. And Underoath.

2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?  I have no idea what my new years’ resolutions from last year were. If I even had any. I don’t really make new years’ resolutions because I’m constantly making them throughout the year anyway. So, my newest resolutions are to manage my money better, and to follow through on the whole exercising all the time thing.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth? Cari Skaar.  

4. Did anyone close to you die? Um…not that I can remember. Then again, my memory = not so good.  

5. What countries did you visit? Alaska is almost Russia, or at least almost Canada or something. But yes. None. Lame.

6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008? Heh…I won’t tell you the first word that came to my mind. Okay, yes I will. Sex. Ohshoooooooooooooooot!

7. What date from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? Umm…poop, I’m bad at these without a calendar/my journal, so we’ll go with “ish” times.

Lessee…some of these I don’t feel like explaining to everyone, but they meant something to me.

January something = big conversation with the bf

May-August = Alaska! There’s a lot that goes in there.

September-November = A whole lotta poopiness.

November something = Answers to prayer, and a turnaround in the poopiness.

Beginning of December = Evelyn shows!

Mid-December = I said yes to Michigan and we went on a traaaaaaiiiiiiiin! Many much fun.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? Following through on all the talk I talked about breaking out of my comfort zone and spending the summer somewhere new.

9. What was your biggest failure? Hmm, I dunno. Not connecting as well with people as I would’ve liked and only finishing six weeks of a twelve week commitment.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury? Well, I did get hand-mashed in the Hobart dough mixer, but nothing broke, so I dunno if that counts.

11. What was the best thing you bought? Hmm…plane tickets.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration? I’ma go with Mag. I would not have made it through September-November without her.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? Heh…see September- November from above.

14. Where did most of your money go? Rrgh. I don’t wanna talk about it. Hence the resolution to manage my money better. A good chunk of it went to traveling, and a good chunk went to gifts, but more than I’m proud of went to frivolous buys…coffee, clothes, music, food, etc…

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? The times when I got to see my nephew, Alaska, Michigan, and the conversations had in Michigan.

16. What song will always remind you of 2008? Heh. There’s a lot.

Songs from the summer:

Smile by Mia and Jonah

The Call by Regina Spektor

The City of Blinding Lights by U2

In the Aeroplane Over The Sea by Neutral Milk Hotel

Mary Jane’s Last Dance by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

Transatlanticism by Death Cab for Cutie

Trolley Wood by Eisley

The album Tak by Sigur Ros

Anything by The White Stripes

Most of the songs from the Evelyn playlist:

Trolley Wood fits here, too.

Die Alone by Ingrid Michaelson

Waking Life by Schuyler Fisk

Wallflower (and the rest of Priscilla Ahn’s songs from that album)

The World Spins Madly On by The Weepies

Dr. Frankenstein by Jack Savoretti

Other

            The Once Soundtrack

            Hoppipola by Sigur Ros

            Let It Rock by Kevin Rudolf and Lil Wayne

Grr…that’s all I can think of right now, but I’m sure there’s more.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you: happier or sadder? I think I was decently happy this time last year, but I’m definitely happier this year.

18. What do you wish you'd done more of? Taking opportunities to hang out with people. Also, sleeping. And exercising.

19. What do you wish you'd done less of? Agonizing. Wasting time and money.

20. How will you be spending Christmas? I spent it with my family. All of them!

21. How will you be spending New Years? I spent it in Huntsville with my bro, Katie Smiff, and a bunch of people I didn’t know.

24. What was your favorite TV program? Scrubs, Third Rock from the Sun, The Office

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year? Nope.

26. What was the best book you read? Peter Pan was great.

27. What was your greatest musical discovery? Eisley. Glen Hansard, Horse Feathers, Priscilla Ahn, and of course there’s more, but I can’t remember.

28. What did you want and got? To have adventures and travel. To play in a band at school. For things to work out with the boy. And a digital camera, surprise!

30. What was your favorite film of this year? I’m gonna have to say Penelope. And Once.

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? My friends threw me a surprise party and gave me an iPod! I felt so loved. I was 21.

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? I know good things came out of it, but really, it would’ve been great if I could’ve skipped over that whole September-November thing.

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008? I definitely got more adventurous this year than ever before. Trying out scarves and headbands and different jewelry and hats and color combinations, etc. But I’m not sure what to call that other than “toeing the waters of indie.”

34. What kept you sane? You know, the usual. God, friends. Plus also, the great outdoors and playing music and racquetball helped out.

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? Um…no clue.

36. What political issue stirred you the most? Social injustice issues, etc…

37. Who did you miss? My fambly, the Minatras, Jordan, Tim, various other friends.

 

38. Who was the best new person you met? I gotta say, the Minatras have to take the cake on that one.

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008: I’m not the one in control. Also, submission is not telling God that I’m okay with whatever He gives me as long as it’s what I want. It’s being okay with what God gives me, period.

Bomp bomp, the end!