I promise you, dear readers (if you're still out there), that I write blog posts every other day in my head... If only I could mentally type them and post them here as well!!
It's been another 2 months since I last blogged... Yup, I suck.
Moving on...
I added a few more things to my A-Z Challenge, and I'm up to 23 books read in my 50 Book Pledge! Hoping to make it to 28 books by July. :)
I finally completed "Get Rid of 100 Things", and dropped off a box of 100+ things (I added more last week) to the back of Value Village - if you're shopping in Stoney Creek you might end up with some of my old things ;)
I also started to colour in a colouring book. Shocking confession: I'm not very good at staying in the lines..who knew?! (It's not as easy as it looks ;))
I'm off to live in report card land for the next week, but hopefully will get things accomplished this summer - provided things work out career-wise, I anticipate lots of my Things getting started & finished this summer!
Sunday, June 03, 2012
Monday, April 09, 2012
Slow but Steady...
Well, I keep making some progress on my 50 Book Pledge, so at least I feel like I am accomplishing something from this list! Up to 14 books read now, not too shabby for only being 3 1/2 months into the year :)
I just went through and read some of my first blog posts from when I started this blog last year, to hopefully give me some motivation! I definitely need to get my diet back on track - so long carbs & sugars again - it's always fun, but definitely not necessary!! I added one more activity to my A-Z Challenge as well - Aquafit!! I went to my first class of it last week and it was pretty fun! I also felt like it engaged my core, which is a tough thing for me to do when working out, so that was pretty inspiring. Hopefully I can keep going back to classes regularly! I don't have much else to say for the moment, I am feeling pretty tired still, but I am only 5 days in to my vacation, and this was the first day I actually got to sleep in! The week ahead is looking fun, but busy - hopefully I get to squeeze a couple of fun activities from my list into my plans as well!
I just went through and read some of my first blog posts from when I started this blog last year, to hopefully give me some motivation! I definitely need to get my diet back on track - so long carbs & sugars again - it's always fun, but definitely not necessary!! I added one more activity to my A-Z Challenge as well - Aquafit!! I went to my first class of it last week and it was pretty fun! I also felt like it engaged my core, which is a tough thing for me to do when working out, so that was pretty inspiring. Hopefully I can keep going back to classes regularly! I don't have much else to say for the moment, I am feeling pretty tired still, but I am only 5 days in to my vacation, and this was the first day I actually got to sleep in! The week ahead is looking fun, but busy - hopefully I get to squeeze a couple of fun activities from my list into my plans as well!
Sunday, April 01, 2012
Almost 365 Days In...
So, my first month of Thing 10 has not gone well. In fact, it passed by without a single post! I really don't use my laptop at all outside of work, so the nights of sitting on it, with blogger open and ready to go, do not come often!
I have also spent the last month feeling extremely exhausted. :( I have my Passover holiday starting later this week for 10 days, and it can not come soon enough! I'm hoping, like last year's break, it will be a time of rejuvenation and renewal. That is when I started this blog & challenge, and it really set my life off on a new and exciting path :)
I have updated 2 of my things on here - Thing #69 - I added my weekend trip to Quebec to meet the "Q" part of the challenge, and I have read quite a bit this month as well, so I'm up to 11 books read in my Thing 90 - 50 Book Pledge for 2012.
That's all for now, but I'm hoping for some progress on a few things over my holidays, so stay tuned!
I have also spent the last month feeling extremely exhausted. :( I have my Passover holiday starting later this week for 10 days, and it can not come soon enough! I'm hoping, like last year's break, it will be a time of rejuvenation and renewal. That is when I started this blog & challenge, and it really set my life off on a new and exciting path :)
I have updated 2 of my things on here - Thing #69 - I added my weekend trip to Quebec to meet the "Q" part of the challenge, and I have read quite a bit this month as well, so I'm up to 11 books read in my Thing 90 - 50 Book Pledge for 2012.
That's all for now, but I'm hoping for some progress on a few things over my holidays, so stay tuned!
Sunday, February 26, 2012
A Few More Things...
Apparently there is a new, updated Blogger interface for me to try out - has anybody given it a shot yet? I am hesitant to click on it, because I am reluctant to experience any and all change ;) Seriously though, I am still getting used to the changes to my Gmail Inbox from 3 or 4 months ago!
If you see any references to a "Thing 6" page for my blog, ignore them - that workout plan never really went anywhere, so I decided to free up some space along the top of the page. :)
I have updated my 50 book pledge page and you can click the link to see what I have read in 2012 so far - I have read 5 books so far, and have thoroughly enjoyed 3 of them! Not bad odds...
I also went through and updated my A-Z Challenge. I feel like there are probably a few more things I could put up there if only I could remember them!! ;) We'll see if anything comes to mind.
Anyways, if there are any new readers out there, welcome! For all you old readers (figuratively), thanks for sticking around!
I'm off now to do some writing for one of my things...maybe...or maybe I'll just play some Plants & Zombies for a little while ;)
~Until next time...
If you see any references to a "Thing 6" page for my blog, ignore them - that workout plan never really went anywhere, so I decided to free up some space along the top of the page. :)
I have updated my 50 book pledge page and you can click the link to see what I have read in 2012 so far - I have read 5 books so far, and have thoroughly enjoyed 3 of them! Not bad odds...
I also went through and updated my A-Z Challenge. I feel like there are probably a few more things I could put up there if only I could remember them!! ;) We'll see if anything comes to mind.
Anyways, if there are any new readers out there, welcome! For all you old readers (figuratively), thanks for sticking around!
I'm off now to do some writing for one of my things...maybe...or maybe I'll just play some Plants & Zombies for a little while ;)
~Until next time...
I have a blog? I mean... I have a blog!! ;)
Greetings dear followers,
I apologize for my lack of blogging prowess in the last few months. I could get into all of the murky details, but I will try to spare you from them. To get positivity, you need to give positivity, so that is what I am going to try to do here... for today anyways ;)
I haven't given my list much attention lately, and for that, I am sorry. I love the idea of the list, and I love that blogging gives me a chance to write, something that I love but I always forget to make time for.
I have made numerous changes to my list over the last 10 months, and I am sure that the changes will continue, but for now I am going to take a look at my list in general and comment on some of the new changes and adaptations that I made today. Hopefully it will entice you to keep coming back to read, and hopefully it will give me the kick in the butt I need to get back on track!
** Bolded entries are either started, in progress or about to be started, Crossed out entries are completed!
1. Get my debt under control
Realistically, I probably won't pay off all of my debt in next two years, but I think I can reduce it quite a bit. I have working on a budget with the help of the fabulous Janey Canuck, and so far 2012 is looking up. My main goals here are to reduce my debt load and to get out of overdraft. I think these are reasonable goals that I can achieve well before the end of my 1001 days!
5. Find a full-time job with benefits
Ideally this will be a teaching job within a public or catholic school board, but at the moment I am just thinking that a guaranteed, full-time job with benefits would be nice.
6. Reach goal weight (128 lbs)
Apparently as I get older, I stop eating when I am stressed out. This resulted in losing another 7 pounds in the last few months, without regularly going to the gym. I am hoping to keep those pounds off, as well as lose the last 15(!!) I have to go with continued exercise. I love walking and can't wait for the spring to fully get here (daylight wise), and I have started going to Yoga/Bodyflow at the gym 3 or 4 times a week. This is helping both my physical body and my mental health, and so far, 3 weeks in, I am thinking it is something I can keep up with :)
9. Get rid of 101 things
My box of 101 things to get rid of has been sitting outside my door for 6 months. Oops! I am hoping to actually get rid of the things, and maybe add a few more things, on my holidays in April, so wish me luck!
10. Blog 2 times a month (minimum)
I need some incentive to remember to get on here, so here goes nothing!
12. Organize & back-up all computer files
I made some good headway on this when I got my new laptop in August, but it is starting to suffer again. Hoping to reach this goal by the end of 2012.
14. Go horseback riding
My students are starting a social skills/equine assisted learning program in a few weeks, and I am going for an introduction session this week. I am pretty excited about working and being around horses, and I hope that by the end of the program I get to ride one! If not, then I hope I can talk myself into some discounted lessons :)
15. Learn to play an instrument
I have been going to a ukulele group a few times a month that my co-worker runs, and while I am awful, and hardly ever practice outside of class, it is fun, and I hope to be able to keep improving. I am getting used to reading music again as well, so I hope to pull out my keyboard again one of these days too :)
16. Take over my Dad's LOC in my own name
My Dad is amazing. No lie. The amount of times he has helped me out financially is ridiculous, but he always does, no questions asked (well, hardly any) Unfortunately I am worrying that this is taking a toll on him financially now, and so my first and foremost goal to complete in the next few months is to get the LOC I used and am paying off into my name. Cross your fingers!!
17. Go to Medieval Times
I am so excited! My school found out that they now offer kosher meals at Medieval Times, so we are going to go for our end of school year trip!!! I can't wait!
19. Research my family tree as far back as I can
I am debating whether or not to keep this on the list. We'll see...
20. Finance a new car
This may be a bit of a cheat, but hey - it's one of the big things that happened in my life in the last few months, and it's so nice to be able to drive around freely without worrying about the km's I am using!!
21. Go on vacation with John
I felt this was a good thing to aim for. Plus, my new favourite past time is to look on the internet for places to go visit because I NEED A HOLIDAY!!! :)
23. Travel somewhere I need to learn 10 phrases in an different language
There is just no way I am going to learn a new language in the next 600-odd days. This is way more realistic... for now, anyways ;)
26. Buy and wear a pair of stiletto heels
Remember those beautiful red stilettos I bought last summer? Me too... Will work on wearing them this summer!!
28. Get up when the alarm goes off every day for a week
This is a grand idea. Someday I will do this! I think about it a lot :)
29. Phone or visit my Grandma and Nonna once a month
In an ideal world, I'd visit or call lots of family members a lot more often. Someday maybe I'll do this, when I can afford the long distance. For now, I am just going to work on staying in better touch with my Grandma & Nonna :)
34. Learn enough yoga to be able to do it at home on my own
I am hoping that all of my yoga and bodyflow classes are going to help me with this goal!
35. Write all my bad memories on paper, burn this paper afterwards
Someone recently told me that with the moon in Pisces this is an ideal time to do this! Hopefully I can reach this goal soon, I think I need it.
40. Become a regular at a Pub Quiz night
I gotta get back into this!
49. See 1 live music event a month
I did so well on this goal in 2011! 2012...nothing so far!! Need to get back on track soon!
50. Create a nut-free version of Reese's Pieces for myself
I attained this goal with soy-nut butter and mini chocolate bars, but I want to figure out a baked-type of version of this...
55. Go to bed before 10:30pm for an entire work week (that means lights out!)
I may have attained this when JR was getting up at 5:30am for work in the Fall, but I didn't keep track... someday...
64. Plant, grow & eat an edible plant
I combined 2 goals into 1 for this... Will definitely need to move for this goal to happen, as I wouldn't want to grow anything outdoors where I am living now!
65. Get a job interview with a public/catholic school board Hamilton/Burlington area
Please, Please, Please, Please! Tell me how!!!
70. Donate 1,000,000 million grains of rice
I really need to bookmark this website!!
77. Go on vacation with friends
Yup, I've got vacation on the brain!
86. Keep a plant alive for 6 months (unrelated to Thing 64)
I'm thinking about a peace lily, I liked the one I used to have in my house... again, need a nice apartment for this one. Basements are no good for plants!!
90. Complete a 50 Book Pledge in 2012
91. Complete a 50 Book Pledge in 2013
If I could do this in 2011, why not 2012 & 2013 too? :)
92. Eat or volunteer at Jon Bon Jovi's Soul Kitchen in New Jersey http://www.jbjsoulkitchen.org/
Hopefully this well help with Thing 18 ;)
101. Save $25 for each completed thing
I will do this... I will!!!
I've completed 9 things so far... $225 won't be hard to save...right?!
Stay tuned for February 2012's 2nd blog post... :)
I apologize for my lack of blogging prowess in the last few months. I could get into all of the murky details, but I will try to spare you from them. To get positivity, you need to give positivity, so that is what I am going to try to do here... for today anyways ;)
I haven't given my list much attention lately, and for that, I am sorry. I love the idea of the list, and I love that blogging gives me a chance to write, something that I love but I always forget to make time for.
I have made numerous changes to my list over the last 10 months, and I am sure that the changes will continue, but for now I am going to take a look at my list in general and comment on some of the new changes and adaptations that I made today. Hopefully it will entice you to keep coming back to read, and hopefully it will give me the kick in the butt I need to get back on track!
** Bolded entries are either started, in progress or about to be started, Crossed out entries are completed!
1. Get my debt under control
Realistically, I probably won't pay off all of my debt in next two years, but I think I can reduce it quite a bit. I have working on a budget with the help of the fabulous Janey Canuck, and so far 2012 is looking up. My main goals here are to reduce my debt load and to get out of overdraft. I think these are reasonable goals that I can achieve well before the end of my 1001 days!
5. Find a full-time job with benefits
Ideally this will be a teaching job within a public or catholic school board, but at the moment I am just thinking that a guaranteed, full-time job with benefits would be nice.
6. Reach goal weight (128 lbs)
Apparently as I get older, I stop eating when I am stressed out. This resulted in losing another 7 pounds in the last few months, without regularly going to the gym. I am hoping to keep those pounds off, as well as lose the last 15(!!) I have to go with continued exercise. I love walking and can't wait for the spring to fully get here (daylight wise), and I have started going to Yoga/Bodyflow at the gym 3 or 4 times a week. This is helping both my physical body and my mental health, and so far, 3 weeks in, I am thinking it is something I can keep up with :)
9. Get rid of 101 things
My box of 101 things to get rid of has been sitting outside my door for 6 months. Oops! I am hoping to actually get rid of the things, and maybe add a few more things, on my holidays in April, so wish me luck!
10. Blog 2 times a month (minimum)
I need some incentive to remember to get on here, so here goes nothing!
12. Organize & back-up all computer files
I made some good headway on this when I got my new laptop in August, but it is starting to suffer again. Hoping to reach this goal by the end of 2012.
14. Go horseback riding
My students are starting a social skills/equine assisted learning program in a few weeks, and I am going for an introduction session this week. I am pretty excited about working and being around horses, and I hope that by the end of the program I get to ride one! If not, then I hope I can talk myself into some discounted lessons :)
15. Learn to play an instrument
I have been going to a ukulele group a few times a month that my co-worker runs, and while I am awful, and hardly ever practice outside of class, it is fun, and I hope to be able to keep improving. I am getting used to reading music again as well, so I hope to pull out my keyboard again one of these days too :)
16. Take over my Dad's LOC in my own name
My Dad is amazing. No lie. The amount of times he has helped me out financially is ridiculous, but he always does, no questions asked (well, hardly any) Unfortunately I am worrying that this is taking a toll on him financially now, and so my first and foremost goal to complete in the next few months is to get the LOC I used and am paying off into my name. Cross your fingers!!
17. Go to Medieval Times
I am so excited! My school found out that they now offer kosher meals at Medieval Times, so we are going to go for our end of school year trip!!! I can't wait!
19. Research my family tree as far back as I can
I am debating whether or not to keep this on the list. We'll see...
This may be a bit of a cheat, but hey - it's one of the big things that happened in my life in the last few months, and it's so nice to be able to drive around freely without worrying about the km's I am using!!
21. Go on vacation with John
I felt this was a good thing to aim for. Plus, my new favourite past time is to look on the internet for places to go visit because I NEED A HOLIDAY!!! :)
23. Travel somewhere I need to learn 10 phrases in an different language
There is just no way I am going to learn a new language in the next 600-odd days. This is way more realistic... for now, anyways ;)
26. Buy and wear a pair of stiletto heels
Remember those beautiful red stilettos I bought last summer? Me too... Will work on wearing them this summer!!
28. Get up when the alarm goes off every day for a week
This is a grand idea. Someday I will do this! I think about it a lot :)
29. Phone or visit my Grandma and Nonna once a month
In an ideal world, I'd visit or call lots of family members a lot more often. Someday maybe I'll do this, when I can afford the long distance. For now, I am just going to work on staying in better touch with my Grandma & Nonna :)
34. Learn enough yoga to be able to do it at home on my own
I am hoping that all of my yoga and bodyflow classes are going to help me with this goal!
35. Write all my bad memories on paper, burn this paper afterwards
Someone recently told me that with the moon in Pisces this is an ideal time to do this! Hopefully I can reach this goal soon, I think I need it.
40. Become a regular at a Pub Quiz night
I gotta get back into this!
49. See 1 live music event a month
I did so well on this goal in 2011! 2012...nothing so far!! Need to get back on track soon!
50. Create a nut-free version of Reese's Pieces for myself
I attained this goal with soy-nut butter and mini chocolate bars, but I want to figure out a baked-type of version of this...
55. Go to bed before 10:30pm for an entire work week (that means lights out!)
I may have attained this when JR was getting up at 5:30am for work in the Fall, but I didn't keep track... someday...
64. Plant, grow & eat an edible plant
I combined 2 goals into 1 for this... Will definitely need to move for this goal to happen, as I wouldn't want to grow anything outdoors where I am living now!
65. Get a job interview with a public/catholic school board Hamilton/Burlington area
Please, Please, Please, Please! Tell me how!!!
70. Donate 1,000,000 million grains of rice
I really need to bookmark this website!!
77. Go on vacation with friends
Yup, I've got vacation on the brain!
86. Keep a plant alive for 6 months (unrelated to Thing 64)
I'm thinking about a peace lily, I liked the one I used to have in my house... again, need a nice apartment for this one. Basements are no good for plants!!
90. Complete a 50 Book Pledge in 2012
91. Complete a 50 Book Pledge in 2013
If I could do this in 2011, why not 2012 & 2013 too? :)
92. Eat or volunteer at Jon Bon Jovi's Soul Kitchen in New Jersey http://www.jbjsoulkitchen.org/
Hopefully this well help with Thing 18 ;)
101. Save $25 for each completed thing
I will do this... I will!!!
I've completed 9 things so far... $225 won't be hard to save...right?!
Stay tuned for February 2012's 2nd blog post... :)
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Another Thing Finished!!!
Bye-Bye Thing 58!!! After starting the year thinking that I could reach such a lofty goal as a 100 Book Pledge, I finally finished Book 50 of my 50 Book Pledge this morning!! Thank goodness! :) I ended the year with a final page count of 16,731 - not too shabby!
Overall, I definitely reread less books this year than I normally do - the only rereads on my list were Twilight, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, The Accidental Mother, Northanger Abbey, Something Borrowed & Something Blue. That is really quite shocking for me, as I am usually the Queen of Rereading!
I also only read 3 Nora Roberts books this year - how about that one!!
I started off the year reading quite a bit of teen fiction still - and they were some of my favourites - Before I Fall & Delirium were definitely in my Top 5 of the year - I recommend both books to all of my readers!
There are a handful of books that I can't remember what they were about - The Beautiful Between, After & Mommy By Mistake... not sure if I own them or borrowed them from the library either!
My book club books definitely add some "meat" to my yearly reading - House Rules, Gods Behaving Badly, The Help, A Summer Affair, State of Wonder & The Night Circus. All are books I wouldn't have read on my own, and for the most part I enjoyed them all - the biggest duds of the year were probably my picks - Gods Behaving Badly, which was the most bizarre book I read this year, and The Distant Hours, which isn't even on my list because I am still trying to finish it!! Oops!
To see my entire list, click the link at the top of my blog's homepage for the Google Doc version of my list.
I'm hoping to continue tracking the books I read next year as well, if for nothing else than to try and beat my page count & # of books read! Thanks to Janey Canuck for motivating me to complete the 50 Book Pledge, and to all my encouraging followers from Twitter & Inspire Hamilton Book Club :)
Katy's Top 5 Books of 2011
1. Before I Fall
2. The Forgotten Garden
3. Delirium
4. When Harry Met Molly
5. Sweet Valley Confidential
Overall, I definitely reread less books this year than I normally do - the only rereads on my list were Twilight, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, The Accidental Mother, Northanger Abbey, Something Borrowed & Something Blue. That is really quite shocking for me, as I am usually the Queen of Rereading!
I also only read 3 Nora Roberts books this year - how about that one!!
I started off the year reading quite a bit of teen fiction still - and they were some of my favourites - Before I Fall & Delirium were definitely in my Top 5 of the year - I recommend both books to all of my readers!
There are a handful of books that I can't remember what they were about - The Beautiful Between, After & Mommy By Mistake... not sure if I own them or borrowed them from the library either!
My book club books definitely add some "meat" to my yearly reading - House Rules, Gods Behaving Badly, The Help, A Summer Affair, State of Wonder & The Night Circus. All are books I wouldn't have read on my own, and for the most part I enjoyed them all - the biggest duds of the year were probably my picks - Gods Behaving Badly, which was the most bizarre book I read this year, and The Distant Hours, which isn't even on my list because I am still trying to finish it!! Oops!
To see my entire list, click the link at the top of my blog's homepage for the Google Doc version of my list.
I'm hoping to continue tracking the books I read next year as well, if for nothing else than to try and beat my page count & # of books read! Thanks to Janey Canuck for motivating me to complete the 50 Book Pledge, and to all my encouraging followers from Twitter & Inspire Hamilton Book Club :)
Katy's Top 5 Books of 2011
1. Before I Fall
2. The Forgotten Garden
3. Delirium
4. When Harry Met Molly
5. Sweet Valley Confidential
Sunday, December 04, 2011
Keeping the Blog Wheels Turning...
Well, I went back to the old blog for a post this AM. Had some things to say that felt too personal to share on here. I really want to try and keep the focus on this blog on my 101 Things List and on being positive. So here goes nothing!
I found this website online last night - Yogaglo - where for $18/month you can take unlimited yoga classes through your computer. They have a 2 week trial you can do for free, so I might try and attempt this. I want to be able to incorporate yoga into my life, and that is certainly less expensive than any yoga studio or gym that I have found in the Hamilton-Burlington area. We'll see how it goes!
To attempt to save money during the Christmas season, I am going to attempt making Christmas cookies again, like I did a few years ago. Hopefully I can do it fairly inexpensively, and it will help with visiting friends and family through the holiday season, without feeling like I'm too broke to bring a gift along. I know that I have Thing 20 - Give only homemade gifts for Christmas one year, on my list. I have struggled with this one, as I am not very crafty or artistically inclined, so I am going to change the wording of it somehow to suit my intentions, which were to save money and be a little less materialistic.
That's all really for now, just a few quick thoughts to keep the blog wheels turning! :)
Until next time...
I found this website online last night - Yogaglo - where for $18/month you can take unlimited yoga classes through your computer. They have a 2 week trial you can do for free, so I might try and attempt this. I want to be able to incorporate yoga into my life, and that is certainly less expensive than any yoga studio or gym that I have found in the Hamilton-Burlington area. We'll see how it goes!
To attempt to save money during the Christmas season, I am going to attempt making Christmas cookies again, like I did a few years ago. Hopefully I can do it fairly inexpensively, and it will help with visiting friends and family through the holiday season, without feeling like I'm too broke to bring a gift along. I know that I have Thing 20 - Give only homemade gifts for Christmas one year, on my list. I have struggled with this one, as I am not very crafty or artistically inclined, so I am going to change the wording of it somehow to suit my intentions, which were to save money and be a little less materialistic.
That's all really for now, just a few quick thoughts to keep the blog wheels turning! :)
Until next time...
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