Approaching 26!

Last year I was not at all excited about turning 25. I felt that I should have been a lot farther at that moment then where I actually was. This year I vow to be different. It will be different. As I approach the tender age of 26, I am getting closer to late twenties, out of the early twenties, but still technically mid twenties. I am okay with this.

Last August I posted this post...

http://shellbell22.blogspot.com/2010_08_01_archive.html

It was a list of goals for the year. I like to look back a year later and see if I accomplished anything on that list and I found that I have in fact complete some of those big goals.

Last year I finally bought my first brand new car. Lord knows I needed it, even if I didn't want it. But it turned out to be a great decision, after a few dealership setbacks. I did complete quite a few more things off my life list which included getting my passport, helping my mom with a garage sale (sort of), running a 5k, kissing a complete stranger (long story, funny, not at all inappropriate like one would think) and calling off work for no reason other than I wanted to.

Even though I did not travel to Bali, I will hopefully get the opportunity to travel to numerous places this year, which will include, Houston, London, Bahamas and Arizona. So I am excited.

I did not have a state championship team this year, but I did have a few state champions and I have taken a job with a team with a long line of state championship titles and I am hoping that this will be the year that I will be apart of that. That job also led me to my new fantastic apartment that I love more than anything (which I should for the price), and I have been more organized in my life than I have ever been. Not once have I had to wonder where something was placed and that is an amazing feet for me. I am working everyday in a job I love, in a new city and I have so much time on my hands I am organized, stress free and it's radiating. So even though I did not lose 20lbs, I am hoping that with time to work out everyday and being in a stress free environment, and having time to actually cook that it will eventually come.

So new goals for a new year...

1. Update and find my style

2. Take more pictures, of everything. Life and time is too short and memories are fleeting. I need to document my life more.

3. FINISH MY DEGREE (or a degree), find out what I love and truly want to do when I grow up.

4. Have a beautifully decorated apartment

5. Do something every month that I have never done

6. Read more. Read the classics, the bible, everything I can.

7. Remain connected with family and friends. Relationships are so important and they take work, work at them.

Perhaps more later. But for now I think these are realistic.

Enjoying doing nothing

Today is the first day of fall schedule at my job. Even though I will be working 6 days a week, I still have so much time on my hands it's wonderful. Life isn't always like this so I am going to enjoy having nothing to do while it lasts. I have literally laid around all day and done nothing but dream of the designer clothes I will never afford and the decorations for my apartment that I will one day get to put it all together. I am trying not to spend money as I have bills due and just moving to a new place always makes it hard to start over financially.

So I am going to continue relaxing until I work my six hours today! I'm going to embrace boredom! The house is clean, and things are fabulous!

Let it be

I have never felt more at home or like life has finally placed me on the right path. I suppose this is what it feels like when you finally figure things out, at least for the time being. Life has always had this way of diverting me off my original path of origin and I have always been so lost and not sure how to find myself back on track. Then again, I suppose that is how I got to where I am at this point, feeling so confident and reassured.

It's hard to explain how I knew that this was the right decision for me. I had contemplated making this move for almost a year (first learning of the position in December). I came home from Columbus one weekend and just thought to myself that it was time. Time for a change and time to make a new life. And less than a month later I find myself broke, it a beautiful new apartment, in a new city with a new job that I enjoy more than anything that will provide me the opportunity to travel and learn from some of the greatest coaches in the industry.

I spent my weekend by touring the city with a new guy on Friday. Though his height is a shortcoming, it is getting to be the only thing that I don't like about him and so he's growing on me. Sorry for the puns, I can't resist. But he's smart and cultured and owns his own business and house and he's completely into me. From the first date he calls and texts and pursues me constantly which is great. Am I ready to put all my eggs in one basket? Of course not. But where my dating life has been anything but successful in Cleveland, it seems to be overly opposite down here.

Last night I went to a bbq hosted by one of the coaches at work. It was refreshing. Everyone there gets along so well and is so welcoming and everyone knows each other outside of working together. They take trips together and know each other's husbands and children and I'm happy to be a part of that. To be a part of something bigger than just going to the office and going home. Afterwards I met my friend Burke out downtown for a few drinks and had a moment of irony.

The night before I found myself on a street whose name was the same as the last name of the "roofer." The street was ironically named after his great great grandfather. I chose to ignore the irony of this at the time but then last night, I look across the bar and there is his business partner and friend whom Ann dated. Even in Columbus these strange things happen. Yet I typically would find myself wondering if this had a deeper meaning behind it, and instead I simply looked at it is pure irony. A sense of humor. I laughed and took it as a final goodbye. Moving on! Letting it be.

I apologize for constantly being in a state of optimism and happiness! But life couldn't be better at the moment!

New Pinterest account

I realize that this is not a new concept. However, it is an amazing one that I plan on getting everyone I know who loves online viewing to try. Here is my new Pinterest account...a personal board to everything you want to save that you find online. What a great concept !

http://pinterest.com/shellezstar22/

Life is good

Well I have almost been in my place, officially for one full week. I am spending a quiet Friday evening at home with a glass of wine and a good movie, the internet and planning on doing some writing. Tomorrow it is time to tackle the boxes and hopefully lay out by the pool and relax if the rain holds off. So far I am loving my life here. The gym is great, the apartment is amazing. The city itself is amazing. I haven't even been through an entire tank of gas yet since everything is within 10 miles of my apartment. I went out on a date on Wednesday. He was surprisingly very attractive. I am once again turning towards online dating in hopes of meeting some new people down here. Even though the future is completely undetermined, I feel like this is where I was supposed to be. It is this calming feeling that I have yet to experience in my life. I have a job that is going to provide me with more opportunities than I could of hoped for, including a trip to the bahamas this winter. I finally feel like I can start a real life here. Build new friendships, maybe a relationship, a career, finish school. The possibilities at this point seem endless and I feel like I am officially getting myself out of the ruts I have always buried myself so deeply in. Life is good!

How adorable

I wish I could have a dog...because I want one and if I could have one, this is what I would get...he looks like my dog back home but miniature!