Life as I know it...33

Amazingly enough, this is my fifth birthday blog (1, 2, 3 & 4 found here). I like to take a moment and reflect upon the year that has passed and make a plan for the year coming. Although I never really integrated the whole concept of 32 into my self image (I thought I was 31 for much of the year), I do still love a look back.

This year was a chapter change for me. I became a married person - something I never thought I would do until I decided to visit LA on my way to India and then knew almost immediately. It has been a completely wonderful transition and I can now not fathom a different path for my life.

While my personal life has become more settled my professional life has become less so. I anticipate change on the horizon. This brings alternating feelings of anxiety and adventure. I am still happy to spend my days with my students. But, the time around the time with them is a different story. I have more to think about before I am able to be definitive on these pages. For now, I think.

I've been caught up in thoughts about a change that happens as people move from their 20s into their 30s. When I began this blog, much of my life revolved around the day to day experiences of friends. My focus has readjusted overtime. I have been feeling bad about this; interpreting the change to social awkwardness and a rediscovered sense of shyness. Perhaps, though, it has more to do with the way I am turning toward my own little family unit than an inability to carry on adult conversation.

Now for the bullet point portion of the evening. Things I plan on doing as a 33 year old:

• Take a ceramics class.
• Continue to write thank you cards (it's a nice thing to do and has not always been in my social repertoire).
• Try to rediscover movement in my life. This has something to do with the analogy of putting on the oxygen mask of others before I put on my own. It's not the way I'm supposed to do it.
• Continue to find ways to have pride of ownership in my home. I love being home and I want to find more ways to extend the good feelings. If this means a iCal alert to clean the baseboards, so be it.
• Try to blog more. There was a request.
• Spend less time consuming and more time creating.
• Make at least one healthy choice each day.
• Continue to use recipes. The results have been wonderful.

Menonite in a Little Black Dress

A while ago, I was waiting for a latte at the local coffee shop, perusing the NYTimes magazine. I found my way to the back page (which I love). The title really drew me in. So I read it. I loved it. I requested the book (Menonite in a Little Black Dress) from the LA Public Library. Forever ago.

When I put in the request, I was number two on the hold list. I am still number two on the hold list. This has brought about some OCD like behaviors. I check the status online. I ask about it when I have to return other books. Then, I wonder if I should just break down and buy a hardcover book. I mean the freekin book is laugh out loud and it uses the word canoodling. The internal strife is building.

If it does not arrive soon, I am so getting this book for the flight back east.