goals:

looking forward at having a FULL YEAR at my disposal, it may be best to set some goals for myself to help prevent getting lost or letting the time slip by without fully serving it's purpose.

so. here are a few of my goals to start:

*accompany each child on a field trip before school is out for summer

*spend one day (or part of a day) a week in each classroom

*finish reading all books currently in my posession

*write one full adult novel

*write two full children's novels

*create and stick to a budget

*learn to make home cooked meals

*find FIVE ways to cut my budget by changing to "green" (not necessarily green, but less commercial/consumer oriented) products or making my own products.

*sell etched glass

*sell wire sculpture

*buy AND USE season tickets to silverwood and river front park

*go camping

so. that's a start. i'm sure i'll be adding more to it. feel free to throw your suggestions into the pot!

due consideration

it's slightly frustrating (ok- that's a lie. it drives me fucking insane) how people are checking with me daily to see if i'm still planning on leaving work to start my life. any given day i hear, no less than 5 times:

"have you changed your mind yet?"

NO. I HAVEN'T CHANGED MY FUCKING MIND. i didn't decide this lightly people. i didn't pull this out of my ass on a particularly pmssy day. i didn't just jump off the edge of this huge fucking cliff without thinking about it for days, considering EVERY FUCKING ANGLE, weighing the good, the bad, the ugly about this time.

YES, i know that the job market is terrible and very qualified people are having a hard time finding work. i also know that a year is a fuck long time in this economy and things will be very different when i look at getting back into things. i also believe with my whole heart that when i'm meant to find the next step or the next place i need to belong, i will find it. does that seem a touch arrogant? perhaps. but it's happened all the way along so far, so i choose to believe it will again.

YES, i know that i will probably get bored. and i'm prepared for that. i have a MOUNTAIN of books i want to have time to read. a head full of ideas for books i want to write. i have kids in school that need my help. i have glass projects, wire projects, baking projects, cooking projects, friends with small businesses that need help, summer vacation to plan, spring break to plan. I HAVE A LIFE TO START.

YES, i realize this means i won't have money coming in for a full year. I'M PREPARED FOR THAT. duh. kinda know that i still have to pay rent and buy food and whatnot. thanks for reminding me anyway. YES, i know that life takes money. YES, i am prepared for that.

i understand how rare it is to not only have a workplace that is excellent to work at but also very reluctant to let me go. i do love the people i work with. the job itself i outgrew a few years ago, but it's still a good job. i get that. i get that it's flattering that they keep asking me to stay. i get that it's a leap to leave a good, secure, insured job. i get it all people. i've thought about it. i've considered it. i've weighed, measured and judged. NOTHING in my life is done without a great deal of consideration. i'm nothing if not a perpetual over thinker.

I'M LEAVING. i'm starting this journey. i'm going. hell or high water, i'm beginning this adventure. so PLEASE, stop being surprised, and stop asking me every day if i've changed my mind. i haven't and i won't and that's all i have to say about that.