30 Something List

30 Something List

In the order I came up with them....

1.  Pay off my Capital One Card. (Also, means I can't use it....)
2.  Pay off my Hawaiian vacation.
3.  Go to a NFL football game. (Lived in DC for 5 years and never attend a game!)
4.  Do a split and increase my flexibility. ( You would think that I could do one.... but naaahhhh not even close. I am the MOST unflexible cheerleader you will ever meet.)
5.  Buy a car. (I need to make that commitment in 2015. I have commitment issues and really don't want to commit to making that payment monthly. Also, I am trying to get the nicest car I can get (with a fancy radio and a "beep beep") and end up with a $199 payment. Let's see how that goes!!)
6.  Go to MLB game (DC didn't have the Nationals when I was resident.)
7.  Read a the entire Bible in the year. (I need to grow with Lord and allow him to work on my heart.)
8.  Get real abs and lift and tone my booty.
9.  Take a trip. (I don't have a location but a budget of $500 bucks exact. Not 501 not 515 but 500 exact. If you need explanation please see the items 1, 2, and 5.)
10.Learn to do a double pirouette. (I have been on a dance team for 6 years at this point. I want to be able to show that I can dance for real. LOL)
11. Get a tattoo. (I am going to get something to with patience, a star, dreams, perseverance. I want it on my wrist or behind my ear.)
12. Relearn French. (I use to be able to at least understand it and speak it a little when I was in high school. I should've never taken Spanish in college.)
13. Get my insurance license.
14. Forgive someone. (Working on my heart. Forgiveness has everything to do with me and very little with other person.)
15. Make a list of 30 people I admire and why. (I have several people who make me want to be better, do better, and keep me on my game! I appreciate that about them. If I do 3 people a month, I'll finish in September.)
16. Read a classic book.
17. Go to a Steeler's game.
18. Go to the VA State Fair.
19. Do 30 Random Acts of Kindness.
20. Complete the 100 Days of Happy! (I spent so much of 2014 blogging and documenting the bad parts of my life. I need to spend 2015 focusing on positive things and documenting them.
21. Keep a journal. (I feel like I need to keep track daily of all of this!! And have it to reflect on 1/1/16
22. WANDER in to Love. (I want REAL love to find me. I want to wake up 1/1/16 and be in love with someone who is in love with me and a real selfless love. NO! I am not out looking for love but only leaving myself open to the possibility. I am putting good vibes and a request into the universe. If happens it happens and if not, I will have been so busy killing this list I won't be bothered. What's for me is only for me! But I'm not on a search for love... I am too busy searching for self love.)
23. Invest more in meaningful relationships. (Last year, I started writing birthday cards to people who are in my life and I value. Now, I admit, I have fallen severly behind but it is the thought. This year I am going not only send the cards but more thought into the message. Other than that, I have not decided what else I can do, but I am working on it!!)
24. Take a cooking class.
25. Get my future read.
26. Read a self help book.
27. Watch 30 classic films/movies. (There are a lot of movies I should've seen that I haven't. I am going to watch them in 2015. Suggestions are welcome!)
28. TBD
29. TBD
30. TBD

Enjoy Life

A few weeks ago, I spent the entire afternoon in a co-workers classroom talking about enjoying life. She and I talked about traveling and living life freely and on our own terms. You see, last year, she battled cancer and lost her 40 year old daughter who eventually succumbed to the illness. The next day, I opened a BBM from a friend to find out that a friend and classmate had passed away. She was the same age as me....

This news of her passing caused me to reflect on how I live my life. I will say that I am a “go with the flow” type and aim to enjoy all of life’s moments. I try not to let those inevitable battles hold me down for long. I fall down, get up, dust it off and keep it moving. I try and learn from my mistakes and hopefully not make the same one twice. Life is too short for that. I find myself happy.

I challenge all of you to live life to its fullest, enjoy your life - you are only given one. I know people who rarely leave the city they were born in, much less travel and see the world. Take life by horns and live it on your own terms as if each day is your last. Spend it with people you love and respect; experience new things; travel when you can. Don’t take life for granted, you never know when it’s going to end.

5 Things to do as a Single Woman

Here are my 5 must-dos for a single woman.

Most women will not get married before the age 35. We all need something to do as we wait on Mr. Right!

5 - Do something fun! Enjoy life!

4 - Chill the fuck out! Your husband is coming (more than likely) and you need to enjoy your life RIGHT NOW!

3 - Learn something to make you better. Take a pole dancing class or a cooking class, etc. It’s the little things make life better/more enjoyable, and hey - your future Mr. won’t mind these little extras. ;-)

2- Save some money and work on the credit that you may or may not have totally disregarded in college! You may want to have a wedding or a buy a house someday. Let’s not forget those little expensive people that result from a happy union. Aside from that, it’s always nice to have a little money in the bank to cushion us from life’s unexpected blows, whether single or married.

1- See the world and travel! The world has SO much to offer. Go check it out! Have an Eat, Pray, Love moment! And there is no better time than now!

Recorded in beautiful Peurta Vallarta, Mexico.

Reflection of Year 26

Living life with no regrets... Thank God for another year....

As I celebrate yet another 21st birthday, I figure that it’s the perfect opportunity to reflect upon where I am, where I’ve been, and where I’m going in my life. Six months ago I was reflecting upon a start of a new calendar year and now I’m looking at the next year of life. What have I done in the past 6 months to work towards achieving my long term goals? Have my goals changed? Do they need to be tweaked? I am allowing you to reflect (somewhat) with me in the areas of my life. Hey, I said I was going to be more transparent.... let’s see how this goes...

Personally

I am blessed to have some wonderful people in my life. A HUGE thanks to everyone who has made this past year awesome!! You have listened to/read the unedited version of my blog (literally and not), facebook stalked, partied, drank, dined, hung out and danced with me, etc. No matter how we kicked it or connected, you have impacted my life they have made this past year great! I can’t wait to see what the upcoming year has in store for me and you wonderful people!


Relationships

Now if you’ve been reading my blog you know about my 2011 Love Plan. (If not, you should check it out.) With one-half of the year behind me, I am pleased with how things are going. You may have noticed that Mr. LT has been mentioned through out the weekly posting and that’s a plus in my life. That relationship is making progress.... but still leaving my options open.

Professionally

As I end my 3rd year of teaching, I am happy professionally. I feel like I had better control of my classroom accomplished a lot with the kiddies this year. It’s reassuring when you realize that you may actually be good at what you spent 5 years of your life and a gazillion dollars to do. I look forward to seeing what the next year has in store as I take on the responsibility of active leadership and completing further professional training. Next year, I hope to begin administration classes and work towards becoming Dr. Stockton!

Socially

I finally adjusted to life in RVA as opposed to life in our nation’s capitol. It’ll never be DC, but at least it’s not Martinsville. You can find me downtown enjoying a few cocktails with friends, dancing, and maybe even meeting that husband that’s suppose to be downtown. :-)

Year 27 bucket list....

• get a tattoo
• go horseback riding
• whatever other fun and interesting opportunities come up...

2011 Love Plan

I have a "game plan". Do you?

I’m a planner. I’ve been planning my life (a rough draft version that is constantly changing) for as long as I can remember. In high school, I planned to become a cheerleader and a class leader and eventually planned to go to college. In college, I planned to graduate and become a teacher, a job which I now enjoy (most days). Every morning I lie in bed and run through the day before I get up and get going. I have a plan to for how the year should go. I need a love plan as well...

To start my yearly planning, I reflected on last year. What happened? What worked? What didn’t work? What new goals do I want to accomplish? At this time last year, I was in a “relationship.” I say “relationship” because I was just going through the motions with… (to be discussed in a post…soon). As prepared the “plan” for 2010, I decided to ride out the “relationship” wave and see where it took me. I knew it was only a matter of time before that door shut (it needed to), so I began to look for one with the potential to open. Lucky for me, I didn’t have to look too hard. I had marked my calendar for the perfect time to start my attempt to take another “relationship” to the next level. Another door shut; this time, unexpectedly. On the other side of 2010, I see that the door closed unexpectedly and that attempt is just getting started. In the words of Alicia Keys, “I’m ready,” for 2011 and all I hope to happen.

As I prepare for 2011, I am taking two potential love matches with me…I’ll call them Jay-Z and Mr. LT. These aren’t random men I picked up at a bar or a club, but two men whom I’ve known all of my adult life. I consider these men friends first, which can be a touchy line to cross. Now, to clarify, I am not in a relationship that can be considered “more than friends” at this point. Great potential for growth lies in each of these relationships and I am willing to see where either of them takes me.

What’s my 2011 love plan?

It is to be open to either of the friendships blossoming into something more. While I will be open to both, I must admit, I’m pulling for one in particular. I do really believe that “he” is my prince charming. My plan is not only for relational growth, but also for personal growth. Now I could sit here and give concrete goals but I’m not one for setting myself up for failure. I must accept the fact that with this plan in my life there is an Editor-in-Chief who can and will go in and make changes. When I’m reflecting in 2012, no matter the outcome of 2011’s plan, I know that these two relationships in addition to others that may present will definitely have an impact on this ever-changing rough draft that I call life. Living without growing isn’t really living at all, is it? My love plan, I’m sure, is just another pit-stop on my journey in pursuit of love and happiness.

What is your love plan for 2011?