Bring it on 2014!

So here it goes, by December 31, 2013 I want to:

--Work: Promoted to AP/Field work at WH and Capitol Hill

--Life: Reduce remaining student loans by a third/Maintain regular exercise routine/Lose 36 lbs

--Skating: Pass Prejuvenile moves and preliminary freestyle by April 2013/Pass Juvenile moves/Axel?/Compete three times

This will be my year. My year to take control and not let anything stop me. Comfortable and easy won't get me anywhere I have to fight for what I want and take that chance. That same chance I took 16 months ago when I moved down here not really sure what I was getting myself into. The status quo has got to go. No more accepting life as it comes, it's time for me to change it. There is no in between. No risk, no reward, so here it goes, bring it on 2013!



Here's last year's post for the New Year. Was I successful? Depends on how you measure success. 

--Work: I have been doing AP work and I have gotten in the field. Was I promoted to AP? No not yet. 

--Life: Student loans are almost down to 4 digits, is that a third? No probably not. But I can say yes on the regular exercise routine...now I feel bad if I don't make it to the gym. 

--Skating: Took a bit of a back seat this year. And while yes I competed three times this year, two were skating and one was ballroom. 


So here goes goals by December 31, 2014: 

--Work: Find something that makes me happy. Something that makes me want to work the hours I do and the days I do. Something that makes the sacrifice worthwhile. 

--Life: Eliminate the last student loan. Lofty goal yes, but definitely doable. Continue the regular exercise routine. Be active in my own life, don't let things pass by. 

--Skating: I so want to compete at Adult Nationals if not 2014 definitely 2015..which is sort of a continuation of the previous statement, being active in my own life and actually take a vacation. The horrors I know! Find the passion again. Skate for the little girl in that magical moment who first stepped on the ice.

--Ballroom: This was my lifeline this past year. This was everything I needed but didn't know it at the time. It seems like such a strange thing..I crave control and I can't have any of that here. Yet it was so paradoxically perfect. Nothing was more perfect than a Tuesday night in the studio...what am I going to do now that they closed...

I sort of fell into the resolution trap last year even though I didn't mean too...this year is about living the best life. There really aren't tangible goals that can be written down to achieve that. It needs to be a year of living life for me and what I want..not what other people think I should be doing, being an active participant in this game of life. 


This is my time and my story..."Tomorrow is the first blank page of a 365 page book. Write a good one."

Falling all over life

Work: Hot mess as usual. It has gotten to the point where I have started applying elsewhere. I really wish it didn't come to this point but I don't know how much longer I  can deal with the complete dysfunction. It may be the same elsewhere but I feel like anywhere has to be better. I'm good enough to fill in, I'm good enough to train other people but I'm not good enough??? Why do I give up so much for nothing in return?

Skating:things seem to be ok. Hopefully I will get my act together for Nationals this year.

Other: since I can never seem to get weekends anymore might as well throw the extra money at the loan? Exercise seems to be part of the routine so at least there's that.

Ballroom: since the last time I actually competed!!! It was fantastic!!! I think I watched the video every night for like a week....if I could dance every day I would...it's the only place where I don't have to rely on doing every thing myself.I have learned how to put my full faith and trust in someone else and everything turned out ok...more than ok..fantastic!! 7 1st place ribbons and 1 2nd place. Honestly I get so much more out of it than just dancing. It opens me up to a whole world of feelings and emotions. Starting to think that there will not be anything between us but i can't help feeling the way i do....oh life why must you taunt me so??

August

QUOTE: "Never get so busy making a living that you forget to make a life." 

Work: I get it. I really do. The first few years of a career are all about paying dues and all that. I've put in two solid years of dedication and commitment and right now it just feels like getting walked all over. I hold out this hope that things are finally going to be moving for me in November but right now that feels like a lifetime away.

Skating: Sort of taken a back seat for the moment unfortunately. I really need to get back on a regular basis. I think that is part of my moodiness, I really do. 

Life: Still no trapeze but ballroom is taking off. I'm competing...what did I get myself into. I'm completely in love with it..and the teacher too..I've never felt like this about someone ever. The butterflies doing backflips when I talk to him, the feeling when I'm in his arms dancing...I wish I this would turn into something. Sometimes I think the feelings might be mutual but for the life of me cannot tell. I'm so bad at this.

Oh do I wish...I mean he is the perfect guy, anything and everything I could ever imagine. I want something to finally go my way, I want that happily ever after. 

June and July

Work
-on the verge of major breakthrough I just know it! Pretty awesome when the ultimate boss says "looks good". :)

Skating 
-who knew...started landing flips, by themselves and in combination
-who knew...camel spins, by themselves and in combination
-everything else is definitely faster, higher, and stronger
-competition at the end of the month and hopefully a test late summer/early fall 

Life 
-student loans are under $12K, wohoo! 
-no idea where the weight goal stands...and not entirely sure I care? 

Out of the box 
June: Took Latin dance with a world champion and Dancing with the Stars guest dancer...and it was fabulous! 

July: Who knows...maybe I'll get this trapeze thing together?

April Check In

--Work: I'm a regular for the AP position with SR. I'm applying for the AP position with FNS. Maybe I'll be able to work in some time at the WH? 

--Life: Made additional payments on the loan. I don't know how regular the exercise is there, need to work on that one. I have no idea what I weigh at the moment. 

--Skating: Competed at Philadelphia Areas and won both events! And landed flips in both! Spins of all things seem to be improving...I've started toying with the juvenile moves since I'm so tired of the others...Competition #2 will hopefully be in July. 

--Signed up for online dating again...let's see how that goes. I'm hoping to do trapeze once it finally warms up again. And I think I found another thing to do...Irish language class? #nerd

March Check In

It's been a weird time. A lot of self reflection and a lot of other people wanting my time and energy and at a certain point I have to say no, I have to please myself first before I please anyone else. I started writing here because I thought no one would understand, no one would get it. Boy was I wrong. Here's a quote from a friend's blog that puts into words exactly how I feel.

"I'm so young and feel lightyears past many people my age and older. Ignorance may be bliss but I'd rather feel life, live the ups and downs with my realistic, idealist perspective than be numb to it all. It's because I know how the low's feel that makes the high points in life so amazing. It's knowing the natural high happiness brigs that makes me pick myself up out of the low points." 

As much as I want to grow up and move on to the next stage of life, it seems so far away. But situations in life may be forcing my hand in that regard. Things that I shouldn't have to deal with, things that someone so much older than me should be facing, not me. I'm still trying to figure out how to be myself let alone handle others' problems. It's not my time, but I guess the world has other ideas.

Work: I got to field produce! I was definitely thrown into the deep end on this one, and it appears I was able to swim. It was an insanely long day but well worth it. Very strange though, the other stations seemed to think I knew what was up, listen dude, you've been doing this longer than I've been alive and I've been doing it for all of four hours, so yeah. 

AND I was able to start learning the AP job for SR! FINALLY! It appears I will be learning the AP jobs for the other shows over the next couple months too. Kind of out of the blue, but still kind of cool. Hopefully these experiences will put me on the track toward my goals.

Skating: Tested prejuvenile moves, but got a retry again. Way better than last time, didn't fall! But those darn 3 turns are clearly my nemesis. My coach here seems to think I should switch to adult track, I really have no desire to do so. Why would I at this point? And eventually I would be switched back to standard anyway. Definite best case of reverse psychology, but I don't think she realizes it. I'm the wrong person to tell no to, I find a way around, always have and always will.

Life: Well, the maintaining regular exercise routine has sort of worked. The weight loss appears to have stalled and maybe reversed slightly..too much Easter candy, oops. Progress will be made on the student loans..as soon as I figure out what my account password was, again oops. 

The first quarter of the year is in the books. Bring it on second quarter!

February In Review

Alright, alright, I know I'm a little behind, but hey better late than never right? 

This month's quote is "Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway." --Earl Nightingale 

Work: Well I took the bull by horns and just went for. Today was awesome running around on the Hill. This is why I moved here, this. Not to be stuck in an office all day every day. To look out the window and be so close, well finally I just had enough. I had to bring it to life rather than just on TV. If I don't advocate for myself who will? 

Life: Well it appears I screwed something up on my loan, need to get that sorted out. Down a jean size! Granted they are stretchy curvy fit, but hey a size down is a size down. I have no clue what that means in terms of poundage. 

Skating: Started trying flip-toe loops and they sort of actually worked! Back spins are more consistent in terms of spinning, correct edge is still a little off. Provided I actually get the vacation days, I'm testing at the end of the month and possibly competing. Yikes!

Something out of the box: Online dating. It was fun, only yielded one real life date which wasn't very good unfortunately. But hey I tried.