Current Goals

I spent this last weekend out in the middle of Nevada (about 30 minutes away from Austin) for a class field trip.  After spending the time and money to prepare fairly healthy meals for myself, I completely lost my motivation to eat healthy.  I felt overwhelmed and jealous of all the other food my class mates have brought with them and I caved in and ended up feeling lethargic and disappointed in myself.

I know it may sound ridiculous or that I'm obsessing over what I'm eating, but I'm trying not to.  I'm just trying to be honest with myself.  I'm not saying I'm "fat" but I just want to responsible with myself and become more conscious of how food makes me feel, emotionally and physically.  An excellent example, I do not drink milk because if gives me horrible.. horrible internal pains embarrassing gas (sorry for that info...)  Or, eating seven Reeses Peanut Butter cups makes me feel horribly guilty and ultimately gives my a stomach ache.

On a more positive note, I've been keeping up with my weekly jogging goals, hooray!  As well, I've switched my gym schedule to the wee early morning hours before my 8 am classes.  It's the only time the gym isn't unbearable crowded, and I love starting my day off with a great workout.

I am planning on jogging my first 5K this sunday for the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure.  This feels very important for me to participate in because of a couple of reasons.  It's on my Day Zero list and I am honestly trying to work on completing at least one thing the first month of posting it.  Another reason why this race is important to me is because my grandmother is a survivor and it's genetic concern that runs in my family.  It sounds like some friends and my Aunt is interested in participating and I hope it ends up being a fun first race.

Sleepy eyes

Running on four hours of sleep and two cups of coffee, I've been awake since 3 am.  The wildlife field trip was fun, it just felt a bit drawn out.  I did learn quite a bit of new stuff today (such as about avian genitalia and diseases) and enjoyed getting to know my fellow classmates better.

Male Mallard

After the trip one of my lovely cousins and her boyfriend dropped by from travels through Yosemite.  We went and had Thai dinner with our grandmother.  Over all it was a very pleasant day, but I have to say that I am ready for bed.

<3

Progress so far...

But not with the list.  I'm too much of a slacker to have actually done anything that I have planned.  Right now I'm watching Evil Dead with the boyfriend and two good friends.  The lack of common sense the main character has makes the movie too painful to watch.

On another note, the third week of the fall semester is already over and time is flying by.  I really need to start studying...

On the high note of today I ventured into REI for my first time and invested in so Chacos!  And I am now an official REI member.  :D

Wildlife field trip in the morning (4am... gasp!) But it should be a fun adventure tagging wood ducks.

Chacos!!!

The List

So I am that person who always says I want to do something, or explore somewhere, or anything else.  Sure, I may explore somewhere, close by, and do something that is convenient, but I never really have gone that extra step.  So I'm hoping this list will help me stop procrastinating with life and finally take that extra time to do the things I want to do, and I have to thank Jessie for inspiring me to start one.

So today is day zero, September the 10th of 2011, my finally day with this list will be June the 7th of 2014.

Here it is... it's a mixture of academic, fitness, adventure, and self improvement goals that currently really inspire me.  There are some silly items along the way and financially speaking, I'm sure some of these goals won't be achievable in a time frame of less than three years, I just want this list for that reminder.

1. Experiment with being less defensive
2. Volunteer at the Washoe State Tree Nursery
3. Complete a “Couch to 5K” challenge
4. Climb on... outdoors
5. Visit Yosemite
6. Backpack through the coastal Redwoods
7. Compete and complete in a triathlon
8. Study and take the GRE
9. Visit some college campuses in the Pacific Northwest
10. Get accepted into a graduate program
11. Volunteer at the SPCA
12. Participate in a cancer fundraiser
13. Donate blood
14. Finish my bachelors degree
15. Learn Spanish
16. Visit Europe
17. Bike to school/work more often (at least once a week with weather permitting)
18. Finish reading 20 novels
19. Complete a 30 day vegan challenge
20. Visit Glacier national park
21. Complete knitting 20 items
22. Grow my hair out longer
23. Open a mutual-fund
24. Grow my own vegetable garden...
25. Take one photo a day of something interesting for one month
26. Achieve at LEAST a 3.6 GPA the last 3 semesters of my undergrad career
27. Find a different field related job for summer of 2012 to broaden my experience
28. Write down what I eat in a log
29. Consistently use a daily organizer
30. Work on my posture
31. Get a passport
32. Invest in a decent road bike
33. Study one plant a day
34. Visit my grandparents more often
35. Grow my own herbs
36. Read a new science journal article once a month
37. Spend more time with my sister (go out once a month)
38. Go rock climbing once a month
39. Read one bible verse a week (work on my faith)
40. Go jogging at least twice a week
41. Create more art (draw more)
42. Get involved with a club at school (Lumber Jack Team?)
43. Invest in an digital SLR camera
44. Visit Alaska
45. Go cross country skiing
46. Make everyone thoughtful Christmas gifts one year
47. Backpack for a week along the Pacific Coast Trail
48. Have 8 months worth of savings by the end of 1001 days
49. Go horseback riding again
50. Buy a bike rack!
51. Write a daily gratitude list for at least a week
52. Don't complain about anything for a week
53. Find a personally inspirational quote and work it into a piece of art or home décor
54. Write all my bad memories on a paper, then burn the paper afterwards
55. Attend the Art Museum (I have not done this in years... sad to say)
56. Expand my vocabulary by 100 words
57. Bring my thigh measurement down at an inch by summer of 2012 (current measurement at the thickest part is 22.5”...)
58. Make a list of 50 things I like about myself
59. Take a kayaking class
60. Try a new recipe each month
61. Don't eat extra sugar for a week
62. Invest in the stock market
63. Do not buy anything for a week
64. Have a full piggy (owl) bank once a year and stash it away
65. Put away five dollars for every goal completed
66. Bake treats for my friends and loved ones
67. Go apple picking at Apple Hill
68. Host a tea party
69. Go to an outdoor bluegrass concert
70. Use only fabric bags at the store
71. Host a dinner party
72. Purchase an apron
73. Have an at home all natural spa and pamper day
74. Stop being a pansy... go to the dentist!!!
75. Go pick wild berries
76. Start a woman's self-loving workshop
77. Buy an external hard drive
78. Move into my own apartment
79. Bike from Squaw Valley to Tahoe City
80. Go on a road trip... anywhere
81. Go barefoot for a day [One Day Without Shoes]
82. Create a budget
83. Hike to Mt. Rose Peak (never done this one :])
84. Go to a music festival
85. Have dinner by candle light
86. Don't log into facebook for at least a week
87. Have a poker night
88. Write a list of 50 places I want to visit in my lifetime
89. Take a train somewhere
90. Pick one country a week to research its history and current events
91. Participate in the Reno-Tahoe Odyssey
92. Run five 5K's
93. Reconnect with family
94. Go bird watching
95. See a symphony
96. Get more crafty
97. Clip coupons!
98. Visit the Grand Tetons
99. Try presenting an art show
100. Don't curse for a week
101. Expand my wardrobe  

Relaxing...

The second week back at school is about to start, and already I will already have a field trip tomorrow.  This is very exciting, since it is the first of many more.  Anyways, I'm slowly but surely getting back into the "good student" school mode (I've already started reading my textbooks.) 

This last weekend has been a wonderfully relaxing.  Saturday I enjoyed the day with my beautiful friend Lauren, where we caught up with each others busy lives over coffee and wondered over to the Patagonia warehouse for their Labor day sale (I couldn't resist.)  I purchased a present for another special lady friend and bought myself a base layer for when the weather cools down and some much needed new field pants... and I am proud to say that it was only $70. 

The rest of my weekend I have spent some quality time with my boyfriend and his family and relaxing each day.  Today we hiked in Tahoe Meadow for four hours and cherished the views and wildflowers blooming.  Later today I also went for a mile and a half jog, just because I have been over indulging in some junk food as of lately.  Overall, it has been a lovely weekend.

Another point I have been wanting to post about is that my friend Jessi and others have inspired me to start my own Day Zero project list.  Once I have my list finished, I will be posting that.  I have only about 15 more things to put down.  Who would have thought that writing a list of 101 things to accomplish would be so hard?