Wednesday, September 11, 2013

Items in Progress ::

What up, friends?! 

Here's a list of what tasks are "in the works". This is, after all, a marathon, not a sprint. ;)

1) Become a Civil War buff - Currently reading Battle Cry of Freedom. I have decided to focus on Robert E. Lee as my favorite general & the battle of Antietam, Maryland as my "favorite" battle.

4) Run a 5k & Half Marathon
  • I've technically already run a 5k, but I feel like that didn't count because I ran in Brooke's stead. So... Sunday, September 28, I am running in the Bubble Run 5K with these lovely ladies (and a few more not seen here). I have some really incredible friends/coworkers! ;)
  • Then, October 13th I am running in the Biggest Loser Half Marathon in Seattle with one of my best friends from Seminary, Sara. You will see a pic of her soon. It's going to be FANTASTIC. :) We've been running every Saturday morning for the past couple of weeks; this Saturday is our seven-miler. We got this ;) Be on the lookout for more posts about how my training is going. It's been an awesome and difficult challenge.
5) Compose a Soundtrack of my Life - So good! *sigh* Really looking forward to sharing this.

6) Create, Establish & Maintain a Blog - (obviously).

7) Write something significant and get it published - This task is my third most intimidating. But it's in the works nonetheless. [I realize after talking with friends that certain terms like "published" or "buff" probably need to be defined. At least, in regards to what I mean by them for the purposes of this list. Those terms I have highlighted in green throughout this post. I am still processing through some of these definitions a bit.] In all honesty, I have had articles published already. So I think thus far "published" means perhaps having one of my short stories published in a local/small magazine? This remains to be seen. I have a few other projects that may qualify as "significant" and could be "published". So I have to think through what my aim is here. Either way, I have writings in the works. So this one still counts as being "underway!"

8) Become a wine buff - Again, another term that needs defining. What do I mean by "buff"? In the bottom picture above, the ladies and I are at an afternoon wine tasting at Cana's Feast. It was at this event that I began to flesh out my thoughts on what I mean by a "wine buff". After hearing about Cana's wine club and the classes they teach, I've decided that a buff means pursuing wine education and becoming a special member of a winery (The membership costs me about 8 bottles/year. I can most certainly handle that ;). I live in and around the Willamette Valley - Oregon's Wine Country. Becoming a wine buff begins with "knowing my valley". Understanding what's in the area and making the most of what the grapes have to offer. This will be fun! I am glad to get a clear vision on this. :)

9) Go to Bend - Whoo hoo! Purchased a Groupon with my two closest friends from Seminary - Sara & Alisa - for a resort stay in Bend the first weekend in November. Cannot wait! :) In addition, Brooke plans on skiing there a bunch this winter - I will be in tagging along & learning to snowboard, another long desired dream soon to be fulfilled.

11) Accomplish the first Two Steps of Financial Peace University - It's a discipline, but it's happening. Slow and steady wins the race here and as well as maintaining a "Gazelle-like" intensity (Listen to his series to know what I mean by that last phrase ;).

12) Give away 30 things I don’t need but have been holding on to - I've given away a couple of things already... including a Coach purse I felt was superfluous to who I actually am. It's been nice to slowly make decisions in this area, but I gotta step up my game with this a bit. And perhaps define "what I don't need" a bit clearer. Hmmmm.

14) Try all the food carts in downtown Portland - We've (Alicia, Brooke, myself & other coworkers) been faithfully going to the carts at least one day a week all summer. This has slowed down a bit so I need to get back on the band wagon. But needless to say, every bite has been worth the challenge. I am potentially 1/3 of the way through all of the carts. The carts take up about 1 & 1/2 city blocks, but I will do it nonetheless! It's a good thing I love food...

15) Write 30 cards to 30 people in 30 days straight - I have 11 people on my list thus far for this task. This challenge is becoming more meaningful to me than initially planned. But I am looking forward to it... This will rock my world in the best of ways, I believe.

16) Bike to work successfully all summer and cap off with competing in the Bike to Work Challenge - this may be the next task I complete! I am in the midst of the Bike to Work challenge right now! There will be a separate post on this soon.

20) Be an extra on Grimm - Really fun updates here! Emailed the casting crew, found out who I need to get in touch with, took head shots and full body shots to email in... and met one of the main actors in the bank the other day down the street from where I work. 
He gave me the head nod and said I looked lovely! It was awesome.

21) Become confident at Knitting - My Sonja, a beloved house mate of mine, is making sure this happens and I love it. This, too, will also have it's own post soon. ;)

23) Watch the Godfather Trilogy - This is slated for some time in late October @ my friend's Adam's house! It will be epic.

And lastly... 27) Write my mom a thank you card every month - I have been pretty faithful about this too. I don't always get them out to her in the most timely fashion, but I keep 'em coming. It's been a blessing to see the joy on her face and to hear the thrill in her voice after the card has arrived & been read. It's also been humbling to realize all that I am because of her sacrifice. Thank you, mom.


Suffice it to say... I gots things in progress! Be on the lookout for more posts soon! Thank you for following alongside me as I venture out on this journey. You hold me accountable and it means a lot to know I am not alone! :)

Love, H ::

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