create my own stimulus plan by doing at least one NEW AND FULFILLING thing in July, August, and September 2009

I did things in September!

Oops.
I just can’t remember what they were…

I haven’t had internet since I moved on aug so I haven’t been able to keep up with my goals on here.

For aug I celebrated my boyfriend’s birthday with him for the first time and for sept I switched to a new hair school to finish my cosmetology liscense. The new school is awesome! Every one is sooo positive and helpful! I’ve done a bunch of other stuff in aug and sept but I can’t recall it right now.

I have been so busy doing new things and some what fulfilling.

August 16: I drove to Texas to pick up P and his son. It was definately a new and fulfilling trip in my life. I was going to write an lengthy entry about if from listing all the cities I stopped in by using my receipts I collected when I got gas and food, but I lost them some how. I have been looking for them ever since.

August 19: I got back from Texas with P and his son. So a new adventure of having two other people living with me started. It has been rocky and uncertain at times since I have lived on my own for so long, it was a bit hard to adjust, no matter how happy I was to have them both with me.

September: Learing how to communicate better, not get defensive over things that I feel he is being critical over. I try so hard to be the best girlfriend I can be, with still being myself. Learning how to hold in my frustration regarding things I can control or what I worry about. I am growing as an individual and a human when it comes to interacting with a someone at very close situations. Stressful at times, but I am learning that everything is not always about me and just for me. So I am learning how not to be so selfish. I guess living alone for so long has made me very selfish.

Went camping in subzero degree weather…woke up to a snowstorm, and our crew had to leave our work project a day early because the weather was just gonna get worse.
Also, worked on maintaining a dam that was built by the CCC in the 20s…new for me!

so I bid this goal farewell

it’s been fun

I’ve had a lingering cold (or allergy attack) all month, but I did get in some pretty awesome experiences.

I gave a talk in church on the 13th, which got a lot of attention afterwards. It was about finding time to have a morning devotional in your own sacred spot. What can I say? I watched a lot of Fraggle Rock as a kid. Gobo always disappeared to his special place, and I’ve always done it, too (except my “secret” place is a big comfy blue chair on my front porch).

I substituted for 4 days in first grade (not at all new, but the hugs made it sweet and fulfilling just the same)

I spent three days making a wedding cake that took 14 boxes of cake mix, 15 pounds of frosting, and 15 more pounds of bright red fondant, which my daughter and I had to dye by kneading for hours. Our wrists hurt for days afterwards. This was definitely a new experience, and fun to share with my daughter, but too painful, too lengthy, and too expensive to be considered fulfilling in the least.

The best, most fulfilling part of September is that ever since we got back from Maine, my mom and I have had painting dates every Tuesday. After I get out of class Tuesday mornings, I drive the 25 miles to her house and we go somewhere pretty to paint. Then we go get some lunch. It’s been really nice. Really nice.

Earlier this month, I went on a “retreat”. Not just a weekend away but to an actual Paulist retreat center in the mountains of NJ. The setting was beautiful – mountain, lake (in the picture), nature and lots of rain. That didn’t matter – I went walking in the rain with some other guests.

I went with the organization I belong to – about 30 people (I knew a dozen). It was 3 days of talking, laughing, crying. We had group discussions and one-on-one talks. We had meditation sessions and even played games until early morning hours.

Our last discussion was about what we were leaving behind and what were we taking with us . My response? I was leaving behind a little of the viel I hide behind and a few of my fears. I was taking away a better understanding of me and the fellowship of new friends.

Most definitely the most fulfilling thing I’ve done all year. Bring on the next challenge!

1. I held a fish straight from the sea. It was the length of my body. One of the fisher men came in with his catch for the day and my dad bought one and I got to hold it like I caught it. Silly I know…but right then I realized I never held a almost alive fish.

2. Receiving cookies in the mail from Flutter. I’ve never gotten anything but letters and postcards in the mail, far less for something edible.

3. Participated in International Paint-out Day. I became a member of the Trinidad and Tobago Art Society and we have monthly paint-outs where we go do on the spot paintings/drawings at different locations in the country. This was my first and we did it at the Botanical Gardens.

4. Hair appointment gave me a new colour and shorter hair :)

5. Spent the first hours of my birthday by the ocean.

6. Gave a speech infront of 200 people. It went well! :)

7. Broccoli in cheese sauce over whole-wheat spaghetti…surprisingly good.

I started in the third year class in Science of Mind, with the goal of becoming a practitioner. Lots of work, but good!

the next NEW and FULFILLING goal (let the mediocre days FALL AWAY and replace them with much better days …) has been created; hop on board and let’s get that team started!