Thirty {point} Three

It’s that time of year again… my birthday!  And in keeping with tradition of the past two years {thirty plus one & thirty point two} I’m not turning a year older but just adding a {point} 3 to the end of my decade.

I started that tradition when diagnosed with cancer just a couple months after my 30th birthday deeming that year one of the worst on record and in need of a do-over.  This year I think we may have just about made up for that one…

Earlier this week I went in to have Jo biopsied – finally – and while in the room with the gown on and ultrasonic gel slapped all up in my armpit the doc turns to me and says, “I just can’t find anything!”  After a few moments of shock my mom and I recovered long enough to as the questions necessary to deduce that the lump has disappeared completely!  We could not have received better miracle that day! 

Not only is it my birthday but it also happens to be just 6 MONTHS from the day I will marry the most wonderful man I could have imagined for myself.  The wedding plans themselves bring me all sorts of anxiety if I think about them for too long but I can’t wait for the actual marriage! 

I’m also celebrating this year with a new nephew who is just the cutest thing EVER!  I mean just look at that sweet little face!

As if that’s not enough, I’m feeling a bit left out of the cancer fighting circles as of late.  I still love my guys and gals of the SGK 3 Day but I just can’t commit this year with the wedding and all.  Believe me it is SO worth all the blood, sweat & tears to participate, but because I know what it takes, I know it’s not my year.  BUT I can’t leave all the cancer kickin’ to everyone else so I have a few tricks up my sleeve… some I may or may not tell you about in posts to come. 

This promises to be a year to remember so in honor of that I’m finally starting my Project 365!  I hope I can remember to do it every day!

Cheers to a fabulous new year!

*I know, I’m a bit late posting this as my actual birthday was yesterday but a girl has to work too!

New Year

Well it’s the new year and I haven’t managed to actually do my year in review post.  Perhaps I will get to that later this week… and perhaps we shall just skip that one this year.  I’m voting for skip it.  What do you all think?  I also haven’t posted any New Year’s resolutions… mostly because I haven’t made them yet.

Anywho… I was on here just checking on a couple things and thinking about making some resolutions before heading to work {yes it’s a Sunday and yes I have to work} and noticed my 101 things list has pretty much fallen by the wayside… not that I haven’t made any progress mind you… I just haven’t updated the list in quite a while!  Especially in the book and movie area.

I also noticed that my deadline for the 101 is only 1.5 years away! And I know I have a couple of things on there that are year long projects. {365 Photos anyone?}  I hate to back down from a challenge and I especially don’t like to fail any goals I set for myself…

SO…

My New Year’s resolution is to focus on my 101 list… because it pretty much contains any of the old standard resolutions that we all make year after year {health, wealth, happiness...}.

What are your resolutions?

Saturday Seven

Trying something new today… the Saturday Seven. Just seven random things I’ve been thinking about this week most of which would not make up an entire blog post by themselves but are worth sharing or at least I think they are!  Link up if you want to play along!

One. In honor of ones, I realized its been a while since I’ve done an update to my 101 in 1001 list.  So here are a few items I’ve crossed off and some I’m still working on… 

• lose 25 lbs – sorry to say I’m still in the working on it phase
• Pay off car & credit cards – working on it! Only 4 more car payments!
• Go to a live musical – tickets bought for Beauty & The Beast at the Barter next week!
• Local restaurants – new one to add: Cranberry Thistle, Jonesborough, TN
• Create a calendar to track birthdays – downloaded a template to help me do this… just haven’t filled it out yet!
• Grow my hair 5in below my shoulders – currently at 4 inches
• Get a massage & get a pedicure – done on Feb 19th in Gatlinburg!
• Send mail to someone once a month – April, May, June: check!
• Read a book starting with every letter of the alphabet – new letters claimed: Bountiful Container, Outlive Your Life.
• Read a book in one day: The Final Summit
• Read 101 books – new to add: Wasted, The Secret, Grits Guide To Life, 33 Ways to Tell Your Fortune (that makes 17)
• Watch 26 movies {alphabet} & 10 classic movies I’ve never seen– working on this with help from Netflix

Two. I slept in until 8am for the first time in months. Yes, I said months. And yet I’m still exhausted… maybe it takes more than one night to get rid of sleep deprivation?
Three.  My horoscope for today reads: “Your house of career is undergoing a slow and profound change as you shift from one way of working to another.  You’ll have great potential and options as Uranus in your house of self combines with Jupiter in your house of money to bring a delicious set of planetary helpers.  Venus and the Sun in your house of words could help you write your future.”  This is more scary true than you know… more to come.
Four.  Remember the apartment debacle?  I still haven’t heard boo from the management company after they swore they would “get on it” to “rectify the situation.”  This weekend will be devoted to formulating the next line of attack.  I gave them ample time to fix things. They chose not to. Now it’s on.
Five.  Stress has been crazy lately… combined with the sleep deprivation and you get my body attacking itself… again. You can read more about that here, here, and here. Last night I noticed my parotid was pulling one of these again.  And the other symptoms of Sjogren’s are back as well… dry eyes, dry mouth, aching joints, brain fog, dry skin, fatigue.  Must manage stress to prevent flares.
Six.  My plan for this weekend is to nap and to heal… and to clean my house and do laundry. Sigh…  where did the maid go? 
Seven.  I made good on my promise.  I have tests and an endo appointment scheduled for early July.  Praying that the fears are all in my head and I get only good news.

101 in 1001 {Update}

It’s been WAY too long since I’ve updated my 101 goals in 1001 days list!  And if you are unfamiliar with my quest, you can see the full list of goals {here}.

So what have I been busy doing?

Physical and Spiritual Health

10. Lose 25lbs – Currently working on!  Since the start of January, I’m down 12 lbs. – woo!

Financial Fitness

23. Move into/purchase a house or condo. – When I moved to TN, I moved into a townhouse/condo and love it!

26. Get a promotion and/or raise [not just the normal yearly one] – I would consider my job here in TN a promotion… a big one!

Amazing Adventures

27. Take a road trip – I drove to Pigeon Forge/Galtinburg, TN two weeks ago.

28. Visit a winery and do a wine tasting – While on my road trip, I stopped at Mountain Valley Winery and did a little taste test.

39. Plan a mini trip once a month for 3 months [weekend warrior]

Just for Me & My Environment

48. Go to 10 local restaurants that I’ve never been to – in progress

• Twisted Roosted – GR, MI
• Fujiyama – GR, MI
• Hibachi Express – JC, TN

60. Clean out my closet twice a year – I did a massive clean out when I packed to move… I think I’m due for another one because my closet in the new place is much smaller.

Something for Others

71. Send a card/letter [snail mail] to someone once per month

Entertain the Brain

83. Read a book starting with every letter of the alphabet

Girl Who Played With Fire
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
Illegals: The Unacceptable Cost of America’s Failure to Control It’s Borders
Madness: A Bipolar Life
Outlive Your Life
Sarah's Key
Tandem

87. Read 101 books

1. Girl Who Played With Fire
2. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
3. Illegals: The Unacceptable Cost of America’s Failure to Control It’s Borders
4. Madness: A Bipolar Life
5. Outlive Your Life
6. Sarah's Key
7. Tandem

Arts & Entertainment

97. Sing in public again – Sang O Holy Night on Christmas morning at Grace Reformed church.

Admittedly, there are some goals I’m putting off because they are more challenging than others.  I think I need to refocus on tackling my list of goals… maybe do more planning…

What goal do you think I should tackle next?