Goals Update

This post is more for me than anything. I teach kids to reflect on goals, so I try to practice what I preach.

Accountability time. How'd I do?



My goals this summer:

1. Teach Summer School
2. Earn 8 Academy Credits and get my raise!
3. Yard work, Yard work, YARD WORK!
4. Have some fun adventures with Shane!

Status:

1. Teach Summer School - DONE! It was a much more pleasant experience than I expected. My only regret is it made the summer feel like it was in fast forward. It's funny how counting down and ticking things off a calendar can make time accelerate.

2. Earn 8 Academy Credits - Mostly done. I took 8 credits worth of classes, but I don't get credit for two of them until I complete some 'homework.' One requires printing and faxing in a lot of papers (I'll do that this week) and the other requires an actual student to test (which I can't do until there's a student who needs testing). Hopefully, they don't prorate my stipend.

3. Yard work - I did a ton, but I'm not done. I'd have to spend a small chunk of change on more mulch to cover all of the landscaped beds to my standard. I could do a thinner coating, but I don't want to have to weed and maintain. I just want to finish and do the minimal upkeep (which is hard since yards have a tendency to, you know, grow).

4. Have some fun adventures! - This is where I accomplished the least. Thankfully, Shane was already going on a bunch of metro adventures with Nana, Pop, and Jama (Indy sat out). We did make some friends together! Shane's had fun playing with Daniel and we've sampled numerous playgrounds. There were no big trips to DC, but I think Shane would be happier on the metro than on a monument. The boy and I spent a lot of time together and I got some good blogs and pictures out of it. Hopefully, I got some career stuff out of the way, so that there will be more time when Shane's older and can remember the more extravagant stuff.

Overall grade: A-
It would've been nice to finish all the yard work and have all the credits put in, but the time and effort would've been prohibitive. It would've cut into time with Shane, as well. If I had a few more fun museum trips or Shane-mind-blowing-train-rides I would've promoted myself to an A.

How am I doing on my yearly goals?

1. Get a raise
2. Find more joy in my duties
3. Be more active
4. Finish reading the whole Bible in a year

Status:

1. Get a raise - Almost. I need to complete the testing, get it checked, and send it in before I can start the paperwork. Sadly, they only update the pay scales twice a year: up front, and at the beginning of February. I've done as much as I can for now. No more night classes and no more worrying about earning points for my next 5-year license renewal!

2. Find more joy in my duties - I feel blessed and I am happy with my life even if I tend to feel worn-out by the end of most days. No rest for the wicked, eh?

3. Be more active - if we're talking exercise, this is a fail. I went to Muay Thai once this year. I've done plenty of yard labor this summer, but that's not a regimen. If we're talking about "doing stuff," I'm not doing too badly. Carrie and I started going to a couple's small group towards the end of the year, we've made friends across the way for ourselves and Shane, and we've had friends over much more often. Kim and Ryan were here today. We played Parcheesi while Shane napped and then I got some footage of everyone romping around with Shane.

4. Finish reading my Bible - I've read at least 28 books to date including some of the larger ones. I say "at least," because I wasn't wise enough to make a list and keep track earlier on. I'm sure I've read some of the minor prophets this year already, but I can't remember which for sure. Since you can read some of them in a couple sittings and I've read them before it's a blur. I want to be honest, so I'm going to have to read some of them again.

So far this year, I've read: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Joshua, Rush, 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings, 2 Kings, 1 Chronicles, 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Esther, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon, Daniel, Jonah, Matthew, Titus, Philemon, James, 1 Peter, 2 Peter, 1 John, 2 John, 3 John, and Jude.

I started with the Old Testament, because that's where my gaps are. I've read through the New before, and I figured it would be better to save it for later. The two periods of time I got most of my reading done were Lent and the last couple of weeks of summer. I'm trying to spread Psalms out, because it's not really something I feel I can read straight through. I discovered in Proverbs that some verses stood out to me and if I highlighted or scribbled a note down it helped the chapters to not blur together. I'm doing that with Psalms now, too.

Bottom line: I still have a ways to go, but it's doable.