I’d like to go back sometime…maybe with a different focus. I was there for a residency for the PhD program and it was a pretty awful experience. Americans were not well received and the city was pretty filthy.
Maybe it would be different if I was there for a romantic experience. :)
Who knows…
My mother suggested I read a book called “Twenty Wishes” by Debbie Macomber. It’s been a very pleasant read, since it’s light and easy and ISN’T related to anything I’m teaching or studying or researching. :)
The group of widows in the book decide to make lists of 20 wishes: things they’d like to accomplish in life, dreams, goals, wishes they have for things to come. One woman wants to go to Paris with someone she loves, another wants to take belly dancing lessons, and another wants to fall in love with a decent, honest man who loves her just for who she is, not what she has.
At any rate, for Christmas, I decided to purchase matching scrapbooks for me, my mom, and my sister. I labeled the cover “_’s 20 Wishes” and we’ve all been working on them independently. Mom called to tell me she’s got her “Go to Hawaii” page done. :) I have stuff set aside, but haven’t started to put it together yet. I did print off a beautiful picture of the Sydney Opera House at dusk, which is wish number one, for me. :)
Looking forward to making the book, then fulfilling the wishes through the rest of my life.
Whew! I’m trying to do it all – work full time, work on this PhD full time, make time to get to the gym everyday during the work week, manage my finances, have some “me” time, keep up with personal relationships. I feel anxiety just thinking about everything that HAS to be done, let alone anything I WANT to do.
I’m just looking for that inner balance. I’m not looking to start a new relationship with someone, just maintain the friendships I already have established. Lord knows I don’t have time for a relationship right now. I barely have time to figure this all out!
Grant me clarity and perseverance. . . please.
While I’ve learned a few words and phrases, I couldn’t possibly hold more than a three exchange conversation…lol. I do suppose it will have to wait until the PhD is done, but I will do this…
Why did I take French in High School????? lolol
take it or leave it…lol. I’m done playing to society’s rules of what women should look like and how we should think. I’m dedicated to making lives better…might as well work on my own as well.
I like me. And I am NOT going to subject myself to creating a sense of self based on the opinions of others.
Period.
Someone once told me, “When you live in chaos, you live in chaos.” It sounds repetitive, I know…but think about it. When you come home to a messy room, a dirty kitchen, piles of dishes, clothing piled up, papers all around, etc, etc…you walk into chaos. It’s difficult to keep that from transferring into your life…it’s a spiral effect. You won’t understand until your house is clean how much of a difference it makes to walk into an organized and calm area daily. Your whole world will change. Trust me…it worked for me!
Seeing as how I teach deaf and hard of hearing students, I have to know the langauge, but BELIEVE me when I tell you I learn something new every day! It’s not my natural language, so there’s always something more to learn. DON’T GIVE UP! It’s a very rewarding goal!!!
Talk about feeling sexy and like a woman! Sheesh…can’t understand why I didn’t start doing this 10 years ago…lol. The pain isn’t NEARLY what I expected it to be…and gets better after the initial time.
The irony of this is the more things I add to my list…the further down this one goes. It stays last…guess we can see where this is going…LOL!
I want to tell everyone who has lied to me, cheated on me, deceived me, and backstabbed me “THANK YOU.” Each obstacle in my life has made me stronger. When you view the things that come your way as learning experiences, there are no mistakes. I can’t regret the things I’ve done because I always acted in good faith. I have clearer expectations and know exactly what I want from life, myself, and others as a result of pain in the past. And while this message goes out to friends, family, and mere acquaintances, it’s also refreshing to think that the next man in my life will CERTAINLY be thanking the one before for being a complete fool. LOL
Whoohoo! Got the credit card statements and things are going well. Little by little I’ve taken responsibility for all those DANG cards I got in undergrad. I’m still paying off a pizza and a pair of shoes from sophomore year…lol. Geez… I’m beginning to see a light at the end of my tunnel!
Trying to get out of my normal ruts…you know…putting exactly 4 ice cubes in my glass, making sure the coffee table is lined up exactly, and getting bent out of shape when things don’t go exactly as planned. I want to be able to step out of the box…date a shorter man, dance at the club when I haven’t been drinking…lol, wake up and do something unexpected… I just wanna learn to let go and let flow… plain and simple.
