Four Years

 It's been fours years since my last update.  

Sometimes I feel like there's been so much growth and change in my life... And other times, I haven't changed at all. 

I'm going into a project and need to find ways to track my progress, so I'm back on this blog. I'm not going into too much details as this is more for my needs than for anyone to see. 

But if you're here and interested in exactly what this project is, here is the link for more information: Rebel

2022: Life on Pause and Life Resetting

 I started this blog back in 2008 as a way to track my life and my goals. I look back at all the items I did and attempted to do... Go to Australia, got my masters, CPA, and other little tasks here and there. 

Ten years later and I made the decision to stop. I even took this blog offline and left it be. 

I was just burnt out. 

Now, in 2022 and, well... I'm still burnt out. 

I'm reminded of a quote in my high school yearbook: "There's no use going back to yesterday, because I was a different person then." 

I've changed. My priorities changed. I'm not the person drinking in new hobbies and challenges like water in the desert. 

But, at the same time, that yearning for learning and progression will never go away. That is why I decided to restart this blog. I do want to slowly (keyword: slowly) get back into a flow and towards goals that are both challenging and satisfying. 

I'm hoping this will be a place to track Rebel Badge Book merit badges, Nerdfitness Quests, Toastmaster Pathways, and to gather my thoughts on what habits work and ways to improve. 

Life Defined

The past few months I have been thinking long and hard about my current point in life (another birthday!) and I believe I am coming to a conclusion that is hard to take.

'Goals' are suffocating.

 Don't get me wrong, I enjoy that feeling of planning and achieving all these great and amazing things. Lately though, I feel as if once I achieve what I seek, I still find myself lacking.

Then it's onto the next goal and that same feeling of 'not enough'. It's turned into a form of escapism.

So here's the goal that was suggested to me and I still have a hard time trying to wrap my head around:

The goal is to have no goal.

Sure, I have to wrap up a few things I've already committed to (a couple trips, a triathlon), but after that... I'm excited on the idea of having nothing planned.

Nothing.

That doesn't mean I won't be active. I signed up for swimming meets and I will probably have get-togethers with family and friends.

But there are no big trips on the horizon or big far reaching goals to achieve. Nanowrimo may be a nice idea but I would rather have the joy of learning about story structure and what makes a story *good*. I would rather read and journal than writewritewritewritewrite.

Reaching a PR in running would be nice as well, but I have a feeling that if I keep on doing what I'm doing with sprinting and swimming and biking, I will more likely get to the sub30 on during a casual race than I would if I pushed hard after months of strictly running.

The point: No goals.

Not for awhile.

Mega Quests Update - June (2)

-Pass CPA Exam (Done! Completed 8/17/17!)

An exam is an exam. Nothing more. I need to create projects that will set me towards my goals in my professional career.

-Running/Run a sub30 (PR 30:22)

I have my training plan set for my triathlon in September! And I started swimming in the pool.

I forgot how much I missed swimming...

-Nanowrimo (4.5 months)

While in the midst of planning the Tri, I realized I could do the same with my writing. Why not?

So in July, while training for a triathlon, I will also create and use a training plan to build up my endurance to write 50,000 words in November.

More to come later...

-Mortgage (11.9yrs)

Still paying off a kitchen. I am reading more financial books so I'm concentrating on my expenses. I also need to consider ways to increase my income.

Mega Quests Update - June 2018

-Pass CPA Exam (Done! Completed 8/17/17!)

I officially have the C . P . A . on the end of my name. It's a great feeling. I accomplished my goal 10+ years in the making.

At the same time, I miss it...

I miss the late study nights. I miss the classes and the cramming until my head is full of useless accounting information (and promptly forgotten).

The big question is: What do I do now?

The answer is: I don't know.

I'm currently working on some projects at work which is taking my time. I am also a fully licensed CPA which means I would need to keep up on CPE classes (Continuing Professional Education). These are all long term projects with no set goal in mind.

I really need the time to decompress, but I am starting to get antsy again. I'm already eyeing other certifications I could take....CMA, CFM, CFE, CFP, CIA, EA, CB- The list goes on...


-Running/Run a sub30 (PR 30:22)

I spent my winter and spring participating in a Fast5k running program in order to gain a sub30. My last 5K was last Sunday and I was just shy of it by 23 seconds.

Curses!

I'm not giving up on the goal but I'm setting it aside for now. I have a trip to Mt. Washington at the end of the month and an Olympic Triathlon in September which I need to plan for now. I'm fairly confident that continuing on this trek will get me at my sub30 goal by the end of the summer.

-Nanowritmo (TBA)

I haven't thought about this one in awhile. I did try Nanowritmo last year for all of one day. (right, one day). I just wasn't into trying at the time since there was *way* too much going on in my life.

Maybe I should try this year. If I do, I'll need to prep now. My failures in the past are mainly due to the lack of experience and training beforehand.

I didn't run a marathon on Day 1. I trained for it. The same applies here.

This may take some thought....how does one create a training plan for writing?


-Mortgage (12.2yrs)

Major set back on this. I bought a kitchen.

Well, I remodeled my kitchen.

Kitchens are *expensive* and I am still trying to pay the loan off on it. Aside from my condo, it's the largest purchase I've ever made. I could go hard core and pay it off by Halloween or I could go easy and save up for some other things (vacation, new car, Lasix, etc).

So mortgage is stuck on the bottom of this list.

I'm opening up my financial books again. I'll see to what I need to do to move things along quicker.

Druid: Meditate 10 Days in a Row

Druid: Meditate 10 Days in a Row

Hey! It's Christmas Eve Day! And I leveled up to level 11!

This was a bigger quest at 200 pts but it's not as easy as it seems. My alarm clock has been acting up and not always going off when it should be. If I wake up later than expected, I have to rush to get to work. Luckily, I've managed to get 10 minutes in the morning to meditate anyway.

I have most of the week off this week so I might be able to catch up on some Nerdfitness quests during that time. I am not sure about the week after when Year End Close begins.

We shall see.

Nutrition: Clean Out the Pantry

The Academy: Nutrition

Clean Out the Pantry

11/28/17 - Does this count when I don't really have much of a choice. The kitchen is getting revamped and, thus, I had to clean out the pantry anyway. 

Plus side- no more candy in my place. 

Minus side- I'll likely have to eat out for a week or two. Add the eating out in Iceland and the pounds just melt off! hahahahahaha

Scout: Run a 10K

The Scout Path

Run a 10K (6.2 Miles)

11/23/17 - As part of my annual tradition, I ran the Turkey Trot in Goshen in 1 hour 23 min 53 secs (or just shy of 84 minutes).

It was cold and the wind was in the Did Not Help category but I was able to warm up in those 6 miles and work off my turkey food.

Those hills...the horror. Next time will be better.

Adventurer: Exploring in a Foreign Country

The Adventurer Path

Go for a 20 Minute Walk to Explore a Neighborhood in Another Country

11/19/2017 - Explored Reykjavik, Iceland's largest city, for about an hour, walking down the harbor and took a look at the ships.

It was cold, but it was cool.

Mega Quest Completed!!

Well, kinda. I got my score today and I am done with the exam! :-D

Now, I have to do some paperwork, complete an ethics take-home exam and submit my application for a license and I will officially be a CPA!

It took nearly three years to get to this point. Longer if you count schooling (BS and MS) and work experience.

I don't think it's truly hit me yet that the one thing I've strived for is nearly done. I have mixed feelings; happy at the accomplishment but sad because 'Now what?'.

I guess...take a quick breather and on to another 'Mega Quest' (I'm calling them that from now on..).

I'm onto you next 'Sub 30 5K'!