Coach Roma's Question #47 -- because sometimes I need a writing prompt.
What, if anything, is stopping you from creating your ideal life?
The first thing standing between me and my ideal life is some confusion about exactly what my ideal life would look like.
Part of me is really excited about going back to school and pursuing a career in some branch of biological sciences, or even becoming a veterinarian, if I can manage to get into vet school. I have no idea at this point how I'd pay for any of that, though, and it would be a lot of work and I'd have to put some things off for a few years while putting all my efforts on doing my very best at school. This is one of those things I've always been interested in, but I had to overcome a lot of the programming of my youth, as well as my own insecurities, before I could really entertain any notion of doing it.
The other part of me just wants be content with where I am at and concentrate on my family life and my spiritual life. This part of me might have some activist tendencies as well. I can see myself getting involved in some organizations and possibly writing a book down this path. I am just not sure if this path is what I really want to do, or if just looks attractive because it would be easier. I don't want to let myself cop out and take the easy path if that's all it is, because I will be disappointed later. (Been there, done that.)
The main things keeping me from going down either of those paths is fear and doubt. Most of the obstacles I will face are the same-- figuring out how to earn enough money to keep us afloat while still leaving me time to pursue these goals, figuring out how to manage my time so that I don't run myself into the ground, and figuring out how to keep some balance in my life. But before I get to those obstacles, I have to get out of the gate.
Monday, April 12, 2010
Sunday, February 28, 2010
A joyful career?
Today's journal prompt is from Coaching Questions: What does a joyful career look, feel and sound like to you?
I have been giving some thought to what kind of career I might like to pursue in my second half of life, now that I am nearing 40 and my kids are growing up. I would love to have a job that I am excited about, that I can't wait to get to most days, and that I feel proud of. I want something that is going to be challenging but not frustrating, providing me with both a livelihood and a sense that I am doing something meaningful.
I have been thinking about pursuing an associate degree in Biotechnology at a local community college as a first baby step toward finding that kind of work. After that, I plan to go on to a bachelor degree in Biology, at which point I hope to find some sort of work with one of the local biotech firms while I pursue a graduate degree. I don't know what that will look, feel, or sound like, but the thought fills me with hope.
I have been giving some thought to what kind of career I might like to pursue in my second half of life, now that I am nearing 40 and my kids are growing up. I would love to have a job that I am excited about, that I can't wait to get to most days, and that I feel proud of. I want something that is going to be challenging but not frustrating, providing me with both a livelihood and a sense that I am doing something meaningful.
I have been thinking about pursuing an associate degree in Biotechnology at a local community college as a first baby step toward finding that kind of work. After that, I plan to go on to a bachelor degree in Biology, at which point I hope to find some sort of work with one of the local biotech firms while I pursue a graduate degree. I don't know what that will look, feel, or sound like, but the thought fills me with hope.
Saturday, February 20, 2010
It's dark down here in the dungeon...
I haven't written anything or shared any YouTube videos or anything since last April?! This is something I must fix immediately.
This blog has always been where I just post whatever kind of silly stuff that goes through my head or passes by my eyes. Every once in a while, it gets a little more serious, but for the most part, it is just stress relief. I could use a little more of that in my life.
I have been wasting a lot of time of Facebook lately. I have been playing a lot of the stupid little games over there. Most of the games only need a few minutes of attention at a time, but when you're playing 15 games and looking at them all three times a day, it's practically a full-time job. Except without the paycheck or benefits... Basically, you become a slave to your farm or your fish or what have you. And then it bugs you constantly to annoy your friends with messages about your farm or fish or cafe or mafia or kingdom, and tries like crazy to get you to attempt to lure your friends into virtual slavery. As a lolcat would say, iz not so great, akshuly.
I have done a little bit of work on my constructed languages, so I do update my Teliya Nevashi blog occasionally. More often than not, I just update the language documents with the intention to post about it later, but later never comes.
I am starting a new blog in the hope of having a constructive project to work on. It's about dieting. Or, rather, it is about trying out specific diets or eating styles/plans for three weeks at a time. I do hope to lose some weight, and maybe attract an audience as well. I am going to try to keep that blog pretty tightly focused, so I will probably come back over here to make all the tangential remarks that would otherwise bog that other effort down.
There has been a lot going on in my life, so you'd think I'd be here babbling about it more often. I will have to do that instead of planting more virtual crops on my 86500 different farm apps.
This blog has always been where I just post whatever kind of silly stuff that goes through my head or passes by my eyes. Every once in a while, it gets a little more serious, but for the most part, it is just stress relief. I could use a little more of that in my life.
I have been wasting a lot of time of Facebook lately. I have been playing a lot of the stupid little games over there. Most of the games only need a few minutes of attention at a time, but when you're playing 15 games and looking at them all three times a day, it's practically a full-time job. Except without the paycheck or benefits... Basically, you become a slave to your farm or your fish or what have you. And then it bugs you constantly to annoy your friends with messages about your farm or fish or cafe or mafia or kingdom, and tries like crazy to get you to attempt to lure your friends into virtual slavery. As a lolcat would say, iz not so great, akshuly.
I have done a little bit of work on my constructed languages, so I do update my Teliya Nevashi blog occasionally. More often than not, I just update the language documents with the intention to post about it later, but later never comes.
I am starting a new blog in the hope of having a constructive project to work on. It's about dieting. Or, rather, it is about trying out specific diets or eating styles/plans for three weeks at a time. I do hope to lose some weight, and maybe attract an audience as well. I am going to try to keep that blog pretty tightly focused, so I will probably come back over here to make all the tangential remarks that would otherwise bog that other effort down.
There has been a lot going on in my life, so you'd think I'd be here babbling about it more often. I will have to do that instead of planting more virtual crops on my 86500 different farm apps.
Monday, April 27, 2009
Sunday, March 29, 2009
So, I added a furry widget..
I am the world's worst blogger. I have been posting on my Nevashi blog, but this one has been sitting here, all alone and forlorn, writing me letters about how much it misses me, but then tearing them up and crying itself to sleep.
I am going to make a sincere effort to post here at least once a week from now on. I have been redirecting a lot of bloggable topics to Twitter and my Facebook status, or posting those thoughts on forums. I will try to see that some of them end up here.
In the meantime, I found myself adopting yet another virtual pet today, from FooPets, and now it is a widget in my right-hand column there. That's Nibbles. I actually ended up with two female yorkies, this one, which I signed up for directly at the site, and another that I got through Facebook. The one I have via Facebook is named Kevrisha, and there's a strong possibility she's going to end up being a widget on my Nevashi blog, since she has a Nevashi name.
I am going to make a sincere effort to post here at least once a week from now on. I have been redirecting a lot of bloggable topics to Twitter and my Facebook status, or posting those thoughts on forums. I will try to see that some of them end up here.
In the meantime, I found myself adopting yet another virtual pet today, from FooPets, and now it is a widget in my right-hand column there. That's Nibbles. I actually ended up with two female yorkies, this one, which I signed up for directly at the site, and another that I got through Facebook. The one I have via Facebook is named Kevrisha, and there's a strong possibility she's going to end up being a widget on my Nevashi blog, since she has a Nevashi name.
Friday, February 06, 2009
Long time, no post
I don't really have any time to post today either. I don't think anyone actually reads this blog, which is just as well, since it is mostly an outlet for my tendency to babble.
I am cleaning house today. What a drag! But it has to be done.
I am cleaning house today. What a drag! But it has to be done.
Saturday, July 19, 2008
A Few Fun Things on the Web
I've been sending out postcards to strangers, or "postcrossing"-- www.postcrossing.com. I've gotten some back, too, from Germany, Austria, and Taiwan. It's a cheap and fun hobby.
As you can see in the right hand column over there, I've also started raising some little web dragons. Those are from the Dragon Cave. They go into forum signatures or whatever, and views/repeat views/clicks help them grow. Of course, the pages they are on have some fairly low-profile ads (i.e., not pop-ups), so it is a pretty clever way to generate views of those too. http://dragcave.ath.cx/ .
Along the same lines are the adoptable things at Valenth. http://www.valenth.com. These are adoptable things that you can feed. Like this one:
Feed Me!
Adopted from Valenth
I have a few of those I will add to the right hand column too, at some point. You don't actually have to sign up to get one, just to keep track of your code. I didn't sign up before I got my other two, so I will have to snag the code from my myspace page.
I am not having a baby (and my husband would be really upset if I were, having had that vasectomy and all), but I like names, so I have been hanging around a relatively new (and friendly) forum dedicated to names: http://namethatbaby.mit.edu ... Feel free to drop in and offer your point-of-view. You may save some poor girl from being named Grizzelanne Velour.
As you can see in the right hand column over there, I've also started raising some little web dragons. Those are from the Dragon Cave. They go into forum signatures or whatever, and views/repeat views/clicks help them grow. Of course, the pages they are on have some fairly low-profile ads (i.e., not pop-ups), so it is a pretty clever way to generate views of those too. http://dragcave.ath.cx/ .
Along the same lines are the adoptable things at Valenth. http://www.valenth.com. These are adoptable things that you can feed. Like this one:
Feed Me!
Adopted from Valenth
I have a few of those I will add to the right hand column too, at some point. You don't actually have to sign up to get one, just to keep track of your code. I didn't sign up before I got my other two, so I will have to snag the code from my myspace page.
I am not having a baby (and my husband would be really upset if I were, having had that vasectomy and all), but I like names, so I have been hanging around a relatively new (and friendly) forum dedicated to names: http://namethatbaby.mit.edu ... Feel free to drop in and offer your point-of-view. You may save some poor girl from being named Grizzelanne Velour.
Sunday, April 06, 2008
Blarg
I've been sick, but I feel better today, for the most part. I didn't do any housework today. In fact, I spent about 6 hours just lying around in my bedroom, emerging only occasionally to feed and check on kids. They were busy playing and watching TV. It was a day off for them. I didn't ask them to do anything and everyone was really low key.
Tomorrow, I need to start catching up on my housework and stuff.
Tomorrow, I need to start catching up on my housework and stuff.
Friday, March 07, 2008
The One Bone I Have To Pick With SOME Atheists
I am sort of a non-religion-specific kind of person, and I generally don't have a problem with people who decide that the whole God thing is bunk (as long as they don't spend too much time trying to convert me). To each his own, and all that.
The one thing I've heard atheists I know say on occasion that strikes me as being utterly ridiculous is that "people would be nicer to each other if they didn't have religion" or "... if they knew they only had this one life" or some such. I don't believe in original sin, but I do believe that a lot of people are just plain mean and miserable by nature. Some religious people are mean and miserable, but some people actually try to overcome their wretched personalities in order to be better people because of religion. And some of those angry and unpleasant religious folks would be just as horrid without their religion as a focal point. They'd find something else as a focal point for their nastiness.
Perhaps they'd get involved in party politics, which is an awful lot like religion in many respects (and in bed with religion a little too much here in the US, if you ask some people).
The one thing I've heard atheists I know say on occasion that strikes me as being utterly ridiculous is that "people would be nicer to each other if they didn't have religion" or "... if they knew they only had this one life" or some such. I don't believe in original sin, but I do believe that a lot of people are just plain mean and miserable by nature. Some religious people are mean and miserable, but some people actually try to overcome their wretched personalities in order to be better people because of religion. And some of those angry and unpleasant religious folks would be just as horrid without their religion as a focal point. They'd find something else as a focal point for their nastiness.
Perhaps they'd get involved in party politics, which is an awful lot like religion in many respects (and in bed with religion a little too much here in the US, if you ask some people).
Wednesday, March 05, 2008
Useful link: Printable Rulers
I can't keep track of a ruler to save my life. I wish my desk had drawers. Anyway, here's a site where you can print a ruler if you really need one in a hurry.
Earth Hour 2008
On March 29, 2008 at 8pm, people all over the world are going to turn off their lights. The cause is global warming. I signed up, but you don't really have to. You can just turn off your lights if you feel like it. :)
I like candles, so I am looking forward to having an excuse for a candlelight hour.
And, because this is me, you know that an embedded video is coming...
I like candles, so I am looking forward to having an excuse for a candlelight hour.
And, because this is me, you know that an embedded video is coming...
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Morning.
I stayed up too late last night and got up too early today. I should crawl back into bed and try to get a little more sleep. That would be the smart thing to do.
Of course, that's not what I am going to do. I am going to go wash the dishes from last night. We went out and kids did wash some dishes under the direction and supervision of their babysitter, but there are still a bunch of cups, bowls, pots, pans, and forks left to do. (Just forks, no knives or spoons... I am not sure what's up with that.)
I am going to start some laundry too. And then I am going to catch up on my email. I am running a couple of weeks behind.
Eh, or maybe I will go back to bed after all.
Of course, that's not what I am going to do. I am going to go wash the dishes from last night. We went out and kids did wash some dishes under the direction and supervision of their babysitter, but there are still a bunch of cups, bowls, pots, pans, and forks left to do. (Just forks, no knives or spoons... I am not sure what's up with that.)
I am going to start some laundry too. And then I am going to catch up on my email. I am running a couple of weeks behind.
Eh, or maybe I will go back to bed after all.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Sleeeeeep. I need sleeeeeep...
It's a little bit after 8am. I woke up just before the alarm this morning, at 6:43. I am not entirely sure you can call it "waking up" though, since I am not sure you can call what I was doing immediately prior to that "sleeping". My 2 year old crawled into bed with me at some point and we were waging a mostly unconscious battle for my pillow and the space on my side of the bed, which isn't conducive to sound sleep.
Did I mention that I didn't go to bed until 1am or so? I think I missed that point. Late night, early morning, kid in my bed... Yeah, I need more sleep. I think I am going to go back in there, shove the kid over to my husband's side of the bed, and then hog my pillow to myself for a couple more hours.
The kid will be fine without the pillow. She sleeps sideways in her favorite chair in the shop, after all. And on the floor. And in a carseat. And I've seen her curled up on the couch with her head on her feet. How hard could it be for her to sleep in bed without hogging my pillow?
I recently signed on at SparkPeople.com, and one of my starter, "Fast Break" goals is 8 hours of sleep a night. HA! Maybe I should go pick something I'll actually do.
Did I mention that I didn't go to bed until 1am or so? I think I missed that point. Late night, early morning, kid in my bed... Yeah, I need more sleep. I think I am going to go back in there, shove the kid over to my husband's side of the bed, and then hog my pillow to myself for a couple more hours.
The kid will be fine without the pillow. She sleeps sideways in her favorite chair in the shop, after all. And on the floor. And in a carseat. And I've seen her curled up on the couch with her head on her feet. How hard could it be for her to sleep in bed without hogging my pillow?
I recently signed on at SparkPeople.com, and one of my starter, "Fast Break" goals is 8 hours of sleep a night. HA! Maybe I should go pick something I'll actually do.
Sunday, December 30, 2007
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Writing...
I have been wasting a lot of time posting silly little game-related blogs over at mmorpg.com. I guess getting views and comments there started getting to my head. I am kind of bored with the games (mmo games, specifically) and with trying to find something to say about them. I have other things on my mind.
We're starting a business. I am planning on doing NaNoWriMo as a start to my fiction-writing career.
Career?! Ha! That's getting ahead of myself. Maybe I should call it a hobby.
I am going to work on some world-building before November gets here.
We're starting a business. I am planning on doing NaNoWriMo as a start to my fiction-writing career.
Career?! Ha! That's getting ahead of myself. Maybe I should call it a hobby.
I am going to work on some world-building before November gets here.
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Long time, no blog
I can't believe September is more than half over. Only a third of the month left to go before October. Things have just been moving on so fast, we have hardly had a chance to catch up.
Since I last wrote, we sold our house and moved to Pennsylvania. In fact, we've moved twice in September, since we now own a building with two apartments, and we first moved into one and then from there into the other. I am so tired of moving things. Once everything is settled in its place, it is staying there for good!
My mother is coming to visit this weekend. We're trying to get the apartments in order before she arrives. It's a lot of work, since we're still figuring out where things will go.
Right now, I just want to get a shower and go to sleep, but I am still trying to get kids in bed for the night. The littlest one is standing outside the bedroom door saying, "No" over and over because she doesn't want to stay in her bed. I am trying to stand firm on this. She just can't sleep with us anymore. She's getting too big and we miss our sex life.
Since I last wrote, we sold our house and moved to Pennsylvania. In fact, we've moved twice in September, since we now own a building with two apartments, and we first moved into one and then from there into the other. I am so tired of moving things. Once everything is settled in its place, it is staying there for good!
My mother is coming to visit this weekend. We're trying to get the apartments in order before she arrives. It's a lot of work, since we're still figuring out where things will go.
Right now, I just want to get a shower and go to sleep, but I am still trying to get kids in bed for the night. The littlest one is standing outside the bedroom door saying, "No" over and over because she doesn't want to stay in her bed. I am trying to stand firm on this. She just can't sleep with us anymore. She's getting too big and we miss our sex life.
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Silly little quiz thing... My Inner European
| Your Inner European is French! |
 Smart and sophisticated. You have the best of everything - at least, *you* think so. |
Monday, August 06, 2007
Monday Morning Joys
It's very quiet this morning. My husband has gone to work and the kids are all still asleep. I can hear my 16 year old snoring in the basement-- he must have been watching TV late last night. Otherwise, the only sounds are the AC running, the clicking of the keys as I type this, and the soft murmur of the hard drive as I run scans. This is Monday Morning Maintenance, and not just for the laptop.
I am reading e-mail while my computer rids itself of the usual tracking cookies and the less usual spyware that someone picked up for me somewhere out there on the web. I am guessing it was one of the kids. My time on the web is pretty much limited to a handful of sites, so I generally don't pick up spyware without help.
It's rainy here this morning. The sky is a flat, grayish white. It looks like the sky texture failed to load. It's a fine day, nonetheless. When it's been hazy, hot, and humid for a couple of weeks, a little rain is a nice break.
The basil I have in the planter on the front steps looks better for having been rained on; it was looking a little tired yesterday. I don't think the rain will help the cabbage in a container on the back deck, though. I think bugs finally killed it. I will have to replant that pot with something else, I guess.
I'll have to go to the store this morning to get milk. I am drinking my coffee this morning with one of those flavored, pre-creamed instant coffees as the creamer. It's not too bad, really, but it's not the same.
I've got a toddler up now. She gave me a hug, and then went in and turned on the TV. It was left on whatever channel my husband was watching last night, so I switched it to Nickelodeon, and now she's watching Wonder Pets. She was very excited to see that it was on. I have turned this particular show off on at least one occasion when it was grating on my nerves. The Wonder Pets kept saying "herd of sheep" rather than "flock of sheep", and there came a point when I couldn't stand it anymore.
She won't be watching TV too long this morning before I drag her off to the store with me to get milk and bread. In the meantime, I am going to sit here with my coffee and work on the Teliya Nevashi Babel text.
I am reading e-mail while my computer rids itself of the usual tracking cookies and the less usual spyware that someone picked up for me somewhere out there on the web. I am guessing it was one of the kids. My time on the web is pretty much limited to a handful of sites, so I generally don't pick up spyware without help.
It's rainy here this morning. The sky is a flat, grayish white. It looks like the sky texture failed to load. It's a fine day, nonetheless. When it's been hazy, hot, and humid for a couple of weeks, a little rain is a nice break.
The basil I have in the planter on the front steps looks better for having been rained on; it was looking a little tired yesterday. I don't think the rain will help the cabbage in a container on the back deck, though. I think bugs finally killed it. I will have to replant that pot with something else, I guess.
I'll have to go to the store this morning to get milk. I am drinking my coffee this morning with one of those flavored, pre-creamed instant coffees as the creamer. It's not too bad, really, but it's not the same.
I've got a toddler up now. She gave me a hug, and then went in and turned on the TV. It was left on whatever channel my husband was watching last night, so I switched it to Nickelodeon, and now she's watching Wonder Pets. She was very excited to see that it was on. I have turned this particular show off on at least one occasion when it was grating on my nerves. The Wonder Pets kept saying "herd of sheep" rather than "flock of sheep", and there came a point when I couldn't stand it anymore.
She won't be watching TV too long this morning before I drag her off to the store with me to get milk and bread. In the meantime, I am going to sit here with my coffee and work on the Teliya Nevashi Babel text.
Thursday, August 02, 2007
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