A look forward

Happy 2008 everyone! I suppose it is time, once again, to figure out my goals for the new year.

The goals:

1. Try one new recipe a week. I started doing this a few months ago and have really liked the result it's had on my diet. Variety! Interest! Definitely something to be promoted.

2. Eat more (and different) vegetables. Although I like the plant matter, I feel I've fallen into a veggie slump. I've got a few ways of preparing them that I like, but I grow weary of eating the same veggies day in and day out. Most of the people I work with think I eat an abnormally large amount of vegetables, but that mostly has to do with the fact that I tend to eat the majority of my vegetables for the day at lunch. This year, I'd like to try new veggies and learn some new ways of preparing them. What I'd really like to do is get one of those weekly baskets from local farms, but I don't think I have the time to do that much cooking right now. Perhaps after school is over...

3. Continue to post (on average) every other day and comment more on other people's blogs. Sometimes I want to comment but never wind up doing so, due to the fact that my blog reader is attached to my personal Gmail address and I would have to sign into my blog Gmail address to comment on Blogger blogs. Lara, I apologize, but this probably affects you more than most. I'm still reading, even if I don't comment!

4. Eat fast food less often. I never used to eat out much, but I suppose it's a hazard of going to school while working, as I don't really like preparing two meals in advance for me to carry around. It would save some money if I tried to do it less, however, so I think a goal for this year will be to try and not buy dinner those evenings when I go to class.

Hmm... I can't seem to think of any more goals. That's probably a good sign. I suppose a final goal would be to keep doing the good things I am currently doing. I'm saving, investing, and paying off my student loans. I exercise fairly regularly (it's one of the few good chunks of time I get for reading for pleasure these days) and am not going insane planning my wedding. Aside from an inordinate amount of stress, life really isn't too bad right now.

This next year is looking to be an exciting, life-altering year. Lots of changes on the way. On the horizon...

Finishing my second semester of teaching - The prospect of returning to teaching in less than a week keeps causing my body to release tiny bursts of anxious adrenaline every time I think about it, so I need to keep reminding myself that I've already finished the (purportedly) worst half of it. One semester isn't forever. As they say, this too shall pass, but not soon enough for my taste.

Finishing grad school - Ah, so close! Even though I will probably never use the M.Ed. again, completing it will still be very exciting.

Getting married - Well, as much as people call this a life-changing event, it probably isn't going to change R and my daily life that much (having lived together for 4.5 years now). It will be a name-changing event (for me anyway), an awesome party, and a fine time with all the relatives.

Finding a new job - So, I finish school. Then what? I'll need to find myself a new job and/or career. I'll probably wind up back in school eventually, but I'd like to find an enjoyable career to guide my scholastic ambitions. I'll be looking for jobs in San Diego, but I'll also be looking up in the Seattle/Tacoma area to help us along with our goal of...

Moving to Washington - This may not happen this year, but R and I will start looking for jobs up there once we finish with all the wedding and honeymoon hoopla. Obviously, we could just move up there without jobs and live off our savings for a bit, but I don't want us to have a gap in our health care coverage because I aim to...

Get pregnant - This one just makes me want to squeal like a cheerleader and then pass out from shock. Not exactly the most dignified response, but one could hardly pretend that having babies is a dignified process. I was actually getting a bit nervous about the prospect of having children, having had such an adverse reaction to my students, but being around R's nephew for a week has really got me looking forward to the whole thing.

So, yeah. This next year looks to be very exciting for me. Lots of changes in the picture.