Taking the First Step

I suppose I've officially succumbed to the world of blogging. I've avoided it for a long time, not quite finding the time or motivation or dedication. I have always been terrible at journaling yet I love to write. My job right now doesn't allow me to think very creatively and maybe this blog will be an outlet for that. I don't have very profound thoughts, and what I write may not be all that interesting. But I've finally come to a point in my life where I have the time and motivation. Time will tell about the dedication.

As January comes to a close, I realize that I'm happy 2009 is over. It was a stressful year with both positive and negative changes. Yet all were dramatic in some fashion. I hope that 2010 will bring some stability, or at least some form of it.

I'm a goal-oriented person; without them, I don't seem to get anything done. Appropriately, I ought to begin my first blog with my list of goals for the year. These aren't necessarily 'resolutions' in the sense that it's a new year. These are long-term, character-altering changes.

1. Become a runner

Not a marathoner (although that is on my radar) but someone who is dedicated. I find myself enjoying my time on the roads, taking in my surroundings in a new light. My sister is my inspiration for this. Within a year, she was running a 5k at the same pace as me and less than 12 months later, she finished a marathon. Yes, 26.2 miles. Yes, at once. So being the competitive spirit, I signed up the next day for the Lexington Half Marathon. Tomorrow I start running with a group of people I've never met before. I'm both nervous and excited all at once.

2. Go back to school

I've enjoyed my time away from the daily grind of schoolwork but my mind is getting restless. I'm ready to learn again and not just on my own. Hopefully, I'll get into my desired Masters program for the fall. If not, I'll just put all my energies into applications for the next fall. No matter what, I'm determined to get back to the classroom in some fashion.

3. Learn Arabic

In conjunction with #2, I'm attempting the beginnings of this extremely difficult language. Accountability is hardly there, so I need to schedule real time to do this on a regular basis. This will hopefully help with my (hopeful) Masters and will increase my opportunity for careers later on. And I love languages.

4. Become a Wildcats fan.

On a more light-hearted tone, living in Lexington has had an effect on my sports loyalties. I've been an Ohio State fan for years now but I find myself looking for Cats games. For football, I believe I'll remain faithful to Old Ohio, but it's hard not to be a Cats fan in this town, especially this season. I write this as 20-0 hangs in the air against South Carolina. Whew, what a game.

5. Blog regularly

I suppose that this might be a given for the beginning post, but I realize that I should write it down and make it official. I won't get to it everyday (and let's be honest, my life isn't that interesting) but hopefully I'll be able to post something thoughtful once a week, or maybe twice if you're lucky. I'm going with the theory that things seem a little clearer once they get of your head, and maybe for those random people out there who might be reading, you can offer insights.

They always say that the hardest part is the first step. I've found that to be true in almost everything I've done so far in my short life, and this post is hopefully the first of many to come.