A new year always marks a new age for me.  In 5 days, I will be 26. Remember that list I so ambitiously wrote last year?  I began it in September of 2011 in fact.  What was I going to accomplish and experience in my 25th year of life?  The list I mostly tossed out a couple months ago.  Yeah, that list.  I don't believe I ever posted it in entirety for you all.  Well, here it is.  I have 5 days left and I'm wondering how many I could get done before 26 hits me.  At this point, it's like a fun, frantic game.

25 Goals For 25

Go on a date. 

Read 25 books (5 from the Guardian's list)  So far, I've read 13 books.  Next year, I'll account for Beau in my reading goals. 

Buy a camera (Nikon D5100)   John has one... I suddenly had less drive to buy one. 

Pay off the Toddler

Submit a story  

Submit a poem 

Read more current authors

Run a half-marathon  Ha.  Ran a 5K and then fell into the worst shape of my life. I did run the entire 6 blocks to the bus stop this morning.  That count?  Because boy was my chest burning. 

Learn a real piece on the violin  Haven't played since I moved.  :( 

Start a 401K  

Learn 100 Italian verbs + 100 nouns

Move out

Visit a new city

Talk less (listen more)  I still have 5 days to get this one, right? ;) 

Go camping

Visit the Olympic National Park  

Go sailing 

Write one short story a week  I should have 52 stories?  I have 1 unfinished short story from this year. 

Prepare for the day before leaving the house  I think I have done pretty well at this the majority of the year.  And better the last couple months. 

Read through the New Testament  I spent most of the year in the Gospels.  

Get my concealed weapons permit

Ride in a hot air balloon  Dad? 

Learn to golf

Create my website/ online portfolio  Kind of... 

Ride in a train

I began setting 4 year goals a couple months back.  I will be 30 in 4 years and 5 days! (Weird.)  And I think I am going to set quarterly goals for 26.  I have 4 'to-dos' for the first quarter so far.  I think I'll aim for 5 per quarter.  :)  Besides that, this year will be less about "lists" and more about "priorities".  I have been spending the last few days thinking about my current priorities and how they should change or stay the same for this coming year.  I don't yet know... I'm still praying.  But my to-dos for this first quarter reflect my priorities as best I see them so far.

It's hard to plan for a year.  One person could walk in and change it all... and you could be forever grateful.  I'd aimed to go on a date in 2012.  A real date. I did in January. We played trivia at an Irish pub.  There were no sparks.  It was okay.  I marked it off the list.  And then, I was taken on one of the most wonderful dates... without realizing it at the time.  The rest, I hadn't put on my goals list.  But when it came to it, I'd rather listen to his story than read any of my books on the shelf.  

Oh new year, what in the round world do you have in store?  Not a clue. Not a tip what 2013 will hold.  I think I'll go crazy if a few things don't change in this next year, but I don't know where to begin.  I feel less like a writer than ever, less motivated to try, less envisioned about what my "dream" even is, or that it's real.  I feel stuck in my career.  I feel challenged beyond belief in my identity and character.  And I feel stir crazy - near mad.

Sitting in a ski lift in a cloud.

2012 was full of so many wonderful things.  I'm a bit terrified of 2013... like it could take it all away.  Or just keep me exactly where I am.... for a WHOLE year.  I have to move closer to my destiny - I have to see something realized, some desire sharp and clear again or I'll just ebb away.

I try.  I sound just like a penny plopping in a pool.  That's it.

Wishes drowning.

Dreams waiting at the bottom.

I don't have time to master what I love -  I spend my hours wasting at something I hate.  And it is driving me mad.   I know I am here for a reason.  I keep reminding myself that.  But I can't see where I go next, or how I get there.  I can't see how I stop spending the majority of my hours in a seat where I feel dead.....

Dramatic?  I know.  I know this will pass.  Just dear God, please let 2013 be at least full of glimpses.  Remind me.  What work will make me truly happy?  What was I meant to spend myself on?

Guess who's on a plane home!?  :) 

I'd like a month, but I'll take 20 hours of

quality "Christmas" time with this guy!! 

carolling  present participle of car·ol (Verb) 

Verb Sing Christmas songs or hymns, esp. in a group: "we caroled from door to door". Sing or say (something) happily: "she was cheerfully caroling the words of the song".

Happy Birthday to my Sister

Who I

Roll with

Fight with

Drink with

Climb with

Dance with

Match with (?)

And always take a bow with.

Happy 30th Birthday to my literal partner in crime (and law).

So happy I've always had you to play with!!!

Like a Boss.  

What does "Like a Boss" even mean?  

"Delegated that."  [said with pride.]  

"Sure, I'll sign that check."

I guess it means you run the place.  Okay.  Except, I've never heard someone who "runs the place" announce  "like a boss" after an accomplishment. (I'd like to.  I'd count it among the best moments of 2012.)  I for one would rather do things like a Genie. You aren't the boss.  But all you've got to do is wiggle your nose and 'bam.' Done. With sparkles. No checks signed.  No projects delegated.  No ridiculous meetings.  

Like a Genie. 

Dear Friends,

Do me a great favor please?  Could you tell me two or three posts (of mine) from over the years that you most enjoy?  And a short reason why?  Humor? Perspective? Style? Voice?  Honesty? Terrible Grammer Mishaps?

(That was on purpose. It's okay.)

It would be a great help to me in a current project.

Thank you. :)

I feel like I've missed Christmas.  Already.  I have no lights on our tree, no real decorations.  I haven't done one Christmas craft of all the fun things I've seen and imagined.  I've yet to get to do many "christmasy" things with the people I love (with the exception of a quick run for a tree with Meg and my Christmas date with my Mom).  The Christmas season is half over.  I have one week left until Meg & John both go home.  :(  I don't like this.  Not one bit.  This girl, who goes by "Christmas Spirit" among family members... has yet to really enjoy the Christmas season.  And she's starting to get worried she'll miss it entirely.  [Breaks into Where Are You Christmas?]

Spotted on Pinterest (from Bonte)

Thoughts thoughts thoughts.

There must be a reason why I still am, where I am.

So much has changed this past year that the things that remain the same, despite how hard I work to change them... perhaps are for a reason.  I changed jobs in January of 2012.  I met a guy that month too.  We washed dishes at a common friend's house until 3 am.  (My dad gave me a talking too.  You were in BEACON HILL until 3 am?! Whoops.)  But Becky had a clean kitchen.  And I had a new friend.  I moved. I started attending Bethany - with said new man.  I paid off my car.  My sister moved.  My cousin moved.  My roommate moved.  My boyfriend moved.  My sister quit her job, started law school and a new part time job.  My roommate too started a new job.  So much change.  And yet, the one thing I keep trying to change about my daily life... won't budge.  [Grrrraw!]

It dawned on me this morning for the first time:  I moved and switched churches at the same time this year (roughly).  The last time I started attending a new church, I was 5.  We moved that same summer.  Twice in my life I have moved. Twice in my life I have started attending a new church.  Both times they corresponded.   And they were almost exactly 20 years apart.  How odd?

Just a thought.

Other thoughts?  Beau flies out today.  :l  Yep.

He has no choice in it this time, and I actually feel worse for him than I do for myself  (great girlfriend, right?  Typically I just feel bad for myself.  Okay, and I usually feel some happiness for him).  He's been traveling like mad this past month, and after something like 15 hours of flying last weekend, he's done too.  Yet work insists, and so he goes.  He timed it to be back before our date on Friday.  And for that, I am incredibly grateful. :)

Last thought?  I spent 45 minutes curling my hair this morning.  There is no evidence of this four hours later, so you will just have to trust me.

I am a bit behind... I'll start with that.  You, being my faithful blog-readers, already know about the Blueberries.  You also might remember me mentioning my sweet friend Kim who is currently in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.  She started a blog for us all to follow along... and I have neglected it the last couple months.  I signed in today to catch up and discovered what she's been up to.... buying chickens.

Kim has decided to start a chicken coop in her village in the Congo.  And the more I read her argument, the more I wanted to help.  Kim is no ordinary girl (in case you'd failed to catch that by the fact that she's serving in the Congo). Her family has a bee farm.  Her brother is an engineer at Microsoft, and owns more water color painting equipment than Bob Ross.  Her little sister is just one of my favorite people ever. I just like them, and I believe she really does  have the skills and the heart to grow something like a chicken coop into a successful business and life-altering resource for her village.

So I think I'll buy a chicken.  And I'll name it.  And I'll watch to see how it affects Uvira.

How to Buy A Chicken:

1. Click on the The Purple Button to the Right of Kim's page (link above) ($50 suggested purchase) Credit Card or PayPal accepted

2. Join the CongoClucks FaceBook group to Name your chicken and to hear updates!

Something you all must have missed on my wish list last year... so I'm trying once more. 

1. One "small" owl (live). 

2.  A new job. 

3.  WKA Cookbook

4.  Hot Curlers

Thanks.