ReVerb13 - Challenges

What challenges lie ahead in 2014? How might you meet them boldly?

One of my biggest challenges for 2014 is to remain active and STAY injury free!  I have only been really healthy for about four months this year.  Between my knee healing and then having the slipped disk and pinched nerve in my back has made it just about impossible to be active at all this year.  I taught Zumba maybe once and just "ran" my first 5K since August 2012.  I have all the tools and know how to stay injury free and I definitely plan to use them.

This year I want to eliminate my credit card debt and use my credit card the way I originally used it.  Gas for my car, maybe some groceries, some music on iTunes, etc.  Then pay it off when it posts to my bill.  With my GI Bill covering my classes AND putting a little extra in my pocket, I am able to continue to put $200 - $300 towards my balance from my paychecks AND an additional $400 - $500 with my GI Bill.  That is coming close to $1000 a month.  I already payed $500 this month and once my bills for the second half of this month process then it will possibly be another $400!  That means I will finally owe less than $3000!  I have not seen my balance that low in a couple years.

I have already made it over six months without smoking so I guess it is safe to say that I have officially quit so there is something off my New Year's Resolution list that I can finally scrub out forever.  I might have to take a look at that list from last year to see what I still need to address!  I have crossed out what I have accomplished!

• Make my lunch to take to work
• Quit smoking for good
• Run in five 5K runs with my mom (I will save the Rock 'N Roll Half Marathon for a year that I do not have horrible knee pain)
• Complete the Zumbatomic training
• Eliminate half of my credit card debt (it would be nice to eliminate all but I will settle with half)
• Move out on my own
• Re-enroll in school and take at least three classes
• Continue to find myself and better myself to make me happy (this one is an ongoing)
• Share my feelings more and not shut people out so much

From that list, this is what I still want to accomplish:

• Make my lunch to take to work
• Run in THREE 5K runs (it would be nice to do them with my mom but if I can do them with a friend of BF then I am happy!)
• Participate in a ZJ session, Pro Skills or a "Boost"
• Complete Zumba Kids & Kids Jr (formerly known as Zumbatomic) or Zumba Step
• Eliminate my credit card debt
• Get a raise and two days off per week

Until next time!

Reverb 13 - Shifting Gears

Living life on auto-pilot can feel disorienting and dull. How did you cultivate a life worth loving during 2013?

How can you turn off your auto-pilot button in 2014?

I found that I was stuck in a rut.  I was living each day waking up, going to work, going home, sleeping and repeating.  It was no way to live.  When I started dating BF, I got my social life back.  It was something that I had seriously been lacking and that I desperately needed!

I have taken on a lot of new tasks and responsibility at work that I believe will earn me a significant pay increase and if it doesn't then it might be time to start looking for something else.  I can't live with my mother forever and it is driving me nuts that I have no idea what I own anymore because it is all boxed up and in storage.

I have become pro-active.  I have gone back to school.  I have completed two courses (one not so successfully) but I have kind of gotten out of my mundane routine.  I start teaching Zumba again in a couple of weeks and I cannot wait!  I have signed up for one 5K and will be signing up for another one shortly.  I want to make my life better and I think I am on the right track!

Until next time!

Reverb13 - Time For Inspiration

Who inspired you in 2013? And why?

What gifts did they give you? And how will you carry these forward in to 2014?

It is hard for me to think of who inspired me.  The only one I can honestly think of (and I know it is gonna sound cheesy) is my BF.  He came into my life at a time when I needed someone.  He has done nothing but support me and encourage me.  Because of him I looked into getting back into school and have started pursuing my degree.  I am slated to graduate November 2015!  I can't believe that I am 20 classes away from graduating with my BA in Behavioral Science.

I am kind of at a lose for what to write here so I am gonna leave it at that and I will probably come back to it at some point and add to it.

Reverb13 - No One Likes A Quitter

What went right in 2013?  Maybe you didn't quit smoking or lose those pounds or go to Paris, but something did work, did happen, and/or was realized. What was it?

Besides my awesome BF (whom I have mentioned in several of my last posts), I actually DID quit smoking.  It has been almost seven months since I smoked my last cigarette and I have not given in once.  I am super proud of myself.  The only other thing that could be as equally as awesome is if I can get a raise before the end of the year.

Reverb13 - The Dreaded Selfie

I admit it.  I am guilty of taking a selfie here and there but I rarely post them.  I send them to BF from time to time because most of them actually involve a pouty face because I'm not with him (vomit worthy right?!).  So after careful consideration, I think this is one of my favorites from this year (and I only went back to April when I got my iPhone).

I took this picture of BF and me shortly after he moved here.  We were just starting to hang out and get to know each other.  Now it has been five amazing months!  I love him so much!

Until next time!

#Reverb 13 - Precious Memories

Today is day 6 of Reverb13.  Here is today's prompt:

“True wisdom lies in gathering the precious things out of each day as it goes by.”— E.S. Bouton

There are so many “precious things” that are presented to us each day; discoveries and treasures found in simple moments, memories we wish to store in our hearts and keep with us forever.  What precious things have you gathered in 2013?  Which memories from this year do you wish to keep with you always?

I received a picture message today from BF's roommate (I really need a good nickname for him...Catman...yeah...we'll go with that for now...he loves cats and has two).  It is a picture from BF's birthday weekend when we saw Daniel Tosh at the Paramount in downtown Seattle.  Besides feeling like the luckiest woman in the world for having such an amazing man in my life, this is one of my precious memories from this year and I hope to keep it with me for as long as he will keep me around (which he said he wants to be forever)!

Onward to Tosh!

We started dating in July and Sunday will be our five month anniversary...and I do not have to work!  I am so excited.  These last five months have been amazing.  Just being with him is special.  Like right now.  We both were doing school work.  We both have either headphones or ear buds in listening to our own music (btw if you have not heard Britney Spears' latest album "Britney Jean" then go listen now...for free on Spotify if you don't want to purchase it but shame on you if you don't!).  Now he's playing a computer game and I'm cleaning out my inbox for my email.  We aren't actively talking to each other but just being near him makes me happy!  I love him so much!

Well I think I am going to continue to clean out my inbox...gotta go to sleep soon so I can get up for work in the morning.  It is going to be a long day tomorrow.  Really long and cold!  Until next time!

#Reverb13 - Risk Taker

I am a little late on the start up of this whole #Reverb13 thing but it is better late than never to start.

Today is day 5 for #Reverb13.  The prompt:

What was the greatest risk you took in 2013?  What was the outcome?

I am not much of a risk taker and anyone who knows me knows that (but skydiving might be my answer if this question comes up next year!).  I guess that the biggest risk that I took was in my personal life.  I found an incredibly wonderful man and I have opened my heart to him.  We have been together for five months now.  This is the first real and serious relationship since my divorce.  Sure I dated that guy after my ex husband kicked me out of the house but it was mainly out of the need of a roof over my head.

I would say that the outcome has been wonderful.  I cannot imagine my life without him.  I love every minute I get to spend with him and I hate every second that we are apart.  He is absolutely perfect for me.  I know that I have written about BF before.  How he allows me to embrace my nerdy side.  He loves me.  He makes me feel wonderful.  I sleep better when I am next to him and I love waking up next to him!

I might play catch up and hit the other four days later today.  One of my friend's is the one who told me about this thing and has done it the last couple of years.  I might check out her blog and copy the prompts.  Depends on what I do tonight!

Until next time!