New Year Resolve
2000 was a tumultuous year for me. It was the year I threw everything back into the pot and stirred. I felt life had dealt me a cruel hand, and I was most unhappy. By the end of the year I had hit such a low point that my mind will no longer allow me to revisit. I wrote down several New Year’s resolutions that year, and I have successfully moved forward on many of them.
At 38, I no longer see my life in fragments. All of the experiences of my life are woven together and are interrelated. Everything I have done has made me who I am. One of those commitments in 2000 was to move forward with “me”. (As the preacher back home frequently said, “The hen is dedicated to laying eggs; the pig is committed to ham.”) I have truly kept this commitment close. I have seen moving forward as a steady climb. The goal has been clearly ahead with much rough terrain in between.
It is the first morning of 2008, and I see my resolutions of 2000 maturing. I feel self-confident. I am happy. I continue to move forward in a positive direction. 2008 presents a new challenge. It is time to set new long-term goals. It is time to refocus.
Health: School has been brutal to my routine, and work is only going to make physical activity more challenging. It is time to get back on track. I resolve to develop the habit of movement.
Plan of attack:
Lunch time walks with the camera.
Weekend hiking and exploration of Oklahoma.
Bicycling to get a more intimate view of my rural town, Slaughterville
Gardening as a form of meditation and better eating practices
Family: The keystone of my success has been the support of my family. I resolve to return the support they have given me.
Plan of attack:
Participate more in the educational growth of my children.
Be a Dad. Holler louder at their games.
Get that Civil War tour of the South planned and taken.
More family outings, even if the gameboys are allowed.
Education: I resolve to graduate with a Master’s in Landscape Architecture from the University of Oklahoma.
Plan of attack:
Hang in there, and make it happen.
Career: A career in Landscape Architecture was the top priority of my resolutions in 2000. I felt if I worked diligently and selfishly towards that everything else would fall in place. Now, as new employee of an environmental and engineering firm, with a Landscape Architect as my boss the world looks a little bit different. It is still a surreal moment. The next mountain is to work towards certification. I resolve to work hard towards the preparation and passing of the LARE.
Plan of attack:
Work hard and become an invaluable employee
Recognize my niche and become the master of it
Continue to read and explore the world of LA
Add to my network of professional relationships
Set goals and timelines to wade through the examination process
Become more involved my community
Attend town meetings and festivals at Slaughterville
Volunteer and be active in the kids’ school and extracurricular activities.
Write to educate and celebrate Oklahoma and Landscape Architecture on my blog.
Develop the social skills beyond email to match my profession
Go to the Christmas party and talk to people
Continue to work on my professional wardrobe and presentation.
Buy or build a house.
Continue to line the stars up to make this happen.
Pursue hobbies
Add to my genealogy knowledge of my Oklahoma heritage
Take more photos
Maintain my heritage farm stock
Garden more/meditate more
Be an activist
Touch all of my projects with environmental sensitivity
Design for the underprivileged in all of my projects
Educate and promote education
Define Landscape Architect and Landscape Architecture and commit to memory
Fight social discrimination
Promote Oklahoma
Give my education back to the community
Lose some weight
You knew it had to be in this list somewhere didn’t you?
Best wishes to all in the new year. I hope you have time to reflect on your footprints and the paths before you. All paths have a direction make sure that the path you choose deliberately and with knowledge of where it leads.
