March 15, 2010

Something New

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So I broke my leg back in December on the last day of classes.  I was bummed because I thought I would have to put everything that I had worked so hard for throughout the past year on hold.  Interestingly enough, the time went by amazingly fast, and the things that I thought I would finish during my “time off” weren’t finished.

I’m all healed up, for the most part.  The leg didn’t prevent me from getting the job that I wanted (my ultimate goal), it just delayed my start a bit.  I was hoping to do a new years resolution thing while I was stuck at home, but it never happened, and then I figured it wasn’t a good time to write something like that anyway while I was suffering from a major case of cabin fever.  Anyway…I thought it would be more fitting to do a new years thing when, or shortly after, I started my new job.  So here it is…

What did I accomplish in 2009?  A lot!  I fulfilled some goals, fell short on some others.  But, for the most part, I’m pretty pleased.

  • I finished my program!!  I did quite well:)  I made the deans list every semester.  I ROCK!!
  • I was offered a job from the institution where it was my goal to work.
  • The 2009 growing season was great!  I grew a variety of cherry tomato named “Hawaiian” that was so productive that I eventually stopped picking them because I couldn’t keep up.  The plant became HUGE, eventually vining out and taking up a good portion of garden space.

(you don’t even know!  it was crazy!!)

  • I spent some quality time with family and friends.  Maybe not as much as I would have liked to, but it was quality none-the-less.
  • I didn’t get a single road race in this past year!  I don’t want to make any excuses for that, and simply leave it to falling short of that goal.
  • My hops produced some cones!  It wasn’t as much as I would have liked, but it was something.

So what do I hope to accomplish in 2010?  A lot:)

  • This one’s pretty lame as I’m close to achieving it anyway, but I have to put it out there.  I hope to get my leg back to 100%, or normal, before the end of the year.  It was a pretty bad break (left tib/fib fracture…the tib broke through my skin).  I had to have surgery.  I made a lot of progress in a short amount of time, and I hope to continue that progress.
  • I hope to continue just loving my job and feeling that I’m here to do this.  The first year will feel just like school (I’ve been told), so I will be a sponge and just soak it all in.
  • I would like to grow 6 different varieties of tomatoes this year, and would like to try growing beets.  I’m also planning on putting in another hops plant.  Hopefully the sterling will take this time.
  • I would like to brew a coconut beer.  I’m thinking it will be a stout, but it might be crazier or more summery as some sort of light, possibly creamy ale.
  • I hope to do the Turkey Trot this year, and maybe the North Liberty Fun Run.  Originally I had planned on doing the BIX again this year, but I don’t want to re-hurt my leg.  Maybe I’m being overly cautious, but I’ve never had to deal with an injury like this before.  So, yeah…
  • I hope to get my finances back in order.  This one seems easy too, since I’m working again.

So there it is.

It feels weird saying that I’m excited for Spring to be here because I pretty much missed out on the entire Winter season.  I was able to, for once, see the beauty of Winter unfold and wish that I could be out there enjoying it.  Even though I missed out, I’m still excited for Spring, and excited to see what 2010 will bring.

-H

 

December 31, 2008

Cheers, 2009!

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“Here’s to the bright New Year, and a fond farewell to the old; here’s to the things that are yet to come, and to the memories that we hold.”
–Anonymous

I’m not sure who wrote that.  Do you?  I guess it doesn’t really matter, though it’s fitting for today, New Year’s Eve.

As this day approaches I find myself wondering, “Where did the time go?…This year really went by quickly.”  I find myself reflecting on the good and bad of the past year, maybe going back even further.  And though the New Year isn’t trully a clean slate, I like to think that it allows me some extra room for improvement.

2008 was a great year!  Without going into too great of detail I’d like to list a few of the little and big things that I saw this year…

  • In February I celebrated the end of my 20’s and began a new decade in my life. One of many decades I hope.  My cousin celebrated the big 3-0 in May, and my best friend found 30 in September.  31, here we come!
  • I have a few friends who had to experience some truly heartbreaking things.  Without going into detail about either of these events I just wish to share that I often think of these people (though I rarely show it) and send my wishes for hope and happiness on a daily basis to all of them.
  • I have a few friends who welcomed new members to their families, and a couple who found out that their family will be growing early next year.
  • On a whim I enrolled in some classes again.  In my old age <wink, wink> I’ve come to realize that I’m happiest when I’m learning.  I also put my name on the waiting list for a Surgical program that seemed interesting to me, and amazingly my name came up on the list a year earlier than it should have.  I think this is real proof that ALL things happen for a reason.  And, MA!  I’m getting straight A’s!
  • That flood!  Gosh, that flood sucked!  I hope the Midwest never sees another flood that bad.
  • We watched the Olympics and a guy, who might literally be part fish, do some pretty amazing things.
  • Obama!  …nuff said.

I know there’s more.  Lot’s more!  But I’m working on my long winded-ness, and I still have more to write.

I’m looking forward to this new year, 2009, as an exciting new journey.  I know we will all experience some pretty tremendous things (hopefully all good).

I try not to make a list of resolutions because I always feel that if I do I will jinx myself, and none of these things will come true.  Ridiculous, I know.  Instead of a list of things I hope to resolve I wish to list a few things that I look forward to in the new year, maybe a few hopes.  Does that make sense?

  • I look forward to starting my new program & to find out if this was what I was meant to do.
  • I look forward to a far better growing season than we had last year.  Maybe this year my hops will have established themselves enough to produce some flowers, and maybe it won’t be so damp.
  • I look forward to more good times with friends and family, and hearing more good news from them all.
  • I look forward to all of those road races I normally do every year, and hope to maybe add a few more.
  • I hope to take more from life and to not just live it, but love it.  All of it!

Farewell, 2008!  It’s been an exciting and extraordinary year.

I’ll leave you with one more quote:

“Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each new year find you a better man.”  (or woman…hehe!) –Benjamin Franklin

Cheers!

-H