Leaves and Feathers

Here were the goals I planned on this year, and how they went:

• Keep track of all the books I read--Done! 59 this year, which is an improvement over last year.
• Finish applying to Starr King School for the Ministry, and hopefully begin classes in the fall.--This has been scrapped. It just wasn't taking the shape I needed.
• Finish a crochet project.--Nope. Didn't even get it properly started.
• Get a haircut I like.--Yup yup! A couple of different ones, in fact.
• Get a new tattoo.--An awesome one, drawn by a dear friend and done on my birthday.
• Start all the medical/dental stuff I've been putting off.--Sorta? I ended up switching insurance and doctors towards the end of the year, so I'm back at square one but moving more quickly.
• Send more letters, post cards, packages, and flowers--at least something every month.--An utter fail.
• Take a trip somewhere I've never been.--Another fail. I didn't travel anywhere near enough this year.
• Decorate my apartment.--Which one? I moved a lot, and decorated a bit in each place.
• Learn to make a new food.--Not a new food so much, but I did craft some new dishes, mostly involving throwing things together in a loaf pan and baking until they were food.
• Find a local place to hang out outside of my apartment.--Sorta? I've moved about, so there's different spots now, but I have a few I like.
• Take Nimbus to a park.--Done! He didn't care for it much.

So. Four wins, four fails, four halfway-theres. I think I aimed high this year, and the energy that could have gone into these went into some different things instead. Here are my other accomplishments of the year:

• Changed jobs twice, doing a stint in foreign-language social media and then moving to a startup environment with some amazing people and a great vision.
• Moved into SF proper, which has opened a bunch of doors.
• Joined a Goddess church, which has been a lovely outpouring of community, a great way to honor my syncretic roots, and a wonderful connection to this time and place.
• Became a published, paid author.

Lots to think about. I'm not sure yet what I want out of 2015.

--Keep track of all the books I read.
--Get down to 135 pounds.
--Renew my passport.
--Keep on top of bills and keep paying down debt.
--Keep working on figuring out my spiritual path.
--Make my apartment awesome.
--Enjoy the year.

Not resolutions per se, but goals, and ones I think I can meet.

We've had a good day so far. It started out rocky, because we woke up at 8:15 realizing that no one had woken us up at four. This would have been A Cause for Much Rejoicing, except that our alarm clock is one small fuzzy gray monster named Nimbus, and it's not like him to shirk! We realized he hadn't touched his food or water all night, which triggered a search and rescue party. A quick look through the house had us in a panic, because our very vocal baby wasn't making a sound, and after opening every room, closet, and cupboard we still hadn't uncovered him. We began to fear the worst. Cadence and her dad made two separate checks of the porches and the basement with no luck. Nearly in tears, I walked out onto the porch and called him while shaking the bag of treats. He began to mew piteously--our poor baby had gotten outside and hidden under the porch at around midnight when Cadence set the trash out! He'd squeezed himself under the porch and couldn't find his way back out. The power drill made quick work of removing a section of lattice, and we carried him inside and fixed him warm food and gave him lots of love. He's completely fine, but it was a hell of a scare!

Swinging so quickly from terrified to joyful gave me a jolt back into the meaning of the equinox. We strive to achieve balance in activity and rest, in joy and sorrow, in courage and fear. We preach moderation and abstinence. I was reminded how important it is to balance all things, to remember gratitude for what we have, and not just focus on what we lack. I needed that reminder.

I've fired up my interest in Paganism again, and with that renewed fire comes an interesting revelation. I realized that as soon as I get more interested in one thing (spirituality, for example),I have a renewed interest in EVERYTHING I like. I've spent this weekend meditating, singing, reading about religions, installing Ubuntu, and updating career plans and goals.

It's neat, that's all.