Five.
From Caryn and Rasee, because apparently I need a prompt to write anything in public anymore:
What have you accomplished in the past five years? And what do you plan to accomplish in the next five years?
In August of 2004, I lived with Chet in our second apartment together, and my third in Oklahoma, a too-big ground-floor apartment on the south side of Oklahoma City. We had both impulsively quit our jobs in July, and I hadn't found a new one yet. I met Rasee in person for the first time that month, along with Caryn and Al and Judy.
I did find a job the next month, and I worked for the paper for about a year and a half.
I flew by myself to Sacramento, where I sang in Jolene's wedding, and met her, Adrith, and Kaari in person for the first time, too.
I met Alicia for the first time when she was driving to Illinois.
I got a dog with Chet. I cried my head off when my dog got stolen out of my yard.
I bought a house with Chet.
I broke up with Chet and moved back to New York, where I found a great job I hated, and eventually landed in a great shared apartment in Washington Heights that I loved. In New York I dated a little, I saw Joey again, I spent a lot of time with Adam, and I reconnected with old friends. I celebrated Adam's 10th birthday at their house in Queens, where I saw Rocky's whole extended family again for the first time in years.
I got back together, long-distance, with Chet, and I got dumped, for someone else, on my 30th birthday.
I celebrated turning 30 by drinking for free at my favorite bar, and going down the list of names in my cell phone, calling everyone.
I went out to dinner with my ex-husband, and we shared a lot of laughs and conversation, and were perfectly pleasant to each other.
I traveled to New Hampshire to spend a weekend with Adrith.
I brought Adam down to Philly on a Chinatown bus to spend a weekend with my parents.
I got back together with Chet again, and quit my great job to move back to Oklahoma City.
I had all my belongings stolen by Chet's crackhead ex-roommate.
I worked an easy seasonal job, a terrible temp job, and eventually landed in a job I held for two years.
I flew to Denver with Chet for Alicia and Shawn Marie's wedding. I sang in that one, too.
I drove with Chet to Austin for Caryn and Al's wedding. They had me read in that one.
I flew to Philly for Christmas two years in a row.
I lost 40 pounds.
I took the first real live vacation of my entire adult life.
I got dumped by Chet again for someone else... and I didn't want him back anymore.
I got over Chet to such an extent that the five years we were together makes me shake my head and wonder what the hell I was thinking.
I got a lot closer to Laurie.
I made a bargain with God. He came through. I'm working on my end, every day.
I made peace with my parents, and told them I loved them. They love me too, as it turns out, and I finally believe that.
I made peace with my sister. We love each other, too, and we're becoming friends. One of my favorite things to do when I can't sleep is gab with her on Facebook.
I flew to New York on a whim for Thanksgiving, and it was one of the best weekends of my entire life.
I started getting good haircuts and wearing red lipstick.
I rebounded hard and got hurt.
I dated a massage therapist.
I let someone take me on a $200 first date.
I started standing up for myself.
I met someone amazing, who clearly didn't think I was very amazing at all. He broke my heart.
I got a new job.
I played blackjack in a casino, and was totally winning till I got talked into betting it all on one hand.
I made a lot of new friends.
I gained a lot of self-confidence.
I figured out the whole plot of the book I want to write.
I spent over 24 hours driving to and from the Gulf Coast in order to spend a whopping three hours on the beach. And I drove on a highway in the middle of the night for the very first time in my life. (Sad.)
I fell in love, for real, with someone who actually treats me well, and loves me back.
I was one-half of a real adult relationship fight in which we each only raised our voices once, and only half-heartedly called each other names. This is a significant improvement for me.
And most recently... I decided to go ahead and jump, and decided to move in with Ray (and, of course, the dogs). I am by far the least crazy living being in this house, but luckily that amuses me more than anything else.
Over the next five years, my goals are pretty small. I want to:
Finish moving.
Figure out what to do with my house, the plan for which changes daily.
Get to my sister's wedding (October 2010), where I am pretty sure I am off the hook for both reading and singing, as she and her fiance are both deaf. Bless her heart, I am even off the hook for bridesmaid duty.
Write the book and sell it.
Go back to school.
Celebrate Adam's EIGHTEENTH birthday!!
Travel more.
Finally get my stupid driver's license.
And of course, I'm going to win the lottery.
What have you accomplished in the past five years? And what do you plan to accomplish in the next five years?
In August of 2004, I lived with Chet in our second apartment together, and my third in Oklahoma, a too-big ground-floor apartment on the south side of Oklahoma City. We had both impulsively quit our jobs in July, and I hadn't found a new one yet. I met Rasee in person for the first time that month, along with Caryn and Al and Judy.
I did find a job the next month, and I worked for the paper for about a year and a half.
I flew by myself to Sacramento, where I sang in Jolene's wedding, and met her, Adrith, and Kaari in person for the first time, too.
I met Alicia for the first time when she was driving to Illinois.
I got a dog with Chet. I cried my head off when my dog got stolen out of my yard.
I bought a house with Chet.
I broke up with Chet and moved back to New York, where I found a great job I hated, and eventually landed in a great shared apartment in Washington Heights that I loved. In New York I dated a little, I saw Joey again, I spent a lot of time with Adam, and I reconnected with old friends. I celebrated Adam's 10th birthday at their house in Queens, where I saw Rocky's whole extended family again for the first time in years.
I got back together, long-distance, with Chet, and I got dumped, for someone else, on my 30th birthday.
I celebrated turning 30 by drinking for free at my favorite bar, and going down the list of names in my cell phone, calling everyone.
I went out to dinner with my ex-husband, and we shared a lot of laughs and conversation, and were perfectly pleasant to each other.
I traveled to New Hampshire to spend a weekend with Adrith.
I brought Adam down to Philly on a Chinatown bus to spend a weekend with my parents.
I got back together with Chet again, and quit my great job to move back to Oklahoma City.
I had all my belongings stolen by Chet's crackhead ex-roommate.
I worked an easy seasonal job, a terrible temp job, and eventually landed in a job I held for two years.
I flew to Denver with Chet for Alicia and Shawn Marie's wedding. I sang in that one, too.
I drove with Chet to Austin for Caryn and Al's wedding. They had me read in that one.
I flew to Philly for Christmas two years in a row.
I lost 40 pounds.
I took the first real live vacation of my entire adult life.
I got dumped by Chet again for someone else... and I didn't want him back anymore.
I got over Chet to such an extent that the five years we were together makes me shake my head and wonder what the hell I was thinking.
I got a lot closer to Laurie.
I made a bargain with God. He came through. I'm working on my end, every day.
I made peace with my parents, and told them I loved them. They love me too, as it turns out, and I finally believe that.
I made peace with my sister. We love each other, too, and we're becoming friends. One of my favorite things to do when I can't sleep is gab with her on Facebook.
I flew to New York on a whim for Thanksgiving, and it was one of the best weekends of my entire life.
I started getting good haircuts and wearing red lipstick.
I rebounded hard and got hurt.
I dated a massage therapist.
I let someone take me on a $200 first date.
I started standing up for myself.
I met someone amazing, who clearly didn't think I was very amazing at all. He broke my heart.
I got a new job.
I played blackjack in a casino, and was totally winning till I got talked into betting it all on one hand.
I made a lot of new friends.
I gained a lot of self-confidence.
I figured out the whole plot of the book I want to write.
I spent over 24 hours driving to and from the Gulf Coast in order to spend a whopping three hours on the beach. And I drove on a highway in the middle of the night for the very first time in my life. (Sad.)
I fell in love, for real, with someone who actually treats me well, and loves me back.
I was one-half of a real adult relationship fight in which we each only raised our voices once, and only half-heartedly called each other names. This is a significant improvement for me.
And most recently... I decided to go ahead and jump, and decided to move in with Ray (and, of course, the dogs). I am by far the least crazy living being in this house, but luckily that amuses me more than anything else.
Over the next five years, my goals are pretty small. I want to:
Finish moving.
Figure out what to do with my house, the plan for which changes daily.
Get to my sister's wedding (October 2010), where I am pretty sure I am off the hook for both reading and singing, as she and her fiance are both deaf. Bless her heart, I am even off the hook for bridesmaid duty.
Write the book and sell it.
Go back to school.
Celebrate Adam's EIGHTEENTH birthday!!
Travel more.
Finally get my stupid driver's license.
And of course, I'm going to win the lottery.