Goodbye, 2009!

Okay, so I have yet to figure out what my New Year's Resolutions will be. I know one thing I'd like to do in general is find a purpose. I'm starting to feel like I'm at that point where it's getting monotonous and I don't want to think this is all I'm going to do with my life.

In 2010, I hope to graduate with my masters so I can get the hell outta that soul-sucking school and move onto an actual career- or semblance of a career... who knows, I might only have an adjunct position here and there, but I can always substitute teach and steal people's organs to sell on the black market for additional income.

I also hope that 2010 is the year I get to sleep. I have been hoping that since 2006, but fingers crossed this will be the one! I'd also love to move in 2010, but I know that won't happen either. But anyway, I'm gonna try to keep my head up and forge ahead cause I like even number and this is an even numbered year! Woo hoo!

What are your resolutions or aspirations for this coming year?

Hamsterkitten To Do List

Okay, so now the holidays are over (I don't count New Year's Eve, cause I don't do anything special) and I can't believe I still have almost four weeks until school starts again! That is awesome. So, I now have time to do some of the things that need to get done before now and then. They include:

1) Updating my Miss Advice blog. If you haven't checked it out, please do! It's my creative outlet that I don't get from this blog or school. (Creative writing is not really encouraged there.)

2) Getting rid of some of my junk on ebay. I've had piles of stuff waiting to be sold on ebay for months, and I'm tired of looking at them. I hate clutter, but seem to be surrounded by it 24/7. Our daycare told us we couldn't take a month off, so the kids will still go two days a week while I'm on break (otherwise we'd still have to pay for them to not be there) and I will probably use these days to get a lot of stuff done.

3) Lose 1,000 pounds. I don't believe in making New Year's Resolutions that I know I probably won't keep, so I never resolve to lose weight. But, I wanted a treadmill for Christmas and hooray for the convenience of my parents having one they no longer wanted. A free treadmill is a good thing to have. I originally wanted to take up outdoor walking because it seems like everyone I ask about they weight-loss success have done it just from walking. One of my new friends lost 100 lbs by walking and eating a little better! Of course she said she walked like 12 miles a day, so enter the treadmill idea. Ideally I'd like to walk outdoors, but realistically, it's winter and I can't load both the kids up and walk 12 miles and expect them to be cooperative. So, I'm hoping that if I park the treadmill in front of the tv, it won't be so monotonous. I think I could probably read and walk, too... but I better now chew gum and walk.

4) Tweet more. Over the summer, I was a tweeting machine. Of course I had nothing to do, so that's why, but I used to have a lot of people that I talked to daily on Twitter- who knows where they went? Now I get occasional folks, but hardly anyone talks to me much and therefore no one comments on my blog anymore... I miss it. It feels weird to make blog posts and not have anyone comment on them... makes me think no one reads them!

Okay, that's enough for now... I like to set my goals low so I can achieve them. Do you guys have any to-do lists that really need to get done?

The End of an Era

Well, folks, Tuesday was the first day of my last semester of college! (God willing.) I graduated from high school in 2000, graduated from community college with an associate's degree in 2002 and then slower than a turtle stuck in molasses, I tiptoed my way through different graduation plans, schools and thoughts of quitting until I'm at where I am today- a man with a plan...except woman. There are so many great things about graduating, but one of the best ones is that I can show people I did it. I know there are several people who don't think that I would, which is sad, but now I can get a t-shirt printed up with my degree on it (from the University of Iowa) and say, "LOOKIE LOOKIE!"

My plan next fall is to work on my master's, which people are even MORE in doubt of, but I'm gonna show them yet again. But this is something I'm passionate about and now that whole undergraduate thing is outta the way. I'd love to get my PhD, too, but that would be quite a ways off as I'd have to work and go to school for that. I've got three very important reasons for wanting that, but I can't share them aloud.

Anyway, other than sharing my excitement with this being my last semester, I wanted to remind people to never give up on their goals. And also that revenge is a dish best served cold... woot, woot!

School Days

Yesterday I was quite impressed with myself. I got a paper written for one of my classes while the kids were home! I started while they were napping and finished it while they played. Normally I only work on homework when they are not at home so I can concentrate better. But, since I'm sooooo close to being done, I am trying to fly through my classes.

I will be graduating from the University of Iowa in May with a Bachelor of Liberal Studies. It has been a long time coming. I started college in 2000, but took semesters off here and there to find my motivation. I have discovered that it you are not passionate about something, it is hard to force yourself to do it. I had originally planned to just get my bachelor so I could be a substitute teacher, but when my husband told me he didn't think I'd ever finish, that made me want to finish even more!

Now, however I have found more motivation. I had an epiphany, a revelation and have decided I want to teach at a community college. So, a couple months ago you would have found me saying, "yep, nine years it took me, but I'm done!" But now I've applied for my master's in English at Western Illinois University and am anxiously awaiting their decision. I'll keep you posted.

I guess this blog serves two purposes. First being to get the word out that I'm proud of ME, but also to point out that life needs motivation. Goals are hard to accomplish when you can't find the reason to do so.