Revisit, Reflect, Retell

As a college senior, one of my student teaching assignments was to a third grade gifted and talented classroom.  And for whatever reason I often recall one of the books we used with the kids, called Revisit, Reflect, Retell.  I hated it. 

I hated reading comprehension exercises as a child (because, one, I read and comprehended pretty quickly so it was terribly boring, and two, I was a handwriting nut perfectionist, so composing paragraphs threw me into fits as I trashed sheet after sheet of paper thanks to perceived illegibilities.)  (Also, I was not nearly as environmentally conscious as a child.) 

I disliked reading comprehension activities as a kid, and I also disliked teaching them.  And grading them.  And anything else they required of me to infinity.

What does my penmanship and Revisit, Reflect, Retell have to do with the cost of eggs?  Why nothing, but the random title fit the post. 

Aaaaaaaaand there's two minutes of your life you'll never get back. 

(Three if you're a slow reader.) 

(Six if you didn't comprehend and had to read it twice.)

What I am Revisiting, Reflecting, Retelling, however, is a post from the first of this year, about my vision board and New Years goals.  (Alas, A Point!)

When I first posted about my, then most recent, vision board six months ago I felt all weird and strange and goofy as hell telling the internet to cut stuff out of magazines and stick them onto something- to seriously change your life, man.  How Oprah-esque of me.  (I love Oprah; kiss my ass.)  But apparently something has changed in this six months because when I realized, the other night, that we were exactly half way through the year already I suddenly felt the urge to update you, internet, and to tell you to just cut stuff out of magazines already, what are you waiting for?  

I've been making these things for years, and taping cut-out phrases and images to my fridge, mirrors, shower and walls forever.  And by this point?  I can practically use these things as a checklist.  And I love it!

Bottle dyed my hair (black) (then back,) check.  Read both Martha Beck and Suze Orman books, moved my bedtime back far enough to incorporate more rest into my life, and - AND! as of the last couple weeks my eight-month-old is finally sleeping through the night.  Check THAT, baby.  Have also been strict about saving money, and have really gotten a handle on the stock market as I man the guns in my IRA account.  Still planning to pay off our smaller vehicle this year.

Purchased a treadmill, cook dinner six-ish nights a week, still working towards marital bliss, grill plenty of lunchtime paninis, utilize Weight Watchers points, and even served the damn deli spirals at a party earlier this year.  Also have eaten a medium rare petit filet and parmesan asparagus spears at a fancy shmancy restaurant.  More than once, even. 

The important thing to say here is that while this board is always the last thing I look at each night as I drift off to sleep, I do not stand and stare and plan from it which should be my next move.  It is ridiculously coincidental the way these things just sort of make their way to life, and before I know it I'm laying in bed at night realizing that there were indeed?  Deli spirals.  And that is the part I love so much.

Excitedly welcomed my presidential candidate into office, have really put my heart into taking care of the Earth and preserving its resources, even doing away with the convenience of paper towels and disposable baby wipes; figured out what it was I needed to do with my blog and have put forth a good conscious effort for being an authentic person.

Got Mah New Camera.  (As well as nifty new bathroom towels, barely pictured.)

***

Things were going so well with my 2009 board, in fact, that I got down to business a few weeks ago and created something that would carry me through the summer.  

And the first one down...

 

(Nope, not the second round of fabulous asparagus.)

I allowed my crazy girlfriend to drag me into shredding with her, of all things.  (What was it with our discussion the other night that had me so convinced?  Her lacking ability to breathe?  The promise that every muscle would burn and bleed and beg to die?  And then of courrrrse I turned around and convinced two more people to join me.  It's that misery-company thing, for sure.)  

And so the girl in the above picture?  God forsaken lunges.  I really only put the damn picture on there because I sort of had half the intention to get in shape when I had the time and when I wasn't so hungry for french bread.  Not for real get in shape, ya know? 

So what has your year been like, and did you think it close to this when we rang in the New Year six months ago?  (You can totally knock me outta the park with a big fat No, too, you know.  I never thought I'd spend 2008 exhausted and pregnant.)

Comments

[debi]

When I am in need of inspiration I come lookin for Molly. But oh man, I'm overwhelmed. But still inspired. This is the year I am really feeling my age. And after my 3 week long love affair with the giant sized box of vanilla flavored Zingers I am now dragging around an extra 8 lbs. I have been waking up at 3 AM and eating Cinnamon Toast Crunch too. I never eat cereal.I swear I am growing a small curley tail and oink in my sleep.I don't know if my back problems will allow me to Shred but I know that it's not helping me having an ass the size of Texas. Thanks Molly, for sharing and inspiring me once again.

[Nikki]

Are you sure it's June already? I feel it should just about be the end of March (though the sunshine is welcome) Where is time going?

[Dad]

You're just too darn organized! I'm stumbling around watching decades fall away, not single years, and you're planning out details! Actually my REAL comment comes from something your dog Danny said to me the other day (don't ask)... he said "you know, I really love Mother, but does she have to list me as a "badly behaved dog" on the banner?" Shamey!

[Jen L.]

I'm so glad you posted this because I keep forgetting to tell you that I completely, 100% STOLE this idea for my arts management class this semester! (I did give you credit for the idea, though. :) ) I had them do boards summing up the personalities and goals of the mock theatre companies they created. It was one of our best projects of the semester!

I'm so excited you're Shredding with us! I started the same day Frema did and I've lost about 3 pounds. Jillian's an evil beeotch sometimes, but MAN it works! I loathe side lunges...

[Frema]

So do I, Jen. So do I.

I don't have vision board, but I wrote a blog entry outlining goals for this year, and considering I just gave birth in January, I think I'm going OK. Luke and I did find a church, we started his Roth IRA, we've taken one kids-free vacation, and we paid off our new car. I've also started exercising (as you well know!) and am thisclose to hitting the five-pound loss mark. My house is a mess and I still don't get enough sleep, but all in good time!

[Jenny]

It is only June 4 so you still have til the end of this month until the year is officially half over (this is what dealing with finances in a July-June fiscal year gets me to notice!)

And...I am such a loser to not have any of these kinds of plans, goals, etc. I am seem to get so caught up in the day to day of what I need to do, that long term just gets forgotten.

[Rachel]

My year has definitely not been what I thought it would be, but in a good way. It just keeps getting better and better!

I didn't really make any resolutions for myself this year. But, throughout the year so far, I've made some. Like, tomorrow? I am quitting smoking. Cold turkey. Once I've gotten safely through that? I'm gonna start exercising. Walking, maybe jogging, etc.

[RockyCat]

I started the year vowing that this would be the year I bought a house, come hell or high water, recession or not.

The closing is on July 17th.

On April 3, after almost 30 years of smoking, I quit. (Rachel, you can do it!)

I'm starting to scare myself.

[Cathy P]

Thanks for the great ideas!

When I'm lying in bed tonight, I will revist and reflect and then live in the moment as I drift off for my full eight hours!