1. Make a habit of wearing higher SPF: When one first is told to think of the weather in Rexburg, Idaho (that is where I currently am), they do not immediately think of hot summer days and sweat. It does rain 9 out of the 12 months of the year here, and I landed in the three lucky months that they get of sun. It is a peculiar climate at times (trust me, when I arrived here a week ago, there was a hailstorm and right at this moment, it is a lovely day outside), but one gets used to it! My roommates, Somer and Sierra regularly spend a section of the day in their swimsuits, outside tanning. Though God has given me a great abundance of blessings, one of them isn't skin that can easily tan. (What is that skin called again? Please enlighten me if you know this.) And also, I should respect that the sun might have a different effect on me here but...I'm not a real big risk-taker (unless anyone dares to challenge me that I cannot read an entire book in a week. Bring it. What were we talking about again before my head was in the clouds.) Everyone has to start somewhere. I may be like an innocent, peaceful Hobbit traversing to Mordor, but at least that is somewhere (and who knows? I could have some Took in my bloodline.) (I do often tell people that though my mother was born and raised in southern California, I did not inherit her skin.)
2. Write a letter to my senior self: I don't know about you but in elementary school (I can't remember if it was in kindergarten or 5th grade...probably 5th grade because I think I was in the blue group in kindergarten (the lowest reading group--just give me a goal) (I always had the mindset that I have right now on goals) my class was given the assignment to write a letter to ourselves that they would send to us once we were a senior in high school. The letter included our current hopes and dreams (as they were when we wrote it) and our prospect for the future. The simple assignment of writing that letter was like a baton that kept me on target for the rest of my life. Though, when I was young, I didn't see myself receiving a brain injury in a car accident that put a little damper on my schooling life, but it is one of the things that taught me that no matter how many times life knocks you down, you can always get up and I still try to do that today. That is why, though I am a sophomore in college currently, I will write myself a letter to open when I am a senior. Though I may take some of the classes at a slower speed because of what happened in the car accident and the COVID-19 trial the world is currently going through and I have no idea when I will complete my education, I will still write it. I have to set the goal or see the racetrack before I can actually complete it. If writing a letter to myself is going to work, much like it did for my primary education self, so be it.
3. Pull an all-nighter: I admit that I am a little bit timid with this one. I am a firm believer in the phrase "early to bed, early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise" but if I am honest, laying it all out on the table here, I have never been very good at going to bed all that early, whether it is my book that keeps me up (just one more chapter...please!) or my friends and their giggles or probably the true criminal of a long movie (and I DON'T want to do my workout) that keeps me up, I have just never been all that good at going to sleep early. Although, in the morning, it is a different story. I am a naturally early riser. (I believe I get that from my mother.) I was always the one waking my father up to take me to my seminary classes before I had Tara to drive me there. I don't know if it is part of my gene code that makes me this way or rather, it could also be that I grew up in a room with two windows shielded with white blinds (what made me get a sleep mask recently...though it hardly ever stays on my eyes all night. I don't know what movements I make in my sleep.). I just have never been a very big fan of sleep (it's not you, it's me). Although, when my alarm went off this morning, I am proud to say that I rolled over, opened one eye, turned it off, before shutting my eye again. Maybe it is this college thing, but an all-nighter sounds like quite the challenge that I bafflingly find myself willing to stand up to. Bring it.
4. Cook a meal: I mean an actual meal--and I won't allow myself ordering pizza that I heat up in the oven count! (Well, maybe...) So far, whenever I have needed a home-cooked meal, my angel of a sister, Tara has been there for me (hi Tara! Thank you!), but I decided that I must pay her back someday, somehow...if she is brave enough. Funny story: yesterday, I went to the grocery store, seeing that I was running low on some of my microwaveable products thus, I needed to pick up some more so I did (along with some twinkies because I don't always have the time to make myself a justifiable breakfast). I'm in college! It is one of those when in Rome, sort of things. Anyway, even in the store, I almost grabbed more than I needed because of this early morning, late night dream. I am learning how to live on my own, so if I am going to have to learn how to cook a meal someday, why not now? (I mean serious meal, spreading some jam on bread or throwing it in the toaster doesn't count.)
5. Join a tree-planting event: I don't even know if this one is a semi-realistic goal yet because I am not quite sure what the laws up here say about me planting something that could be there for hundreds of years. So I'll be sure to check on that...no matter how relaxed some claim the law is up here (what else is it going to be with a ton of college-aged Mormon kids? (What am I supposed to call us again?)). I have always been a supporter of more green earth in my days, and my children's days (if I'll even ever). Heck, one of my best friends in high-schools name was Aspen (not that that is a good notifier, it is more ironic). Though I claim to not be a complete hippie (at least I try), I do have Lorax-like support of the tree movement (not just because of that is a book by the lyrical genius of Dr. Seuss) (maybe no Shakespeare, but he is pretty darn well close) when I say with him, "A tree falls the way it leans, be careful which way you lean." I lean with the law on the go earthside in this particular case. (Though I fear I am more comparable with this little guy ("the cutest little guy ever") here.)
6. Do a karaoke night: Ever since the car accident for me, I have been a little pile of nerves that would rather die instead of doing something like sing in front of people. I have participated in one karaoke night since then, but I was sure to sing a song that everyone knew and would be singing with me before I took my place on the stage in front of the microphone. Before the car accident, I didn't have any nerves at all. I always auditioned for the solos in my choir class, and even before that, I was the lead with the one solo song for my 5th-grade musical/graduation. (I don't even know who that girl was anymore, singing in front of people without having a problem about it...yikes.) Anyway, once I was in a car accident that some people said that my injury could've affected the vocal cords I have always been a little more timid and shy. If you don't believe me, know this, I did take some voice lessons right after the car accident because while some said that my singing ability was affected, there still were others that refused to believe that (I did take a choir class every year of middle school). The voice lesson recital, though my teacher never endlessly complimented me on some of my songs, I still did something that would assure that I forgot the recital (everyone said I had a bad memory anyway) and wouldn't have to go up on a stage, center stage, and perform in front of people. Maybe this goal is not such a good idea haha (shoot for the moon even if you miss you'll land among the stars).
Am I crazy to be setting goals like this, even at this point in my life? With my fair skin (not always a good thing, at least I believe), mad writing abilities, sleeping genes (some of them still do exist), microwaving skills, I'm a little like the Onceler too, or my timid genes (also known as all my genes) (sorry Chris, you may have heard me singing along to the radio but in my defense, that wasn't on a stage). What are your thoughts on these? Do you support that target that I plan to hit someday, or am I a bit crazy (aren't we all)? Is the target too unimaginably far? Please post your thoughts on Blogger, Facebook, Twitter, or wherever you will. I would love to hear them. 💛💛💛💛
