Another Completed Fitness Challenge!

This week was pretty eventful for me, and in ways that I can't expound on in great detail, but I will do my best!

First, this Monday marked the end of another 2-month fitness challenge game with Terinati and I.

I won again! 36 to 26 points!

Terinati then drew a card and was responsible for getting the ceiling fan in the dining room fixed, which has been waiting for 4 months since we started the first game. :} It does this thing where it rattles sometimes and the glass is broken around one of the bulbs, which can't be safe with the rattling. I'm worried that one day it will rattle hard enough that the glass will just fall out on whoever is beneath it, so it's good that that will get taken care of!

We're off to a competitive start this week, though, as Terinati has been more steady with his work outs. I'm really proud of him! Keep it up, Sweetie! :)

The second main event was actually at my workplace. I don't talk about it much because it would be kind of unethical. This week was rough, though, because we lost our receptionist. I can't go into detail about the circumstances and everything that occurred as a result to that, but it was very stressful. I'm the only person in the building who has been the receptionist, so I'm kind of the only person who knows the job at all other than what our boss has gone through and been made aware of. That meant I was picking up the slack at work, so I've been kind of mentaly exhausted this week. At the same time, I think this is a sign we're heading into a new era, and I'm excited to see where that will lead us all. Hopefully, it will be a new a good era for the previous receptionist as well.

As I promised myself, though, I gave myself time to relax, guilt-free. Some of my favorite moments this week were spent watching Joan of Arcadia on DVD with Terinati and Stardust. It was one of those happy, family moments that were precious. Thanks to Terinati for taking these pictures of us together!

See? Those vet assistants were wrong! Look how cute she can be! ;)

heehee. Yep, we're biting on each other. Just love bites, though. I'm so glad she's recovered so well. I love that crazy furrball. =^--^= When I'm with her like this, it's hard to remember that was ever such a terror when I first got her. Just goes to show what faith and a lot of love can do over time.

Finally, yesterday my Maid of Honor, Kyriel, and my flower girl, Anna, went out to do some wedding business. We found a stylist at the salon that Anna uses, and I'm really feeling good about things now because I know the approximate cost and they seem very flexible, helpful, and considerate. I haven't been to a salon for over a decade, but every time I went it seemed that the stylists there were more interested in doing what they wanted than caring if I liked it. :} It was definitely a good experience yesterday! Plus, they have a florist just up the street from them, so they can handle ordering flowers for my hair if I go in that direction. YAY! One less thing for me to have to coordinate. Go them!

Next stop, makeover!

Since it didn't take as long at the salon as we'd thought it would, we figured we'd continue the girly search and try to find makeup. So, we all three had makeovers done at a mall.

Although I was assured that I was pretty, on the way home I thought to myself, I can't touch my face. I don't want to get makeup on Terinati. This is really uncomfortable.

When I saw Terinati's expression upon arriving home, it confirmed for me what I don't want to do for the wedding. I don't think I'm going to go with traditional makeup for sure. Secondly, I don't think I trust anyone else to do my face anymore. :} The woman was great, nice, friendly, and honest, but . . . AHHH!! Even though she was great at finding colors I thought were acceptable, Terinat's instant assessment that I should be on stage was accurate. I think if I do my own, it can be more subtle. It's just going to take practice.

Furthermore, that's not something I want to subject myself to on the wedding day. Worrying about getting makeup on other people or my dress or something silly like that . . . No way! My day is going to be fun and free of unnecessary stress. Seriously, I like the way I look even more now that I've reminded myself of how ridiculous trying to look different is. Perhaps some highlights for fun, like eyeshadow or sparkles or something, but keeping it simple on an otherwise big day is okay with me! :) It's a relief to have this relevation now rather than later, for sure. What's really important is who I perceive myself to be.

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And now, on to my regular update of my goals!

9.) Find as much stuff to unlock in Wii Fit and My Fitness Coach as possible (I’ll warn of any spoilers when I post about this in the future, because Ireally don’t like having things spoiled for me).

01/14/09 My Fitness Coach: unlocked bronze level membership: "dance" music and Desert Springs Resort now avail! Wahoo! :)

10.) Exercise regularly. I don’t like scheduling it on M, W, F or anything like that, but as long as I do it 3 or more times a week, I think that’s good. Monotony of using the same days every week makes me just plain not want to do it (one of the problems I have with My Fitness Coach).

Figured out that working out on Sunday and blogging weekly on that day are not compatible goals; both too time consuming. Therefore, Sunday is not an exercise day. I'm going to try to work out every other day of the week however, with Saturday being optional depending on how I feel. Light/easy workouts on Tuesday and Thursday, Friday is definitely My Fitness Coach day, and Wii Fit or My Fitness Coach on Monday and Wendesday, depending on my mood. It's better to have a routine that I do almost every day rather than one I can flake out on. Other than getting sick one day of the week, this worked perfectly.

11.) Make time for relaxation, even if I don’t think that I have it. A couple hours each evening. I’m too afraid of being lazy, and I need to let that go because otherwise I have regular mental breakdowns, and that just can’t be healthy.

I was feeling pressured about a school assignment I wanted to get further ahead on, but I realized I was getting stressed and took time to give myself a facial, sit in a bubble bath, and chill out while listening to music and letting my incense give a soothing aroma.

20.) Get outside of my shell and adventure more, saying yes more often to going out with friends to places I’ve never been to before (The November Princess Adventure, going out and getting manicures and pedicures with Anna, and heading to New York for the first time on 01/03 are examples of me heading in this direction already).

01/17/09 - Got a makeover. AHHH!

23.) Make some time for Terinat’s games, like LOTRO. I think my first step is getting comfortable playing it by myself instead of just jumping in to everyone who’s really been into it all along, know the lore, etc. When I start something new, I need to take my time, read everything, and really get it for myself before I can enjoy it with someone else. Perhaps an hour a week is a decent starting point. (Heehee, I think most people probably set goals to play games less . . . I feel like Mr. Guder, here)

01/17/09 - I created a hunter this week and played her a few times. Enjoying it by myself!

32.) Learn to wear makeup. I don’t like wearing makeup most of the time (I really enjoy natural beauty, and I just don’t buy that it is healthy to wear it), but sometimes it’s desired and I want to do better with that.

01/17/09 - Learned what not to do with makeup.

33.) Stock makeup that I like and works for me.

Purchased a powder foundation (probably won't use except for really particular situations), blush, and a brush. dun dun DUN.

38.) GM Cyberpunk 2020 for Terinati on a weekly basis or so.

01/16/09 - GM'd the start of the next arc! So far, so good!

53.) Be more green. I’ve worked hard on this in the past year, both at work and at home, but I can do more, and it’ll help with reducing clutter. (lol, I’ll defy gravity!)

01/13/09 - before printing out invoices for reconcilation, making sure that they're actually for the account I handle. Many sheets have been wasted due to people just sending me random documents. :} No more! (Good thing to, because the very first e-mail I opened was one I already had completed a month ago)

57.) I will look up words that I don’t know so long as I have access to some sort of dictionary. I don’t anticipate remembering them all, but I’m not satisfied with using context all of the time anymore. I’ve already learned that doing a word a day doesn’t help me.

Picayune: –adjective Also, pic⋅a⋅yun⋅ish. Informal.

1.	of little value or account; small; trifling: a picayune amount.

2.	petty, carping, or prejudiced: I didn't want to seem picayune by criticizing.

–noun

3.	(formerly, in Louisiana, Florida, etc.) a coin equal to half a Spanish real.

4.	any small coin, as a five-cent piece.

5.	Informal. an insignificant person or thing.

am⋅biv⋅a⋅lence

/æmˈbɪvələns/ Show Spelled Pronunciation [am-biv-uh-luhns] Show IPA Pronunciation
–noun

1.	uncertainty or fluctuation, esp. when caused by inability to make a choice or by a simultaneous desire to say or do two opposite or conflicting things.

2.	Psychology. the coexistence within an individual of positive and negative feelings toward the same person, object, or action, simultaneously drawing him or her in opposite directions.

ar⋅chi⋅pel⋅a⋅go

/ˌɑrkəˈpɛləˌgoʊ/ Show Spelled Pronunciation [ahr-kuh-pel-uh-goh] Show IPA Pronunciation
–noun, plural -gos, -goes.

1.	a large group or chain of islands: the Malay Archipelago.

2.	any large body of water with many islands.

3.	the Archipelago, the Aegean Sea.

ep⋅i⋅de⋅mi⋅ol⋅o⋅gy

/ˌɛpɪˌdimiˈɒlədʒi, -ˌdɛmi-/ Show Spelled Pronunciation [ep-i-dee-mee-ol-uh-jee, -dem-ee-] Show IPA Pronunciation
–noun the branch of medicine dealing with the incidence and prevalence of disease in large populations and with detection of the source and cause of epidemics of infectious disease.

car⋅touche

/kɑrˈtuʃ/ Show Spelled Pronunciation [kahr-toosh] Show IPA Pronunciation

–noun

1.	Architecture. a rounded, convex surface, usually surrounded with carved ornamental scrollwork, for receiving a painted or low-relief decoration, as an escutcheon.

2.	an oval or oblong figure, as on ancient Egyptian monuments, enclosing characters that represent the name of a sovereign.

3.	the case containing the inflammable materials in certain fireworks.

4.	cartridge (def. 1).

5.	a box for cartridges.

en⋅cap⋅su⋅late /ɛnˈkæpsəˌleɪt, -syʊ-/ Show Spelled Pronunciation [en-kap-suh-leyt, -syoo-] Show IPA Pronunciation
verb, -lat⋅ed, -lat⋅ing.

–verb (used with object)

1.	to place in or as if in a capsule.

2.	to summarize or condense.

–verb (used without object)

3.	to become enclosed in or as if in a capsule.

That last one was obvious in retrospect, but the context sure didn't point in that direction!

Also realized I could just link the definitions and it'd be less space-consuming.

sanction

litmus

58.) Do more logic puzzles or hemi-sync exercises to work out my brain. Just as important as the body!

I did over ten logic puzzles this week! It was fun to get back into it.

68.) I will work with Rainshine on making the mix CD!

01/13/09 - posted on the forum with Rainshine about the mix CD we're working on making with others. Established some goals (.wav file quality, who is printing labels, sending in pics, ideas for a name, poking Terinati & Kyriel to join us).

71.) They say that meeting our goals is a reward unto itself. However, I also know that positive reinforcement is important for our relationships with ourselves because we tend to be harder on ourselves than anyone else could ever be. In order to stop the “I suck” voice, I will implement a reward system for completing my goals (the small ones on the path to larger ones and the larger ones).

01/13/09 Although it is advised against to have conflicting goals, especially with rewards, I don't know any ways to reward myself that don't involve spending money. So, that conflict will just have to be. I'm learning about charm bracelets and I've started a wish list on the charmfactory.com website. With permission from Terinati, I'll purchase a monthly charm that will symbolize my progress. Actually, the initial chain and split rings are the most expensive part. The charms themselves are pretty cheap. The charm necklace I've picked out (I really hate having things on my wrists for long periods of time, and I want this to be with me to remind me of my accomplishments) is 18" in length, so I think it'll be good for a long time to come as well. I've never done a charm bracelet/necklace before, but I think it will be cool. Some months may merit more than one charm award, but my goal is to do enough that I can earn one charm a month. :)

That's it! Wish me luck for next week! =^--^=

Wicked

As those of you who follow me on Twitter already know, last week I went on my very first trip to New York to see Wicked, invited by one of my co-workers and dragging along Kyriel to enjoy the new experience with me. I'd never heard Wicked before (although, Temple tried to play it for us in the car; I couldn't quite hear it clearly enough through all the background noise, and then I took a nap... :} ), never read the book (though, I really would like to now), and didn't really know what to expect.

Let me first say, New York isn't what I expected, although I didn't really know what to expect. You see a lot of TV about New York and how some people feel about it, but . . . we all know how reliable TV is. :} What I found about the areas we were in New York was the pleasant surprise that it wasn't as stressful as I imagined it being. I live in a pretty big city, and people are always rushed, cursing, and so ridiculously stressed out. Despite the daily grind of traffic and politics never changing, people here seem always surprised and riled up about it. I really don't think that's a healthy way to live, so it stands out to me. I thought that New York might have similar environments in their bigger cities, but not so! People were shockingly calm, even about some of the not-so-ethical things going on in plain sight! It was just accepted. They know they can't stop it, and they don't waste time stressing about it. Traffic is definitely something there, but even though people want to get to where they're going, there isn't the feel of outrage because (shock!) there's traffic in a big city, and that's just how it is. So, my first impression of New York is a good one. :) It's just another, very different place.

So, on with the trip! First stop was our hotel, which had an interior that looked a little bit like the interior of a ship; it was cool!

Also shockingly cheap! Hooray! (I really don't have that much money for trips... :} )

Then, it was on to sight-seeing, of course!

This would be much cooler if Spiderman were in it. I love you, Spiderman!!

Yep, I was a nerd and took pictures of the Subway as we went in. I had a double-motive, though, other than liking the gritty layout of it. I GM a Cyberpunk 2020 game for Terinati, and most of it takes place in NY. A place I've never even been to, right? :p So, being there gave me some great insights to how to give the environment and lifestyle more appropriate feel. In fact, it's probably going to give the game a bit of a makeover, but for the better (I hope).

This was one of the walls inside the Subway! Is that not so COOL? And appropriate, since you head down . . . I wasn't expecting stuff like that down there. The smell kind of negates ideas of art . . . :}

One-armed women's restroom! Anyone? Anyone?? ;)

A "crystal" couch? Stardust and Tatsu's hair would so get stuck in that. :} But, it was fun to sit somewhere sparkly and feel pretty. =^--^=

Oo, shiny! It totally makes me think of Sailor Moon.

Look! A jazz club with the same name as my kitter-pea! I had to take a picture of it, even though we didn't go there. I missed her for that one night of separation. :} I'm tighter with her than I realized. Going to Japan without her is going to stink.

Before we headed out to the show, we had reservations at the Russian Tea Room. I had only a vague idea of what I was in for.

It was pretty, surrounded by the holiday lights still up in the city.

Right outside was a door with gryphons on it, which Kyriel noticed immediately. Since I had my camera out, she asked me to take a photo for her. Shortly after, the nerds amongst us who have read/seen Harry Potter were amused by the "gryphon door." Ha ha ha... * sigh * :}

Some folks arranged to have a caviar tasting. Kyriel and I refrained in order to save money, but it sure looked pretty!

Our meals were so delicious! I was impressed with the service up until dessert, when they started getting orders confused. :} But, they were quick to fix it and it was a delightful nearly three-hour experience. It was the kind of relaxation that I needed after traveling and exploring New York all day.

We hurriedly got into taxis (OMG, I love taxis in NY! They know where they're going! They try to get there fast! I didn't get hit on! They were friendly! There were interactive TVs inside the cabs which would show you how you were getting where you were going, and some taxis had TVs on top!), and moved on to the Gershwin. I would have loved to take a bicycle rickshaw if it hadn't been so cold outside, or even a horse and carriage (wouldn't have been the same without Terinati), but it made me glad that we got in a taxi during our trip. Taxi drivers across the United States have something to learn from how these guys are doing it!

I didn't take pictures inside the theater or in the show, since you're not supposed to. I wish I had taken a photo of the set, though, because it was even more gorgeous (a few extra touches) than the one they show on the website. I was in awe, even sitting in the row furthest back in the theater. The sound, the quality, the acting, the choreography . . . I've never seen anything like Wicked. In fact, I've never seen a show where the visuals could match up to my imagination. This one probably went beyond what I could have pictured taking place in it. And, the story!! YUM! I wonder what Frank Oz (I forget his real name) would have thought of Glinda (based on his wife in real life) being turned into a naive, "blonde" girl, but considering his overall changes to the original book during the time he was working on it, I bet his spirit is out there smiling somewhere.

I woke up early the next morning to get ready to head back. Best continental breakfast (short of waffles you make yourself) I've ever had. NUM! As I watched the sun rise in New York for the first time ever, I felt really fortunate that I had been invited on this trip. There was more I wish I could have done, but given the time alotted, I'm glad that we made the most of our time there.

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This is my weekly follow-up of goals from the January Princess Challenge, as promised, and won't probably be as interesting as the above. :}

Goal #...

1.) Complete the master book of L5R rules and house rules for the RPG I’ve been working on and keep it up to date. (I actually may need to start over because of formatting issues, but we’ll see!) I’m calling it “World of Rokugan,” though the title may change with the new release of the Burning Sands core rules. It’s just a book for Terinati and I so that we can find things easier (and correct editing mishaps, though most of those have been fixed in the new edition! Thanks, AEG! :) )

Rather that one book, it occurs to me that this information may be more valuable in a set of documents that is broken up by topic, some with recurring information where the different things overlap. That would make it more accessible by having the section in the title and having the file be small enough to post on Google Docs. I'm going to talk this over with Terinati to see what he thinks. He always has brilliant suggestions.

2.) Finish composing “We Are One” for the wedding in June so that it can be recorded in the studio.

This one is becoming a top priority as it is very time sensitive and I've been bothered to get it done for the last several months. :/

4.) Get my BA in Psychology with a high GPA (already doing well there!).

I started early reading for my Negotiation and Conflict Resolution course. I'm doing pretty well keeping up with it so far.

11.) Make time for relaxation, even if I don’t think that I have it. A couple hours each evening. I’m too afraid of being lazy, and I need to let that go because otherwise I have regular mental breakdowns, and that just can’t be healthy.

So far, so good!

15.) Get my MUSH really up and running with people and at least one monthly activity to share that will bring the community together. The MUSH is up, really; I’m just scared to show it to anyone right now. :} Because there’s nothing to do in it other than role-play table-top games.

I worked on the character generation area on 01/09/09, creating the @descs in preparation to make it more interesting.

01/10/09 - I updated with the @descs and altered the relevant exit information.

18.) Finish reading the Harry Potter books so that I can be in the loop with my friends who are Harry Potter fans.

Got through Ch. 6 of "Quidditch Through the Ages" this week!

20.) Get outside of my shell and adventure more, saying yes more often to going out with friends to places I’ve never been to before (The November Princess Adventure, going out and getting manicures and pedicures with Anna, and heading to New York for the first time on 01/03 are examples of me heading in this direction already).

Obviously, this blog on NY is an example of success here! Hooray!

23.) Make some time for Terinat’s games, like LOTRO. I think my first step is getting comfortable playing it by myself instead of just jumping in to everyone who’s really been into it all along, know the lore, etc. When I start something new, I need to take my time, read everything, and really get it for myself before I can enjoy it with someone else. Perhaps an hour a week is a decent starting point. (Heehee, I think most people probably set goals to play games less . . . I feel like Mr. Guder, here)

01/10/09 - Installed updates for LOTRO (haven't done this for months, so that's serious progress) while working on homework.

24.) Don’t procrastinate with my school work! Sometimes it’s okay when I need to relax, but I know it’s ultimately better to shoot for doing my work early so that I’m giving a better, more relaxed effort.

Been all on schedule (ahead, actually) so far!

38.) GM Cyberpunk 2020 for Terinati on a weekly basis or so.

Worked on mapping out the next arc this week . . . I think I may be ready to play, but I just want to read through my notes one more time. Perhaps create some handy NPCs.

45.) Always write legibly. Sometimes I allow myself to feel rushed, and then I write a bunch of gibberish . . . which really defeats the purpose of writing. :}

Focused on this more this week. Still needs some polish.

52.) Keep my nails short. It’s a prerequisite for not stumbling on keyboards or issues with guitar playing, but I do let them get wild sometimes, just because I like their wildness. And then I cut myself on them. :} I’m too clumsy for long nails! :}

01/11/09 - cut down my fingernails as short as they'll go.

53.) Be more green. I’ve worked hard on this in the past year, both at work and at home, but I can do more, and it’ll help with reducing clutter. (lol, I’ll defy gravity!)

01/11/09 - We started using method's squeaky green dryer cloths. Did you know that drier sheets are sometimes made with animal fat?

57.) I will look up words that I don’t know so long as I have access to some sort of dictionary. I don’t anticipate remembering them all, but I’m not satisfied with using context all of the time anymore. I’ve already learned that doing a word a day doesn’t help me.

01/10/09 - found 'ephemeral' in "A Way of Being" by Carl Rogers. According to dictionary.com, it means: lasting a very short time; short-lived; transitory: the ephemeral joys of childhood.

Then, in the same section, 'gadfly,' which dictionary.com says is: a person who persistently annoys or provokes others with criticism, schemes, ideas, demands, requests, etc.

Aboveboard: in open sight; without tricks, concealment, or disguise: Their actions are open and aboveboard.

Laymen: a person who is not a member of a given profession, as law or medicine.

Incipient: beginning to exist or appear; in an initial stage: an incipient cold.

Denigrate: to speak damagingly of; criticize in a derogatory manner; sully; defame: to denigrate someone's character.

Congenial: agreeable, suitable, or pleasing in nature or character: congenial surroundings.

Lackadaisically: without interest, vigor, or determination; listless; lethargic: a lackadaisical attempt.

62.) Check this list once a week and,

63.) Make a regular, non-spammy blog.

So far, so good? I cut down this blog and reduced what I was planning on saying, and I'm still happy with it.

81.) I will not rush myself or allow others to pressure me into rushing. I need to slow down and think things through.

It was hard this week because people have started getting busy, which makes them stressed, and then they panic. However, I stopped myself several times during the week and managed to slow myself down and do things right, so I think I did pretty well. It's certainly not ingrained, though.

101.) I will stay faithful to these many goals in the years ahead until my time ticks out!

I put this list into Google Docs so that I can access it and write notes down for myself from anywhere there is internet.

I don't think of any of the goals as complete this week, but I'm pretty happy with my progress! Gotta keep it up, though! Off I go! :)

January Princess Challenge

It’s time for my January Princess Challenge results! This month’s challenge was to set clear goals.

First, let me say that the blog I posted on New Year’s was a perfect example of how I don’t like fleshing out goals. I love writing lists, organizing (you wouldn’t know it from my apartment; it’s more of a list/spreadsheet fix), and preparing. However, I’ve found that goal-setting is like punishing myself. I have too many goals, too little time, and very high standards, which often starts out well and ends in a day of stress and tears after which I step back from the goals entirely (then repeat). The way I handle my goals is almost like doing crunches until you puke. I see myself doing it, but it’s hard to stop.

Part of my problem is that I want (or have) to complete goals quickly. School won’t wait for me, and life is short. However, I think it’s high time that I learn to set proper, realistic goals. Before I got back into college last year, I had been really getting on myself for never finishing anything. I need to stop turning things I love into work and figure out what’s really important to me.

The first step is giving myself more time, so the 101 in 1001 goal-setting system that I saw linked from the Princess Portal looked perfect! Still scared of it, but as they say, 1001 days is a decent amount of time, not my usual (finish in one day or one week), so I think that will help with the problem of being overwhelmed. If I check my progress on a weekly basis, maybe I can actually have a normal, organized blog because I’ll have something to talk about! And, the count down will start from the day I post this as a widget to the side there (because, ha ha, I need more of them ;) I do love my widgets!). And, I’m going to be brave and write down my goals here because I think that will help me to complete them. I highlighted the gist of each one for convenience.

Here I go!

1.) Complete the master book of L5R rules and house rules for the RPG I’ve been working on and keep it up to date. (I actually may need to start over because of formatting issues, but we’ll see!) I’m calling it “World of Rokugan,” though the title may change with the new release of the Burning Sands core rules. It’s just a book for Terinati and I so that we can find things easier (and correct editing mishaps, though most of those have been fixed in the new edition! Thanks, AEG! :) )

2.) Finish composing “We Are One” for the wedding in June so that it can be recorded in the studio.

Progress in January!

Done!

3.) Work toward recording my other songs (this will start with getting decent recording equipment in my home).

4.) Get my BA in Psychology with a high GPA (already doing well there!).

5.) Focus on communicating better through study of etiquette, psychology, and linguistics.

Completed Negotiation and Conflict course book and took skills from there in February.

6.) Learn Japanese (I don’t anticipate being fluent without living in the country, but I’d like to be able to get the gist of things, especially for reading and writing!).

7.) Get rid of the stuff in the apartment I no longer want! It’s time to remove the clutter and be who I really am. Time to let go!

Old clothes donated.

8.) Get down to 115 – 120 pounds (won’t be sure until I see how it looks on me; I don’t want to get too skinny!).

Done!

9.) Find as much stuff to unlock in Wii Fit and My Fitness Coach as possible (I’ll warn of any spoilers when I post about this in the future, because I really don’t like having things spoiled for me).

My Fitness Coach: bronze membership.

Wii Fit unlocks and perfect scores, unlocked 10 reps of single arm stand and 10 reps of push up and side.

10.) Exercise regularly. I don’t like scheduling it on M, W, F or anything like that, but as long as I do it 3 or more times a week, I think that’s good. Monotony of using the same days every week makes me just plain not want to do it (one of the problems I have with My Fitness Coach).

Schedule set-up.

Done!

11.) Make time for relaxation, even if I don’t think that I have it. A couple hours each evening. I’m too afraid of being lazy, and I need to let that go because otherwise I have regular mental breakdowns, and that just can’t be healthy.

Home spa.

12.) Create one piece of artwork a month.

13.) Learn to draw people to my liking. I don’t care what you think. ;)

14.) Learn to draw cats. This is Kitty Island, after all! ( I mean other than Doodle Kitty, who I will love and cherish forever)

15.) Get my MUSH really up and running with people and at least one monthly activity to share that will bring the community together. The MUSH is up, really; I’m just scared to show it to anyone right now. :} Because there’s nothing to do in it other than role-play table-top games.

3 Character Generation Rooms updated by 01/11/09.

Problems with the computer.

16.) Find a home for Terinati, Stardust, Tatsu and I, where we can have pomegranate trees. YUM . . . =^--^= Oh, and where the kitties can have bird feeders to entertain them all day long!

17.) Try our hands at a webcomic (no regular updates or anything like that, but we’ve had ideas for a while; I think this can count as a “artwork” piece per month, too).

18.) Finish reading the Harry Potter books so that I can be in the loop with my friends who are Harry Potter fans.

Finished Ch. 6 of "Quidditch Through the Ages."

Finished entire book, "Quidditch Through the Ages" by Kennilworthy Whisp.

19.) Catch up on the books that I’ve gotten from loved ones as opposed to only reading for school. Already started on this, but we’ll see if I can keep up!

20.) Get outside of my shell and adventure more, saying yes more often to going out with friends to places I’ve never been to before (The November Princess Adventure, going out and getting manicures and pedicures with Anna, and heading to New York for the first time on 01/03 are examples of me heading in this direction already).

Wicked in NY, Makeover

21.) Change my look to something that I like all of the time. I don’t think I’ll ever change my hair (whenever I think about cutting or dying, I just can’t see that happening), but I want to stop feeling like I’m going outside wearing clothes that embarrasses me. I want to wear something that I think speaks for how I feel about myself and the world around me. More feminine, less uptight, and yet still respectable! Or silly. I think I need some of both. J This ties into the goal of getting rid of clutter (#7).

22.) Find a way to make keeping the apartment clean practical. I’ve read books, tried schedules, but nothing has been practical thus far. Impacted by the fact that Terinati’s work schedule and my college schedule rotate. I still believe there must be a way, however! May have to settle for less-than-perfect solutions, but it will be GREEN, to be sure.

23.) Make some time for Terinat’s games, like LOTRO. I think my first step is getting comfortable playing it by myself instead of just jumping in to everyone who’s really been into it all along, know the lore, etc. When I start something new, I need to take my time, read everything, and really get it for myself before I can enjoy it with someone else. Perhaps an hour a week is a decent starting point. (Heehee, I think most people probably set goals to play games less . . . I feel like Mr. Guder, here)

Installed updates to LOTRO, created a hunter, reached level 10,

24.) Don’t procrastinate with my school work! Sometimes it’s okay when I need to relax, but I know it’s ultimately better to shoot for doing my work early so that I’m giving a better, more relaxed effort.

Week 1 of Negotiation & Conflict good so far.

Done!

Did well through my whole course of Negotiation and Conflict Resolution.

25.) Catch up with my webcomics! I lost many bookmarks through the various computer changes I’ve had, and now that I like using RSS feeds, trying to keep up on webcomics no longer requires as much work on my part. Huzzah! Therefore, I can now be a dedicated fan again, but I need to catch up on my strips first. :}

26.) Take more time to listen to myself, silently. This is hard for me, sometimes. I think if I take five minutes a week, that’s pretty good.

Thought about who I am and possibilities for different biological tests.

27.) Continue to work on not taking the negativity of others personally; it’s usually not even about me. Focus on being who I am and doing what I believe is right without participating in the negativity.

Handled co-workers trying to throw me under the bus with grace.

28.) Get a new phone. Ours has done its job well since we moved in to our new place, but the voicemails get garbled and it’s been difficult to manage our calls well on it (not that we get many). Yep, I believe in having a land line!

29.) Learn to make more dishes! Perhaps one a week, because more than that is insane. It’s tedious trying out new dishes, but I’ve discovered many recipes this way.

30.) Make a better system for randomly trying new dishes. Oo! Excel Spreadsheet!

Done!

31.) Spend more time caring for Stardust and Tatsu. I need to figure out a less time-consuming routine, though we definitely do our best with them.

Grooming and washing!

32.) Learn to wear makeup. I don’t like wearing makeup most of the time (I really enjoy natural beauty, and I just don’t buy that it is healthy to wear it), but sometimes it’s desired and I want to do better with that.

Don't wear too much foundation,

33.) Stock makeup that I like and works for me.

Powdered foundation, blush, and a powder brush.

34.) Learn to knit, loom, or some kind of activity that involves craftiness and thread. There’s something therapeutic about doing it, and I really do want to make things like that.

35.) Start having regular Girls’ Night Outs with my local friends. We all need to chill out from time to time.

36.) Update my L5R core spreadsheet for characters and skills (I’ve only been updating my personal spreadsheet; shame on me.).

37.) Get my ID updated for what my married name will be. EE!

02/28/09 - COMPLETED! :)

38.) GM Cyberpunk 2020 for Terinati on a weekly basis or so.

Set up maps on Google Earth. GM'd the beginning of the next arc.

39.) Update my Netflix List more regularly. Sometimes I forget about it. Not a big goal, but there is an agenda behind it. :)

Checking for updates,

40.) Research fixing my eye. My right eye has been watering heavily since I was 13 years old. It’s horrible, because really, I can’t wear most makeup on the right side of my face (or sparkles), I have to constantly have tissues with me (and they have to be lotioned, or I bruise), and it’s frustrating because some people act like it’s a disease that they’ll catch and are really grossed out by it. Of course, that’s not to mention all the people who think I’m crying (sometimes finding delight in it) when I’m not. I kind of find it interesting, personally, as I am always half-“crying”. It is like a natural statement about my feelings regarding life. However, if there’s a safe way to fix it that doesn’t involve needles going into my eye or glass being inserted in my face (real recommendations I’ve had before), then we’ll see!

41.) Get a working ATM card. My current card doesn’t have a working pin (it’s the company; recurring issue for over two years), and I’m getting sick of not having cash on me because the bank is too far away and then feeling like a bum when I’m in a cash-only place and have to mooch off of my friends. Yuck. :/

Finally done! :D

42.) I want to create a record of my recipes. I already downloaded a free online application to use, but I’m pretty bad at entering anything into it. Shame on me.

43.) Practice guitar and piano regularly. I don’t have much time for this, but if I set a weekly goal, I think that should be reasonable. Maybe. :}

44.) Get or make a stationary and use it.

45.) Always write legibly. Sometimes I allow myself to feel rushed, and then I write a bunch of gibberish . . . which really defeats the purpose of writing. :}

February, feel like I'm always conscious of this...

46.) Talk less and listen more (inspired by Princess Skye’s New Year’s resolutions for this one). Going to use some techniques I learned in my Interpersonal Communication course here! I can do it!

Making progress and learning things about people. :)

47.) Believe in what I am, and what my accomplishments make me. Sometimes, I find it hard to think things like, “I’m a musician,” when I compose music and can play some pieces pretty well, all because I’m not as good as I’d like to be. But, that’s not fair to me and how hard I’ve worked for certain things. That would be like an Olympics medalist denying the title they’re given because they don’t think they deserve it. There is a time to be humble, certainly, but there is also a time for self-acknowledgement and rewarding the self for a job well done!

48.) Look into selling products (baked goods and such) and what licenses I need to get and what-have-you.

49.) Do romantic things for Terinati more often. <3>laptop! Remote note-taking for class and good temporary storage unit for our poor, out-dated camera. This is a must for Japan!

50.) Get a laptop! Remote note-taking for class and good temporary storage unit for our poor, out-dated camera. This is a must for Japan!

Done!

51.) Do a better job keeping in touch with people (family and friends alike).

52.) Keep my nails short. It’s a prerequisite for not stumbling on keyboards or issues with guitar playing, but I do let them get wild sometimes, just because I like their wildness. And then I cut myself on them. :} I’m too clumsy for long nails! :}

Cut off my nails 01/11/09.

53.) Be more green. I’ve worked hard on this in the past year, both at work and at home, but I can do more, and it’ll help with reducing clutter. (lol, I’ll defy gravity!)

method's squeaky green dryer cloths, used less paper at work, recycled toothbrush,

54.) Visit my dad for the holidays. I haven’t been back there for over six years! :( Sorry, Dadoo.

55.) Handle stuff that I left behind in the old house.

56.) Manage Hoshi’s experience points better (my character in L5R). I’m learning how my old techniques are leading to a jack of all trades master of none situation, and I just need to make sacrifices in some areas that aren’t as much in tune with her character and not be afraid to go with the other ones.

Saving up for Traits in February.

57.) I will look up words that I don’t know so long as I have access to some sort of dictionary. I don’t anticipate remembering them all, but I’m not satisfied with using context all of the time anymore. I’ve already learned that doing a word a day doesn’t help me.

Thanks, Carl Rogers!, 8 words, 20 words, 30 words, done!

58.) Do more logic puzzles or hemi-sync exercises to work out my brain. Just as important as the body!

January logic puzzles,

59.) Get more hemi-sync to study to on my “lunch” breaks. Need variety!

60.) Will stop and think more often rather than feeling rushed.

Saved me from making a horrible mistake in February in my class!

61.) I will work on my etiquette. I purchased a book a long time ago, but I kept on feeling discouraged, so I never even got through it. Ick?

62.) Check this list once a week and,

Week 1

63.) Make a regular, non-spammy blog.

01/11/09

64.) Convince Kyriel to finish writing a book/movie script, even if it’s a frightening children’s book. Friend support, FTW!!1! C’mon, Roller Joust!

65.) Convince Terinati to write a book, or at least publish the frightening children’s book we did together for one of his high school projects: “Everybody Dies.”

66.) Keep up with Illuminique’s art work! She’s got some kind of style! :) I love it!! Make a website, darn it!

67.) I want to experiment more with cooking. Make my own recipes!

68.) I will work with Rainshine on making the mix CD!

Established goals.

69.) I will get a sufficiently large, me purse so that I no longer nest bags within bags. :}

70.) I will continue to give back, even if I’m no longer able to do so through TOPs for whatever reason.

Donated clothes, give back more than we realized! Done!

71.) They say that meeting our goals is a reward unto itself. However, I also know that positive reinforcement is important for our relationships with ourselves because we tend to be harder on ourselves than anyone else could ever be. In order to stop the “I suck” voice, I will implement a reward system for completing my goals (the small ones on the path to larger ones and the larger ones).

Charm bracelet? Definitely getting a charm necklace and a 2009 charm!

72.) Find prettier ways to package my baked goods that won’t compromise their integrity.

73.) Find out what’s wrong with my right ear. No doctor’s ever find anything, but I suspect it’s something deeper, perhaps connected to my eye issue. It has constantly felt slightly clogged since I was about 9 years old, and for the first several years the doctors told me repeatedly I had an ear infection and I was on antibiotics, but the “infection” never went away. It doesn’t hurt, so I don’t know what it is. It’s just constantly uncomfortable and makes me want to pop my ears all the time, which usually just leads to further discomfort.

74.) Learn more about L5R CCG.

75.) Win a game of L5R CCG against Terinati. (I’m really bad at these types of card games, mostly from lack of experience I think)

76.) Check Soft Paws on Tatsu and Stardust daily, even if I can’t get to the other stuff (goal #31).

I've been SO on it! Valentine's Day colors for Stardust, tuxedo colors for Tatsu.

77.) Get up to date with cleaning up the L5R logs of our game play.

78.) Make my work environment appear more respectful. There is too much stuff on my desk, and not enough organization.

79.) Make my work environment reflect me more.

80.) Try to scream less at scary parts of video games. :} I tend to get too involved with the characters, methinks.

Not the expected ending, but done!

81.) I will not rush myself or allow others to pressure me into rushing. I need to slow down and think things through.

82.) Find a bikini to wear on the honeymoon that makes me happy and doesn’t offend other people. :} I’ve never really had one (I’ve had two-piece swimsuits, but they weren’t the same), and it’s one of those things I need to do to really claim acceptance of my appearance.

83.) Fast more. It’s good for you, when done properly.

In February, started every-other-day gradual food reduction with the ultimate goal of alternate-day fasting.

I am an alternate-day faster!

84.) Save more money. We still have lives to try and live and save up for after the wedding, too (that house won’t buy itself! Goal #16).

85.) Stop creating clutter as much (which, in turn, will result in less cleaning).

86.) Keep better records of my routine appointments so that I can be on time each year and get the preventative care I need.

87.) Get a stainless steel water bottle. None of the woes of plastic use, but still keeping hydrated!

COMPLETED! Got a blue, stainless steel water bottle.

88.) I will stop multi-tasking when doing something I know takes concentration because I feel the need to get as much done as possible (this includes spacing out at inappropriate times :} ).

89.) Collecting things, such as thoughts, ideas, or symbols, which motivate and inspire me, reminding me of what really matters to me and who I am. I think it’s important to be myself inside and out, and that’s part of it.

90.) Stop saying ignorant things out of habit like “that’s so gay” or “that’s so retarded” that I just picked up while growing up and don’t really mean that way. :p

91.) Get rid of subconscious undermining thoughts (usually dealing with my memory). I can accomplish more than I’ve trained myself to believe in the past.

Testing; Zicam or Dream Recall seems to be increasing my joy and decreasing these undermining thoughts. Or, perhaps, increased sleep from being sick. Going to explore this.

92.) Make solid goals with Terinati to work through conflict resolution better in the future (a process that we’re constantly doing better, but I’d like to clear out really old communication problems that are still lingering).

February - success with getting Terinati's groom outfit chosen! We can do ANYTHING! ;)

93.) Be more aware of power distribution in relationships and the perceptions of those power distributions (including my own).

Requires conscious effort, but making progress (February).

94.) I will keep up with the real world news at least once a week.

95.) Monitor my work goals with the weekly dedication I intend to give to these goals.

96.) I will make more personal phone calls. Usually, I allow Terinati to handle this part of our affairs (it’s a good way to make sure that he approves of the decisions I make and include him in things), but I know he doesn’t like doing it all the time. So, I’m going to prove to him (and myself) that I am capable of handling phone calls with vendors to relieve stress on his part and improve my sense of security with talking to others. This probably seems minor to a lot of people, but a decade ago I was scared to talk to anyone, and even considered hiding the first time I met Terinati in person. :} To be fair to myself, though, I have no problem handling at work (most of the time).

97.) I will acquire better cooking implements or implements we don’t have to improve what I can do for our little family.

98.) I will learn more about herbalism.

99.) I will learn more about making soap.

100.) I will learn more about candle making.

101.) I will stay faithful to these many goals in the years ahead until my time ticks out!

Using Google Docs to track

Wow. I’m not going into this with a lot of confidence. As I meet goals and blog about them, I will link back to here and also add links to this blog so that if someone finds it later for some odd reason, they can see if it worked out for me or not. :} haha.

Wish me luck! This Princess has quite the quest log!

My 2009 Outlook

Normally, I don't do this. I don't blog for the new year, never thought of it as an important holiday, and no one in my family really passed on any feelings of significance about it. But, this year really is different for me, and I can't stop thinking about how much everything has changed for me in the last year.

I'm actually a little sad 2008 is over, which is not at all how it started. I don't want to go back, but it's one of those situations like when you finish reading a good story and you don't really want it to stop even though you know that it's really better that it does. I started off unsure of myself, stressed out with people stuff, cat stuff, school stuff, work stuff and all of the insane changes happening in my life. I was worried and scared of changes because change had been a little hard on me for the last several years or so. :} I was starting school, getting things organized for the wedding, working full time, and still trying to work with Tatsu to make the necessary compromises so that we could all live happily together.

But, things have been really great! I've gotten all A's throughout the year! I didn't think I could do that, so it's great to be like, "Hey! I did better than I thought I would!" Tatsu really feels like part of the family now and I love that little meow-box. ;) Work is hard for me because I just see myself doing so much more with my life, but not what . . . However, instead of hating myself for that and worrying that other people will hate me for it, I've come to accept that part of myself as a good thing. It isn't really wrong to be disappointed with something I'm doing because I yearn to be doing something bigger than that. That being said, I'm grateful for my work and grateful that much of the drama that existed before with my job has moved on (there's still drama, though, to be sure).

I could go on and on with specific examples that would probably be of no interest to the few people who read this, but in the end it all sums up as me feeling like I climbed a mountain and am looking down now and going, "Wow. I climbed all that. And hey, the view here isn't bad either!" * smile *

But, the climb isn't done, and in 2009 the actual wedding will happen, there will be more school and work, and I'm looking forward to the adventures. The main difference is my new bring-it-on attitude. Even though I'm still scared and, like when I go to the doctor to get a shot, don't look forward to the little pains that are so crucial to my growth process, I feel ready to face them. I believe in positive conflict. I believe that I will continue to get better. And, I finally feel liberated from worrying about the perceptions others have of me.

I think, for some time, I've burdened people with my intense desire to be understood, to be heard. I think everyone needs to be truly heard. Man, Carl Rogers took the thoughts right out of my head and put them so eloquently. But, it's not fair to expect people to understand me all of the time. It's unrealistic for me to hope that everyone will get me, especially when I've gone through some pretty unusual stuff that has shaped me in unique ways. I try really hard to hear others, but even I'm distracted with my internal dialogue, stress, or just thinking about that person. It's not something not worth wanting, but I think loosening my grip for fear of being lost myself has really allowed me to breathe more freely. I have faith that the ones who matter will get the gist of it and I can't force anyone else to know me for who I really am (or at least, how I perceive myself). Consequently, the bad things that people have said about me or to me or may think is no longer a burden for myself to carry, and I leave it for them. I have my own misconceptions to work on clearing up, because I don't know everyone else either.

So, for the first time ever, I have resolutions for the following year. Really, they're for the rest of my life, but I'm feeling the tradition here so it seemed appropriate to post about it today. I'm a bit overambitious, so posting everything in detail would be lengthy and boring, so here are the general ideas of what I'm working on internally this year (the external list is even longer). And yes, I do realize my cut-down version is still pretty long. :} Sorry!

1.) Keep up my exercise/nutrition schedule - get all the secret stuff in Wii Fit and My Fitness Coach.

2.) Be more open to adventure, which means making time for adventure and not getting sucked into constantly working because I'm too scared of consequences. I'm only going to die someday anyhow. If I don't do it, I'll just regret not knowing as opposed to only the possibility of regretting trying.

3.) Working on my communication skills. I've learned a lot in the last year, and I know it sounds very mechanical saying it like that, but I do need to work on both the mechanics of how I speak (English has always been hard for me, even though it's my first language), and on having a varying way of speaking so that I can be sensitive to others in a variety of situations or people. I'm used to going with my inspiration and just allowing myself to say how I really feel and think, but there's a time and place for meowing and crazy talk, and I fall apart everywhere else. Even after I type up a blog I can tear it apart for mistakes or think of ways I could have phrased things better for days.

4.) Making more time for the things I'm scared of: my music, my artwork, and relaxing. Oh, and video games! Maybe... after the wedding. :}

5.) Changing my look! I actually started this shortly after I came upon the Princess Portal. I have been scared of fashion and clothes my entire life. I didn't used to be allowed to pick what I wore for me (that's a whole other story), and then when I finally was, I kept on worrying about what everyone would think. It's really easy when someone picks your clothes out for you because you can defer responsibility if someone else doesn't like it. This goes back to the whole being comfortable with me/being heard deal. I'm doing it, though! Already have a box of clothes to donate/toss out (some of it's pretty worn), and I'm going to shop, baby! Hey, after losing 60 pounds over the last 5 years, I deserve it! It sounds like an external change, but it's really a reflection of my internal perception of myself.

There's more, like I said, but I think those are the first and foremost on my mind. At any rate, I'm really thankful for everything, for everyone, so much that I can't think of any concise list of gratitude that I could place here. Even the people who have tried to hurt and slight me have resulted in inner growth and the removal of toxic things from my life, so I'm happy there, too! But, I think I would be remiss not thanking Stardust, Terinati, and Kyriel. Their support and acceptance in 2008 has really helped me to allow myself to be me. I definitely wouldn't be feeling the way I do now if it weren't for them. I really hope that, in turn, their goodness has come through me and been passed on in some constructive way.

Alright, enough of that! Happy New Year, everyone!