Let's Start at the Very Beginning

A very good place to start.

Well about two months ago I challenged myself to take a second look at my very first post, A List to Build a Dream On. Did that work out? Well, no. But I personally would still like to re-examine this list, so here we go back to the beginning.

1. Take a cross country road trip. Completed January 2011
Let me be real honest here, this absolutely would not have been completed if Auburn had not gone to the National Championship hosted in Arizona, if my mother wasn't afraid to fly, and if I had any sort of responsibility to hurry back to after the game (my brothers got flown out since they have children. Like that's a real reason!) None the less I did get to ride (since apparently 22 is too young to drive) across the country in the a Honda CR-V with my parents and my mom's best friend, Aunt Carolyn. Three days driving out in one car and thanks to a freak snow storm in Alabama we rented an extra car for the three days back to bring Andrew back with us when his flight was cancelled. During that portion Andrew ended up with strep, gave it to me, and none of us killed each other on the drive. Pretty successful if you ask me. And it was worth every second to see Auburn win that national championship, I'd do it again in a heartbeat! So, check! Cross country road trip, DONE! Oh and here's the post about it with pictures!

2. Graduate from college. Completed May 9, 2011
Did it! That day is still one of the best days of my life because I really never did think I would make it. And I completed my lifelong dream to graduate from Auburn! You can read about it here for more detail and pictures! So, check again! Don't get too excited, I wasn't as productive as it seems right now. :)

3. Become a dedicated runner. Um...no.
I have honestly started the "Couch to 5k" running plan more times than I can count on both hands. It's just ridiculous at this point, I am not a runner and apparently I never will be. But ya know, c'est la vie, I'll save myself more knee troubles. I'm not really heartbroken over not accomplishing this, I really hate running so much I can't for the life of me figure out why I thought typing it on a list would make me like it better. Eh, I'm okay with it.

4. Perform 5 random acts of kindness. Kinda done?
Not sure how to really classify this. You see kindness is kind of the mantra I hope to and try to live by. Most of my favorite quotes have to do with kindness and it's the number one take away point for me from the Bible. After much soul searching and personal growth over the last two years, being kind is what I hold onto, so I guess we can say done for the list purpose, but I wouldn't call it random, it's definitely something I strive to do and be on a daily basis. Also, over the last year or so I've realized how important it is to be kind to myself as well as others, which is a major struggle, but it's a growth point that I'm working on.

5. See Auburn football in every SEC stadium. Completed 9/8/12.
At the time this original list was made there were 12 SEC teams. I saw Auburn play in the 12th stadium, Mississippi State, last fall. The year I completed my SEC round is the same year the SEC was expanded to 14 teams. Technically I saw Auburn play in all 12 stadiums as originally planned, but I will see them play at Texas A&M in just over a month, and I plan to hit Missouri in a couple of years when we play up there. Major thanks to Dad for taking me all over the southeast for these beyond amazing trips. Note to self: write post about each trip, and look into scrapbooking it for dad.

6. Witness an undefeated season (again). Completed 11/26/10 and 1/10/11
Well, duh! Most of my posts are about football so I think we all know that I got to see this, and it was so, so incredible! To quote my dad "hell of a senior year!" He is so wise. :) See any post from the fall 2010 to hear more about that season.

7. Witness Auburn win another Iron Bowl. Completed 11/26/10
Reference #6 and this post.

8. Take the GRE. Completed 11/20/10
Did it and do not want to relive it.

9. Pass with flying colors. Completed 11/20/10
I wouldn't say it was "flying colors," and there's no "passing" to the GRE, but I did do pretty well and get into grad school with my score, so let's call that done for the sake of the list.

10. Inspire someone to better their self. Not so much.
Um, narcissistic much? This is one of those bullshit ones that I'm not sure why 2010 me put it on the list. I guess it sounded nice or looked pretty? I mean, how would I even know if I had accomplished that? What was I expecting, a medal? I'll deal with what is clearly my thoughts of grandiosity and we can pretend that wasn't on the list to begin with. Oh well.


So now we have 1-10 explained. Gotta say, this is somewhat cathartic to go back in time and try to figure out what the heck I was doing back then. I'l try to continue soon, and maybe this trip to the past of what I thought the future would be will also catch up this blog on what has been going on for the last two years, since there has clearly been a lack of posts in that time.

Til next time!
E

Today's Food for Thought

Today I randomly decided I needed a moment of zen and reached for my favorite meditation book. Here is an piece of what I found:

"Picture what it's like to be on an airplane as it climbs higher, gaining altitude to rise above a storm. Bounced by air turbulence, it cuts through the clouds, and then it emerges into the blue sky. The sun returns (it was always there- just obscured by the clouds), and the ride becomes so smooth that there is hardly any sensation of motion. 

In a similar way, we can rise above stormy events and our own inner turbulence. We can cruise at a different altitude." ⛅ ✈

I don't know about y'all, but I find that fitting and easy to grasp. I do love a good metaphor. ;) Anyway that was a piece of some peace I found today! 

P.S. I just found out blogger has an app, so maybe I'll update this thing more than 3 times a year!! (Not likely) 

Til next time,

E 

Here I Go Again...

Dear readers of my blog,
If you are in fact reading this, you are some kind of dedicated, because I am one lousy blog host! So here's my plan to remedy this situation, I tend to work better when I'm up against a deadline. In other words I am a highly skilled procrastinator. So I'm giving myself something to work toward.

My very first post on this blog was the day zero project. Basically you make a list of 101 things to do (like a bucket list) and you have 1,001 days to do them. Well I made that list on October 20, 2010 and day 1,001 is July 17, 2013. Eeeekkk!! You see my predicament is that I haven't done many of these things. Some for lack of effort and some because they are utterly ridiculous and I have no clue why they are on my list!

I have come to the conclusion that some of these things made the list because of what others were doing around me that seemed cool or were things that I just stumbled upon, therefore I had no real motivation to accomplish them since they weren't something I would want to do. So my new project is to revisit this list through a series of posts and tell you why or why not they got done, AND I'm going to try to get through this series before day 1,001. Basically in 3 weeks. Wish me luck!

P.S. This might get ridiculous! :)