1st Quarter Review

Since today marks the end of the 1st Quarter of the New Year, I thought I would take some time to review the resolutions I made:

 

1.      Finish my Master's - Still on track to graduate, May 2nd, 2009.

2.      Improve my 5K time and finish under 30 minutes (and then some) - This can officially be crossed off.  My split at the 10K was 29:14.  Prior to this, my 5K time right around 31:00.  I have all confidence that it will continue to get faster as well.

3.      Travel outside of the US - still working on this. Currently planning a cruise the week of Labor Day.  It's only to Mexico, but, it's a vacation out of the country.  Not as exotic as I had hoped, but, should be fun nonetheless.

4.      Get back to my "Pre-Florida" weight - This has been slow going.  I dropped a total of 6lbs so far this year.  But, I put 3 back on the past weekend (damn those fresh fried sweet potato chips from Springtime Tallahassee).  But, I'm hoping to get back on track and then some this week.  I was already a pound lighter (of those three) today.

5.      Prove to the world (or at least my friends) that 30 is the new 20 - I'm pretty sure I'm going to have a "Birthday Weekend" this year.  My b-day falls on a Sunday.  People don't come to parties on Sundays.  So, I'm thinking, let's go dancing on Friday night, then, maybe dinner and some cocktails on Saturday night so when midnight hits I can officially celebrate.  My BFF is looking into coming into town with her hubby, so that should make for a fun weekend.

6.      Become more well-read - Slowly but surely this is coming along.  I just finished The Mummy by Anne Rice.  I'm currently reading On The Road by Jack Kerouac.  I'd like to get to some of the books on my bookshelf I've started but never finished.  Including Don Quixote, and The Decameron. 

7.      Spend more time in my music - I've been doing pretty well on this.  In fact, recently music has been one of my distractions from doing my work for school.  Annoyingly enough, I'm not learning piano fast enough to my liking.  I want to wake up and be a pro already.  Believe it or not, its frustrating transitioning instruments, especially when the music appears really easy to my eyes, but my fingers can't seem to make it work.  I might start taking piano lessons.  But, I also really want to find a community orchestra to play in as well.  I can do it all, right?

8.       Get ahead in my career (kind of goes along with goal #1) - I have applied to a few federal jobs in the DC area (feds seem to be the only one hiring).  I need to start networking more with individuals in the private sector of GIS here in Tallahassee.  I hate the public sector here (i.e. State of Florida).  You can't get promoted unless someone in the higher position retires or dies.  However, the public sector isn't hiring much since they are mostly contractors for the State of Florida, and if you haven't heard, we're in a budget crisis.  What fun. 

9.      Participate in a triathlon - I currently plan to participate in the Freedom Springs Triathlon on July 4, 2009.  I have no idea what to expect.  I think I'm going to go watch the Red Hills Triathlon this weekend.  I specifically want to focus on how to do the "transitions" - i.e. water to bike, bike to running.  I'll probably just wear my running shoes to bike in and end up wearing my swim suit for the whole thing.  I don't have those fancy clip on pedals like some people do - not to mention, I have a mountain bike anyway, not a road bike.  I won't be breaking any records, but, I'd like to finish in a decent time.  I'm semi nervous, and I wish there was a sprint triathlon later in the year so I can give myself more time to train for it.  I might still look into this.  But, I should just suck it up and go for it.

 

Well, there you have it.  Q1 in review.  So far, I'm pretty happy with my progress.  Hopefully, once school ends, I can start focusing on 6 and 7 more.  I really need work on 8, and I feel that will be a year long process.  But, it will be good for me.