Beyond Time for a Resolution Update!

Wow. When I originally wrote my post about New Year's Resolutions (see here), I had some lofty ideas about posting (often!!) regarding my status and how things on each resolution were progressing.

So much for that wonderful idea! But, here I am posting, if not often, with a status update. I felt it important to post now because I've finally had some identifiable changes! I've listed the original resolutions to remind you (and me...) of where this lovely journey started:

Jesse's Official 2010 New Year's Resolutions
Train for and complete a half-marathon

The "training" portion of this resolution is officially complete. I just ran my last "training" run for my first half-marathon! The race itself takes place this Saturday. I am nervous/anxious/excited/almost-relieved to be running. The training portion has been a little bit of a rough road with some unexpected bumps, but not nearly as difficult as I thought it would be. I am hoping that the race experience is very similar. So far, I would say that there is a pretty good chance that I'd run another half-marathon someday. But my favorite development, by far, of this resolution has been the connections I've been able to make because of this goal! Just recently, I have found two other people who are also running their first half-marathon this year. I also found another person who has run several and will be running another in just a few weeks. All of these discoveries were made during my American Sign Language class. It's given the four of us a fun conversation topic - now that we know how to talk about running. :)

Work on technologically "un-tethering" myself

So, take the satisfaction and happiness with the half-marathon goal...this goal is the exact opposite! Well, maybe not the exact opposite. I have been more successful with ignoring my phone. That was my true intention behind this resolution, though I had other, less-altruistic intentions as well. Those haven't been quite so successful - though maybe I should take that as a sign to be a little less self-involved. Off tangent, back on track. So, while I have been better at detaching myself from my cell phone, I still feel a huge hole in my soul where my Blackberry used to live. It's very likely that I'll be replacing my current POS cell phone with a Blackberry or some other SmartPhone at some point in the near future. But, hopefully, I will have learned to leave it alone sometimes.

Have new neighbors moving in soon (I think)...be nice and neighborly to them

I do have new neighbors. I'm not exactly sure what I think of them yet, as they've only been in residence for about two weeks. But, I forced myself to extend a welcome. I made two loaves of bread last night: 1 for my house (been out for a while...) and 1 for their house. When I went over to their side to take them my offering, they didn't answer the door. Still, in my desire to complete my mission, I left the bread and a nice note by the door. I really hope they don't think I'm weird and/or trying to poison them. I'm NOT trying to poison you and I really save my weirdness for the people who are really close to me - Promise! I found it to be a good sign that the bread and note were no longer outside the door this morning. So, someone is getting some good out of it.

CHILLAX...stop stressing so much

Gah. Is it too late to take this one back??? The only times I seem to be able to enjoy any success with this goal is when I have a drink (or ten) in my hand. Maybe that's the way it's supposed to be??? Maybe I should be on Prozac???

So, all in all, I am seeing some small changes in the way I run my life. Of course, if I were to set my New Year's Resolutions today, they might be a little different. But I am pretty happy with what I've achieved because of the current Resolutions in place!

Au Super-Naturel

Blame this post on Ghost Whisperer. This is currently one of my favorite shows and not just because I love most of Melinda's (Jennifer Love Hewitt) wardrobe...

I self-identify as a pragmatist. How so? Well, for our purposes, let's discuss my beliefs (or lack thereof) in things 'other-worldly': ghosts, mutants, basically the supernatural. I cannot remember a time when I believed in ghosts. Even at that age when ghosts and haunted houses are really cool (I think that this time period spans over ages 11-18 or so), I never bought into any of it. I have always firmly believed that once you die, you're a lump in the ground or a pile of ash...whichever method you choose. You don't stand in the middle of the street and haunt passing cars; you don't remain in your childhood home and scare away tenants; etc. I also have always thought that so-called psychics, mediums, etc. are carnival acts. Not much there beyond smoke and mirrors and a lot of people who want to believe.

For a long time, it never even occurred to me to question any of these things. Just the way things are, right? Now I've been watching Ghost Whisperer marathon-style (this is the way I really like to watch TV shows...wait for them to come out on DVD and then rent multiple seasons at a time via Netflix). Add this TV show to the pile of "supernatural" romance novels (Kay Hooper series, for example), "mutant" movies (X-Men anyone?) and assorted other-worldly, pop-culture phenomena and PRESTO...you have a lady who is rethinking her perspective.

I still don't think any of these things exist. I don't think there are people out there who can talk to ghosts and I don't think there are men who look like Hugh Jackman and have blade-like claws, among other things. But I think the monumental shift is the fact that maybe I want to believe in some of these things. I want to believe that there are superheroes out there who will come and save the day.

Also, feel free to chalk up the wandering nature of the rest of this post to two facts: 1) my mp3 player died not even halfway through my 5 mile run this morning, so I've already been doing a lot of thinking today; 2) my one class for the day was cancelled...so I have all day to chatter.

The Jesse Show

Oh yeah...it's that time! I have been officially assigned a time slot for my aforementioned radio show. Tune in:

Mondays 3:00p - 4:00p MST

Knowing that this is a time that might be difficult for everyone to listen live, I will be attempting to post recordings of each show here on my blog. We'll see how that works. If anyone has any tips or advice on doing so, please let me know. Just in case you weren't already aware, I am a technophobe and am hopelessly behind the times on all things Internet and blog-related. But, I'm looking forward to learning!

Also...I am encouraging suggestions!! I need a better name than "The Jesse Show", so please feel free to send me ideas for a new and improved title. Also welcome are suggestions on content. What do you like about the radio station(s) to which you currently listen? What don't you like? Tell me, pretty please!!

Woo-Woo Radioland!

Greetings! One of my classes this semester is Intro to Radio Production. I am really enjoying things so far, but am certainly looking forward to the weeks to come. One requirement for this class is for each student to produce and air their own radio show each week. I haven't gotten my timeslot assigned yet, but I will know that info shortly.

In the meantime...you can listen to SLCC Globe Radio Online here. For anyone who is looking forward to listening to ME (God help us...), I will update when I hear which timeslot I'll be working.

Resolutions

So, another First for me in 2010 is resolutions. I've never been a big Resolution-er type gal. But, this year, I decided to give it a go. Now, as far as I can see, the biggest obstacle to Resolution-ing is the ability to set track-able Resolutions for yourself. So, I am planning on using my blog for tracking purposes. Yay for everyone who is totally STOKED to read about my Resolutions. I promise to try to make the blogs funny reading and I figure that I may not always have to try too hard...

Jesse's Official 2010 New Year's Resolutions

Train for and complete a half-marathon

Work on technologically "un-tethering" myself

Have new neighbors moving in soon (I think)...be nice and neighborly to them

CHILLAX...stop stressing so much

So, the half-marathon one is pretty straight-forward. I will be training and running in one - 'nuff said.

"Un-tethering"...I tried to think of a cool catch-phrase for this one. The coolest I could get was "No-'Tron" (as in: no electronics). But I didn't think that really described it. Anyway, here goes. I would like to learn to detach myself a little from my cell phone. When I worked at my old job, I was the proud owner of a sweet Blackberry. I also was the not-so-proud recipient of about a gazillion messages and phone calls. So, during my employment, I became one of those folks who checks their phone every ten seconds...pure necessity here. Anyway, now that I'm not in that career anymore, I get maybe 1/10,000 as many messages. However, I think that over the last few months, I am checking my phone MORE OFTEN. It's driving me bonkers. I've noticed other people doing it too and it drives me nuts. I don't have any control over other folks, but I sure can control myself! So, I will be turning my phone off (or possibly on 'silent'...haven't totally decided that yet) for at least ONE HOUR every day. Yo, yo. I am actually the most excited about this particular resolution. Do you know how depressing it is to check your phone every ten seconds and, OH! No messages still!!? So, I am WALKING AWAY FROM THE PHONE. Not completely away, because I do feel that cell phones have become a necessity. But definitely learning to lose the cell a little.

So, when I moved in to my current abode, I had neighbors who were on their way out. I had this super plan to make the new neighbors cookies and be very friendly!! For one reason or another (basically, I was just being my lazy and introverted hermit self), I never got around to it. Well, here we are about ten months later, and the current neighbors are moving out. So, someday here soon, I will be getting new neighbors. And I am setting that goal for myself again. At the very least, I should make them some freaking cookies. And let them know that trash day is Tuesday and they're more than welcome to take out and/or bring in the cans. :)

FINALLY...Chillax. Oh ye who read my Ranting at the Bank blog from the other day (or this freaking one from a while ago...man, I've had this problem too long) probably understand this one. Obviously, I need to learn to take a chill pill and let things simmer down a little bit. And even if it's not obvious in my blog, it definitely is in other areas of my life. Soooooo...this goal, not as trackable as the others...but still very important to my other goal of living happily for a little while.

So the explanation of the Resolutions took up a lot of time. I promise that follow-up posts about my status on each will be a lot shorter.

Mayonnaise...and other assorted items

So, the past two days have been my crash course in all things Corner Bakery Cafe. Well, not all things because I haven't gotten to taste much yet - that's to come on Thursday, I'm told. BUT, I have gotten to taste every variety of mayonnaise that is served at CBC! WOO-WOO! Yep...we've got pesto mayonnaise, sundried tomato & pesto mayonnaise, stoneground mustard mayonnaise and chipotle lime cilantro mayonnaise. I actually listed all of those out to test myself, see if I could remember them all. Whew, I just double checked and I did remember them all. Anyway, they were all enjoyable (though the chipotle lime is my personal favorite). Of course, they're all made with mayonnaise which is probably my favorite condiment - or, at the very least, in the top three. It was today that I officially decided that if I eat there too often, I will no longer fit through standard size doors. I mean, check out all the mayonnaise!! Not that what is served there is unhealthy because it's not. If you order a standard (or even customized) sandwich, it's probably a pretty healthy choice. Buuuuuuut...if you're the Sandwich Maker (like myself) and can go ahead and invent sandwiches for yourself (for example, the All Our Mayos Sandwich), you might end up gaining a few L.B's. Just sayin'... I will definitely need to practice my will-power.

The other thing I've been able to practice whilst working is walking around and yelling pertinent information about my location and/or what I'm carrying around. Example: "KNIFE! KNIFE COMING THROUGH!!" Or: "BEHIND YOU!! HOT SOUP BEHIND YOU!" I'm really not good at this and will need to improve my yelling skills. I will be spending a lot of time carrying and using knives. For anyone who knows my...er...klutziness, yes, I am a wee bit concerned. But I have been super careful so far.

And today, I learned how to julienne!! WOO-WOO. I've really always wanted to know how to do that. For starters, you need a really large and very sharp knife. I don't own a knife that falls under both of those categories, so I'll need to work on that. But otherwise, it's pretty cool. I do need to work on my speed-chopping.

Anyway...come try it out! Grand opening day is January 25th and I promise not to spit in your sanndwich.

Hoping to learn signs for swear words soon

Happy 2010! I decided, a while ago, to start this year a lot differently than I have for the past several years. Remember when I quit my job and decided to go back to school? Well, that means that January 2010 has been a lot different than the previous 7 Januarys in my life.

For one, I actually celebrated a Christmas ("Winter") break this year. Wow, that felt pretty awesome. I literally spent a week sleeping, playing with my Wii and eating. I am so used to celebrating Christmas and then going directly back to work that this vacation deal was pretty sweet and a little odd. I honestly kept looking over my shoulder, feeling like I was doing something wrong and someone was going to come and punish me for it. I mean, is it really okay for a 27-year-old to spend hours trying to beat a song on Guitar Hero? YES IT IS. Once I learned to embrace this feeling, I really enjoyed the vacation. I even managed to score myself a new job. So my break was actually fairly stress-free.

And my little vacation was long enough that I was ready to go back to school when classes started as well. This week was the first week of class and I feel smarter already. That's because I literally know more today than I did last Saturday. I now know the signs for about 100 words. And I didn't know them before! Not to mention, this entire week, I've kind of felt like I was dusting off my brain and getting back into gear.

I am really enjoying classes during the day too. For me, it's a really positive type of energy. I focus a lot more and enjoy the class work than I do when taking classes at night, after a long day of working. So far, the class time is passing a lot faster than it has in semesters past. This upcoming week, I actually start working regularly and I am looking forward to that too.

Seems like it's all coming together, huh?? Yeah, I sure hope so. Unfortunately, like any good story, this too has a dilemma...BANKS AND MONEY. Now, I'm not just talking about the current banking dilemma in the United States. Although, let me just say that I am not in favor of all of those bankers getting huge bonuses when Joe Smith can't even afford to go buy himself a new pair of shoes. But, that's not the issue that I am currently engaging. No, no, no. My personal dilemma is more along the line of student loans.

Let me interject here to say: I am quick to temper when dealing with customer service problems. Having been employed in the industry of serving customers for a long time, I know it from both ends. So I REALLY TRY not to be "That Customer" (you know, the real wench who yells at you and then figures out that the whole problem was her fault to begin with...).

That's why I'm wanting to have a working knowledge of Swears in Sign Language. Yes, I've learned some really helpful phrases this past week ("What's your name?", "Nice to meet you!"). But, the Swears would be specifically helpful when I'm on the phone with my bank, trying to unravel the mystery of "Where is my MONEY???" That way, when I am undoubtedly faced with losing my temper, I can just sign a few Swears and the banker on the other end will be none-the-wiser. Right? Right? Because, if I were to call my banker right now, it would be a miracle if their phone didn't dissolve in their hand because of all the venom I might (ha, ha...might? Change that: WILL) spew. Fortunately for the bankers, their customer service line is closed on Saturdays.

Maybe, when I call on Monday and I've had a little time to cool off, I'll just sign "What's your name?" over and over again, FURIOUSLY. Maybe that will provide the same relief. Or maybe I'll Rant/Blog about it and feel a little better. Havng just re-read this blog, I can see that it definitely falls into the category of "Rant", but I do feel a bit better.

Yes, this too shall pass. That little phrase has become my mantra the last coupe of days. Really looking forward to blogging (seriously, blogging - not ranting) here in a few days to say that it was all a crazy mix-up and all's well that ends well!! Fingers crossed, fingers crossed. It would be really, really nice if this would get all wrapped up and I could just enjoy my Brand New Life!!