What Are You Doing NYE?

Me, I am hanging out at home. I've been busy chilling with friends and family for the past week or so. I've also been planning and preparing for the intensity that is my life. I am looking foward to it, really, I am! I've got myself set up for success in 2011.

For the coming week, I am mission focused. I completed a number of tasks for my career mission already. I got out the three resumes that I mentioned in the previous post. For now, I am awaiting the scheduling of my in person assessment for the fellowship program. I also will look for additional jobs for which to apply to, but that is not a priority for this week.

In terms of my health and fitness mission, I got my house stocked with healthy foods. I just need to be more disciplined in preparing them ahead of time. I am about to make a chicken vegetable soup in my slow cooker. We will see how that turns out. I also bought the materials to make my own fruit and nut mix. I'll get on that today or tomorrow. I did one additional workout, but did not get to the three that I wanted to complete by the end of the year. I plan on doing an in home workout tonight though...we will see, lol!

My spiritual mission is going forward. I have decided to work on the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path for starters. In the mornings, I will sit zazen and read from an old favorite, Acts of Faith. At night, I will do an insight meditation sitting and do some reading and sutta study. I am using a study guide found here: http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/study/truths.html as well as the books Zen Mind, Beginners Mind, and The Miracle of Mindfullness. I also have two e-books that I am reading, Dharma, Color, and Culture and The Energy of Prayer. I will post more about these readings as I progress. I also listen to Buddhist podcasts. I wanted to ease my way back to spiritual practice, and I now feel ready to make firm commitments to this. Tonight, I will do a ceremony to usher in the new year. I have not decided exactly what I will do, but it will include the burning of defilements and sitting, of course. I will say that it will encompass some of the three traditions that abide within me, Buddhist, Christian, and Yoruba. I feel real good about it right now...

My dissertation is the main mission that I am focused on for the next week. Today, I compiled all of the disparate parts of Ch. 1-3 and now have a file for each chapter. I have set up a writing schedule that has me completing these chapters by Jan 9. That schedule is:
Dec. 31- organize chapters 1-3, begin chapter 3
Jan. 1- complete chapter 3
Jan. 2- chapter 1; complete dissertation overiew
Jan. 3-4-  complete chapter 1
Jan. 4-9- complete chapter 2

I also got my mom to commit to picking my son up from school twice a week so that I can work into the evening instead of stopping to go get him. Thanks Mom!!!

All in all, things are progressing. I may be coming down with a little cold, giving me a great opportunity to practice mindfullness and compassion with my body. I kind of mistreated a couple of folk by dropping off in communication, but I am trying to be more honest about my time and intentions thus forth.

On purpose,

Mae

Let's Get It Started!

2010 is on its way out, and 2011 is about to begin. I have a lot going on in the next few months. By May, Mae, lol, needs to: finish and successfully defend the dissertation,  land a post degree position, and re-locate from the Midwest to the East Coast. All of this while working two part time jobs, raising a teenage son, and cultivating practices that focus on body, mind, and spirit. Daunting, yes, but doable, if I stay on purpose. So this blog is a space for me to organize my thoughts and actions, a place where I can keep my mind on my mission and my mission on my mind.

I have some short term goals that I am focused on. This week, for my career mission, I need to get my resume and related materials together for three positions that I am looking into. I just made it to the next level of prestigious fellowship program competition, and I will be prepping for the next stage soon, but more on that later. For my dissertation mission, I need to revise chapters 1-3 by the end of the year. In health, I am learning how to use my slow cooker and plan on coming up with 5 slow cook meals that I can prepare on a regular basis. In fitness, I am just trying to get to the gym 3 more times before the end of the year...not much, but I am being realistic. I may try to do 3 home exercise sessions too, but I am not promising. In spirituality, I am reading my inner peace cards daily, and striving to remain present. I am also trying to practice patience and grace with my son.

Shortly, I will outline the missions for the new year, but these will keep me busy for now.


On purpose,

Mae