I originally wrote this blog on August 6th, 2008. It is relevant to me and where I currently am in my life, so I thought it would be good to repost this blog as a personal reminder of what's important. Of course, over almost three years, there are many things I could add/delete/change, but it's a good start. I'll edit it later.
The purpose of this particular challenge is to put your dreams and goals out into the universe and try not to look at them for a year to see how things have progressed or changed. It has taken me weeks to complete, but here it is: the 100 things I want to have, own, see, become, and realize in my lifetime, in no special order.
1. To know and be happy with the reflection, whether it is scarred or wrinkled, smiling or tearful, tanned or pale, streaked with red, brown, or grey hair.
2. To live in a place where I can ride a train or subway anytime I please.
3. Overall health that doesn't require frequent doctors visits, medications, tests or unflattering bodily functions…with the occasional cigarette.
4. A good dog sleeping at the end of my bed, even if it sheds hair on my pretty duvet.
5. All of my life's photographs organized in albums so that I can see where I have been.
6. A group of girlfriends that I regularly have coffee with and speak to about the little nothings of womanhood.
7. Fresh flowers on my kitchen table…every week…especially stargaze lilies.
8. A stack of good books to read, no matter the topic.
9. A never-ending supply of music in my head or out loud.
10. The physical and mental ability to write, no matter my age.
11. My grandfather to be present when I find true happiness…or when I have my first child, whichever comes first.
12. Someone who knows how to be a great dance partner…to Latin music.
13. Great food at every meal full of pasta and breads and cheese and chocolate.
14. The money to give great food to those who don't have any.
15. A special stash of wine…that doesn't become my closest companion. And a really good wine opener that is retarded/cut-yourself-proof.
16. A President who speaks of change because he truly believes in it and who causes change because he truly can.
17. To open a store with my mother, like she has always dreamed, where we can sit and read books and drink coffee and eat pastries, and hide in the little back corner of a garden with a fountain and smoke a cigarette together, just like our little hideaway heaven in New Orleans.
18. A great black and white photograph of me to show my children.
19. The ability to trust men…and women.
20. An old wooden dock and an endless supply of fishing gear.
21. A book…that I have written.
22. To have the chance to one day teach.
23. I want to travel the world…Tibet, Prague, Lebanon, Africa, Paris, Bali, Alaska, Amsterdam, Singapore, Thailand, Australia, the Philippines, Peru, Colombia, Sweden, Antarctica, Greece, Ireland…and so many more.
24. I want to own the little apartment in Urbino that overlooks the vineyard and the walls of the castle in which the city sits.
25. To love a man who truly loves me, knowing all of the antics and faults and pasts and issues. I want to be with someone who sees through the mess to the "me" that I hope to become and AM becoming. I want to be with someone who can allow himself to open up about his own fears and faults, who is not afraid of tears or anger, who believes that some things are worth fighting for. I want to love someone who has his own dreams, who believes, like I do, that we can chase our dreams apart, but who chooses to chase them together. And he has to be in love with traveling.
26. I want to learn how to grow a garden full of flowers and herbs and vegetables…and to keep it alive.
27. I want to become really great at yoga and meditation.
28. I want to live in a place with mountains and water, where I can hike whenever I please…with the dog that sleeps at the end of my bed every night.
29. I want to find peace with my father, even if I continue to choose to keep him out of my life.
30. One day, I will look in the mirror and believe that I deserve true love.
31. A clean house with big windows and a large bed with silk sheets.
32. The insanity and strength to quit my job and chase something I would truly love, without the guilt of leaving behind those patients I am helping each day, the company that has worked so hard to get me started, and the teachers who struggled (in many ways) to get me prepared to be here.
33. To put everything I own up for sale or in storage, put on a pair of good shoes and a backpack, and leave behind this mess to go see the world…with nothing but a journal, an ipod, and a map.
34. To be recorded singing an old Bonnie Raitt song, just to say that I had.
35. The courage to believe that I am not going to live the exact same life as members of my family, that my divorce and failed relationships do not define me, and that I will eventually find myself…and my love…even if I'm in my 50s when I get there.
36. Faith in those things I can't see.
37. Patience
38. Ability to slow down, relax, and enjoy the now.
39. The feeling of wanting to laugh and scream at the top of my lungs while I'm driving my convertible down an old empty highway….just because I'm happy and for no other reason.
40. Candles lit by the bathtub with Enya playing in the background, no matter what mood I'm in.
41. The energy to keep educating myself.
42. Learning other languages…like Italian (my first great love) and Norwegian (the next).
43. To have children and grandchildren that are as fascinated in the stories as I always was.
44. The strength to walk into a grocery store and know what I want to buy and cook…for just me.
45. A lifetime of great kissing and sex with someone who wants to and knows how to give a great kiss and have great sex.
46. To live debt-free.
47. To become friends with my stepbrother and stepsister. I would love for us to learn to really get to know each other and respect our differences and faults without comparison and conflict.
48. To have a family reunion, where we each set aside our crazy lives with work and projects and kids and financial struggles and past dysfunctional trysts…to get together and "get over it".
49. To apologize, forgive, and rekindle friendships with people who were so important to me, whom I have lost or separated from over the years…specifically Caroline, Michael, Lauren, and Kiersten.
50. The bravery to always tell the truth, no matter what. This one, I must say, I'm getting better at.
51. Learning to answer my phone when great friends call, no matter how tired or shut-off from the world I feel.
52. The happy ending….that never ends.
53. An inability to blame, but to let things be as they are instead…all faults aside, just acceptance.
54. Letting go of all jealousy.
55. Learning to trust and follow my instinct…before hindsight tells me that my instinct was correct.
56. To take a trip with my mother and stepfather again, around the world, to somewhere new for each of us.
57. An awareness of when I am selfish, rude, cruel, smug, bitchy, pensive, ornery, defensive, and sad….so that I can stop my impending negative actions before they occur.
58. The ability to praise myself…while still remaining humble.
59. An honest appreciation for the blessings in my life…and remembering to give thanks, without a national holiday to remind me.
60. To accept fear…and do it anyway.
61. To learn how to be alone and leave Loneliness alone.
62. The stamina to run…for a long, long time.
63. The ability to realize that I do look good naked.
64. To attract people…for the right reasons. Men and women, friends and lovers.
65. To affect and change others' lives for the positive, just by being me.
66. Stop worrying about the little things I cannot control.
67. I want to gain a barrier between my brain and my mouth, so that I can actually have better grace under fire.
68. To have a daughter…so that I can learn what it's like to walk in my mother's shoes. And for that daughter to have a good father, so that she never has to know what it was like to walk in mine.
69. To drive with the top down...all the way down the coast of Highway 1…stopping only for coffee and to take photographs and to surf. And, yes, I want to learn to surf.
70. To face my ex, Justin…to tell him that I forgive him.
71. To stop relying on the internet as being a source to the outside world…but having the courage, at least once a day, to get out and see or try something new.
72. Learning to be ok with not being the best…or even very good at something, yet doing it anyway.
73. Giving up control…
74. Knowing that I will be ok, even if he stops trying.
75. Releasing the need to be so hard on myself…and those around me.
76. Allowing everyone else to be who they are and do what they choose, even when I don't agree.
77. Realizing that my opinion is not always necessary.
78. Giving without expecting for anything in return.
79. Always remembering to say thank you.
80. Allowing my cat to crawl into my lap, onto my bed, lay on my chest or on my face…whenever she likes…and having the patience not to push her away.
81. The ability to control my anger…and to let go when something isn't worth getting angry over.
82. The ability to realize that sometimes I feel angry when I am really sad…and to know the difference.
83. To learn to pray…and believe in the power of prayer…even if I'm not quite sure to whom or what I am praying.
84. To let go of the timeline…and of other people's expectations of me.
85. Being ok with being defined as a Samantha, Carrie, Charlotte, or Miranda…or a mix of all four. And to realize just because someone can draw a caricature of you, doesn't mean it's a true likeness.
86. To let go of the resentment towards those who have hurt me and to move on from it all, knowing that I too have needed to be forgiven.
87. Being ok when others don't live up to my expectations. And not taking it personally when they don't…because we are all each on our own journey.
88. Enjoying the ride a little more and worrying where it's going to end a little less.
89. Ignoring pride and saying I'm sorry as soon as I know I have done something wrong.
90. Friends who tell me the truth, no matter what.
91. Spending one day dancing in the rain…just like I used to.
92. Taking constructive criticism without offense.
93. Giving up the childlike idea of being invincible…and recognizing that I too, am simply human.
94. Learning to make my own ice cream.
95. Listening more to what my mother has to say, without critiquing…just because she wants and needs to be heard. And being more aware of the fact that she regards me as a confidant, as well.
96. Being my own boss.
97. Learning to say no. And mean it.
98. Getting comfortable with the phrase "I don't know."
99. Allowing rejection to happen without a fight.
100. Walking away when it's time to say goodbye…and recognizing when that time is, before anyone has worn out their welcome.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Monday, March 28, 2011
30 Day Blogging Challenge - Day 11
A story about a past relationship:
Past relationships are difficult to talk about, because the stories about them will often change over time, or will reflect a biased, one-sided view. I would prefer to say this: be it an intimate relationship that ended, or one with family or friends with whom I've lost touch over time, each "past" relationship has offered something that was monumental in terms of my personal growth and recognition. The stories therein become less relevant when I am able to see the benefit of having the relationship itself.
Past relationships have often been a source of pain to me...I struggle with the idea of losing or being abandoned by those I love. I experienced both early on in life and have since carried the fear of either happening again. Over time, though, the fear softens and I am able to see things for what they are - that sometimes we grow apart, sometimes we outgrow one another, sometimes compromise isn't possible. I do believe for any relationship to remain in the present, it requires both parties to be aware of their own insecurities, triggers, faults, biases, perceptions, reactions, and to be able to confront their own inadequacies along the way.
I also believe that love changes and that it is possible to learn and then relearn to love another differently as years go by. In my closest relationships, I have found that this is always true. In each, there has always come a point, a wall, where we have had to reevaluate, recognize, and reflect upon our differences and boundaries, accept them, accept one another, and make a conscious choice to move forward. When the recognition or acceptance isn't possible, the relationship has inevitibly become stagnant. Beyond the wall, however, if you are able to pass over it, there is a greater relationship possible, one with the purest forms of honesty, open communication, comfort, safety, and unconditional love. For any relationship to be a healthy, lasting relationship, I believe it is both necessary and entirely possible to get through the difficult part in order to reach the great part.
I haven't always been great at recognizing boundaries, whether it be my own or those of the people around me. I also haven't always been great at accepting differences in those closest to me. I believe that my past - and current - relationships are forging the path in my own understanding of what it means to be a great partner, great friend, great mother/daughter/neice, etc. I believe the story of my "past" relationships is rather simple: a series of multiple mountains, some of which I have overcome, some of which I had to repeat in order to overcome, some of which I am still climbing for the first or second or third time. The story is the path, the growth, the walk forward. The story is the love given or received. The story is the movement through loss. The story is the ever-changing.
Past relationships are difficult to talk about, because the stories about them will often change over time, or will reflect a biased, one-sided view. I would prefer to say this: be it an intimate relationship that ended, or one with family or friends with whom I've lost touch over time, each "past" relationship has offered something that was monumental in terms of my personal growth and recognition. The stories therein become less relevant when I am able to see the benefit of having the relationship itself.
Past relationships have often been a source of pain to me...I struggle with the idea of losing or being abandoned by those I love. I experienced both early on in life and have since carried the fear of either happening again. Over time, though, the fear softens and I am able to see things for what they are - that sometimes we grow apart, sometimes we outgrow one another, sometimes compromise isn't possible. I do believe for any relationship to remain in the present, it requires both parties to be aware of their own insecurities, triggers, faults, biases, perceptions, reactions, and to be able to confront their own inadequacies along the way.
I also believe that love changes and that it is possible to learn and then relearn to love another differently as years go by. In my closest relationships, I have found that this is always true. In each, there has always come a point, a wall, where we have had to reevaluate, recognize, and reflect upon our differences and boundaries, accept them, accept one another, and make a conscious choice to move forward. When the recognition or acceptance isn't possible, the relationship has inevitibly become stagnant. Beyond the wall, however, if you are able to pass over it, there is a greater relationship possible, one with the purest forms of honesty, open communication, comfort, safety, and unconditional love. For any relationship to be a healthy, lasting relationship, I believe it is both necessary and entirely possible to get through the difficult part in order to reach the great part.
I haven't always been great at recognizing boundaries, whether it be my own or those of the people around me. I also haven't always been great at accepting differences in those closest to me. I believe that my past - and current - relationships are forging the path in my own understanding of what it means to be a great partner, great friend, great mother/daughter/neice, etc. I believe the story of my "past" relationships is rather simple: a series of multiple mountains, some of which I have overcome, some of which I had to repeat in order to overcome, some of which I am still climbing for the first or second or third time. The story is the path, the growth, the walk forward. The story is the love given or received. The story is the movement through loss. The story is the ever-changing.
30 Day Blogging Challenge - Day 10
Something/someone you're proud of:
It's going to sound cliche, but of course I love talking about my son. The truth is, there is nothing that I'm more proud of than of the little boy that he is and of the mother I am to him. I am so in love with Baby C.
At 19 months, he catches me off-guard daily with how much he knows and understands. He doesn't speak much outside of "baby talk," but he certainly knows exactly what I'm saying and manages to do (or run away from doing) anything I'm talking about. Moment by moment, he is discovering new things, accomplishing new tasks, mimicking my actions more accurately. I have watched him stealing my makeup repeatedly over the last few months, only to find him sitting on the floor mimicking the way I put on lotions and powders with makeup pads and brushes. His curiosity cracks me up.
He is so compassionate - always offering hugs and kisses and a rub on my shoulder almost at the instant I'm feeling sad or looking a little distant. At night, he curls as close as he can to my side and, if I can keep my arm around him, that's even better. As active as he is, he's never too busy for me to cuddle him for a while. My favorite time is just before bedtime when, after he's been bathed and dressed for bed, he sits in my lap with his head on my chest and gives me kiss after kiss while I read him to sleep.
He is so happy, always approaching strangers to give them a hug or offer them his bear, laughing at all the little things in life, smiling endlessly. He is so safe and comfortable that, while leaving him at his first day of daycare, there was no fear on his part, no separation anxiety; he was in the arms of someone new and playing with their toys so that when I went to leave, he was already busy being his happy little self. Yet, he never fails to come looking for me when I'm not around...knowing this, especially with how hard I've been working lately, has made me really sad.
He falls down - sometimes really big falls - and never cries; he has a strength in him that I'm not used to seeing in children his age. It's as if he always carries a sense of trust that things will be ok.
The truth is, he is what I am most proud of. As much as I spend my time trying to teach him about the world, I feel like he teaches me daily. And yet, I know that somehow these great things that is learning and displaying is part of what he has experienced through parenting; that gives me relief. At 19 months, Baby C's got it all figured out: with a little understanding and curiosity, a lot of love and compassion, a happy outlook in life, and a lot of strength and trust, things will be ok.
It's going to sound cliche, but of course I love talking about my son. The truth is, there is nothing that I'm more proud of than of the little boy that he is and of the mother I am to him. I am so in love with Baby C.
At 19 months, he catches me off-guard daily with how much he knows and understands. He doesn't speak much outside of "baby talk," but he certainly knows exactly what I'm saying and manages to do (or run away from doing) anything I'm talking about. Moment by moment, he is discovering new things, accomplishing new tasks, mimicking my actions more accurately. I have watched him stealing my makeup repeatedly over the last few months, only to find him sitting on the floor mimicking the way I put on lotions and powders with makeup pads and brushes. His curiosity cracks me up.
He is so compassionate - always offering hugs and kisses and a rub on my shoulder almost at the instant I'm feeling sad or looking a little distant. At night, he curls as close as he can to my side and, if I can keep my arm around him, that's even better. As active as he is, he's never too busy for me to cuddle him for a while. My favorite time is just before bedtime when, after he's been bathed and dressed for bed, he sits in my lap with his head on my chest and gives me kiss after kiss while I read him to sleep.
He is so happy, always approaching strangers to give them a hug or offer them his bear, laughing at all the little things in life, smiling endlessly. He is so safe and comfortable that, while leaving him at his first day of daycare, there was no fear on his part, no separation anxiety; he was in the arms of someone new and playing with their toys so that when I went to leave, he was already busy being his happy little self. Yet, he never fails to come looking for me when I'm not around...knowing this, especially with how hard I've been working lately, has made me really sad.
He falls down - sometimes really big falls - and never cries; he has a strength in him that I'm not used to seeing in children his age. It's as if he always carries a sense of trust that things will be ok.
The truth is, he is what I am most proud of. As much as I spend my time trying to teach him about the world, I feel like he teaches me daily. And yet, I know that somehow these great things that is learning and displaying is part of what he has experienced through parenting; that gives me relief. At 19 months, Baby C's got it all figured out: with a little understanding and curiosity, a lot of love and compassion, a happy outlook in life, and a lot of strength and trust, things will be ok.
Sunday, March 27, 2011
30 Day Blogging Challenge - Day 9
Short term goals for this month and why:
I have talked about the weight of losing "me" through the multitude of transitions in the past several years. My biggest goals this month all include the baby steps I need to take in getting back to "me": spending as much quality time with my family as possible; exposing Baby C to lots of new environments, fun places, and events; enjoying my new part-time job, making a few extra dollars and meeting great people; reading each night before bed; working out and losing the last bit of my "baby weight"; allowing my friendships to be a guiding light in finding my way back to myself.
I am taking each day one day at a time, focusing on the little moments instead of calculating the weight of the bigger ones. I am not making any decisions, but am allowing the world to move around me as I choose to stand still...in this, I'm finding my feet, my confidence, my strength. I feel more "me" than I have in a long time and, no matter what, I am moving forward. So my goals for this month all include just being: being still, being strong, being happy.
I have talked about the weight of losing "me" through the multitude of transitions in the past several years. My biggest goals this month all include the baby steps I need to take in getting back to "me": spending as much quality time with my family as possible; exposing Baby C to lots of new environments, fun places, and events; enjoying my new part-time job, making a few extra dollars and meeting great people; reading each night before bed; working out and losing the last bit of my "baby weight"; allowing my friendships to be a guiding light in finding my way back to myself.
I am taking each day one day at a time, focusing on the little moments instead of calculating the weight of the bigger ones. I am not making any decisions, but am allowing the world to move around me as I choose to stand still...in this, I'm finding my feet, my confidence, my strength. I feel more "me" than I have in a long time and, no matter what, I am moving forward. So my goals for this month all include just being: being still, being strong, being happy.
Saturday, March 26, 2011
30 Day Blogging Challenge - Day 8
A picture of something or someone that has the biggest impact on you:
Friday, March 25, 2011
30 Day Blogging Challenge - Day 7
A hobby you have:
One of my biggest hobbies centers around my literary interests: writing journals, poetry, letters, blogging. I'm also really into photography; my son will realize this more as he grows up and tries to fumble through the thousands upon thousands of photos of himself. I love to scrapbook and photobook, but will never love it enough to put all those thousands of photos to use. They're just for me, to remember the moments.
One of my biggest hobbies centers around my literary interests: writing journals, poetry, letters, blogging. I'm also really into photography; my son will realize this more as he grows up and tries to fumble through the thousands upon thousands of photos of himself. I love to scrapbook and photobook, but will never love it enough to put all those thousands of photos to use. They're just for me, to remember the moments.
Thursday, March 24, 2011
30 Day Blogging Challenge - Day 6
A picture of somewhere you have been to:
My first love (Urbino, Italy) and a view of Palazzo Ducale from the fortress.
My first love (Urbino, Italy) and a view of Palazzo Ducale from the fortress.
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
30 Day Blogging Challenge - Day 5
20 songs that represent your life's soundtrack:
Well, this challenge was only supposed to include 15 songs, but I couldn't narrow it down. So, I made the executive decision that my life has a longer soundtrack! If I didn't think it would bore you silly, I'd probably keep going. As for now, this is the best I can do in terms of listing the songs I will always wear closest to my heart.
1. Bonnie Raitt - I Will Not Be Broken
2. Jeff Buckley - Last Goodbye
3. Thomas Dybdahl - From Grace
4. Gavin DeGraw - Follow Through
5. Jack Johnson - Banana Pancakes
6. Lisa Tingle - Chemistry
7. Bonnie Raitt - Angel From Montgomery
8. Keb Mo - Shave Yo' Legs
9. Bob Seger - Night Moves
10. Neil Young - Old Man
11. Kenny Wayne Shepherd - Deja Voodoo
12. Eddie Vedder - Hard Sun
13. Elton John - Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues
14. Alanis Morissette - Thank U
15. MuteMath - Typical
16. Kings of Leon - Use Somebody
17. Ryan Adams - Everybody Knows
18. Ray LaMontagne - For the Summer
19. BigBang - Wild Bird
20. Ray LaMontagne - Trouble
Well, this challenge was only supposed to include 15 songs, but I couldn't narrow it down. So, I made the executive decision that my life has a longer soundtrack! If I didn't think it would bore you silly, I'd probably keep going. As for now, this is the best I can do in terms of listing the songs I will always wear closest to my heart.
1. Bonnie Raitt - I Will Not Be Broken
2. Jeff Buckley - Last Goodbye
3. Thomas Dybdahl - From Grace
4. Gavin DeGraw - Follow Through
5. Jack Johnson - Banana Pancakes
6. Lisa Tingle - Chemistry
7. Bonnie Raitt - Angel From Montgomery
8. Keb Mo - Shave Yo' Legs
9. Bob Seger - Night Moves
10. Neil Young - Old Man
11. Kenny Wayne Shepherd - Deja Voodoo
12. Eddie Vedder - Hard Sun
13. Elton John - Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues
14. Alanis Morissette - Thank U
15. MuteMath - Typical
16. Kings of Leon - Use Somebody
17. Ryan Adams - Everybody Knows
18. Ray LaMontagne - For the Summer
19. BigBang - Wild Bird
20. Ray LaMontagne - Trouble
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
30 Day Blogging Challenge - Day 4
A habit you wish you didn't have:
Is it bad that I think I have too many answers to this one? I've been stumbling over them for the past day, procrastinating this post because I can't seem to figure out which of my bad habits is worse than another. Suffice it to say, I keep coming back to the same thing. So, I'll just go with it: I have a habit of mistrusting people from the get-go. It's a habit I've been trying to break for some time. Instead of the idea "you have my trust 'til you break it," I'm more of a "earn my trust first, then you keep it" kind of girl. I'm working on reversing this. And there it is, bad habit #142 out there for the world to see.
Is it bad that I think I have too many answers to this one? I've been stumbling over them for the past day, procrastinating this post because I can't seem to figure out which of my bad habits is worse than another. Suffice it to say, I keep coming back to the same thing. So, I'll just go with it: I have a habit of mistrusting people from the get-go. It's a habit I've been trying to break for some time. Instead of the idea "you have my trust 'til you break it," I'm more of a "earn my trust first, then you keep it" kind of girl. I'm working on reversing this. And there it is, bad habit #142 out there for the world to see.
30 Day Blogging Challenge: Day 3
A picture of something you cannot live without:
To me, the most important thing in life is the ultimate happiness, peace, and security of the people I love. My time with them, my ability to contribute to their joy is what matters most and what brings me the most happiness.
30 Day Blogging Challenge: Day 2
The story behind your blog name:
I have never felt like I had much of a childhood. For most of my life, I've felt too old, too mature, too responsible for my age. When I met my husband, he seemed to me to be the perfect combination...a loving, responsible man with the heart and eyes of a child. He is youthful and playful, fun and funny, and he brought out the child in me that I never knew was there. From Peter Pan, we know that the passage of time is ambiguous in Neverland. In Neverland, no matter your age, time stands still and you never lose your sense of wonderment, imagination, playfulness, purity. In my husband, I found all of these things...with him, I found that all these things exist in me too. I have found and am still Finding Neverland.
I have never felt like I had much of a childhood. For most of my life, I've felt too old, too mature, too responsible for my age. When I met my husband, he seemed to me to be the perfect combination...a loving, responsible man with the heart and eyes of a child. He is youthful and playful, fun and funny, and he brought out the child in me that I never knew was there. From Peter Pan, we know that the passage of time is ambiguous in Neverland. In Neverland, no matter your age, time stands still and you never lose your sense of wonderment, imagination, playfulness, purity. In my husband, I found all of these things...with him, I found that all these things exist in me too. I have found and am still Finding Neverland.
Monday, March 21, 2011
30 Day Blogging Challenge - Day 1
I'm no longer on hiatus, but I'm taking a break from my blogging norm to try out this trendy "challenge" that so many are raving about. I think it will be fun to change things up a bit and, hopefully, help my readers get to know me a little more...on a different level! So, for the next 30 days, here's what I'll be blogging about:
Day 01- Introduction, a recent photo, and 15 interesting facts about yourself.
Day 02- The meaning behind your blog.
Day 03- A picture of something you cannot live without.
Day 04- A habit that you wish you didn’t have.
Day 05- List 15 songs that represent your life’s soundtrack.
Day 06- A picture of somewhere you’ve been to.
Day 07- A hobby you have.
Day 08- A picture of someone/something that has the biggest impact on you.
Day 09- Short term goals for this month and why.
Day 10- Something/someone you’re proud of.
Day 11- A story about a past relationship.
Day 12- A picture of something you dislike.
Day 13- Share a secret.
Day 14- Write a letter telling someone something you could never tell them.
Day 15- A picture of something you ate and 10 confessions.
Day 16- Put your iPod on shuffle & share the first 10 songs that play.
Day 17- Something you could live without.
Day 18- Someone you would want to switch lives with for one day and why.
Day 19- Plans/dreams/goals you have.
Day 20- Nicknames you have & how or why you have them.
Day 21- If you had 3 wishes, what would they be.
Day 22- Share a picture from your day.
Day 23- What makes you different from everyone else.
Day 24- What is something you crave.
Day 25- What I would find in your bag.
Day 26- Places you want to visit before you die.
Day 27- Why are you doing this 30 day challenge?
Day 28- A picture of you last year and now, how have you changed since then?
Day 29- In this past month, what have you learned.
Day 30- A picture of you today & 20 goals you want to accomplish.
Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy!
Well, if you are new to my blog, welcome! As of a year ago, I decided to remove most of my personal information from the site, so you can call me "C" :) I am a 28-year old, western-born, southern-raised mommy of one perfect little boy ("Baby C"), who I have been home with for almost two years. But, before the baby came the wonderful man who stole my heart ("Hubby"). We met in the US, got married and, because of him, relocated to beautiful Norway going on one and a half years ago. I'm on a break from my career as a Physician Assistant, previously practicing in Hepatology (liver disease), but I fully hope and plan to use my experience in the best way possible when I begin working again in Norway.
Stuff about me:
1. I'm a nerd. I love to read and to study, get excited about having papers to write and things to cram for, can pick up any book and knock it out before the sun goes down, would gladly research any topic I'm unsure about, google everything known to man, and fully expect that my passion for learning and educating will exist until I cease to.
2. I can't "do" math. This seriously inhibits me from accomplishing all I want to in #1, because my ability to calculate the most basic of things will always suck if I don't have a calculator handy.
3. I like to pretend that I'm tough, but in truth, I'm a cryer...movies, books, commercials, cards, photos, my son, you name it. During the sad or happy endings of any movie, Hubby will inevitibly lean over to see if I am crying - and then laugh when he finds out that he predicted correctly. Falling in love and becoming a parent have made me overtly sappy.
4. Most of my fondest memories have occured outdoors - hiking, fishing, boating, camping, skiing. This is one of the things that connects me deeply to Norway: my strong appreciation for the fact that these things are easily accessible and done so often.
5. If I had a whole day to spend alone, my perfect idea of what to do would be simple: sunshine, top down, open road, blaring music, singing at the top of my lungs...drive, drive, drive!
6. I'm always cold at night and, when I get cold, it's never my hands or feet that get cold first...it's my butt. This drives Hubby crazy.
7. I'm a work-a-holic. I started working 4-5 nights a week when I was 14, worked my way through high school, worked three jobs while attending college full-time, and am currently on my first stint of unemployment (I refuse to call at-home parenting "work", even though it can be.)
8. My dreams are incredibly vivid, no matter if they are good or bad. And I can always remember them, down to the strangest details. Sometimes, it takes me hours to "snap out of it" when I wake up from the movie I've just lived in my head.
9. As much as I could consider myself outdoorsy or athletic, I'm incredibly clumsy. For my first high school dance, I decided to rollerblade to the flower shop to get my date's boutonniere. After a head-on collision with a large pink van, I arrived at the dance with welt on my head and two knees full of band-aids. I also fell face-first down a flight of stairs at my senior prom. This type of event is not uncommon with me.
10. I can't see a home as complete without a cat or a dog in it, preferably more than one. If I had my choice, Hubby and I would still have our original four, with Baby C making five.
11. No food is more important to me than coffee, although I can and will eat anything.
12. The happiness I feel when I see my son happy is like nothing I've ever felt...every smile he takes, every milestone he reaches, every happy moment he has literally gives me strength to be the best I can be. He is magic to me.
13. I believe in always looking to the best in people, even when it's hard to see or when you can only see their worst. I believe in redemption, forgiveness, and giving the benefit of the doubt...and I'm learning to practice what I believe more and more everyday.
14. The two things I'm most afraid of in life: losing the people I love and cockroaches. Strange combination, but very, very true.
15. I have always wanted to change the world, help heal it, make it better, keep it safe. When I was little, I wrote letters to the government about pollution and whaling (apparently, I even wrote a letter about whaling off the coast of Norway! Ha! Foreshadowing???), I wanted to recycle everything, and believed I would one day have or create a career that would allow me to change and heal everything. As I get older, my scope narrows into more practical views, but I still believe that I have a role to play. I still believe there is something I am meant to do or be a part of, something bigger than I can see now. For now, I write...
Day 01- Introduction, a recent photo, and 15 interesting facts about yourself.
Day 02- The meaning behind your blog.
Day 03- A picture of something you cannot live without.
Day 04- A habit that you wish you didn’t have.
Day 05- List 15 songs that represent your life’s soundtrack.
Day 06- A picture of somewhere you’ve been to.
Day 07- A hobby you have.
Day 08- A picture of someone/something that has the biggest impact on you.
Day 09- Short term goals for this month and why.
Day 10- Something/someone you’re proud of.
Day 11- A story about a past relationship.
Day 12- A picture of something you dislike.
Day 13- Share a secret.
Day 14- Write a letter telling someone something you could never tell them.
Day 15- A picture of something you ate and 10 confessions.
Day 16- Put your iPod on shuffle & share the first 10 songs that play.
Day 17- Something you could live without.
Day 18- Someone you would want to switch lives with for one day and why.
Day 19- Plans/dreams/goals you have.
Day 20- Nicknames you have & how or why you have them.
Day 21- If you had 3 wishes, what would they be.
Day 22- Share a picture from your day.
Day 23- What makes you different from everyone else.
Day 24- What is something you crave.
Day 25- What I would find in your bag.
Day 26- Places you want to visit before you die.
Day 27- Why are you doing this 30 day challenge?
Day 28- A picture of you last year and now, how have you changed since then?
Day 29- In this past month, what have you learned.
Day 30- A picture of you today & 20 goals you want to accomplish.
Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy!
Well, if you are new to my blog, welcome! As of a year ago, I decided to remove most of my personal information from the site, so you can call me "C" :) I am a 28-year old, western-born, southern-raised mommy of one perfect little boy ("Baby C"), who I have been home with for almost two years. But, before the baby came the wonderful man who stole my heart ("Hubby"). We met in the US, got married and, because of him, relocated to beautiful Norway going on one and a half years ago. I'm on a break from my career as a Physician Assistant, previously practicing in Hepatology (liver disease), but I fully hope and plan to use my experience in the best way possible when I begin working again in Norway.
Stuff about me:
1. I'm a nerd. I love to read and to study, get excited about having papers to write and things to cram for, can pick up any book and knock it out before the sun goes down, would gladly research any topic I'm unsure about, google everything known to man, and fully expect that my passion for learning and educating will exist until I cease to.
2. I can't "do" math. This seriously inhibits me from accomplishing all I want to in #1, because my ability to calculate the most basic of things will always suck if I don't have a calculator handy.
3. I like to pretend that I'm tough, but in truth, I'm a cryer...movies, books, commercials, cards, photos, my son, you name it. During the sad or happy endings of any movie, Hubby will inevitibly lean over to see if I am crying - and then laugh when he finds out that he predicted correctly. Falling in love and becoming a parent have made me overtly sappy.
4. Most of my fondest memories have occured outdoors - hiking, fishing, boating, camping, skiing. This is one of the things that connects me deeply to Norway: my strong appreciation for the fact that these things are easily accessible and done so often.
5. If I had a whole day to spend alone, my perfect idea of what to do would be simple: sunshine, top down, open road, blaring music, singing at the top of my lungs...drive, drive, drive!
6. I'm always cold at night and, when I get cold, it's never my hands or feet that get cold first...it's my butt. This drives Hubby crazy.
7. I'm a work-a-holic. I started working 4-5 nights a week when I was 14, worked my way through high school, worked three jobs while attending college full-time, and am currently on my first stint of unemployment (I refuse to call at-home parenting "work", even though it can be.)
8. My dreams are incredibly vivid, no matter if they are good or bad. And I can always remember them, down to the strangest details. Sometimes, it takes me hours to "snap out of it" when I wake up from the movie I've just lived in my head.
9. As much as I could consider myself outdoorsy or athletic, I'm incredibly clumsy. For my first high school dance, I decided to rollerblade to the flower shop to get my date's boutonniere. After a head-on collision with a large pink van, I arrived at the dance with welt on my head and two knees full of band-aids. I also fell face-first down a flight of stairs at my senior prom. This type of event is not uncommon with me.
10. I can't see a home as complete without a cat or a dog in it, preferably more than one. If I had my choice, Hubby and I would still have our original four, with Baby C making five.
11. No food is more important to me than coffee, although I can and will eat anything.
12. The happiness I feel when I see my son happy is like nothing I've ever felt...every smile he takes, every milestone he reaches, every happy moment he has literally gives me strength to be the best I can be. He is magic to me.
13. I believe in always looking to the best in people, even when it's hard to see or when you can only see their worst. I believe in redemption, forgiveness, and giving the benefit of the doubt...and I'm learning to practice what I believe more and more everyday.
14. The two things I'm most afraid of in life: losing the people I love and cockroaches. Strange combination, but very, very true.
15. I have always wanted to change the world, help heal it, make it better, keep it safe. When I was little, I wrote letters to the government about pollution and whaling (apparently, I even wrote a letter about whaling off the coast of Norway! Ha! Foreshadowing???), I wanted to recycle everything, and believed I would one day have or create a career that would allow me to change and heal everything. As I get older, my scope narrows into more practical views, but I still believe that I have a role to play. I still believe there is something I am meant to do or be a part of, something bigger than I can see now. For now, I write...
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