Becoming an Adult

So it is 2014, and I haven't done much of anything in a while. I'm not really determined to start up a new blog, but I am making such attempt at change that I feel like I need a way to remember. And also to hold myself more accountable. So this will now be a place where I can document my life changes. If anyone is interested, please read on.

I liked DC so I put a ring on it...
And by that I mean, I made the financial commitment to this city by investing in winter clothes. More specifically, a good coat with a hood. That was my deal breaker for said coat, because my head is cold and remembering extra items of clothing is probably not going to happen. Although it is not down, I foresee that I will be attempting to purchase one of those in the near future (perchance at the North Face sale). But in all seriousness, I made the mental and metaphorical commitment to being in this city for 5+ years. That is a big deal for me, based on how hard I tried to get out of DC about two months ago. But I feel good about where I am in life, and now it is time for me to attempt to get to know this city better.

Explore DC
Since I am committing to this city, I need to make a conscious effort to get to know it better. So far, I'm not doing great with that (although I have been to a bunch of new places in Arlington recently). But this might be a March goal. I have the walking tour book for DC, so maybe if I have a spare moment in February I will go for a short walk and see some sights. But I will definitely make this a priority at some point in the year.

Become more versed in the world of cheese
Anyone who knows me will vouch for the fact that I have one extreme love in the world...and that is any and every form of cheese. So, as I mature (pronounced, ma-too-er) I have decided that my tastes should mature with me. This includes such other things as wine, whiskey and food-to-go (part of that being, to get rid of fast food as a staple of my diet), but mostly it encompasses this goal for cheese. Sometimes I walk by the nice aisle of wine and think, one day I will be able to afford those $50 bottles of wine, and actually appreciate them. But various cheeses have significantly different tastes, and so I have decided to focus my taste buds on that. I even purchased this lovely book to document my tastes (which will hopefully then be translated on to the blog).

Run my first (and second) half marathon
This one is a big deal. I started Couch to 5k a year ago when I moved here. In May I ran my first 5k EVER. Now I am attempting to run two half marathons within a month of each other (Disney Princess and Rock and Roll DC). This is INSANE. But because I knew it was insane, I joined a running group, a social jewish running group, a free running group, and got a running log. Although I have been slacking a little on the running with people thing, I am excited that this has become a part of my life. I have made it to 8.5 miles, and I feel confident I will get where I need to be in the next few weeks. It has certainly been an adventure running in the cold (and living in the cold, and breathing in the cold), but I am impressed with myself at how far I have come. My original resolution was to run an organized race each month of the year, but unfortunately I couldn't come up with one for January. I do feel that running is going to become a regular part of my life, and I can't wait to see what other fun things it brings me going forward.

Read More
This is always in the back of my mind, and always an issue. I love books. Everything about them. I have way too many. But occasionally I go through periods in my life where reading takes a backseat to other things. It happened last fall, and I hit a lull. I was finally able to drag myself out of that lull by finishing a book, and then quickly finishing another one. I think that I had become complacent in what I was reading (I tend to find something I like, and then buy like 10 other books on the subject) and I needed to shake it up. So I made an effort to have my kindle with me at all times, as well as various books in various stages of being read on my nightstand. But, this goal has a double meaning. When I say read more, I mean both read more frequently and read more types of things. I have a subscription to the Washingtonian (again, thank you groupon), as well as a subscription to the Smithsonian magazine (thank you mommy). I want to mix up my reading and make sure I end up with fewer back issues of these (I cleaned them out, and honestly most of them just got moved to the coffee table, there's some good stuff in the Washingtonian). I also want to make a better effort to read the news, whether it's the free metro paper I grab and always throw away (the man who gives them out is so sweet) or the news articles sent out by our communications department every day to keep us informed of the healthcare world. To hold myself to a book standard, I swore to follow the Pi Beta Phi book club list this year, in an attempt to complete at least 12 books. All of which will be kindle so they are easily accessible.

Live better
Super specific I know. But to me this goal encompasses all of the other ones, and more. I want to eat better (and less gluten-ey) in 2014. I want to try new foods. I want to try new things. I want to see more places. I want to do better at work, at home, at BBYO, at making friends. I want to read more. I want to feel better during the days and nights. So this comes with some smaller more specific steps. I am trying yoga and I signed up for a GRE class (thank you groupon). I am spending my weekends doing things, instead of spending 8 hours in bed. I am going to cross train and NOT just run (insert yoga and potentially joining a gym). I am going to take the opportunities, but also learn to say no (this is a biggie for me). I am going to cook more. And I am going to have a more organized life, so I got a new planner.

Keep track of it
Last year I got a 2013 day journal, and I only made it through February. I have been trying to keep track of things (running, cheese) as best I can, but I have a feeling this blog might be the answer. I am going to make a calculated effort to keep track of all of this stuff, and post fun blogs with pictures and stuff. But who knows? It might only last a month. It might be too much. I might get bored or remember how good bread with gluten tastes. Only time will tell.

I will say, I am impressed with this first blog. I even put links in.

And to make it even better, I'm adding in a picture from the new year. To remind myself how well it started out.

what did I do for fun when I was 10 years old?

I revisited Ms. Rubin's blog in a blatant attempt to procrastinate studying some more (although as per my resolutions I have done all the readings for the assigned dates), and I came across her challenge question for this week:

What did you do for fun when you were 10 years old?


I'm sad to say that I can barely remember that far back (it really wasn't that far back). What I do remember is that it was almost the turn of the millenium, a time of turmoil when the world was entering the unknown (remember Y2K?). My favorite movie at the time was Zenon Girl of the 21st Century (cetus lepidus she looks young), which I can distinctly remember because it inspired some...interesting fashion choices on my part.

Turning 10 and entering the 5th grade was a big deal at the small school I attended, as it meant you were now a part of the senior class. Three or four new students joined us that year, and I can remember the drama they would create in later years. There were 9 of us that made it from 5th-8th grade (with only one dropout--me, and I returned), and my best friend is one of the girls who came from that class (14 years and counting). We bought messenger bags instead of backpacks, because at the turn of the millenium those were what the grown-ups had.

Interestingly, 10 years old was the first year I went to the camp that I have now worked at for four years. And I had a phenomenal summer. I was not an outdoor kid, but I still have the hundreds of beaded necklaces and bracelets on spiral wire stored in my "memory box." I also know that at that age I loved to read, and I remember bringing the second Harry Potter book with me to camp (which I now regret because my mother wrote my name in permanent marker on the first page of that FIRST EDITION). Long before these books gained popularity I knew they would come to be my favorites.

It's hard to say what else I had fun doing when I was 10 years old, because honestly I wasn't allowed to do much. I went to a lot of movies and I had sleepovers, and I guess I enjoyed doing those things but it may just have been default. I know that when I was 10 I discovered how much I liked volleyball, but I didn't play until I was 11. I'm not sure if I went to the movies because it was cool to be without my parents or because I really wanted to go to the movies that often (fortunately back then I could afford to go that often).

In some ways I think I had already narrowed down my favorite activities at 10. Even my favorite books were already picked out. Which may have been Gretchen's point in this reflection...those activities should still bring me the happiness I am looking for.

maybe it cracked under the pressure

Today I decided I am going to quit the Happiness Project. Not because I hate the world and want to be miserable, and certainly not because I don't want to live a happier life. But here I am 3 weeks into 2011 and to say that it has been a whirlwind of emotions would be an understatement. So it dawned on me today: you can't control happiness. Happiness is not something that I can turn on and off or manipulate. It's not something I can choose to be or not to be. I can do things that I enjoy, but if the underlying emotion at that time is not happiness then really it will all be for nothing.

So far, 2011 has not even come close to matching up to 2010 in happiness. 2011 was like the bad rebound after the perfect relationship, like playing John Brantley after playing Tim Tebow. It wasn't what I expected. And maybe, like John Brantley, 2011 was just destined to fail by circumstance. Maybe 2011 needs a new offensive coordinator who knows how to play a passing quarterback. I guess we'll have to wait for the season to finish to find out.

This morning I spent a large amount of time on facebook, reflecting back on 2010 and why I was so happy. And I noticed, there was no real reason. Of course I was doing all the things you're supposed to, like being with people I liked, and doing things that made me happy, and surrounding myself with the correct situations. But really, I was just a different person, especially in the beginning. Maybe it was the blonde hair. Either way, that person has been lost and I don't think the Happiness Project is the way to bring her back.

So here are some highlights of 2010 and happy Emily. In 2011 I am still going to stick to some of my resolutions, but for the first time in my life I'm going to relinquish some of the control I have (or want to have) over every situation. I'm going to accept that I can't make everyone happy, and that I can't control my own happiness in relationships with other people. I think 2011 is destined to be a worse year than 2010, if not simply by the circumstance that it holds the unknown future in its second half. But here's to 2010...and everything about it that made me happy.


My last moments of 2010. The happiest and best new year I've ever had, in the Ritz Carlton.


Day trip to Orlando over Winter Break


Senior events


Date Functions


Harry Potter premieres (at 3:15)


My sister's Bat Mitzvah


Gamedays at Phrathouse


Onesies


FBK Speakers Bureau


Homecoming and meeting Aziz


Last Homecoming


AGR Buck-off...this entire night


Spontaneous Roadtrip to NOLA #3


Becoming a great-grandbig, and my Beta Alpha Sigma Family


More Phrathouse Gamedays


Spontaneous Roadtrip to NOLA #2


With the SHED Barbeque


Spontaneous Roadtrip to NOLA #1


Senior Bid Day


"Learning to Cook"


Newbies 08 and Senior CLUV


Senior Prefs


W8A Super p10s


Goats on the roof and days off


This sums up camp...I could probably put up 100 pictures more


My 21st Birthday...obviously


Summer A summer senate...motion to extend?


That time I tried to enter an oyster eating competition...in my new Lilly


Exec


NOLA Spring Break by Day...


...and by night


SG Trip to Tallahassee


Kappa Sig Woodser


Project Makeover :-)


The Heart for Haiti 5K and valentine's day


Blue Man Group


Cicerone Interviews


Going Blonde


And of course the most epic end to 2009 and beginning of 2010...Israel

when it comes to mondays...

...this one is particularly bad.

Beginning with what was supposed to be an extremely early morning cycling class (scratched), and instead beginning with just a rough start around 8 am, this Monday could not look more formidable. Immediately after I exited the shower I woke up just enough to understand what the startling sounds outside my window were...thunder. Not only is it downpouring, but the copious amounts of rain are interspersed with lightning and thunder...my favorite. That coupled with a full day of meetings and work including what is sure to be one of the latest nights of the semester makes this...a formidable monday.

Fortunately two good things came out of this Monday.

The first happened when I heard the thunder. This summer at camp I had one new camper. A cute little blonde from San Fransisco, Adena was a first timer on the east coast who fit in with my girls in about 10 seconds. One of the first realizations I had that she wasn't from around here was the first thunder storm we had that summer. For those who don't know, the southeastern United States get particularly bad thunder storms, and I have heard it rumored that Tampa, Florida is the lightning capital of the world. So these storms to me, especially after hurricanes, barely interfere with my life, unless I get caught without an umbrella. However, poor Adena, stuck on the top bunk, nearly had a heart attack and asked me if the sky was breaking open. Evidently, the thunder storms in San Fran are not of nearly the magnitude that they are down here, and she didn't think that the screen windows and sad little wood cabin was enough to protect her from what was surely the end of the world.

This memory makes me so happy. Currently, I am struggling with the decision about whether to return to camp this summer, without my campers, or to follow them across two continents and spend the summer with them in Israel. It has been an extremely difficult decision, but the more memories I have like this, the more I feel confident that I will make the right decision, and wait another year before I see camp again.

The second happy thought came when I realized it was the first Monday of the semester. Last semester, when things got particularly bad, my friend Ruthie started sending me inspirational Monday morning text messages. I always forgot they were coming, but each time they did I got a little bit happier regardless of the situation. Noticing how early I was awake, I decided to take the initiative and send her one since she has spent the weekend sick in bed with what can only be the bubonic plague (or a cold, the jury's still out).

I realize that Ruthie and I will probably not live in the same place again after this semester, but how lucky we are to have ample means of communication at our fingertips. As an out-of-state student, Ruthie is much more open to the idea of picking up and relocating, whereas the Gainesville native in me sees this as nothing short of terrifying. But, if we tried hard enough (and I know I am going to), Ruthie and I can at least continue to send each other happy Monday morning texts, if not happy texts whenever we get the opportunity too.

So now Monday begins...and I feel a mix of happiness, sadness, and anxiety at the thought of trekking across campus in the rain. But I guess happiness isn't always smiles, sometimes it's just taking a negative situation and making it a positive one.

Each morning when I open my eyes I say to myself: I, not events, have the power to make me happy or unhappy today. I can choose which it shall be. Yesterday is dead, tomorrow hasn't arrived yet. I have just one day, today, and I'm going to be happy in it.
-Grouch Marx

laugh out loud

As I near the end of Mrs. Rubin's book, I find that I have become an extremely introspective person in the last few days. Normally, I am not a fan of introspection. Why sit and think about things when you can go out and do? However, much like Mrs. Rubin, I have started having moments where a situation makes me stop and reflect--am I really happy?

Today's situation occurred about 30 minutes ago. My roommates and I were walking up the stairs to our apartment, and we were just being ridiculous. Seeing as none of us has plans to go out tonight (here's a good splendid truth...four nights out in a row is too many), we were just planning on sitting around watching tv and hanging out. But something on the stairs, for some reason created an outright hysteria in our laughter that had me crying and gasping for breath.

And then it hit me...I am so happy.

There are many times I regret decisions I've made in college. Organizations I've wasted my time on, classes I haven't given enough effort (or just wish I hadn't taken at all), and things I've put off until "the time is right." In my four years I've never been to a FL/GA game because I always thought I would wait until I was 21 and had a place to stay. But, without all the decisions and mistakes I've made in the past 3 1/2 years, I wouldn't be surrounded by the people I am. People that, when I look back at my college career, I will know have made these four years the best of my life so far.

As for my other resolutions, I did finally make it to the gym. After Lauren and I missed our class, we proceeded to do some weight machines (with no direction), and walk the full 2 miles across campus back to our apartment. I decided against going out, and decided I'm going to dedicate my Friday night to reading (for school and fun), so that I feel better going into next week. And even though I woke up with a cold, I stuck to all my commitments. Fortunately, my bed was already made and I've had an easy time keeping my room clean (there really is something to be said for tackling small messes versus big messes). Most importantly, last night I hung out with my camp friends, fulfilling my goal of not spending every second with the same group of people and ignoring other people who are also important to me.

Can't wait for a great Friday night with the people who make me laugh out loud.


<3 PHrathouse

listen to the bells

Yesterday it rained. Which is a nice way of saying it was a small monsoon outside my apartment. The rain has never made me happy. Coupled with the cold we are basically asking to put me in a bad mood. I begrudgingly got out of bed (might I add, after attending all of my classes and looking presentable in them), and agreed to pick up my friend from the pouring rain to take him to our meeting. In the midst of complaining about the weather, the lack of good drivers on the road, and the fact that we were going to be late, I noticed him attempting to open the window. He looked at me when I asked why he would do such a thing in a monsoon and said, "I want to listen to the bells." I looked up past him and realized that at 4:48 on a Tuesday afternoon, someone was at the top of Century Tower playing a recital on the carillon. And so, I listened.

As for my other resolutions, I have already fallen behind in flossing my teeth and looking presentable every day. However, I made an effort to remember this morning (earning myself a nice smiley face sticker), and showered in between my two blocks of class (by the way, 6 hours of class on Thursday...it better be worth having Monday and Friday off). This change made my last block of class infinitely easier.

In addition, I realized how much I took for granted about my class location last semester. In other words, that having a class right across the street was a blessing. All of my classes now are down what is known as the Shands hill, the largest hill on campus (or in the world...I'm not sure. It's huge). In addition to being up and down hill, my apartment is at least a mile from the location of three of my classes. And on the way back, as you might have figured out, it's uphill. Yesterday as I approached Museum Road and 13th street, I realized in shock that I still had 6 more blocks to walk....uphill. By the time I made it back I had a stitch in my side (emphasizing my need to exercise more). However, today in the post-monsoon sunshine, it occurred to me that walking 2 miles every day (4 on Tuesday and Thursday) was not only regular exercise, but a good amount of it. This realization led to the realization that I am already on my way to exercising more in the new year, even though I have yet to visit a gym (tomorrow for sure). I was ecstatic.

So maybe I haven't established the pattern I want to establish for the next couple of years, but I am on my way to keeping at least some of my resolutions. I have also started writing things down--blogging, keeping a one-sentence journal (a la Gretchen Rubin), and writing things in a notebook I keep in my planner so that I won't forget anything important. As we progress I'll tackle cooking, organizing my life, and getting more regular sleep. Until then, I am quite content just listening to the bells.

challenge #4: Live Right.

In the spirit of general challenges, and fitting because my favorite number is 4, my last challenge will be to live right. This challenge is fluid; I find new things to make my life better every day. And I wanted to allow the last one to be more fluid because I can already feel myself cracking under the pressure of trying to get these resolutions to be a part of my life. I think it's safe to say that this next month especially is going to be a struggle, but to keep myself in line in general, I know that there are some things I need to be constantly working on.


Be nicer.
Appreciate the important people in life.
Write things down. Take pictures. Document these memories.
Stay on top of life.
Keep learning and exploring.
Don't sweat the small stuff.
It's not about who you're letting down, it's about not letting down yourself.
Remember: the days are long but the years are short.
Whatever it is, it's good enough.


And again keeping in mind, these may change.

challenge #3: getting it together

I guess this set of challenges is something that has no common thread, but falls into the category of lifestyle. Basically, I want to start living my life right, which while it incorporates all the challenges, rests on the extent to which I live from day to day.


1. Practice more than just good hygiene.
Before anyone gets grossed out, I have good hygiene. I have perfect teeth, shower daily and generally work to be a clean person (more than that, dirty and smelly people freak me out). However, for the fact that I have gone 21 years with no cavities, braces, or major oral surgeries, I have never practiced a regular flossing routine. And it has come around to haunt me. Additionally, I have out of control hair, and often find myself wanting to just put it up and not take the time to make it look presentable. This makes me feel less than clean, and often I end up showering again to correct it which is just bad for your hair. So this year I want to floss every day and make myself look presentable every day.

2. Clean your room.
About every 2 weeks I realize that I can't live in my room anymore (normally it's because I need to study and would rather clean than study). But this year I resolve to put all my clothes away (unfortunately that starts with unpacking everything I took to New Orleans), find places for everything, downsize, and most importantly, make my bed every day. Without a doubt, this will be the hardest resolution for me to keep.

challenge #2: living a cultured life

I have always loved books. And while I enjoy reading them, the joy of books to me lies in the actual physical objects themselves, not necessarily the stories. It is not a surprise that I have never wanted a Kindle, Nook, or iPad to enjoy these books on. While it is practical, convenient and probably the same cost, I have never liked reading on a computer or screen nearly as much as I have liked holding a book (although I did break down and put the free Kindle application on my computer and phone...just in case I'm stranded somewhere without a book).

Recently I have discovered a new section of the bookstore previously unvisited by me--the cookbook section. After a quick love affair with the Food Network began in August, I have collected 10 new cookbooks...and about 10 skill points toward the art of cooking. It is safe to say that I am one of the worst cooks in the world. Hands down. I have minor difficulty following a recipe, although can usually (with some help from my mom/roommate/fireman) make it through the recipe without any major slip-ups (such as this lovely concoction) and an edible dish.

So in an attempt to culture myself, I have decided that challenge #2 is going to experiencing the finer end of three things I hold close to my heart: books, food and alcohol.

1. Read for fun at least 20 minutes every day
Now this one seems weird, because in this blog I have mentioned books/libraries at least 10 times. But the problem with the semester is, I am forced to read so much for school, that I neglect reading for fun. I am either too tired of it, or I feel that if I have the time to read for fun I should be reading school work. This semester I think I managed to complete 5 books, which is about the number I've managed to complete this winter vacation. I used to read all the time, and I always enjoyed it. It just gets a little hectic every day when there are so many other things I need to be doing. So, in conjunction with actually getting my school work done, I am forcing myself to enjoy a 20 minute tidbit of a book every day this year. If it's more, well then more power to me (because my reading list keeps expanding), and if it's not more, then at least I will get 20 minutes a day to enjoy myself and not think about school.

2. Learn how to cook.
There is a big part of me that has denied the urge to learn to cook for years. However, sometimes I enjoy it. Or at least, I enjoy thinking about it. It's when it gets hectic and time consuming that I usually give up. I have managed to skate by on not knowing more than how to heat things up in the microwave due to the fact that as a member of a sorority I have meals provided to me twice a day and lived in the house where the most advanced appliance I was given access to was a George Foreman grill. But now I am about to depart for the unknown and I can't afford to live on Ramen for the rest of my life. I have been trying out some meals, and here are some of the most recent dishes I've prepared:

Neely's Macaroni and Cheese with Bacon and Potato Chips (a big hit)

Roasted Tomato Basil Soup from the Barefoot Contessa Cookbook

Salmon with Mustard Potato Chip Crust from the New Best Recipe

3. Learn about alcohol
Between this and the title, it may appear that I do nothing else with my life but drink. That is not even close to true, but as I approach the end of the era in which liquor from a plastic bottle is appropriate, I have become fascinated with the different varieties and nicer forms of alcohol available. My dream would be to go to Italy and watch the entire process of making wine, but I will settle for working on creating the perfect drinks. Talk about a science--it took me several tries to concoct my perfect bloody marys, which are now a huge hit with my friends. I am currently working on the perfect martini, and I hope to one day be able to create drinks easily and with a supreme knowledge of what it is I am working with.

4. Blog about it
While not mentioned previously, a huge part of my enjoyment of this process is writing about it. I have always loved writing, and while I certainly have room to refine my style, I want it to continue to be a part of my life. I intend to start keeping a journal as well, much as I have every year, although this year with the help of the Happiness Project I will aim for one sentence a day...and go from there.

Challenge #1: School

Being that this is the last semester I may ever be in school (although probably not), it is about time that I started doing it right. My first challenge for change is to become a better student. I am taking a lofty 13 credits this spring, and I intend to make As in every single one of those classes. Not only that, but I am also going to take classes I am interested in, and actually gain knowledge from the material.

My resolutions for this include:

1. Develop a study schedule.
I have several breaks during the school day that are long enough to accomplish something major. I am going to set out a schedule of work for each week and stick to it, with rewards if I do and punishments if I don't. This is the last chance I have to do this right, and if it's not then it will help me out later in my school career.

2. Go to class.
This one seems obvious, but I am terrible at attending class. Online classes normally work better for me, because I have a short attention span and get antsy sitting for too long. But, this semester I am going to attend class unless there's an extreme reason I can't. Every. Single. One.

3. Make good use of the time you have.
This means doing school work instead of napping, not instead of being social. I will not allow school to disturb my friendships or any other activities, so when I have a moment when school work is the only thing to do, then that's when I will do it.

I know that this one will be the toughest, but the happiness that will come from getting good grades and doing well in school will be the most valuable happiness I can achieve from my four years in college. Instead of just sliding by as I have been, I will apply myself and learn to balance the things I don't like with the things I do. This will be challenge #1.

new name, new year, new life

Today I decided to change the name of my blog. It has something to do with changing my outlook on life. It occurred to me that at this time next year, I will be somewhere completely different...a master's student, a working girl; in orlando, tampa, athens, san diego? Who knows? But I have one more semester of no rules. One more semester of Monday Fundays. One more semester of believing that it is appropriate to enter a bar at 11 am and leave it at 2 am.

In the self-reflecting phase that accompanies the end of any year, I began doing some minor alterations to the lifestyle I had developed in hopes of turning it toward the lifestyle I intended. Buying a new planner and perfecting it. Organizing graduate school applications. Setting realistic goals. And thinking about New Year's resolutions. Fortunately, a lovely book fell into my lap called The Happiness Project. It only took a short two pages for me to realize that this was exactly what I needed right now. For those who may be unfamiliar, The Happiness Project is a book about a woman who took a year to tweak her life in certain ways to become happier. So I decided to take her advice, and work on making myself happier in the next semester, hopefully creating a lasting attitude that can follow future Emily to her new destination.

The title came from another source of my happiness. A couple months ago, one of my sorority sisters invited me over to her house and showed us her "woozies" or wine coozies. On black Friday, I picked one out for my mom to give to me for Christmas that said "why limit happy to an hour?" Not being patient, I returned to the store 3 weeks later to find that they were not only out of this particular woozie, but they were out of all the woozies that had fun quotes on them. So I forgot about it until today, when my mom found it in her car and apologized for forgetting about it. How serendipitous for my woozie to remind me that there are 24 hours to be happy every day? And while wine does make me happy, the blog title is about reminding myself not only that we have created an hour in which to relax and be happy, but that I can be happy for more than just that hour.

So my own happiness project, or semester of happiness, or whatever it is I want to call it, begins January 3 (I will be in New Orleans until the 2nd, but normally I am a stickler for timeliness). I have made a list of resolutions and more importantly, goals to help me through the semester of building a better Emily. Unfortunately, it will be a work in progress, and I will probably be constantly changing and refining. But Gretchen Rubin started planning hers in April, I decided this 5 days ago.

The idea is to start on all the habits I'd like to have as an adult, while I still have the irresponsibility of college. Then in 10 years, perhaps I will value exercise in my life, because of the habits I'm creating now. So here's to 2011...the year of change.

For further reading on happiness:
The Happiness Project
Seven Daily Reasons
Eat Pray Love
The Year of Living Biblically