Back to the Rat Race in 2014

Playcation is over....and this was the last overlapping break I'll technically have until September, which is when I need to study for my board exams. I'm still hoping to get some long weekend trips and outdoor adventures in this spring/summer, but we'll just have to see how the year pans out.

Over the two week break much got accomplished though:
--Housemate M returned and we've been discussing middle bedroom rental options
--my bedroom finally got painted white (THREE coats!), new lampshades, purchased a cheap curtain rod to add burlap curtains, and I finally got neat artwork for above the bed
--cleaned the carpets (12 hours!!) in the house
--rearranged the two main rooms in the house to streamline and move the TV back into the den area which can be closed off
--fixed my shower by myself
--looked over finances and made some goals for the year
--made my 800 mile goal! for the year and covered over 70 miles in Dec
--enjoyed a family happy hour at my aunt's and then arranged a cousin happy hr out with granny
--made a quick trip to my parents to spend Christmas with them and my brother & his lady (got in a quick trip to the beach, a hometown run, the Christmas eve service, and stocked up on running gear)
--hosted my parents for a night here
--made and froze 10 soup/stew portions from crockpot concoctions
--celebrated New Years with regular D
--managed four hikes (one solo with the dogs on an icy outing, one easy but fun one thru old growth forest with regular D, one New Years Eve day outing with old housemate Ang, & one yesterday with my hometown buddy R who will be moving to Texas next month)
--went to a baby shower for my dear gal E, had the regular coffee meet up with my gal N, and got a quick breakfast in with my gal C and her husband who were visiting from California
--finished all prepping for the term so all copies, exams, lectures, etc are ready and applied to go through an admin process which (sort of) grants me a bit more job security
--transported my buddy/coworker L across town on an errand (they don't have a car) and enjoyed one of the best meals of the year cooked by his lady K (lobster, sauteed spinach, and diced tomatoes in a cream sauce over fettuccine, mixed greens w honey mustard dressing, and ice cream with walnuts, caramel, and whipped cream for dessert....I'm still drooling....)
--went to see The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (LOVED IT!) with R
--3/4 of the way through my 7 book by Jen Hatmaker and loving it

I went to bed early last night, wiped out from yesterday's hike, and dreading the start to this 8-9 month haul......but ya know what? This morning I woke up, still tired, but with a fresh mind and excited to get this show on the road. I lounged in bed, readying rosters for this term, responding to student emails, and transferring over pictures from my phone to my computer. I enjoyed seeing all the fun (all the L.I.F.E) that the last few months and year has held...and there's been some growth in there too. Life is still evolving (as it always will be) but I'm looking forward to seeing what this year will disclose....

Here's to officially starting 2014! :)

And while I've made a separate tab for them, currently my goals for this year are these:

2014 Goals

Regain financial independence

Pay off credit card

Pay car loan to below $8k

Altered clothes challenge

Run 15 miler for fun

Finally try surfing

Go kayaking again

Backpack in Olympic Forest

Hike/trail run entire Wildwood Trail (1 day)

Roadtrip somewhere out of Oregon

Potential:

Run in official half marathon race

Sprint tri in summer