It's January and I didn't make any formal New Year's Resolutions. Of course, like most of the commercials say, everyone wants to lose weight. I don't need to lose weight. I could stand to "trim a few," here and there, but I keep my body image in perspective by watching shows like "The Biggest Loser" and "Extreme Weight Loss." I think to myself, "At least I'm not 100 or 200 pounds over weight like those people..."
I did think about New Year's Resolutions, just didn't tell anyone or write any down. Last year, I told myself -- and others -- that I would do something new every month, and I largely accomplished that goal. It could have been paired with writing about my new things, but I didn't quite get that part together.
This year, I think I want to challenge myself to do more active (newish) things. They don't have to be new, per say, but bonus points if they are. I am reading a memoir of a woman who does something new every DAY for a whole year. They don't have to be big things, but quite a few of them are. And she kind of bends the rules because she allows herself things that she hasn't done in at least ten years.
So, for my New Year's Resolution, I can bend the rules on new things. My active things won't necessarily be each month, either. Here's what I'm thinking so far:
Hip Hop Dance Class! (January through March)
I have signed up to take 7 hip hop dance classes starting next Wednesday and continuing through mid-March. I'm stoked. This isn't QUITE new (which is okay!) because I have taken ONE hip hop dance class (back when I was 19 or 20!), but it's close enough! My friend, Mallory might take them with me, which is so cool!
House of AIR! (February)
I have been trying to do new things on my birthday since I learned how to downhill ski in Idaho when I turned 25. The next year, 26, I surfed and actually stood up on the board for the first time! 27 was kind of a lame one -- I rode on a motorcycle for a hot minute (very slowly) for the first time... Now, if I go to the House of Air with some friends for my 28th birthday, it might not technically be a new thing because it's really just a bunch of square trampolines all stuck together, and I've obviously jumped on a trampoline before. But I haven't jumped on a whole room of trampolines all stuck together.... and there may be a dodgeball factor introduced as well... (I'm not a huge fan of dodgeball, but trampoline dodgeball might sway me...)
Bike Camping (Summer?)
This is something my boyfriend and I have been talking about for a while. He bought me a wonderful new bike that I have been riding to work and to San Francisco. It's SO much better than my old bike and it even has a rack! I strap my backpack to the rack and I feel so light when I ride now! We want to go on wine tasting on bikes and try bike camping, maybe down the coast. Santa Cruz? Big Sur? So exciting...
Mud Run? (September?)
I have been reading and hearing about different mud runs and they sound like a lot of fun, alibet challenging. The Nor Cal mud run I read about is both intimidating (electric shocks??) and expensive (more than $150?). I just watched "The Biggest Loser" and it turns out they have mud runs, too! You don't even have to be overweight! The closest one to me is actually pretty far away -- in southern California -- but that's okay because I have friends and family there to stay with! It's been a while since I visited Southern California, so this might be a fun excuse!
That's all for now.... I might make updates when I have completed one (or some) of these activities!
Wednesday, January 22, 2014
Tuesday, November 5, 2013
New Things
At the end of last year, frustrated by the monotony of a dull part-time job, I decided that my new year's resolution would be to try something new every month. I wanted these new things to be exciting and preferably out of the ordinary. Despite being somewhat limited by lack of much funding and the everyday distractions of life, I ended up with a pretty decent list. It's not quite the end of the year -- and I still need to figure out November's thing -- but here's the first part of the list:
January: Pole Dancing
To kick off the year with one of the more exciting and expensive experiences, I signed up for four pole dancing classes every Sunday in January for $99. At first, I was worried about the stigma I would feel after telling my older sisters and parents, but they actually thought it sounded fun. They knew I wasn't about to become a stripper -- it's just fun to swing around and climb poles... in a somewhat seductive way.
My idea to try pole dancing came from my friend, Beth, who used a Groupon to purchase her own set of pole dancing classes in Boise. Because she lived in Boise and not San Francisco, her classes were much more reasonably priced and she was able to take more -- something I might spring for next year as well.
I prided myself on taking two buses from my house in Marin to the dance studio in a southern neighborhood of San Francisco. It took me close to two hours each way, but I enjoyed the benefit of the $2 total fare rather than $5 bridge toll plus the cost of the gas it would take in my car to get there.
The instructor was a petite woman just barely approaching middle age. She was incredibly talented on the pole, with her firmly sculpted legs and fluid, effortless movements, but she was a tad harsh in her criticism. Luckily, I seemed to blend in well enough to not have her target me as an example of what not to do, but I nervously watched, scared silent, as she berated another young woman about her technique during one class. The student took the criticism well and improved, but I hope she felt okay about it afterwards.
I loved the seductive way that our instructor taught us how to approach and climb up to standing next to the pole from the ground. I don't have a pole at home, but I found any door frame adequate to practice those moves on. The problem came when we started learning fun ways to swing around the poles. Though I tried, I found it quite impossible to swing completely around a door frame without smashing into the wall first. The closest substitutes for stripper poles were very public "stop" and "no parking" signs in San Francisco, which I tried a few times at night, when there were fewer people around, much to the delight and/or surprise of unsuspecting spectators.
When we learned how to climb the pole, I gained incredible respect for the women who actually pole dance professionally. It really hurt my legs and the tops of my feet to climb the pole. It's a very awkward, challenging maneuver. And to stay halfway up the pole and even turn upside-down are tricks to be admired and awed.
If I had the extra money, I'd have signed up for the next set of classes for $120. Perhaps next year, I'll try it again.
February: Motorcycle Ride!
February was supposed to be the month for snowboarding. In February of 2011, I tried downhill skiing for the first time on or around my birthday, and in February of 2012, I tried -- I mean really tried -- surfing for the first time. (I had sort of tried in Hawaii when I was 16, but didn't even stand up that time -- on my 26th birthday, I actually did!) I wanted to "birthday new thing" tradition to continue with an experience as exciting as snowboarding, but it was not to be. Instead, I convinced a friend to give me a ride on a motorcycle on my birthday. It was short, but it counted!
March: FLORIDA!
My boyfriend invited me to be his "plus one" to a wedding of his high school friend in Florida. I would not only be his date and finally meet his parents, but I would be checking off my "new thing" for March as well. Prior to March, the furthest south on the east coast I had been was North Carolina in the Spring of 2007...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
More on my experience in Florida, as well as new experiences for the rest of the year including: meeting my cousin for the first time (April), my first Bay to Breakers -- spectating only (May), stand up paddleboarding (June), camping by myself (July), becoming an Aunty (August), going to Alcatraz (Sept.), dealing with a government shutdown at work (October), mystery for November, and hopefully, finally snowboarding in December!!
January: Pole Dancing
To kick off the year with one of the more exciting and expensive experiences, I signed up for four pole dancing classes every Sunday in January for $99. At first, I was worried about the stigma I would feel after telling my older sisters and parents, but they actually thought it sounded fun. They knew I wasn't about to become a stripper -- it's just fun to swing around and climb poles... in a somewhat seductive way.
My idea to try pole dancing came from my friend, Beth, who used a Groupon to purchase her own set of pole dancing classes in Boise. Because she lived in Boise and not San Francisco, her classes were much more reasonably priced and she was able to take more -- something I might spring for next year as well.
I prided myself on taking two buses from my house in Marin to the dance studio in a southern neighborhood of San Francisco. It took me close to two hours each way, but I enjoyed the benefit of the $2 total fare rather than $5 bridge toll plus the cost of the gas it would take in my car to get there.
The instructor was a petite woman just barely approaching middle age. She was incredibly talented on the pole, with her firmly sculpted legs and fluid, effortless movements, but she was a tad harsh in her criticism. Luckily, I seemed to blend in well enough to not have her target me as an example of what not to do, but I nervously watched, scared silent, as she berated another young woman about her technique during one class. The student took the criticism well and improved, but I hope she felt okay about it afterwards.
I loved the seductive way that our instructor taught us how to approach and climb up to standing next to the pole from the ground. I don't have a pole at home, but I found any door frame adequate to practice those moves on. The problem came when we started learning fun ways to swing around the poles. Though I tried, I found it quite impossible to swing completely around a door frame without smashing into the wall first. The closest substitutes for stripper poles were very public "stop" and "no parking" signs in San Francisco, which I tried a few times at night, when there were fewer people around, much to the delight and/or surprise of unsuspecting spectators.
When we learned how to climb the pole, I gained incredible respect for the women who actually pole dance professionally. It really hurt my legs and the tops of my feet to climb the pole. It's a very awkward, challenging maneuver. And to stay halfway up the pole and even turn upside-down are tricks to be admired and awed.
If I had the extra money, I'd have signed up for the next set of classes for $120. Perhaps next year, I'll try it again.
February: Motorcycle Ride!
February was supposed to be the month for snowboarding. In February of 2011, I tried downhill skiing for the first time on or around my birthday, and in February of 2012, I tried -- I mean really tried -- surfing for the first time. (I had sort of tried in Hawaii when I was 16, but didn't even stand up that time -- on my 26th birthday, I actually did!) I wanted to "birthday new thing" tradition to continue with an experience as exciting as snowboarding, but it was not to be. Instead, I convinced a friend to give me a ride on a motorcycle on my birthday. It was short, but it counted!
March: FLORIDA!
My boyfriend invited me to be his "plus one" to a wedding of his high school friend in Florida. I would not only be his date and finally meet his parents, but I would be checking off my "new thing" for March as well. Prior to March, the furthest south on the east coast I had been was North Carolina in the Spring of 2007...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
More on my experience in Florida, as well as new experiences for the rest of the year including: meeting my cousin for the first time (April), my first Bay to Breakers -- spectating only (May), stand up paddleboarding (June), camping by myself (July), becoming an Aunty (August), going to Alcatraz (Sept.), dealing with a government shutdown at work (October), mystery for November, and hopefully, finally snowboarding in December!!
Saturday, August 10, 2013
For reference, here is a list of qualities (off the top of my head) that I consider to make a person more "adult" (based -- as mentioned in the first post -- mainly on my close family members):
1. A real career:
This doesn't have to mean making a lot of money, but enough to be able to pay my bills, rent or mortgage, student loans, etc. and save a little on the side. Also, health and dental benefits would be nice.
2. More grown-up clothes:
I know, I know. This one sounds really shallow, but since I work with kids outside, I mostly wear jeans and t-shirts or tank tops. When it comes to formal occasions or needing to dress up for interviews, I don't have much of a selection. Most adults (at least the ones I hang out with) have wardrobes that make them look put together and sophisticated if need be. Of course, adults can wear jeans and t-shirts in their down time too, but I wouldn't even be able to be a teacher with the clothes I wear now.
3. Put-together house or apartment:
My house looks like I'm still in college. The furniture is hideous and none of it matches, most of it is found, handed down, or from Craigslist, there are posters (not classy art pieces or framed photographs) taped or thumb-tacked to the walls, and -- despite the best efforts of my roommates and myself -- the sink is seldom without dirty dishes. Real adults have matching furniture (or at least not really ugly throw-away furniture), classy decor, nice house plants, and keep their homes generally clean.... (Or maybe that's just upper-middle-class folk, now that I think about it...)
4. Kids:
This one is totally optional. (It should be noted that, though I understand completely immature/unready people can have kids, and that does not make them automatically "adult" by my standards, I believe that you have to be "adult" enough before having kids, if you're gonna do it the right/responsible way.) You can be an adult and not have kids, but they definitely do a lot to increase maturity/adult-status instantly and immensely. I am definitely not pining for children because I work with them and am thus constantly reminded that I am not ready for that kind of commitment or responsibility. I am however, thrilled to be becoming an aunt for the first time (very soon!!!), and interested to see how that changes my status on the "adult" scale in my head.
This list is not by any means complete, and obviously all opinion, and I could potentially look back and cringe at the silly ideas I wrote at 27, but I wanted to put it out there as this blog may strive to work toward figuring myself out -- finding myself as I navigate the transition to full adulthood and what that means to me.
1. A real career:
This doesn't have to mean making a lot of money, but enough to be able to pay my bills, rent or mortgage, student loans, etc. and save a little on the side. Also, health and dental benefits would be nice.
2. More grown-up clothes:
I know, I know. This one sounds really shallow, but since I work with kids outside, I mostly wear jeans and t-shirts or tank tops. When it comes to formal occasions or needing to dress up for interviews, I don't have much of a selection. Most adults (at least the ones I hang out with) have wardrobes that make them look put together and sophisticated if need be. Of course, adults can wear jeans and t-shirts in their down time too, but I wouldn't even be able to be a teacher with the clothes I wear now.
3. Put-together house or apartment:
My house looks like I'm still in college. The furniture is hideous and none of it matches, most of it is found, handed down, or from Craigslist, there are posters (not classy art pieces or framed photographs) taped or thumb-tacked to the walls, and -- despite the best efforts of my roommates and myself -- the sink is seldom without dirty dishes. Real adults have matching furniture (or at least not really ugly throw-away furniture), classy decor, nice house plants, and keep their homes generally clean.... (Or maybe that's just upper-middle-class folk, now that I think about it...)
4. Kids:
This one is totally optional. (It should be noted that, though I understand completely immature/unready people can have kids, and that does not make them automatically "adult" by my standards, I believe that you have to be "adult" enough before having kids, if you're gonna do it the right/responsible way.) You can be an adult and not have kids, but they definitely do a lot to increase maturity/adult-status instantly and immensely. I am definitely not pining for children because I work with them and am thus constantly reminded that I am not ready for that kind of commitment or responsibility. I am however, thrilled to be becoming an aunt for the first time (very soon!!!), and interested to see how that changes my status on the "adult" scale in my head.
This list is not by any means complete, and obviously all opinion, and I could potentially look back and cringe at the silly ideas I wrote at 27, but I wanted to put it out there as this blog may strive to work toward figuring myself out -- finding myself as I navigate the transition to full adulthood and what that means to me.
I'm THIS MANY: Twenty-seven and a HALF!
It is my half-birthday, which is a silly notion that only little kids give two hoots about and I wouldn't even really think about, except that I work with kids and they -- especially younger ones -- sometimes refer to their age with "and a HALF!" emphasized. I also recently determined that I am exactly TWENTY years older than a girl I had with whom I share my birthday.
I've been thinking about age and the fact that I am getting closer and closer to the big three-oh, not so much because it's a milestone marking end of my twenties, but because I hope that by then, I am more of an "adult." What I mean by that is based mainly on the way I see other people in my life, especially my family members. I am the youngest of three girls, which sometimes makes me feel like I will always be less "adult" in comparison to my sisters. I know that there are plenty of people my age who don't have high paying or full time jobs, don't own their own homes, aren't married, and don't have kids, just like me. But since my sisters more or less embody these qualities, I feel less mature, put together, and grown up in comparison to them, because I do not. I can't help but see my sisters as my main examples of what I am looking for in becoming more "adult."
Since graduating from college, I have held several year-long positions including two Americorps positions, an internship, and a graduate residency program -- all working with kids, and all for around minimum wage. After those were finished, I finally got a job that has no defined end point, has opportunities for yearly raises (albeit small ones), and people that I enjoy working with and spending time with outside of work. The problem is, it's part time, and like my aforementioned year-long positions, pays a relatively low hourly rate. (I am able to get by because I get incredibly cheap housing and a lot of free food as part of the deal, and I supplement my income with other part time gigs.)
Lately I've been thinking, mostly because (a) I'm closer to thirty than twenty and (b) I have a Bachelor's AND a Master's degree, that I should be making more than $10-16 an hour at a full time job, earning benefits and contributing to a healthy retirement fund. In truth, I haven't tried terribly hard to get a job that I "should" be able to get, based on my level of education. I occasionally glance at job descriptions and decide that I just don't have the experience to go with my education and don't even bother applying. Also, since I have a job that I enjoy, and that I can keep as long as I want, I don't have an urgent need to find something that's next!
I see my friends getting "real" jobs (jobs that lead to lucrative careers with healthy benefits like health care!) and wish that I could join them, but at the same time, since I like my job and have fun with it, I don't try hard to get a higher paying job just to get more money and become more of an "adult." This feeling of needing a better job with higher pay and benefits is growing stronger, and I feel more and more pressure to "start my career" -- (which I guess I haven't started yet?) with something that will allow me to pay off student loans, and actually save some money.
Can my B.A. in Literature, M.S. in Natural Resources, and Graduate Certificate in Environmental Education work for me or will they be forever doomed to be less-than-impressive lines on my resume and thousands of dollars of student loans?
I've been thinking about age and the fact that I am getting closer and closer to the big three-oh, not so much because it's a milestone marking end of my twenties, but because I hope that by then, I am more of an "adult." What I mean by that is based mainly on the way I see other people in my life, especially my family members. I am the youngest of three girls, which sometimes makes me feel like I will always be less "adult" in comparison to my sisters. I know that there are plenty of people my age who don't have high paying or full time jobs, don't own their own homes, aren't married, and don't have kids, just like me. But since my sisters more or less embody these qualities, I feel less mature, put together, and grown up in comparison to them, because I do not. I can't help but see my sisters as my main examples of what I am looking for in becoming more "adult."
Since graduating from college, I have held several year-long positions including two Americorps positions, an internship, and a graduate residency program -- all working with kids, and all for around minimum wage. After those were finished, I finally got a job that has no defined end point, has opportunities for yearly raises (albeit small ones), and people that I enjoy working with and spending time with outside of work. The problem is, it's part time, and like my aforementioned year-long positions, pays a relatively low hourly rate. (I am able to get by because I get incredibly cheap housing and a lot of free food as part of the deal, and I supplement my income with other part time gigs.)
Lately I've been thinking, mostly because (a) I'm closer to thirty than twenty and (b) I have a Bachelor's AND a Master's degree, that I should be making more than $10-16 an hour at a full time job, earning benefits and contributing to a healthy retirement fund. In truth, I haven't tried terribly hard to get a job that I "should" be able to get, based on my level of education. I occasionally glance at job descriptions and decide that I just don't have the experience to go with my education and don't even bother applying. Also, since I have a job that I enjoy, and that I can keep as long as I want, I don't have an urgent need to find something that's next!
I see my friends getting "real" jobs (jobs that lead to lucrative careers with healthy benefits like health care!) and wish that I could join them, but at the same time, since I like my job and have fun with it, I don't try hard to get a higher paying job just to get more money and become more of an "adult." This feeling of needing a better job with higher pay and benefits is growing stronger, and I feel more and more pressure to "start my career" -- (which I guess I haven't started yet?) with something that will allow me to pay off student loans, and actually save some money.
Can my B.A. in Literature, M.S. in Natural Resources, and Graduate Certificate in Environmental Education work for me or will they be forever doomed to be less-than-impressive lines on my resume and thousands of dollars of student loans?
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