50 THINGS IN 2011

So i have been thinking alot about new years resolutions lately, and yes i realize it may be a little late (better late than never, right?) and while a post in the near future will show the resolutions i am going to attempt, this post will highlight just one thing i would like to do.



im a born and raised oklahoma gal, never lived in any other state, only a brief hiatus of 5 months in africa. and as a tribute to my good ole state i want to take extra time familiarizing myself with it (on a budget of course) so im going to go and do these 50 free things located all around the state of Oklahoma. Even if I have already visited something on the list, i must do it again so that it will be done this year. and in case you are wondering, all said events are FREE!!! it cant get better than that.



1. OKC NATIONAL MEMORIAL

2. TRAVEL HISTORIC ROUTE 66

3. BLUE WHALE AND TOTEM POLE PARK

4. ROUND BARN AND POPS

5. MARTIN NATURE PARK
6. GENE AUTRY MUSEUM
7. CONOCO MUSEUM
8. WILL ROGERS MEMORIAL MUSEUM
9. OKLAHOMA STATE CAPITOL
10. OKLAHOMA GOVERNOR'S MANSION
11. CHICKASAW NATIONAL RECREATION AREA
12. TALIMENA NATIONAL SCENIC BYWAY
13.WICHITA MOUNTAINS WILDLIFE REFUGE
14. MOUNT SCOTT
15. HONOR HEIGHTS PARK
16. SPIRO MOUNDS
17. LAKE EUFAULA
18. TULSA GARDENS
19. GREAT SALT PLAINS
20. TALLGRASS PRAIRIE PRESERVE
21. STANDING BEAR PARK
22. MOUNT OLIVET CEMETERY
23. ROBBERS CAVE
24. WASHITA BATTLEFIELD
25. TWISTER MUSEUM
26. PENSACOLA DAM & GRAND LAKE
27. BEAVERS BEND AREA
28. ART DISTRICTS
29. RED SLOUGH WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREA
30. TULSA RIVER PARKS
31. MUSEUM OF THE RED RIVER
32. HISTORIC DOWNTOWN GUTHRIE
33. SEQUOYAH'S CABIN
34. SIPOKNI WEST
35. HEAVENER RUNESTONE
36. ART DECO WALKING TOUR
37. MAT HOFFMAN ACTION SPORTS PARK
38. BLACK MESA
39. CAVANAL HILL
40. JM DAVIS ARMS & HISTORICAL MUSEUM
41. ATALOA LODGE
42. EXPRESS CLYDESDALES RANCH
43. LAKE ELMER THOMAS RECREATION AREA
44. PLAINS INDIAN & PIONEERS MUSEUM
45. BRAUM'S FAMILY FARM
46. ILLINOIS RIVER
47. TURKEY MOUNTAIN URBAN WILDERNESS AREA
48. HACKBERRY FLAT & SEQUOYAH NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE
49. RED EARTH MUSEUM
50. STATE PARKS

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commitment.

i signed up for a gym membership. 18 month contract. talk about a big commitment. it makes me really nervous. if i was ready for that sort of commitment, id get married or something.

update: i have indeed canceled my membership at the gym with the week that i signed up for it. i guess thats like cold feet at the alter.

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5/10

So i dont think i ever shared publicly my list of '10 BIG THINGS IN 2010', but i was able to locate it last night and thought i would share it with you along with the successes and failures. (and no i dont consider it cheating to put things down that are inevitable, and no i dont think its sad that the majority of the things i accomplished are this type of thing.)

#1. graduate college (debt-free): ACCOMPLISHED: i was successful in graduating college in may of this past year. i was also successful in graduating debt-free. and yes i love the fact i have no homework and dont have to go to classes.

#2. go on a cruise: FAILURE: we had planned a cruise with a handful of friends, but as usual, everyone flaked out. i am still holding out hope that this gets to happen sometime in the near future.

#3. celebrate grandma's 80th birthday: ACCOMPLISHED: i drove over 4 hours to get there to see lots of people that i had no idea who they were. but suprisingly, it was really fun. it was fun to see my grandma enjoying herself and mingling with lots of loved ones. i recommend everyone have one of these.

#4. get a real job: ACCOMPLISHED: in october, i was hired for m first 40 hour work week job, and for the record, its not as glamourous as one would think or hope. it has taken alot of getting use to and i am still adjusting to this huge change. however, it is nice to have some sort of structure and normalcy in life.

#5. run a half marathon: FAILURE: i did not run the half marathon, i did somewhat train for it though. if i recall correctly, i trained for about 7 weeks very very consistently, and then i guess i just hit the wall, and couldnt motivate mself any more.

#6. visit NYC or Portland: FAILURE: this makes me very sad, and im still holding out hope and dreaming of the day that i can make one or both of these trips.

#7. lead house church: ACCOMPLISHED: i was able to co-lead the UCO house church for Bridgeway this past spring. i enjoyed the group of us that were able to gather together and dig into the WORD.

#8. start a non-profit organization: FAILURE: i was unable to start a nonprofit organization, i did a 501(c)3 conference sponsored by FIREPROOF MINISTRIES and learned an incredible amount. i am taking my time before taking any immediate steps in this direction. time to grow and mature and build a solid foundation for any organization.

#9. become an aunt: ACCOMPLISHED: on february 12th, i became the aunt to the most beautiful baby girl, Hazel. I love her with all that is within me and i dream of the days we get to spend together.

#10. get married (10-10-10): FAILURE: however, i dont really view it as a failure. i didnt put this big thing down, because i am so desperate to tie the knot, but more because i love the number 10 and thought it seemed like the perfect day.

and so as you can see...i accomplished 5/10. i dont think thats too bad. 50%!!

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growing up.

Another natural part of growing older and settling down..




Planting and trying to keep alive a house plant. It beats a pet or a child anyday.

And if anyone is wondering, the type of plant is an amaryllis. I think she'll grow up to be red...if she gets a chance to grow up.

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documentaries.

prepare yourself for a not so interesting blog post.

okay now that you are prepared i will continue on with my train of thought. first off, i am trying really hard to get the creative juices flowing, however i have not been very successful at making this happen. i am attributed this problem to that fact that i am waiting til after 10pm to write a post.. my body and mind are now accustomed to going to sleep at 10.30, or if i get a wild hair 11 o' clock. so sorry, i will try fixing this problem as soon as possible.

for those of you who know me at all, know that i dont watch much tv. and movies are beginning to grow on me. but i do love me some documentaries. i think the reason that i love these so much is because i love people. i love watching them, talking to them, studying them, everything. i also recently signed up for netflix..this could be dangerous. and in my current queue of documentaries is catfish (some facebook something something) and 24 hours on craigslist (a documentary about being on craigslist for 24 hours and meeting the people behind the post)..craigslist and documentaries- this should be heavenly. also, tonight i watched the 48 hours mystery about the craigslist killer, i was inspired to do this because of all the hype with the new lifetime movie..

and that last line just led me to the thought of ''is this really what my life is like? did i just get excited about all the hype about a lifetime movie? wow..''

also, what i have been thinking about lately is making a documentary. im not sure what it will be about yet or where i will get the video camera. but im convinced to document the human condition.

sorry this post has been lame (though im not really sorry, remember my blog, my rules) but at least it can only go up from here..

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minute.

i really am excited to be writing again. however, i do find it rather hard to actually figure out what i am going to write about. im not sure if thats because i have so much or so little to write. also, i feel like alot of the time, i have a ton of thoughts squirming around in my head and how could i just choose one to see the light of day. and other times, i feel like why in the world would people even want to waste a couple of minutes reading something crazy that i thought about. but this is one thing that i am certain of: this is my blog. and as a result, i'll write whatever i want.

recently when thinking about reviving my blog- i liked the idea of it. however i was thinking that maybe now my blogging may be too real- too intense -too honest -too transparent and that i should probably just stick to journeling, where i can bare my soul and not dare be judged by anyone. but then i realized , with the help of my new sweet computer, that id rather type then put a pencil to the paper. and also, i wont be accumulating more clutter than i already have. and in my small dwelling, this is of high importance.

so the thought of the hour: thinking about how many hours you spend on certain tasks may make you want to vomit.

for example:
8 hours of work a day. thats 40 hours a week. and 2080 hours a years.
(and in case you didnt realize it..2080 hours comes out to 86 2/3 whole days...)

a 30 minute lunch at work per day. 2.5 hours a week. 130 hours a year. (5.42 days)

a 10 min commute. 20 minutes per day. 1.667 hours a week. almost 87 hours a year just driving to and from work.

SICK YET?

let's just say i spend 30 minutes on facebook a day (thats probably being very conservative)

3.5 hours a week. 182 hours a year. 7.58 days a year on FACEBOOK!! not how i want to spend a whole week...

thoughts similar to these ones are the sole reason that you will hardly ever find me watching the television. and no im not some crazy who thinks tv is from the devil (though its debatable).

these thoughts are also part of the reason i find it incredibly hard to work and enjoy a 40 hour a week job..

and yes, im aware, this is not the happiest and most intriguing blog, but its what's on my mind and it is MY blog. and now im off to bed to sleep (8 hours. 56 a week. 2912 a year. 121 days...)

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and we meet again..

i've decided to update my blog. its only seems fitting that it progresses somewhat considering thats all my life seems to be doing these days. (and no, i dont mean that in an 'uppity, stuck up' sort of a way. i do mean that in a 'you better hold on to the seat of your pants, buckle in, hope not to fall off, enjoy the ride' sort of way.) as a result of this crazy, completely unknown, heartbreaking, joyful, tiring, intriguing, crazy undertaking... i have decided to blog. i am beginning to realize that in a world full of alot of unknown and wavering things, that you should hold onto to the things you love and are certain of and the things that keep you sane. and this, my friends, falls into that catergory.

im not sure if you are the toasting type, but if so, or even if not, let's make a toast:

a toast to a new year, a toast to a new blog, and a toast to my sanity.

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