Life, Liberty & Pursuit Of Your Boyfriend

The Year Not to Waste — that’s ‘08. This year’s resolutions culminated to a two-sheet word document of categorical lists detailing highlighted points of accomplishments, monthly goals and mantras to reflect on during my daily affirmations. The first month has gone quickly, but I have started with much gusto. Let your own boredom and eye-rolling commence:

1. Writing Goal: Finish my writing CV, publish online, join writing organizations (SPJ, women writers, the lit), finish 1,000+ article/month, add at LEAST three seminars and/or writing lessons to CV over the next year, finish 50k on Book #1 (I currently have 27k words), find intern/part-time writing gig with mag, news and/or PR.

There were many fantastic skipped writing opportunities over the last decade. Work, life, fear all put their place in my life to set my creative endeavors to the side. While I toy with the reasoning behind actually finishing my journalism degree at CSU (really, what is the point), I refuse to let anything cut in front my realizing my full potential. My passion has moved beyond the blog once again (but don’t worry, I don’t intend to leave you). Think big, start small.

2. City Immersion: explore the sites of Cleveland I have never seen, downtown walking/photography tour, live music/play/ballet, get involved in the Cleveland film festival (and write a film review while you’re at it!), I also have a list of restaurants and live music bars I haven’t been to — go.

What? There are still places that exist in Cleveland that are left uncovered? Sad. I want to do more than just go to these places — I want the silly picture, the history or the introduction to that ol’ gray hair with his or her own history. There are even more places that are beyond the expiration of revisit. I want to know little random bits of history of my city — and leave parts of my own history within.

3. Travel : Cross another state off the list (Right now I have 28), try to get out of the country again or at LEAST start travel savings to do so.

OK, I thought I was at 29 after Kansas. Crap. It’s not quite time for the road trip to Seattle, but I’m hoping for to visit another state in New England (that seems to be the grossest cluster of the unattended), but maybe looking more toward Louisiana. Also, it is inexcusable to not visit my sister in Dominican Republic. After her recent visit to the waterfalls in Puerto Plata, I started researching tickets. It’s cheaper to fly to Europe… so, I’m adding Budapest and Amsterdam to my choices (if I had one or two). But I usually just go somewhere last minute when I find a good deal, so anything could come up.

4. Home Projects: Put up curtain rod and BUY CURTAINS, replace furnace, paint living room and entryway, tile backsplash in kitchen/bath, SELL! – put on the market around July (?)

Yeah, I think I’m “over” the whole home ownership thing — nice thing to happen during a slow crawl in local real estate sales — but I work in the industry, so I see that there is still some activity. All the house projects hopefully will just add some more interest to the place. And hell, I’ve been there for two years, I may as well start making the place feel more like “home” — albeit a temporary one. And curtains? That will assumably be the remaining item on my resolution list. Since the new year, I finally put up the curtain rod that had been taking up cobwebs in the corner of the living room. I’m on the search for my fourth set of curtains for the living room. Wish me luck — all the others have been returned.

5. Friends/Family: set reminders to send birthday, etc greetings, get back in touch with long-distance friends (especially Tonia, Steph and Dee), visit with Nana more often (and play piano for her).

While piano lessons are not in my budget (financially or time-wise), I still remember how to play (years of lessons while a young lad) — perhaps more than a little rusty — but my grandmother loves even if I just play “Chopsticks.” I really hate not having a piano at home. I think it’s more therapeutic than writing. And that same rust has grown on some neglected friendships. I really need to try to keep in touch. (I’m trying!!) I have recognized the truth to becoming older and having those “older” responsibilities take away from those special people in our lives. I never realized how much time has passed. Sad being an adult, really.

6. Financial Budgeting: Install MONEY on computer and BALANCE WEEKLY!, Clean out filing cabinet – shred old stuff, find internship, sell anything unused on ebay (anyone want an old Mac Pro G4?), continue automatic savings deposit and KEEP IT IN THERE!!, Loosely consider summer semester, find SOME sort of clothing budget compromise.

I truly hate wasting my money on clothing. I have given away practically half of my closet in the past half year — everything being over-grown (or out-grown) and seriously non-conforming to the “look” I’m trying to portray. Truth be told, I am finally at a point where I actually NEED some things in my closet and not just want (this all coming to fruition after a so-many-days in cold-as-tit winter temperatures and having three shirts with long sleeves. Three. That being said, my full wardrobe potential (err, mind) has created its own mantras over which items should never be placed back into said closet spaces: wedges — they look and feel horrible and I’m just a big klutz and I walk in them like an overgrown and hunched-over ape; anything in red — just doesn’t look great on me (I will save one t-shirt for OSU tailgating and layering purposes); shirts that show my belly — this should be obvious, right? I still had some of these tops hanging out! I am beyond 30 now and my belly (although still cute and small) will never have the reign it did when I was 22; that by the time I save up to actually purchase something from Free
People, I don’t usually want it, so don’t bother (additional note to self: stop looking and also, self, stop thinking that Urban Outfitters will get cheaper); Let’s
try buying REAL vintage slips at say, vintage stores.

7. Reading: “Anti 9-5 Guide,” “Finnegan’s Wake,” “Lion in the Bedroom” (out-of-print title FIND IT for less than $80!!), “Lion of Hollywood” (bio of Louis B. Mayer), “McIlhenny’s Gold”

Self-explanatory and a random list of books I’ve been curious about. Although my complete list of books read will be more like 60 by the end of the year.

8. Spiritual/Well-Being: don’t let fear get in the way of success; increase health insurance (should this be up in budget/financial?); since I (successfully??) quit smoking, run a couple 5Ks and do the 3-Day for breast cancer. Continue volunteering/fundraising with the annual CF walk this summer.

What I really need to do this year is to stop being such a little bitch! In addition to being “all talk,” I’ve also had plans for my “next set of tattoos” for almost eight years. (Ugh, with the little lemming part of Mel — go away!) When did I become so main-stream and typical and care what others thought? What happended to the real individual Mel? It’s time to go back and find myself and what makes me look good and feel happy — not what others expect of me. Health insurance is a given. I don’t get it through work, and as many of you probably already know, it’s expensive as shit. I’m a cash customer when I have my yearly appointments and covered for emergencies, which is fine, but as my age increases, it’s becoming more obvious that those little aches and pains do not dissolve. BUT, I intend to remain holistic if at all possible — I do not like medications and honestly cannot tell you when I even so much as took an aspirin. And yeah, if I cheat and have a cigarette, don’t feel as though I need to keep smoking to “finish the pack.” Wake up the next morning and start over. Happy New Year.

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