Reflections and Resolutions
Happy New Year Everyone!
2017 was a wild ride for me. I started off the year nursing my ankle and just starting to be able to walk normally. I still remember going to the Nautical Museum in Norfolk and being proud that I could stand up for 3 hours. The first week of 2017 I quit my job at PIRG. I started job searching like a crazy person and fell in love with the idea of going to AMI. I started this blog.
I also started all my odd jobs, learning the variety of different options out there for someone who does not quite what I want to do. All the while I am making it work with Joshua who is Virginia bound and wants me to succeed, be happy, and be close by.
And through that I came to know Virginia very well. From the Western Alleghenies to central Appomattox, I fell in love with this state too, and all the possibilities in environmental activism and community building in Virginia. AMI focused these ideas on agriculture and healthy living. After AMI, I got to end my year with two months of blissful freedom. I spent time with Joshua and his loving family, with my parents and brother including New York city adventures. I got really into cooking, cosmetic making, and fermenting. And then I went to Israel and reconnected with family.
And now it is 2018 and it'll be hard to top 2017. Granted 2017 was shrouded in political discomfort and comical tragedy. But if I'm going to be honest, other than being mentally taxing, I haven't first handedly felt any of the political changes, and I am scared for when I will--or when people I love will. For now, I am just doing what I can to change my micro-politics in my family, friend, and work communities.
So what do I want out of 2018? Here are my resolutions:
1. Healthy: To learn how to live a healthy lifestyle on my own using the tips I gleaned from AMI. This means finding the time to cook fresh ingredients for myself, buying fresh ingredients from local farmers I support, and limiting the processed foods I eat. No more middle grocery store isles. Also, I want to continue to have an active lifestyle with little excercises every day and swimming/running/yoga at least 4 times a week.
Sorry Sophia, I think I will still eat bananas and chocolate. But I'll do my best to buy them fair trade.
2. Things and Waste: I want to waste as little as possible and when buying things, only buy them if they are meant to last and provide a lasting purpose. I will compost all that I can, save my cardboard, and buy things understanding what will be going into landfills when I am done with them.
3. Work/Life Balance: Starting a new job, I want to make sure that I enjoy my work, but that when I am off work I can feel off work. I want to be completely present in all sectors of my life to be able to make as much of a difference as I can. With this, I want to make time for Joshua and our relationship because we will finally be close to each other again! I also want to explore new things like dancing, working at the Charlottesville composting facility, and making soaps.
4. Stay Connected: Meera, Kennedy, Nika, Sequoya, Hannah, my new Israel friends, and probably a few more people that I like are all pretty close by to me and I want to make sure I stay connected to them. It has been so fun getting to see Meera and Kennedy once a month and I want to continue these friendships...and maybe make more. We will see.
5. Find a Career: This one has been my resolution every year probably since 2011 when I was applying for colleges. I want to have a clearer goal of where I want to be going and what steps I need to take to get there.
2017 was a wild ride for me. I started off the year nursing my ankle and just starting to be able to walk normally. I still remember going to the Nautical Museum in Norfolk and being proud that I could stand up for 3 hours. The first week of 2017 I quit my job at PIRG. I started job searching like a crazy person and fell in love with the idea of going to AMI. I started this blog.
I also started all my odd jobs, learning the variety of different options out there for someone who does not quite what I want to do. All the while I am making it work with Joshua who is Virginia bound and wants me to succeed, be happy, and be close by.
And through that I came to know Virginia very well. From the Western Alleghenies to central Appomattox, I fell in love with this state too, and all the possibilities in environmental activism and community building in Virginia. AMI focused these ideas on agriculture and healthy living. After AMI, I got to end my year with two months of blissful freedom. I spent time with Joshua and his loving family, with my parents and brother including New York city adventures. I got really into cooking, cosmetic making, and fermenting. And then I went to Israel and reconnected with family.
And now it is 2018 and it'll be hard to top 2017. Granted 2017 was shrouded in political discomfort and comical tragedy. But if I'm going to be honest, other than being mentally taxing, I haven't first handedly felt any of the political changes, and I am scared for when I will--or when people I love will. For now, I am just doing what I can to change my micro-politics in my family, friend, and work communities.
So what do I want out of 2018? Here are my resolutions:
1. Healthy: To learn how to live a healthy lifestyle on my own using the tips I gleaned from AMI. This means finding the time to cook fresh ingredients for myself, buying fresh ingredients from local farmers I support, and limiting the processed foods I eat. No more middle grocery store isles. Also, I want to continue to have an active lifestyle with little excercises every day and swimming/running/yoga at least 4 times a week.
Sorry Sophia, I think I will still eat bananas and chocolate. But I'll do my best to buy them fair trade.
2. Things and Waste: I want to waste as little as possible and when buying things, only buy them if they are meant to last and provide a lasting purpose. I will compost all that I can, save my cardboard, and buy things understanding what will be going into landfills when I am done with them.
3. Work/Life Balance: Starting a new job, I want to make sure that I enjoy my work, but that when I am off work I can feel off work. I want to be completely present in all sectors of my life to be able to make as much of a difference as I can. With this, I want to make time for Joshua and our relationship because we will finally be close to each other again! I also want to explore new things like dancing, working at the Charlottesville composting facility, and making soaps.
4. Stay Connected: Meera, Kennedy, Nika, Sequoya, Hannah, my new Israel friends, and probably a few more people that I like are all pretty close by to me and I want to make sure I stay connected to them. It has been so fun getting to see Meera and Kennedy once a month and I want to continue these friendships...and maybe make more. We will see.
5. Find a Career: This one has been my resolution every year probably since 2011 when I was applying for colleges. I want to have a clearer goal of where I want to be going and what steps I need to take to get there.
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