“Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.”

~ Plato

"Youth is not a time of life; it is a state of mind;

it is not a matter of rosy cheeks, red lips and supple knees;

it is a matter of the will, a quality of the imagination, a vigor of the emotions;

it is the freshness of the deep springs of life.

Youth means a temperamental predominance of courage over timidity of the appetite,

for adventure over the love of ease. "

~Samuel Ullman

"I'd rather regret the things I've done than regret the things I haven't done."

~Lucille Ball

35 before 35

Everything I know I learned after I was thirty. - Georges Clemenceau

The secret of staying young is to live honestly, eat slowly, and lie about your age. - Lucile Ball

In two months, I am turning 30. The big 3-0. Dirty thirty. Flirty thirty. I'm going to make and wear a birthday crown. It's not my 'scary' birthday My 'scary' birthday was 28. Ten year high school reunion. Back when I was 18, 28 seemed so far away. So adult-ish. Twenty- eight has come and gone plus 2 years. And I still do not feel adult-ish. I have never made a list of things to do before a certain age. I am going to give it a try. 35 things to do before my 35th birthday in February 2017.

1. Decrease my possessions
2. Take a sociology class

3. Take a religion class
4. Take a photography class
5. Get a better camera
6. Frame and hang four of my pictures
7. Detox once a year
8. Move to two different states
9. Take a train ride in the US
10. Volunteer on a Board of Directors for a Park & Recreation
11. Volunteer at an animal shelter
12. Write a mission statement
13. Write a manifesto

14. Learn to drive a stickshift

15. Paint a picture

16. Learn to drive/ride a motorcycle

17. Take a road trip with my siblings

18. See the cherry blossoms in Washington DC

19. Read the bible

20. Read the quran

21. Read the torah

22. Pick peaches in South Carolina

23. Learn spanish

24. Re-learn french (I took 4 years of french classes in high school)

25. Get my TESL certificate

26. Run races in 10 different states. My ending goal is to run in all 50 states. So far: Texas, Oklahoma & Minnesota.

27. Complete a marathon

28. Bike 4 times a year in organized runs (one 100 mile ride every year)

29. Weekend trip to my birthplace in Virginia

30. Take a week long road trip in Canada

31. See the Northern Lights (aurora borealis)

and visit
32. India
33. Central America
34. South America
35. Egypt

New Year Resolution

It seems like the older I get, the faster time flies. Where did 2011 go? Seriously. Hello 2012! After getting laid off in July, I have been doing a lot of thinking about my past and my future. One life to live, I want to make it amazing. I have been thinking a lot about fulfillment lately. Adventure, challenge, athleticism, positivity, family, financial security, friendship, courage, emotions, risk-taking, flexibility and growth can all be rolled into fulfillment. When I am fulfilled, I am happier. That doesn't mean I am just going to let life happens. It means to be constantly growing and learning. To stretch myself, try new things. So, this year's resolution is based off of one word - fulfillment.

Ideas for fulfillment:

mind - read one book a week (52 books in 2012); take a class at a community school; learn spanish; visit Virginia; write my manifesto; try a new recipe once a week

body - run 15 miles a week (780 miles in 2012); run a 5k in North Carolina plus 2 other states; bike 100 miles in 8 hours; camp 4 times in 4 different parks; detox

soul - volunteer at an animal shelter; volunteer on a board of directors for a park & recreation; decrease my possessions

spirit - read the bible; learn more about buddhism

"Life is meant to be lived and curiosity must be kept alive.

One must never, for whatever reason, turn his back on life."

~Eleandor Roosevelt

"Action is the foundational key to all success."

~Pablo Picasso

“To be alive is to totally and openly participate

in the simplicity and elegance of here and now.”

~Donald Altman

Middle Class

"It's no longer an exaggeration to say that middle-class Americans are an endangered species."

~Arianna Huffington

According to wikipedia, middle class persons commonly have a comfortable standard of living, significant economic security, considerable work autonomy and rely on their expertise to sustain themselves. If middle-class is becoming an endangered species, does this means the majority of people are going to fall into lower class? This quote makes me nervous/worried/sad. I am middle class. I have a sister in high school, what does this mean for her? For her future? I have 30 years of working before retirement, what does this mean for the next 30 years? What does this mean for my retirement savings? What does this mean during my retirement?

Mission Statement

I went to amazing session about creating a Mission Statement. This session really 'hit home' because after getting laid-off I have really been trying to figure me out. What do I want from life? I think having a mission statement and reviewing it every 6 months is a great idea. It will help me keep on track of my goal and change it if need to.

One of my values is adventure. Every day, every road trip, trying a new restaurant - all adventures. One of the suggestions I received was to also use risk-taker and courageous to describe myself. I thought those words felt so big and powerful. The more we talked and the more I thought about it, those words do fit. I've moved to Dallas, travel to Asia for a month, moved to North Carolina without a job and living in a hotel. According to wikipedia, courage means boldness; fearlessness; the ability to confront uncertainty and risk means probability of uncertain future events. Those words fit.

Leaving this session I feel like I have a lot more confidence in myself. I am an independent agent/consultant selling a product (me). Which is really hard for me but the tools I am getting from this session and others is helping. Reading blogs like Nerd Fitness and The Impossible HQ has also been helpful because the posts are making me think about what I want from/in life.

For the last week, I have been thinking about writing a manifesto. I am hoping these sessions and blogs are the tools I need to help me understand myself, get my thoughts a little more organized and articulate what is going on in my head. Like the mission statement, having a manifesto and reviewing/re-evaluate it every 6 months to a year will help me stay on track with my goals.

"You have to do what you dream of doing even while you're afraid."

~Arianna Huffington

Life is uncertain. Eat dessert first."

~ Ernestine Ulmer

thoughts of today

Today I have been thinking about pho, visiting Central America and tattoos.

"The unexamined life is not worth living."

~ Socrates

(when I get a) new apartment projects

I cannot wait until I move into a new apartment.
Some projects I've been looking at:

• embroidered picture!
• restyle a sweatshirt with doilies.
• decorate pillows with doilies
• wall art using paint swatches.
• ways to wear scarves
• spruce up some chairs

How to: Exploring a new city

It's been a week and half since I moved to North Carolina.

Below are 8 ways I have been exploring my new city:

1. Going to a local museum.

2. Going on walks at little city parks and hiking around state parks.
3. Meeting new people.
4. Exploring a new restaurants.
5. Doing something new.
6. Reading guidebooks.

7. Reading books about the history of the area/state.
8. Sending postcards to your friends

"If you really want something,

and really work hard, and take advantage of opportunities,

and never give up,

you will find a way."

~Jane Goodall~

weekend

This weekend I decided to explore a little bit of Charlotte, North Carolina. I need to start thinking and researching which area of Charlotte I want to get an apartment in. Thankfully the weather was warm and sunny!!

Saturday morning:

9am Alison and I went for a 3 mile run with a running group I found on meetup. There was probably about 15 runners. After the run through the neighbor, I got a chai latte at Smelly Cat Coffee House and chatted with some of the other runners. The conversation was great but the chai was a little watery and not very favorfully. Then we walked over to Jack Beagles for breakfast. Delicious!!

Sunday morning:

At noon, Alison and I got our picture taken with Santa at Pet Essential. They were so patient with Alison. She did not like Santa's white beard. I had 5 shots to choice from, two different poses. The proceeds go towards the CMPD (Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department) Animal Care & Control spay/neuter clinic. Then we headed over to a dog park. Alison had some nervous energy to let go of. By that time it's 2pm, time for lunch. I decided to check out Viet-Thai Noodle House on our way back to the hotel. Delicious!!! I had vegetable pho with tofu and Vietnamese coffee. The food was so good is Vietnam, I miss it. I definitely recommend this place!!

where I am (and where I am not)

Lately I have been thinking a lot about life and where I am (& where I am not). Three months until I am thirty. Right now I am unemployed and living in a hotel. Sometime I get 'on' myself, why am I not married with kids and a house, loving husband and a job? But then I do a reality check, in the years I have been alive I have done amazing things. I have traveled to Europe twice, Asia for a month, volunteered - built homes and served food (soup kitchens and Feed My Starving Children), lived in 3 states, finished college, have an amazing dog and so much more. I am on a path I want to be on. As of right now, I am not a type of person who wants a house (or kids for that matter). I want to freedom to move and travel. Because I don't fit the 'tradional' lifestyle, I think, for me, discovering myself will take longer. I have to remind myself that life is an ongoing process, that I all keep growing and learning. Not to compare myself to my high school friend. I am unemployed right now because I got laid off and I have moved to a new state to find a job. And living out of a hotel is a like rock star-ish!!

• similarities between romantic rejection and cocaine craving
• After seeing the trailer for the Tintin movie, I really want to read old The Adventures of Tintin books.
• the only thing I want for Christmas - a laptop cover that look like a book!!!
• someone else who is also unemployed

"Each time we face our fear,

we gain strength, courage and confidence in the doing"

~Michelango~