Riding Lessons

You know how sometimes you relate better to metaphorical phrases than to actual ideas. Yeah, well, I know people ride horses. Those metaphorical kind. And we ride a shit ton of them. Only when I say “ride” I might mean that you have your foot caught on the saddle and it’s dragging you across a rocky plain until your nothing but a bloody stump of an appeadage wearing a boot. Right now, that’s pretty much how I feel.

Lately, a few of my horses are getting out of control, and of course one of them is WAY ahead. That’s the one I’ve got my foot stuck on. My horse is named Academia. You knew one of my horses had a textbook strapped to it’s back, didn’t you? Don’t get me wrong, I’ve never gotten below a C in my life, and only one of those happened in college. Yet somehow, it always kills me. I’ve known for a few years now that maybe traditional college wasn’t the right choice for me. Which leads me to not really attending vigiliantly. I get all my work and reading done (I’m actually a week ahead on it). I just can’t seem to, you know, show up to class. 

Continuing the metaphor, they say it’s not that you fall off the horse, but that you climb back on. I’m not going to let some horse kick my ass. I’m the one with the riding crop, damn it. So, for the month of February, I’m going to attend every class. No matter how tired I am, no matter how sick I feel, no matter how much I’d rather stay at home and vigorously do nothing, I’m going to drag my lazy, unmotivated butt to class. Actually, to show I’m not completely hopeless, I started today.

I’m actually pretty excited about this. Not the going to class part, but the fact that I’ve finally started doing monthly challenges. I’ve wanted to do them for years, but haven’t found the… well, motivation. I like to think January’s challenge was surviving. I succeeded. I’ve got a small list of other challenges I’d like to try, not all about self-improvement really. I’m just curious about how they might affect my life. Not to upset the optimists out there, many are self-empowering and all that jazz too. Let’s see how next month goes, shall we?

Computer Failure

I know you’re all shocked that I broke it again. But really, it’s old and finicky so it’s totally not my fault. At least that’s what I’m going to believe. You won’t be missing too much since I just finished my first week of school and it looks like it’s going to be a killer semester. I am finishing up some super late Christmas gifts though, so I’ll run to the computer lab when I’ve got pictures. In the mean time, I’m going to finish transitioning back into school hell and you guys just have to wish me luck on getting my computer back in one piece. I’ll check in soon.

Three Cheers for Me!

I started running. Or more correctly, I started a get-your-ass-into-running-shape workout routine. Today. On the first day of school. With my crappy old tennis shoes I’m pretty sure I’ve had for nearly 5 years. On a cold, overcast, windy day. With no exercise clothes that left me FREEZING even with a ton of layers. With hardly any sleep last night due to sentence fragment two when I could have used a nap instead. I exercised.

Lest ye think this is some New Year’s rubbish, let me assure you that if I can’t knit a one day scarf within a two month deadline, I cannot stick to a New Year’s resolution and so have never made any. One of my friends decided to run in a marathon. She was up to running 20 miles within a few months. It takes her 2 and 1/2 hours to do so. Naturally, I was in awe of her. I don’t want to run anything close to that, but I have always liked the speed and freedom of it. But since it’s me, I’ve never had the energy to run more than 10 yards.

That is potentially going to change. I say potentially because I might not like running. Or I might hurt myself running in my crappy shoes or something stupid I will inevitably do. But I started, even on a shitty day, and that’s half the battle.

Still Plugging Away

In Progress

Originally uploaded by Zylo Lugosi

Some pictorial inspiration to keep me going.

Still Plugging Away

In Progress

Originally uploaded by Zylo Lugosi

What’s Been Going On

So hey. What’s up? During my winter break, my fiance… did I tell you I got engaged? Don’t feel bad. We forgot to tell everyone else too.

Anyways, we’re chilling on the precious few days spent at the apartment. The rest are filled with traveling and meeting all four sets of parents in their little divorced and remarried clusters of the East Coast. He doesn’t mind. I’m just this side of a nervous wreck. Luckily, there’s been a lot of cookingto keep me busy, as well as a side order on a nasty, irritating, not-yet-gone cold. Oh, that and knitting like a madwoman. I’m starting to see the end of the tunnel though. Just give me a few more days.

Once everything has quieted down a bit, I’d like to do a year-end wrap up. Or a last year’s wrap-up. Whatever. It feels like I haven’t done anything but I know last Christmas I was struggling to knit and purl on the same row for my craptastic scarf marathon. Every once in a while I remember that I really pushed myself. But today is not the day for looking back. Today, my New Year’s Resolution is to use this entire box of tissues and eat salsa. Right now.