I became a member of 43things in early 2007. When I first joined, I sometimes just added goals because I thought they sounded interesting or funny, even if they were vague or took the place of other goals that were more important to me. I didn’t want to get rid of them because I felt like I was quitting. I did end up getting rid of a few of the goals, but I think it’s time for me to really reexamine my goals again. Another problem afoot is that there are several goals that I have done nothing to work towards. That’s partly because I do not have a reliable mode of transportation, money, or much time and so I am sort of stuck right now… BUT I am working to get myself out of this mess and when I do that, then I’ll be able to get the ball moving on many of my goals!

Without further ado (and yes that was a lot of ado) I am going to re-examine my goals and figure out a concrete plan for completing each one! I will detail:
A. Whether I still want to do the goal
B. What I need to do to complete the goal (what would a concrete end to this goal look like)
and C. What steps, if any, I can take to complete the goal right now

1. See Lucky again, let him know how much I love him ALWAYS and possibly take him home with me….

A. Yes, definitely. I know that I cannot take Lucky home with me at this point, but I still want to see him one last time.

B.In order to visit Lucky again, I need to go back to Thailand. It’s been about 6 years, so lucky is older but he’s probably still alive. He was about 1 when I left. I have a short time frame in which to do this. I would say a few more years.

C. If I am able to go to Japan via the JET Program, then I will easily be able to visit Lucky and the monk in Thailand during a holiday break. If not, then I will save some money while I am doing Teach for America and go visit him during a break if I can.

2. be an adventurer and explorer.

A. Yes, Definitely!

B. I need to get a job that will allow me to travel all over the world—perhaps with National Geographic or some other sort of organization that funds people to work/help people/study in other countries all around the world… especially uncharted places. That is my hope, to get a job as an adventurer and explorer. But if that is not plausible, then I need to get a job that will allow me to travel extensively in my free time and be an explorer on my own. I could make my own Youtube videos about my travels, write, and use my gained knowledge to advocate for people/animals/the enviroment.

C. I need to research adventure/environment based organizations as well as international relief and development organizations. I also want to look into careers that will allow me to travel—aside from ESL teaching.

3. Visit every country in the world

A. Yes! But this is very similar to “backpack around the world,” so I need to decide if I want both of them on my list or just one of them.

B. I need to go to every country in the world. I need to be strategic about visiting all or as many of the countries in a region as I can. BUT I want to enjoy the countries that I go to, so this is more to motivate me to travel to new and distant places (not that I really need such motivation!). I probably won’t visit every country in the world, if at all, until I am very old. However, this is something that I want to try to do. Hopefully North Korea will be more accessible by then and less oppressive.

4. Work for National Geographic

A. Maybe, mostly I want a career that will allow me to go on Adventures, learn, help people, and use my creativity. I think working for National Geographic will allow me to do that, but I don’t know how feasible it will be for me to get a job with them… at least a non-office job. I need to extend my search.

B. and C. Get a lot of experience “in the field” (which I’m not sure how to do without a job in the field… I guess I could volunteer), practice writing, make my own nature documentaries, and write about my travels. And apply, of course.

5. stop procrastinating

A. Yes

B. I need to make it a habit to do “first things first.” I need to find that I have no more (or very few) things I put off until later. I want to find that I get things done ahead of time as often as possible so that I am not rushing to get things done in the final seconds. My work quality will improve and I’ll get MORE done as well.

C. I need to make incremental changes (ala The No Meat Athlete’s advice) and slowly complete the HUGE pile of stuff that I’ve been putting off for years. As I am working to complete the HUGE pile of stuff, I need to make sure to do any new things that pop up as quickly as possible so that they don’t add to the pile!

6. Create Youtube Videos that I can be proud of. I want them to be documentations of my life and to grow with me as I grow. I want them to be profound and silly and mine.

A. Yes!

B. I will have created a Youtube channel that I can be proud of. I’ll be able to look at each video as a little work of art. Now I am in the experimental phase and I want to get to a place where my videos are still experiments, but mostly successful experiments! I want to work with other artists and I want us to help each other grow.

C. I just need to keep making videos! I want to save up to buy a my own computer and better camera eventually, but I am saving for other more important things right now (like food and graduate school), so I am content with the camera that I have. I am the sort of person who never gets rid of something until it’s broken… REALLY broken. I try to buy used electronics so that there is not more waste in the world. Another reason that I try to only buy used electronics is so that I do not contribute to companies that use conflict minerals (minerals mined for by slaves/people in terrible conditions). All the companies that I know of use conflict minerals, but some (such as intel and HP) are trying to reduce their use of conflict minerals.

I don’t really need new equiptment to make good videos. Mostly I need to try different camera angles, different editing techniques, and I need to remember to write my scripts ahead of time so that I can edit my videos easier.

7. Learn to play the guitar

A. Yes!

B. I will know that I can play guitar when I can pick up the instrument and feel confident enough to play a number of songs in front of other people, write my own songs, and play a song by hearing it or reading the chords/music notation for it.

C. I need to make practicing the guitar everyday one of my monthly goals, that way I’ll practice everyday and get into the habit of practicing everyday. When I do that, I’ll need to get a self-teaching guitar book (such as Guitar for Dummies) from the library. If I can afford it, I’d like to get a guitar teacher.

8. Learn to surf

A. Yes

B. If I can stand up on the board in the water and ride a wave, then I will feel confident that I can do this! I just need to rent a board and either teach myself or find a friend who can teach me.

C. I cannot do much right now directly to learn how to surf, but I can continue to take hikes in the woods which will help build up my strength! I can look up the cost of surf board rentals and surf instructors… I can also facebook stalk my friends in order to figure out who surfs and who might be willing to teach me!

9. become a certified scuba diver

A. Yes

B. I need to pass the certification test. There is a certification test at the university camp that I worked for. It was about $300 to rent equipment, train, get certified and go on two dives. That’s a really good deal.

C. I cannot afford the $300 right now, and this is not my primary goal right now, so I will just make a mental note to do this when things are more settled. I should also look into the cost in New York and Japan (places where I might move to soon).

10. live in iceland

A. Maybe. I definitely want to visit Iceland, but I am not sure that I want to live there.

B. Because Iceland is not connected to mainland Europe (and not close to mainland Europe like the UK or Ireland), I would probably complete this goal at a different time than my “backpack through Europe” goal. It’s probably not that expensive to fly from New York to Iceland, so maybe I can take a vacation there after I have some money saved. If I become a diplomat or choose another job that requires me to travel, maybe I can choose to live in Iceland for a while.

C. I can look for jobs in Iceland, maybe I’ll find something I would like! It certainly couldn’t hurt to look. Maybe there’s a really great scholarship to study in Iceland! I will look into that.

11. Visit Svalbard

A. Yes!

B. I would mostly likely do this whenever I visit Europe as a whole. I would have to find out how to get to Svalbard. I would likely need to go to Norway and then take a ferry or something like that to Svalbard. There’s probably a few companies that do tours. I am generally not a big fan of tours, but regarding Svalbard, a tour might be a good idea. And I like the cold, but I should do this in the spring or summer so that my Floridian bones don’t turn into popsicles. Oh! Maybe I’ll be able to see the Aurora Borealis while I’m there! I would need to act out a scene from The Golden Compass/ The Northern Lights (His Dark Materials trilogy) by Phiilip Pullman while I’m there, so I need to bring a friend who would be willing to act like a fighting/talking Polar Bear…

C. I can search for how one gets from mainland Europe to Svalbard and how much it costs. I am realizing, as I go through my list, that many of my goals are related to Europe or otherwise related to countries that I am not currently in. I guess I really want to travel, but I think I need to add some goals that I can accomplish now or at least work towards now. That way, all of my goals won’t be “someday” goals! I need some “today” goals too.

12. Study wildlife whilst exploring the Rainforest

A. Yes, but I might need to reword this a little or merge this with another goal. I remember struggling to find the words to explain what I meant. This kind of ties in with my desire to be an adventurer/explorer and my desire to work for National Geographic. I want to visit the Rainforest, but I don’t just want to visit… I want to do some sort of work there. This is a vague goal and I need to flesh it out by doing some research.

B. I want to work with animals in the rainforest or do something to help advocate for the rainforest. I will look up programs and jobs that will allow me to work in the rainforest. Perhaps I can get an internship during graduate school or do a volunteer program there.

C. I need to research, research, research HOW I can go about doing this, make a list, and explore the steps that I need to take to get a job/volunteer position/ or internship in the rainforest. Either that or I need to be content with just visiting… but I won’t give up on being able to work or study there yet!

13. stop human trafficking

A. Yes! I have been contemplating changing this goal from “stop human trafficking” to “work to end human trafficking,” just because “stop human trafficking” sounds like I participate in human trafficking and thus my goal is to stop trafficking humans. I want to assure the world that I do not directly participate in human trafficking. BUT, many of us help facilitate human trafficking and slavery via the items that we buy and the legislation that we vote for, so it’s imperative to be more aware about human slavery and what we can do to help stop end it. So maybe “stop human trafficking” IS appropriate. I also want to add a component about slavery, because slavery is still a very real issue and, in many cases, it’s directly related to human trafficking.

B. I would like to work or volunteer for an organization that helps end human trafficking and slavery. I was thinking that this might be a goal that I only check off once human trafficking has ended and is only a memory for the history books, but I might check this off once I begin volunteering (or working) for a anti-human trafficking/slavery group. Or I might make two separate goals: one for the lofty dream that I can help put an end to human trafficking for good (a “reach” goal, if you will) and one for the more realistic dream that I can make a difference for a few people by volunteering for an anti-human trafficking group, supporting legislation that helps people who are being trafficked and victims of human trafficking, and always being conscious about buying things from companies who use slave labor or are known/suspected of human trafficking.

C. I contacted a anti-human trafficking group in my state, but they no longer have a chapter in my city. I will have to find groups in New York or Japan (wherever I end up going) and volunteer with them. Until then, I will continue to support and advocate for legislation that helps end human trafficking and continue to try to find out which companies do not use slave labor. I might make an entire goal dedicated to only buying from companies that do not exploit or abuse any people or animals—-meaning they are paid a fair wage (enough to live on in their country), have safe working conditions, and can leave any time that they please (they aren’t bound by unfair contracts that keep generations of people indebted OR forced to work for fear of losing their lives/limbs/loved ones). I only buy clothes from companies that I know don’t exploit people OR I buy second hand and I try my best to buy ALL things from companies that treat their employees well or second hand. Companies that exploit people aren’t going to make it known that they exploit people and I haven’t been able to find a database of this information, so this can be difficult. What I do know is that there are countries that have strict labor laws, and so if an item is made in countries that have strict labor laws, it is less likely that the employees who made that product have been abused.

If anyone knows of any list(s) of companies that only use fair trade, then please let me know!

14. respond to new emails, messages, and letters promptly and finally write the letters to Thailand (especially the monk and the man from the post office)

A. Yes

B. This connects to my “stop procrastinating” goal. I have actually been pretty good about responding to e-mails, messages, and letters promptly. However, I still need to write letters to Thailand! The more I put it off, the harder it gets and the more ashamed I am that it’s taken me so long. Thus, I think I can check off this goal once I write and send those letters

C. I need to set a date to write the letters and then do it. If I set a date, then I’m more likely to do it. Tentatively I am going to set the date for 1 February. I might interviews that I have to go to around that time, but that is the date that I am setting for now. That will give me enough time to think about what I want to say.

15. study a martial art

A. Yes

B. Whenever I sign myself up to study martial arts and then attend my first class! I am just not in a good position to make a commitment to this yet. I did karate when I was in Kindergarten and I stopped after a few classes. I don’t want to quit this time! I first need to choose which form of martial art I want to study and research what is available in my area. I also need to save money for this goal. This goal will be relatively time intensive, so I will need to make certain that I am in a position to commit.

C. Whenever I figure out where I will be next year, then I can start researching martial arts centers there. If I end up going to Japan, then I would love to study a traditional Japanese martial art.

16. Read Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows Thai Version

A. Yes! I really want to be able to read Harry Potter in Thai.

B. When I have completed reading the entire book, then this goal will be complete!

C. I need to dedicate myself to reading a certain amount per day or per week. This will take me a LONG time to complete, so I need to be slow and steady.

17. Go to Machu Picchu

A. Definitely yes!

B. I want to go to Machu Picchu… Preferably, I’d like to hike the Inca Trail to get there. I would need to find money to get to Peru. Most of my goals seem to have the same barrier: money. I need to make more goals that don’t require any money at all! Or I need to find a creative way to get to South America. Maybe if I can get a job as a diplomat or do volunteer work in Peru or one of its neighboring countries, then I can do this.

C. I can look up opportunities to work or volunteer in South America, or more specifically, Peru. This is something that I have been doing for ALL countries really…

18. Learn to disarm a bomb

A. Maybe

B. I need to find someone to teach me to how to disarm a bomb or I need to join an organization in which I learn how to disarm a bomb… I doubt that they have classes at the YMCA for this sort of thing. I don’t plan on joining the military (I’m a pacifist), so maybe my best bet is to learn from a book or the internet.

C. I need to research this more. I need to learn the science behind how bombs work and thus how to disarm them. I need to look into which organizations train people to disarm bombs… Besides other obvious benefits, it could be a handy skill to be able to put on resumes if I want to work to help people in countries where it’s good to know how to disarm a bomb…

I checked out a book from a library that teaches one how to disarm a bomb. I am going to read it and if I think I would be able to actually disarm a bomb in real life based on the information in the book, then perhaps I will mark this complete. Maybe I’ll practice on a potato lamp…

19. Learn how to fix a car

A. Probably

B. I need to know how a car works and all the major repairs that can be done to a car. So should I ever find myself with a broken car, I hope that I can Macgyver myself out of the situation! I need to find someone to teach me or I can learn via the almighty internet… Also, minor detail, it would help to actually have a car on which to practice… I could probably find a community college course about automotive repair!

C. Look into community college courses on automotive repair and look for tutorial videos on the internet.

20. backpack through Europe

A. Yes!

B. I want to literally carry a backpack through Europe (as many countries as possible whilst still enjoying myself). I plan to stay in hostiles and with exchange students/friends. I would consider couch surfing, but I would be very picky about who I stay with for safety reasons. I would prefer to go with a friend who has similar interests to me, but there are certainly positives to going alone as well. Once I find my way to Europe, then I know that I can do this. If I have a base city that I am living/working/going to school in, then I can take many trips on the weekends to different countries and then bigger trips on holidays.

C. I am currently trying to earn money for graduate school and I’d like to go to graduate school in the UK, so that would be a foot in the door to being able to complete this goal!

21. Skydive

A. Yes!

B. I need to save money and find a company that does this! A classmate of mine went skydiving and bought a video/photos of his dive for less than $200. That seems like a pretty good deal. I don’t have disposable income at all right now, so it’s too rich for my blood, BUT I think that once I have a more steady income, I’ll be able to do this!

C. I just need to keep doing what I’m doing really, which is saving money. When I start with either TFA or JET, I’ll make sure to put aside a few hundred dollars and to find a Skydiving company in either New York or Japan!

22. See the Aurora Borealis and the Aurora Australis

A. Yes, but I might want to break this goal into two or drop the Australis…

B. The problem with this goal (and many of my goals) is that I cannot check off each part as I complete it, so I don’t get the satisfaction of completing an item on my list. I know that sounds trivial, but it’s a nice motivating factor… not that I need to be motivated to want to see the Auroras! This is another one of my travel goals. Once I’m in Europe, I should be able to see the Borealis and if I can make it down to the southern parts of South America, Australia, or Antarctica, then I might be able to see the Australis.

C. This is another one of my travel goals that I am working on long term already…

23. become a diplomat

A. Maybe, I’m really torn about this one…

B. If I can pass the FSOT, then pass the QEP, then pass the day-long interview, and then pass the extensive background check for my security clearance, THEN I can become a diplomat. I passed the first part and not the second part. Quite frankly, the QEP is opaque…. they don’t tell applicants what they are looking for and it seems fairly subjective. I am confident, however, that I could pass all of the exams and interviews if I try enough. I just need to keep trying. I would probably stand a better chance if I had a graduate school degree too. I am just not certain that I want to be a US diplomat. I just need to try shadowing people in various professions that interest me and really do some thinking about this… maybe make a list of pros and cons.

C. I am working towards getting money for graduate school and I took the FSOT, but mostly I just need to do some thinking about what I want. I wanted this career for so long because it would allow me to travel and help people, but I am not so certain that I would enjoy the everyday work in a consulate. I just need to continue to consider my feelings about this.

24. take over a small country

A. Not really… I mean if given the opportunity I wouldn’t turn it down, but I am not sure that I actively want to pursue this goal. I added this because it seemed like an amusing super-villain/super hero type of goal to have—but the sort of goal that a beginning or unambitious super hero/villain would have. Then later I wrote an entry about how I would like to help change a country and thus “take it over”, which I would still like to do, but again I am not so certain that I want this to be one of my goals. I feel like if I am going to do a big grand action that could get me killed or arrested for treason, that it should be for a cause that I believe in.

B. This is largely open to interpretation. I could be the leader of a country or the supreme overlord… perhaps I could just be a figure who has had a big impact on a country. Also, the term “small” is relative. I mean, relative to China and India the UK is small, but relative to the Republic of Ireland the UK is quite large—at least population wise. And there are countries like Singapore which contain many people, but are small in landmass. Because this goal is so vague and something that I added to amuse myself, I think I might have to put it aside.

C. Try to make this goal less vague in my mind so that I can take steps towards completing it or put this goal aside for now.

25. 100 Pictures of 100 People

A. I don’t know. I tried taking photos of strangers without their permission and it felt a little bit creepy. I could try asking people if I could take their photo, but again that could be kind of creepy. I think this would be more interesting if the zoom on my camera worked too… The only photo that I posted was of someone I know.

B. If I could take 100 photos of 100 people (photos taken specifically to complete this goal and it doesn’t count if they are in the background), then I could complete this, but I might put it aside.

C. The main reason I am thinking of keeping this goal is that it is something that I can do right now. I can go out and take photos of people: all I need is my camera. It’s something that I can do to get out of the house and explore. I might replace this with another goal or just commit to working on the “Take one picture a day as a way to document my life” goal. I might consider keeping this though, just because I love people watching already…

26. Be a nature show documentarian (Like Nigel and Marianne Thornberry)

A. Yes, so much!

B. If I am able to make nature documentaries. I could make them on my Youtube channel, but I would rather work for a group that makes the documentaries as a way to educate people and raise money to protect wildlife. I can make them on my own (and I’ve made a few), but it would be nice to have other people in them with me and to be able to travel far away.

C. I am going to apply to be a guest on a nature/travel show. The host is from my city and he travels all around the US. If I get on the show, then I will get some great experience and learn from someone who really knows his stuff! I am also going to apply to work for Globe Trekker (called Pilot Guides in other countries). Until then, I will work on making more nature documentaries for my Youtube… Maybe I’ll actually make a serious one that isn’t about the Lochness Monster or Little Red Ridding Hood this time…

27. backpack around the world

A. Yes!

B. This is very similar to my “Backpack through Europe” goal, but on a larger scale. I’ll definitely start with Europe first before trying this. I don’t need to actually backpack through every country or all the continents in one go, but it would be wonderful to be able to backpack through each continent one at a time. I could probably tackle some of North Africa and West Asia while I’m doing Europe though…

C. I need to look for a travel buddy. Most of my goals are travel-centric. I obviously love to travel, but it concerns me that I don’t have more “right now” goals. It’s a good thing to have lofty goals, but travel goals are hard to break down into smaller, more attainable partial-goals. And even if I can break down the goals, travel goals always seem to come down to money. I would love to just have a small amount of money and see where the wind takes me, but my family would flip out and I don’t want to worry them. That’s why I like having a “base” in another country. If I have a place that I am living, then my family feels like I’m safe. Still, it’s suffocating a little bit. I do it because I care about them and don’t want them to worry, but I feel like I’m compromising an important part of myself.

28. Create a scrapbook of my exchange year in Thailand

A. Yes!

B. I need to make a strict deadline for this thing… it’s been over 5 years now, I need to complete this! I think my deadline will be June 5th. There we go, now hopefully I work on this. When I complete this, then I will have all my important trinkets and photos and scraps that I can look back on to remember my time in Thailand. But as time marches forward, I am forgetting more and more, so it’s imperative that I finish this soon.

C. I have decided to make a photo collage that I can print all at once and then post in my scrapbook. I am going to compile my favourite photos to print on my special photo-paper. I will do this after I get back from this weekend’s adventure in the middle of nowhere as I mentoring exchange students! How à propos.

29. Leave notes in Library books. Write anonymous, loving post-its for strangers to find. Write notes on sugar packets in restaurants…scribbles of love on mirrors. To leave little secret hidden treasures for people to find unexpectedly.

A. Yes!

B. This is something that I am currently doing a fairly good job of completing. I just want to do it more often than I already am. I have mostly been leaving notes in library books and DVDs, and I’d like to leave more art projects around and perhaps even people watch and leave personalized kind notes for people. I just want this to become a nearly automatic habit.

C. I think that I am doing well on this goal. If I push myself to do this at least once per week, then I think it will become more of a habit for me. I might even try to do this once per day for a month or something like that.

30. finish writing my book

A.Yes!

B. When the story is complete and I am satisfied with the work I’ve created.

C. I mentioned in another post that I am trying to habituation different activities one at a time (one per month). I will soon make this one of my new habits!

31. Take one picture a day as a way to document my life

A. Yes, but originally I wanted to just make this the project 365 goal in which I would take a photo for one year. For some reason I thought I had to start on 1 January, but I can start on any day. It’s hard for me to upload videos on my computer because my computer is quite old and I have a slow internet connection (dial-up). I don’t think I want to do this for the rest of my life, but I definitely want to do this for a year.

B. I need to take a photo everyday for a year and upload the photos to 43things.

C. I will not keep telling myself that I have to start on 1 January. I will start tomorrow and take a photo even if the photo isn’t very interesting.

32. Have a Picnic with Jeremy Bentham’s Auto-Icon

A. So much! Oh so much!

B. I need to get to the UK (his Auto-Icon is stored at University College London), pack a lunch, and sit with Jeremy Bentham’s Auto-Icon. If I am not allowed to eat there, then I will just settle for an imaginary picnic. I would like to invite a friend to do this with me.

33. participate in Zijue’s 43Things Journal World Tour Extravaganza!! :)

A. YES!!

B. When I fill out the journal with artwork and photos of my world and then send it on to the next lovely person on the list, then this will be complete!

C. I just need to wait for the journal to come my way. I think I’m pretty far down the list considering the journal is moving east from the UK and I live in the US. I might move before the journal gets here, so I just need to remember to update Meridia (Zijue) when my address changes so that I can still participate in this goal. I am just worried that by the time I move, the journal might have already passed my new part of the world and it will have to backtrack… But I will cross that bridge when I come to it. I’ve already tole Meridia that I will be moving soon (and I’m not yet sure to where), so that’s all I can do for now.

34. recite a Shakespeare soliloquy in front of lots of people who aren’t expecting it (like in an airport terminal, or in a movie theatre line)

A. Yes!

B. I need to pick a Shakespearean soliloquy to memorize, practice it, and then find a nice place to perform it! To be honest, in my new part-time job I’ve been singing to people in their cars from the side of the road, so I think this will actually be fairly easy for me. I think I might still be nervous, but I know this is something that I can do. Whenever I push myself to do something potentially embarrassing, I almost always feel so much freer! It might help to have a friend around. Maybe my friend can videotape the event for me. Maybe if I enjoy myself then this is something that I will do more than once.

C. First and foremost, I need to find a good Shakespearean soliloquy. I was thinking about choosing Hamlet’s famous monologue (“To be or not to be”) because it’s deep and interesting (I could really sink my teeth into) and many people will know it and thus understand what I’m doing. But there is an advantage to performing a soliloquy that not many people know. I will have to read over some of the best soliloquies and decide.

35. Scholarships, adventures, and what-am-I-going-to-do-when-I-graduate Oh My!

A. Yes!

B. This goal is mostly for me to post my plans for the coming years. I originally created this goal to keep track of all the programs/scholarships that I wanted to apply for and I wanted to mark it complete after I figured out what I would do right after college. I figured that I would apply to a bunch of programs and get one of them. But things didn’t work out as I had planned. Now I find myself in a strange limbo, so I am using this goal to figure out the path of my life. Even after I figure out what I want to do in these next few coming years, I think I want to keep this goal open to keep track of the various scholarships and graduate schools that I apply for. Or I might make another goal for that and then mark this one complete so that I can feel a sense of accomplishment… after all, I will have figured out “what-I-am-going-to-do-when-I-graduate.”

C. This is the goal that I am working on most. But for right now, I am just checking the JET (Japan Exchange and Teaching) Program website everyday until interviews are posted. I’ve been studying Japanese everyday and keeping up with all the tasks that I have to complete for TFA (Teach for America). I’m working to earn money for either the TFA tests or the long bus/train/plane trip to interview for JET.

---

Looking at my goals, I have so many “long term” goals, goals that require money, and goals that require me to invest a lot of time and energy. I think I need a few more “right now” goals that I can work on now. But I don’t want too many “right now” goals because I am in a transition period now, so I will be moving in about 6 months and I need to work out all the logistics of that move and I don’t want to start goals that I cannot finish…

Quite frankly, I have so many places that I want to visit and so many things that I want to do, that my list could be endless. I need to work on making my goals the things that I REALLY want to do most, goals that are fairly specific.

That said, I have a few more goals that I might want to add.

Goals to add… maybe…

Go Geocaching/ Find 100 Geocaches

Go to Graduate School

Get a Masters

Get a PhD

Apply for Scholarships for Graduate School (assuming I mark the other scholarships goal complete)

Be on Globe Trekker/ Apply to be a presenter on Globe Trekker

Take part in helping Seasonsoflove’s plushie traveling around the world

Volunteer with an animal rights organization

Go to Antarctica

Trek through the Himalayas

Science Experiments/ Learn more about science/ Join a Science club

Play more Chess

Make my old literary calendar into an art piece

Create music with my band “The Free House Elves”

Read Ulysses

There are so many goals that I want to complete and I must not be afraid to add or delete goals! My goals are not my fallen comrades for whom I must care through thick and thin. I will not be a failure if I let them go and I can always take them on again if I choose to do so. This list is meant to aid me in my quest to become a better person. I will have a much more difficult time becoming the person who I want to be if I am lugging around lumpy, rotten potatoes goals. Don’t be afraid to let go.