Right on track

So I've started my New Year Goals this week. I've begun my 300 miles for the year (despite the unbearable cold). I really think I deserve extra credit for running in the snow (OK, flurries). For those of you that know me, there's not much I hate more than cold. Except, perhaps, beeping noises. Anyway, I'm hoping my motivation will continue, especially when I have go back to school and have access to indoor treadmills...

My crafting has been pushed aside since I really need to buckle down on graduate school applications. I have two due by next Sunday and two due in early February.  Because of the immense cold and sudden change in weather around here (as well as some educational/professional reasons) I have looked at a few schools even farther out of my comfort zone down in Miami and Atlanta and I am super excited about these opportunities. Moving to a whole new state farther than a 2 or 3 hour drive kind of scares me but I would love a big change and warmer weather!  Not to mention these schools offer a great program and assistantships.

Another NYG that I have added is under the instruction of my mother.  I need to develop what she calls "virtual buckets".  This is supposed to help me stress a little less, focus on less things at one time and (hopefully) get more sleep throughout the semester. I'm quite a worrier.  My mom says to put certain things in "buckets", things that I can't do right now, or should work on at a later time to keep me from stressing about them all the time.  If I work on putting things into buckets, then I can focus on what needs to be done right away and plan a time to work on other important things later.  Now, please understand this is different from procrastinating.  I am not a procrastinator and that actually causes me to stress about things too early, before they're even due or able to be completed. This is hard for most people to understand, especially my roommates, but I hate getting behind.  Using these buckets, I'll make a date or time to work on things and not think about them until that time to reduce a little unnecessary stress and give my full attention to what CAN be done now.  Please keep me reminded of this...

I do plan on working to make a fun apron this week/weekend.  This will be my craft for the month, my relaxer during application meltdowns and an intro to my sewing lessons.  I will be sure to blog about it along the way!

I hope everyone is enjoying a happy and healthy new year.  Keep up your expectations and excitement from the new year even in this cold weather!

Fun fact: Three sets of twins were born on either side of the New Year. In New York, Minnesota and Florida, mothers gave birth to one child just before midnight on December 31, 2011 and the other joined them just after on January 1, 2012. I just think that is so neat! They get separate birthdays in separate years!