Progress

I'm making progress on several of my other goals, and wanted to give an update!

#13: Do 25 full-length push-ups. I did 30 full-length push-ups! I'm marking this off the list, but the reason I'm classifying it as "progress" and keeping it in my mind as something to continue to work on is that I didn't go all the way down to the floor on them. On the one hand I'm stoked enough to consider the goal accomplished, but on the other hand, my internal measuring stick won't let me forget that I didn't exactly do them perfectly. Maybe with more work in the future, my form will improve.

#17: Be comfortable in a size 8. As of right now, I'm comfortable in a size 8 skirt/dress. I can fit into 8 jeans, but I wouldn't exactly call it the most comfortable thing ever. The thing is, my butt/thighs are...well, let's just say "athletic." My waist is consistently one size lower than them. Should I cross this one off? I would say to wait a bit and see, but if this is the size I got down to after half a year of training and working out 6-7 days a week for hours at at time, then the chances are I'm not going to get any smaller on my own. If I could have three wishes, one of them would be that our bodies were made so that we could bust our butts to get to our ideal look, and then stop, and our bodies would stay there! Since that is unfortunately not the case, I'm considering this goal achieved as a reward for all my hard work during training. If I can stay at this size for a while on my own, I'll be even more pleased.

#18: Avoid getting sunburned. I have to say, I'm so freaking proud of myself on this one. It was one thing to be paranoid about sun right after my cancer diagnosis/surgery late last summer and avoid getting sunburned for the month of hot weather we had left. It's been another thing all together to be as diligent about protecting myself when we had 5-hour practices outside, at the 8-hour race where I had to make sure to reapply sunscreen at each transition, and when all my friends are talking about how glad they are to finally be getting some sun again and not be so white. I know our culture is all about the beauty of tan skin, but it's been hard to head into summer hearing everyone talking about how happy they are to be getting lots of sun and color and to know that I have to stay as white as possible. One of the girls at the race actually asked me the morning we were heading back to Texas, "God, how did you finish this weekend so white??" (read that with a shocked and condescending tone and you've got it). I was so irritated with her tone and implication that I shot back, "Oh, I had skin cancer last year, so I can't get too much sun anymore." She looked appropriately embarrassed and contrite. I know it probably wasn't the nicest thing to do, but it made me feel a little better, at least for that moment. So I'm not crossing it off since this is a goal I have to focus on for the rest of my life, but I am proud of my success so far.

#28: Keep a potted plant alive for at least one year. I got three plants when we moved into our house in July of last year: two flowering plants and an aloe plant. I diligently nursed them through the winter, and we survived an early spring scare when I put them outside to enjoy the sun and they got burnt to a crisp. They are still alive and green, albeit with no blooms and only a few leaves. Hurry up, July!

#67: Pay off all medical bills. We had three big bills (anesthesiologist, surgeon, and hospital) and a number of smaller bills to pay off after my September surgery. I am sooo happy to say that we paid off the first of the three big bills this week!! Woo-hoo!!! We only have another couple of months on the other big bill and most of the smaller ones, and then we'll only have the hospital bill left. Seeing as how we'll be paying on that one for a couple of years, don't expect to see this one getting crossed off the list any time soon.

#90: Go to the O. Henry pun off. Damn, damn, damn. We missed it. We were even in town when it was happening. I know there's always next year, but damn.

#95: Read a nonfiction book. This one should be crossed off already. I read Into the Wild. I just didn't like it very much, and didn't want to waste this goal on a book I didn't really like. However, I am now reading Under the Banner of Heaven, Three Cups of Tea, and Fear No Evil, all nonfiction books that so far have been absolutely outstanding!! I love having free time again!!

Hope all is well!
KC