Goodbye, January

Oh man, January has just flown by for me.  I'm ready for a new month.  February just breezes on by because it's so short.  I am certainly craving some warmer temperatures, although I wouldn't be surprised if we got some snowfall in February or even early March around here.

At least I have home to look forward to with warm and sunny temperatures in early March.

Here is what my January has consisted of:

My new internship at the St. Louis Mayor's Office in the Education sector (!).  Isn't City Hall absolutely stunning?

Welcoming this cutie to St. Louis! Thanks for visiting, Lisa. 

Finally making it to the top of the Gateway Arch in STL.  It was beautiful.

Feeling like a kid and loving it at City Museum

Feeling thankful for views like this

...and this

Visiting the Missouri State Capitol 

Final thoughts:

• If you know anyone in Texas connected to an education advocacy and/or policy organization please shoot me an e-mail or drop me a comment.  I am interested in connecting! 
• I think some of these 2014 goals have been going well, especially the having more fun portion :)
• Also, the networking goal...already met my goal for networking in January, go me!
• If you have any good song or album recommendations please comment.

2014: Mais fais le doucement

It has been far too long, hasn't it my friends?

I agree, but I think 2014 is a great year to get back into writing.  Especially because I have so many friends that are all over the place, and I would love for them to stay in the know on what is going on in my life.

Now, the question: why did I stop blogging? 
You know, there are a lot of reasons for this and among them transitions, change, and graduate school.  It was definitely not because I didn't have anything to write about, because if anything I think I have more to write about than I ever have.  There are so many things I want to discuss, rant, cry and be angry about.  A lot of feminism, a lot of self-discovery, and a lot of laughter in between.  To answer it in one word I stopped writing because of growth.  I realized in December that I stopped blogging because the person I was portrayed as on this blog had grown up a little bit.  I have discovered a lot about myself and what I care about this last semester in graduate school.  I think a part of me was afraid of how to express that to the virtual world.

I have edited my about me to make it feel a little bit more like my current self.  I will be editing the blog here and there in the upcoming months.  The important thing is that I am back now and not afraid to voice a lot of strong opinions here every now and then.

Now, let's get started shall we?  What a better way to start than to go over my goals for 2014?! One of my very best and dearest friends and I sat down on New Years Day to write our goals together.  We were determined to have a fantastic year, and I think we have gotten off to a really good start.

So, like last year, I divided my goals into professional, physical, and personal goals. It helps me organize them better this way, and I intend on reflecting in six months as well as at the end of the year.

Professional

• I will learn something new every day and take risks at my internship with one goal in mind: educational equity.
• I will begin interviewing/researching for fall internships by April 2014.
• I will find opportunities to network at least once a month.
• I will read at least three books for professional development (spring, summer, fall)
• I will make connections in Austin, New Orleans, Dallas, and the RGV by December 2014 for future job opportunities for 2015.
• I will improve at my current job by developing my relationships with my RAs and Residents

Physical

• I will continue to walk to school at least four times a week.
• I will find an affordable yoga studio that is no more than $30/month.
• I will limit my meat (not including fish) to no more than 2X a week (unless holiday falls on that week).
• I will eat more vegetables through smoothies (kale, carrots, spinach, celery, tomatoes)

Personal 

• HAVE MORE FUN
• I will have more fun by going out to more pubs on a biweekly minimum.
• I will find a stable summer job that will pay the rent by mid-April 2014. 
• I will finish all my free therapy sessions until the end of the year
• I will treat myself to a massage at the end of finals
• I will keep in touch with my long distance friends by personally contacting them at least once a month via skype or phone.
• I will send more care packages to people I care about for no reason at all (spring, summer, fall)
• I will call family members besides my mom biweekly.
• I will attend more concerts (3 minimum)
• I will ONLY consider dating people whose values meet my checklist (more on that later)
• I will explore my spirituality and faith by going to the Catholic Student Center for more than monthly happy hour.

Oh, and for a 2014 mantra?  Last year my mantra was "Anything Could Happen" inspired by the Ellie Goulding song.  While it is hard to pick a new one, I have decided on something I learned in Louisiana.  When I lived there a sweet friend who still inspires me introduced me to the following:

Laissez les bon temps rouler (mais fais le doucement)

Laissez les bon temps rouler (mais fais le doucement), let the good times roll, but do it slowly/gently.  Is that not just absolutely fabulous?

Checking in

Remember my mantra?

Now that we are one third of the way through 2013 (eek!) I think it's a perfect time to check in with my goals for the year.  

Let's take a look back at what I said here.

Personal Goals

• Go on a blind date
• Ask someone out on a date, because who says I can't go after what I want?
• Find a more unified theme for my blog, and increase my viewing audience
• Go on at least four brewery tours by the end of the year
• Ride a hot air balloon
• Send birthday packages/care packages/cards to show I love my family and friends 
• Buy all Christmas gifts by the end of November
• Send out Christmas cards by the first week of December
• Make a habit out of reading CNN, just like I read blogs/social media sites
• Every time I open social media I have to open CNN or another news source
• Minimizing all meat intake to once a week I've done a great job doing this so far
• Go ALL OUT for holidays (Valentine's, St. Patrick's Day, Easter, Fourth of July, Mardi Gras)
• Travel abroad at least once this year 
• Travel to NYC, New Orleans, Dallas (for you, Sarah), Boston, Seattle, and Santa Fe
• Take another road trip across the country
• See more of my best friends (in person)
• Go to at least one concert

Physical Goals

• Continue to improve my yoga practice, and master at least two more headstands, including variations of dolphin and scorpion
• Join a yoga studio by the end of September 2013
• Join a gym with spinning classes by the end of September 2013 and join
• Find a team sport/ book club (not physical, but still) / beer tasting club or other group the join by October 2013

Professional Goals

• If accepted to a graduate program I want to choose one that will help achieve my long-term professional goals
• Apply to work at Teach For America's Summer Institute to gain professional development and better improve my management skills and leading a group of people towards success. Decided not to apply after all.  
• Give my students a purpose every day for why they are in my classroom, with a goal-driven mindset until they exit in May 2013
• Mentor at minimum two more students individually on their life goals
• Set up a field trip for my Spanish I & Spanish II students by end of March 2013
• Make sure I am always doing something to work for social justice, whether that is volunteering somewhere new, helping individuals, or donating to a cause.

Not bad, huh? Lots has been happening since the last time I graced the blog world with my presence.  Let's recap...

• I went home to Texas and spent an incredible amount of time with one of my best friends

Taken in East Austin, Texas

• My favorite blogger has reduced her blogging to once or twice a week 
• I have since then learned that age is just a number.  Just a number. JUST. A. NUMBER.
• Felt.."free like bluebonnets in the summer"

Bluebonnets are the Texas state flower and bloom in the springtime in the Hill Country

• Continued to sit on my porch
• Started reading the book Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg

• Got classier glassier and invested in two pairs of new frames by Warby Parker and Rivet and Sway

The Mantra by Rivet and Sway on top and the Sims frame by Warby Parker on the bottom

• Went to the beach

• Drank some good craft beer 

What are you reading/drinking/enjoying? 

Have you checked in on your New Year's Resolutions?

Drunk on Life

Remember this, guys? Well, let's recap a bit:

Personal Goals

• Go on a blind date
• Ask someone out on a date, because who says I can't go after what I want?

Check, and check.  Well, almost.  I am not wasting any time at all.  I am officially on the dating scene, I have never been the "dating" girl, but it's a new year and I decided that it's time to start dating.  So, I asked someone out, and I will also be going on a blind date this Tuesday.  

I know the blind date is the most intriguing story.  I have this past student who is a great kid, he's also very tech savvy.  Said student e-mails me towards the end of last semester informing me that his dad's friend was interested in taking me out.  My student prefaced all this by saying that he felt out of place telling me.  Awkwardness aside, I asked my student the infinite question, "How in the world does this 'friend' of your dad's even know who I am?"  Apparently back in September or October when my student ran into me at Wal-Mart as I was in my gym clothes and running shoes this person was also with him.  I only saw my student of course and cut the conversation as short as possible given my appearance.  According to my student he could not stop asking about me since.  Intrigued? Me too. I sure was flattered.  To wrap this up for y'all I will just say that I immediately left my student out of it and I made the executive decision to pursue this potential blind date.  This blind date has offered to make me dinner, but considering it is blind I changed its direction to meeting up for a drink at a local and neutral location.  In the words of Shoshanna from Girls, you've got to meet in a public place in case he turns out to be a rapist.  

It's fun, it's exciting, and it's definitely keeping my life interesting so I will keep y'all posted on the outcome of this date.  If anything I have a new friend, right? 

This weekend:

• I saw Zero Dark Thirty and it kept me on the edge of my seat the ENTIRE time. 
• I ran into every student and their mom (literally) on a rainy day outing
• Said bon voyage to our dear Matt. 
• Most importantly, in the words of a friend, I got drunk on LIFE. 

Don't forget to watch the premiere of Girls if you didn't.  I have to wait to watch it on HBOGo tomorrow night.  Please don't give away any spoilers! 

Goals for 2013

I've been thinking about goals and resolutions.  I like goal-setting, it makes me feel accountable to myself.  I feel really good about 2013 for three minor reasons:

1. Odd numbers are my favorite
2. The number thirteen has a history of good things in my family
3. There will be lots of change happening this year, and I embrace change

Personal Goals

• Go on a blind date
• Ask someone out on a date, because who says I can't go after what I want?
• Find a more unified theme for my blog, and increase my viewing audience
• Go on at least four brewery tours by the end of the year
• Ride a hot air balloon
• Send birthday packages/care packages/cards to show I love my family and friends 
• Buy all Christmas gifts by the end of November
• Send out Christmas cards by the first week of December
• Make a habit out of reading CNN, just like I read blogs/social media sites
• Every time I open social media I have to open CNN or another news source
• Minimizing all meat intake to once a week
• Go ALL OUT for holidays (Valentine's, St. Patrick's Day, Easter, Fourth of July, Mardi Gras)
• Travel abroad at least once this year 
• Travel to NYC, New Orleans, Dallas (for you, Sarah), Boston, Seattle, and Santa Fe
• Take another road trip across the country
• See more of my best friends (in person)
• Go to at least one concert

Physical Goals

• Continue to improve my yoga practice, and master at least two more headstands, including variations of dolphin and scorpion
• Join a yoga studio by the end of September 2013
• Join a gym with spinning classes by the end of September 2013 and join
• Find a team sport/ book club (not physical, but still) / beer tasting club or other group the join by October 2013

Professional Goals

• If accepted to a graduate program I want to choose one that will help achieve my long-term professional goals
• Apply to work at Teach For America's Summer Institute to gain professional development and better improve my management skills and leading a group of people towards success.
• Give my students a purpose every day for why they are in my classroom, with a goal-driven mindset until they exit in May 2013
• Mentor at minimum two more students individually on their life goals
• Set up a field trip for my Spanish I & Spanish II students by end of March 2013
• Make sure I am always doing something to work for social justice, whether that is volunteering somewhere new, helping individuals, or donating to a cause.

This list is definitely subject to change and I will probably add to it.  So much to accomplish, but it's a long year.  Among all these goals I want to create more.  The world is my canvas...

I'll show you how it turns out in 2013 ;)

What about you, share one thing you'd like to accomplish in 2013?