Update: Summer

     This summer was a complete waste of time. I suppose that's what happens, though, when you let your mind get away from you. Anyways, I didn't really get a lot accomplished on this list... nothing even close to what I wanted to do. But, it's fall semester now, and it's time to refocus myself and remember my goals in life. So, here's an update on what I wanted to accomplish vs. what I actually did accomplish:

1. Paint a really incredible painting- I would have been happy with a simple rough draft of this. Didn't happen. 

2. Catch up on all my bills- Got some of this accomplished, no thanks to me.

8. Learn Vietnamese- Didn't learn any Vietnamese this summer.

13. Have a successful garden- I had good intentions with this! Unfortunately I was gone way too much this summer so my garden went from growing successfully to a weed garden. 
15. Become fluent in Spanish- Nope

18. Cut my hair short and give it to a hair charity- I wanted to do this over the summer, but my best friend is getting married next September and I'm the maid of honor. She wants me to keep my hair long for the wedding. She's right- long hair for weddings is so pretty :-). I'll cut it in a year or so.

32. Go scuba diving- I did this!!!! Completed!!! Did it in St. John USVI and it was amazinggggg.....
33. Jump off a cliff in to water- It isn't too late to do this, but I don't think I'll be getting to it this summer....
40. Read the Bible (Including old testament) and Quran. - Yeah.... No.......

41. Send a postcard in to PostSecret- Actually I think I will make the time to do this in the next week or so. Haven't done it yet though

     Soooooo That's what I accomplished from my list this summer.... basically nothing. Very disappointed in myself. But, Like I said before, I just need to refocus. Update next week.

Summer

     As nobody would notice since I am basically the only person keeping up with this blog, I haven't updated for a while. Definitely not posting every week! It may not be immediately obvious as to why I stopped posting as religiously as I used to. But, upon further evaluation, it becomes clear that my last post was posted on the week of a notable event: The end of my Facebook Sabbatical.


     The sabbatical itself was amazing. I highly recommend it to anybody who has to check their social media site at minimum once a day. For those who stay logged on all the time, I think it is necessary. I found myself much more motivated, and got a lot more done. I finished school, started a garden, started my volunteer job, kept up with this blog, etc. I was hoping I wouldn't slip back in to my old routine, but I suppose it is inevitable. On a positive note, though, I no longer use it on my phone. So, I am no longer FBing on the run. Deleting the Facebook account is looking more and more attractive. Perhaps when summer is over, and school starts again.

     On another note, I haven't not had a job since I was 15 or 16. So, this summer is going to be very interesting for me. I find myself bored quite often (and, hence, on FB). What I have decided to do to alleviate that boredom is to get as much accomplished on this list as possible, and start a few of the bigger, more time consuming tasks. Here are some of the things I would like to either get started on or accomplished, and a bit about how I plan on going about doing it.

Drops to Work on this Summer: 

1. Paint a really incredible painting

• I am not for sure how I am going to do this or what it's going to be of, entail, consist of, etc. I suppose the first thing I should do is really get an idea of what it is I am going to be painting. I think I would really like to do an abstract, but mix in other materials and objects which are quite distinguishable. Come to think of it, even if I get a good idea and perhaps a rough draft of the painting out this summer, I'll be happy. I can always start on it whenever I feel motivated to do so (what I am trying to say is I am not motivated right now... ha ha).

2. Catch up on all my bills
8. Learn Vietnamese

• I do really want to learn this language. I'm going to have to Rosetta Stone it up ASAP, and accomplish as much of it as I can

13. Have a successful garden

• I have already started my garden! Right now I am trying to grow lettuce, snap peas, tomatoes, carrots, scallions, onions, lemongrass, herbs (cilantro, basil, parsley, mustard greens, Thai basil), and attempting Serrano peppers (which started out good, but are recovering slowly from transplantation). I am having two major problems: The first, is that weeds are rapidly spreading. I'm not always 100% sure which one I am supposed to pull and which is the vegetable. And secondly, cats use it as a litter box. Yuck. Other than that, everything is looking pretty good!

15. Become fluent in Spanish

• I'm already pretty good in Spanish. I'm just going to try to change my settings over, make everything in Spanish, and practice that way. My main focus this summer is on learning Vietnamese. If I can catch my Vietnamese up to the level of understanding I have in Spanish, it will be a successful summer.

18. Cut my hair short and give it to a hair charity

• This kind of coincides with the previous drop of growing my hair out to the top of my buttocks. I think it's close enough. By the end of the summer, I think I am going to call it a quits and cut it short. I've had it long for 5 yrs plus. I might chicken out by the end of the summer, though. Yeah, I'll probably chicken out.

32. Go scuba diving
33. Jump off a cliff in to water
40. Read the Bible (Including old testament) and Quran.

• Not planning on finishing, but would like to get started

41. Send a postcard in to PostSecret



     I was going to put drop 45 down also because it's something that's quick to cross off, but I'm not ready for a tattoo yet. And besides, I ended up putting a lot more down here than I thought I would. I suppose that a lot of these are doable in summer's time. I just loose track so easily of the day. I'm so used to being busy all the time that, although no longer being so time restricted is a relief, I also don't know how to properly use the spare time to get things done. I've always had to be somewhere at a certain time, and that more often than not is no longer the case. This will give me something to do and work towards.

     Oh, I also have to do those darn GREs... but that's not on the list

Update: Drop # 38: Get Rid of this Horrible Acne Once and for All! (as well as reference to drops 13, 28 and 38)

     I am not about to post any before/after pictures or anything like that... And all you lovely negative people who are holding back secret feelings of schadenfreude at my misfortunate skin, keep your mouths shut! Ever since I stopped working at my previous job, my skin has taken an almost immediate turn for the better. It's kind of amusing, really. I am assuming that the stress from working at that place had quite an impact on me. Although it isn't clear all the way, I am positive that there was no way of repairing or trying to get rid of the stress-reduced acne except, of course, reducing the stress. And, I am also convinced that there was no reducing the stress and strain that my previous job put on me without simply not working there anymore.

     On a somewhat related note, although it was not necessarily my choice to leave my previous job (although I could easily argue it was, and I can present such argument if anybody would care to hear. I'll just assume at this point that nobody really does), not working there anymore has really injected an incredible amount of positiveness and productivity in to my life. If I was still working there is a good probability that I would not have had time to start my garden (which I did this past sunday), do half the papers I have had to turn in, or start my volunteer job I have going on now. Really, the acne relief is an unexpected benefit. The benefit to my schoolwork alone is enough to be satisfied.

     But, enough about all this. Let me just sign off this week by stating that the main source of my unwanted acne has been eliminated. With a little bit of acne medication and perhaps an increase in my consumption of water, hopefully it will clear up...!

... Just don't STRESS ME OUT! :-)

Drop # 13: Have a Successful Garden

      Ah, yes. Finally. It's officially spring! You wouldn't know it, though... There's still piles of snow laying about where it had been plowed off the roads. And oh, yeah.... We're supposed to be getting some snow later tonight! Geez Louise it's nearly April! Regardless, the other day it really did feel like spring... And thus, my mind wandered off to the garden I hope to create. Hopefully if it's nice enough this weekend and if I have the time (which, as the pattern has been going, it's unlikely) I can observe where the sun falls best, rake out the spot, and prepare the compost I started last year for incorporation into some raised garden boxes.

     I really would like a large garden, but time and again I am reading that this is the worst way to begin gardening. I can see how that makes sense, and have to agree that jumping in to a large garden will most likely be an instant turn off and motivation killer. Yet, I can't help but to think back to my childhood, when my father grew a large garden (at least, I think it was large. Perhaps if I viewed it now it would be much smaller than I remember). But, for now, I will do my best to start out small and simple, perhaps with a seperate, window herb garden, and a few plants in clay pots or whatnot as well. So, as of right now, this is what I hope to grow:

Garden:
-Romaine Lettuce
-Tomatoes
-Cucumbers
-Scallions
-Peas (?)
-Cabbage (?)

In a Pot:
-Lemongrass
-Serrano Peppers

Window Herbs:
-Flat Leaf Parsley
-Regular Basil
-Thai Basil
-Cilantro
-Several Varieties of Vietnamese Herbs (It sounds as if all I have to do is buy some at the market and let them grow some roots to get these started, then I can utilize them as hanging plants on the porch)

     I don't feel as if this list is too extensive, as the only plants that are going to need a good deal of upkeep are the ones in the garden. As far as I can tell thus far, the window herbs and potted plants most likely just need watering daily or so. I'm hoping this will be a success. I think I can handle it :-). Will keep this updated, and pics to come as soon as this is well underway.