Progress?

So, I have made some progress since my last post. I went to the gym last week, a few times, okay only twice, but I have to start somewhere right? I've made excuses the past couple days, but I am definitely going to yoga tonight, it keeps me sane.

I have put some thought into the whole hobby business, and I've come up with a couple of things I think are financially feasible, and more importantly that I will enjoy and that will provide a creative outlet. I am going to take a cake decorating class, and am also looking into a photography class. I have a pretty decent digital camera and, I think, I could take some good pictures if I had more knowledge of what settings to use etc...Also, there is a beginner's class for photoshop available as well so I am considering taking it too. 

My apartment has been kept up fairly well. My room still has some work that needs to be done, but is looking much better. Part of the problem in my room is lack of space to store things, mainly clothes. However, I am working on a remedy. My dad is going to be selling his house and getting rid of the majority of his furniture (he recently married and is moving in with my step-mom and will not need it anymore). So, in what was my room, is an antique bedroom set. I will be getting the dresser, and if I can find space for it, the vanity as well. This will alleviate my space issue, at which point I will have no excuse for a messy room other than laziness.

As far as the whole watching my tone situation I am a work in progress. I have caught myself a few times and corrected myself, and apologized to the victim, who is usually my ex boyfriend. I think this is the hardest item on my list.

Water is a big fail, you would think it wouldn't be that hard. I guess I shouldn't call it a total fail since I am improving, but I am not where I should be yet. 

I am also considering a career change. I pretty much hate my job. I've been working on a post about that for a while, but just can't seem to get it right. I am not making any quick changes here for a number of reasons. However, I think I have at least figured out what I want to do and am going to take steps towards it. I am pretty sure I want to be a midwife, but I am first going to become a Doula. They don't offer the workshop near where I live so I will have to travel, but they are offering the workshop in Austin, TX. Conveniently enough I have a friend who lives there who I am hoping will lend me her couch for a few days. They have one in September and another in October. They are over a weekend, so I would only have to take off a Friday & Monday from work, which should be a non-issue. I have already purchased the reading material I must complete before going to the workshop. I am pretty excited because I have been struggling with hating my job, but needing my job because I have bills to pay. However, I'm still pretty nervous about finding a job in this field. I know of one agency in my area that provides doula services, but I haven't contacted them to find out if they want/need another one.  I figure I need to take it one step at a time, and will contact them once I have attended the workshop. Also, in order to become certified I will have to attend live births, of course, and conveniently enough my cousin just found out she is pregnant so I am hoping she will allow me to be there with her. 

Steps to becoming a happier, healthier, more well adjusted person...

1. Diet - and by diet i don't mean I am on a diet. I pay attention to what I eat, and eat as healthily as I can. I try to eat as many fresh fruits and veggies as possible, and try to avoid eating anything that contains ingredients that I cannot pronounce, and are obviously not natural. A side note to unnatural ingredients, go read the ingredient list on margarine, it's appalling and does not contain anything that grows naturally, in fact I cannot pronounce the majority of the ingredients, I'm just sayin. I do not drink soft drinks, or really anything other than water, milk, fruit juice and occasionally iced tea. In addition to this I also try to eat as much locally (I define local by food grown/produced/harvested in my state) produced food as possible. If you are curious as to why read In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto, by Michael Pollan this has some of the reasons. I am very passionate about this. I won't lie it isn't cheap or easy, and there are certain things I just can't get locally. However, I think this is best for me in the long run. I think the added cost is worth it not only to my health but also to the environment. I could write a whole post on this so I will stop here for now....

2. Exercise - I go through phases with my exercise regimen. I will do very well for a while, going to the gym at least 3 times a week and making sure I am active, but I seem to keep falling off the exercise wagon. So, I got back on starting this past Friday. Last night I went to yoga class, and  I am either going to take another class tonight or go use a machine this evening for at least 30 minutes. I must get back into the habit of working out regularly.

3. Tidiness - I am a messy person, always have been, but I am trying to get it under control. So far so good. I have been keeping up with the common areas in my apartment pretty well the past few weeks. Now, I need to move on to my room, which has greatly improved, but is not where I want it to be. This is one of the issues that has been a HUGE problem in the relationship between me and my ex boyfriend. He is a neat freak, and I am the opposite. Frankly, I drive myself crazy with it as well no matter how much I try to convince myself that it isn't a problem I know that it is.

4. Water - I hear conflicting data on this, some people say you should drink 64oz of water a day, but I also hear you are supposed to drink half your body weight (in oz) of water a day. Either way I do not drink enough water. So, I am paying attention to how much water I drink and increasing my water consumption.

5. Verbal Tone - This one is pretty big. I have a tendency to catch a negative/bitchy tone when speaking to people without realizing it. I have been trying to figure out why I do this, and all I've come up with so far is that I become defensive, many times for no reason. I think I am always waiting to be verbally attacked or have to defend what I say. I am not sure why, and I realize that this is fairly irrational. Also, if I am annoyed or upset over something it comes through in my voice. Therefore, I have a bad tone with people even if they are not the reason I am upset which is not okay. I am not someone who hides it well when I am upset, it is usually pretty apparent to anyone with whom I come in to contact. So, I am trying to pay attention to this, and correct it. I think this will be the most difficult item on my list to conquer.

6. Finding a Hobby - I really need a hobby. I would like to do something artistic. Most of my dad's family is very artistically creative. Grammy - paints, quilts and sews, Aunt- makes glass beads and jewelry, Aunt- made (she recently passed) stained glass & painted, Uncle - should have been an architect, he can build anything. So I feel like I should have some kind of artistic ability in my genes. I have 2 problems though. One, I have no idea what my hobby should be. Two, most artistic hobbies are expensive. I would love to do glass blowing, but that requires some pretty serious equipment and money. I've considered scrap booking, but I just don't feel like that is what  I want. That can get pretty expensive too. Maybe I'll take a cake decorating class, hmmmmm, I will have to seriously consider this one.

So, I figure this is a starting point at least, and will adjust my list as necessary.