Journey of the Magpie: October 2011

I saw on a blog the idea to create a birthday list, of things to accomplish for the year. I really like that idea - to measure things in my own personal year, and to make a commitment to accomplishing these things instead of sticking them on a list to do "someday."

So, this is my list, the things I am pledging to accomplish between Oct. 8, 2011 and Oct. 8, 2012.

I Pledge To:

explore ideas about nutrition and health, reading at least one book or article a month that has to do with health and wellness.
make permanent changes in my diet to help fuel my body in the healthiest way for me.
eat at least 5 servings of fruit per day.
eat at least 5 servings of vegetables per day.
eat fish at least twice a week (preferably salmon, sardines, etc).
find a recipe for whole-grain bread, and bake my own bread every week.
change my diet so the backbone is whole grains and beans, like lentils, quinoa, barley, bulgar, beans, etc.
drink 64 oz of water per day.
exercise 6 days per week, with a combination exercise for cardio, strength and flexibility.
do a 2-3 day (overnight) hike.
run a ½ marathon.
increase flexibility in my shoulder area.
increase strength in my shoulders, arms.
take kayaking lessons.
go snowshoeing at least 3 times during the winter.
get at least 7.5 hours of sleep a night.
plant a small kitchen garden in the spring.
buy a CSA share.
preserve food from my garden, CSA, and farmer's markets (learn to can).
complete NaNoWriMo in November 2011.
get a tattoo on my left foot to complete the design started on my right foot.
take computer programming classes.
refresh my web design skills.
learn about programming for mobile apps.
get a smartphone (so I understand how to use mobile apps).
take webinars to keep my library skills current.
monitor job posting sites weekly.
continue to compile a list of job skills that I don't yet have that are required for positions I'd love.
find webinars, classes, or volunteer opportunities to learn skills I don't yet possess.
apply for jobs that fit parameters I have set until I have a job I love.
visit Chris and Frankie.
visit Bonnie.
go to Iowa in July for the family reunion.
visit Kathy and Andy in MN.
figure out how to knit lace, using the combination method.
knit a lacy shawl or scarf.
learn how to knit with multiple colors.
learn how to finish knit items more cleanly and professionally.
knit a sweater.
learn to crochet.
spend at least 15 minutes checking in with myself in the morning.
spend at least 15 minutes checking in with myself at night.
sit with myself and just feel my feelings when I am restless, fluttery, anxious, stuffed with cotton batting.
journal regularly.
stock up on art supplies to use to explore feelings (thicker paper for collage/painting, more brushes, art paper for collage, acrylics, very fine point sharpies.
buy a comfortable pair of mary janes I love, even if they are expensive (because I will end up wearing them every day for 2 or more years).
wear clothes I love, that fit me, and delight me, regardless of what others may think.
remind myself that indulging occasionally is one thing, but burying my fears in constant indulgence will kill me.
be a parent to myself – no is sometimes the kindest thing.
find, or start, a non-fiction book club.
celebrate the holidays I choose, in my own way, with rituals/celebrations that fit me and have meaning for me.
cherish my physical body, treating it gently and with the same sort of respect I would give if it belonged to someone else.

The bright colors of fall are beautiful, but my favorites are the tawny colors of drying grasses and weeds. If you let your eye catch on them, explore them, you notice the differences between what could seem a large stretch of sameness. A phrase from a Mary Oliver poem pops into my head - "and I think of each life as a flower, as common as a field daisy, and as singular." I sometimes think that if we humans managed to eradicate all the things "we" deem as not useful or not beautiful, the world would be so much less rich. So, here, now, I am thankful for all the marvelous beauty and diversity that surrounds me in my own yard and community.