Category: professional development

Reading, planning, and more planning: The goals of the Beaver Full Moon

27
Nov
2023

Tonight marks November’s full moon within the Gemini constellation…it’s also known as the Beaver Full Moon…it’s the last full moon of the fall season. With this moon—there are only thirty-four days left in 2023 (three days left in November, and then December).

Hopefully things will chill out in West Asia…I’m hopeful, but at the same time totally realistic in knowing that we’re a hair-trigger away from WWIII…

I’m mentioned last year with the Gemini full moon (which occurred in early December) that I’d hope that 2023 would go better than how the last five months of 2022 had gone…well I didn’t get that wish…maybe need to make the wish on the moon (and not on a star)…

There are several questions that one can reflect on during each full moon period that one can find in “Moonology: working with the magic of lunar cycles” by Yasmin Boland; and those five questions are:

Have I been gossipy, superficial, or flighty this month?

Have I been glossing over other people’s feelings?

Have I been too quick to change my mind, or too restless?

Have I been too much of a silver-tongued hustler?

Have I done enough reading to keep expanding my mind?

If I were to number the above questions 1-5, my answers would be as follow:

  1. Let’s see…I’m still more or less self-isolating…my conversations (in person) are limited to a very small group of people, and the rest of my conversations are on-line. I don’t think I’ve been gossipy or superficial this past month. ‘Flighty’…well when there is the potential for WWIII to be breaking out at any moment, still trying to heal/deal with the trauma of the family medical issue that ‘resolved’ itself back in May….yeah, I’ve probably been a little flighty.
  2. The only feelings that I might be glossing over—are those who think that Israel hasn’t done anything wrong over the past six plus weeks. If someone thinks genocide is okay…I don’t give a damn if I offend their feelings or not in response. #istandwithgaza #istandwithpalestine #endtheoccupation #endthegenocide #istandwithhumanity 
  3. Change my mind??? The only thing I’ve possibly changed my mind on is moving forward with potential remote positions…I know with having taken a pro-Palestinian/pro-humanity stand over the past six plus weeks, there are possibly numerous companies that won’t hire/work with me due to that stance…and I’m fine with that. Personal/Professional views are just two different sides of the same coin. I’m not going to change my morals just to ensure that I have a job…have I been too restless?? Maybe…I mean we are closer to WWIII breaking out than we’ve been in years (and that’s saying something considering the last two Republican administrations this country has had)…so yeah, I’ve probably been a little restless
  4. Nope.
  5. I’ve added to my non-fiction/historical fiction reading list over the past two months. I’ve bought books on the history of the Palestinian conflict (I have about five or six books), books on how the western world has screwed up Africa (I have about four books), plus books on various events that have happened within the past 150 years within American history (but weren’t covered in textbooks)—such as the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, the 1898 Wilmington massacre, and the Osage tribe murders. I know that majority of the problems in the world can come down to the meddling of western powers (specifically the US and several European countries), and it is up to each of us to realize that we may still have a #colonialmindset (wether we mean to or not), and it is up to each of us to get rid of that mindset and relearn global/regional histories that may have been left out of textbooks (or had only one side presented).

So I’m also going to see what house the moon will be transition through during this time. Using my rising sign (which is Scorpio), the Gemini constellation is moving through my eighth house—the focus of this house on “death and rebirth, reinvention and transformation”. 

Since January 2020…I’ve been doing a large amount of self-reflection and figuring out the direction I wanted to pivot in regarding my career…

The direction—freelance science/health/medical communications and education. The why—to help improve overall science/health/medical literacy within the global community. At the same time, I’m also going to be adding in social sciences/history—in regards to helping to improve understanding within those areas…plus work on what I’m calling my #decolonizingmindset

What I mean by that—realizing the fact that there are numerous aspects of history (global, country, and state) that have either been left out of textbooks (such as the 1948 Nakba, the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre) or written about from a single perspective. It’s time to realize that we need to search for information on these topics (plus probably thousands of others) and learn about them. Learning about them will allow us to become better global citizens…and maybe not fall for the first hysterical news brief that has the potential to spark the next huge global conflict.

I’m also brainstorming ideas of how to get the creative/hobby/reflective side of things up and going as a business as well. I’m enjoying doing crafts at night—as it’s my way of unplugging and staying away from the news for at least an hour or so…and I’m brainstorming ideas of how to turn all of that into a business as well.

So…I’ll probably be spending a bit of this full moon brainstorming (and hopefully fleshing out slightly) the big and ambitious goals for 2024.

The goals for the Beaver Full Moon will include:

  1. Setting up for December 2023…and writing out the four big goals for 2024.
  2. Continue reading the various non-fiction books I’ve started over the past six weeks (hopefully get at least one if not two finished for December 2023).
  3. Brain dumps, mind-maps, notes/ideas…a.k.a getting a list made for content ideas for 2024 and beyond…

Three goals…two can be considered finished/not finished…while the third is more fluid. I know I will always have ideas that I may or may not get down on paper…so if I can get at least a fraction of all the ideas on to paper…that will be a good start for a productive and transformative 2024.

Progress…that is what I’m striving for during these last thirty-odd days of 2023. Silencing the inner critic/imposter syndrome/perfectionist and remind myself—I’m capable of learning what ever I want…and I’m capable of being whoever I want…and I want to be the advocate for change, progress, education, and working towards healing the global wounds left by western colonial powers…

So here’s to the last few weeks of fall, and then welcoming the winter…when it will become time to really think about, flesh out, and have plans ready for the new year. What is one of your Gemini (Beaver) Full Moon goals?

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Personal & Professional Growth: Two sides of the coin.

14
Nov
2023

Okay…The moon started it’s transition through its new moon phase last night (Nov 13) and is moving through the Scorpio constellation. There are now only forty-eight days left in 2023…and if things don’t settle down soon…we’re going to be hitting 2024 with a bang.

Looking back at posts that I’d written during the Scorpio new moon:

2020-2022 covered COVID cases:

2020—the world had over 54 million cases, the US was topping 11 million, and there were over 1.3 million dead.

2021—the world had almost 248.5 million cases, the US was almost at 47 million cases, and there were over 5 million dead.

2022—the world has almost 632.8 million cases, the US has over 99 million cases, and there are over 6.5 million dead.

This year…it isn’t COVID that is currently dominating the headlines…nor is it Russia’s invasion of Ukraine (which is still on-going by the way)…but Israel’s genocidal warfare against Palestinians within Gaza and the West Bank. Currently over 12,000 people have been killed and over 26,000 wounded…fuck any arguments of self-defense…and while Oct 7 was horrid—the number of dead from that day keep falling, along with the types of crimes…while since then the number of dead in Gaza keeps climbing…but that is another rant for another time.

So, back to the new moon…what can one do during the Scorpio new moon? Well according to ‘Moonology: working with the magic of lunar cycles’ by Yasmin Boland, you can:

  1. Get sexy
  2. Invest wisely
  3. Make inner peace
  4. B-r-e-a-t-h-e
  5. Drop grudges

I’m changing how I look at some of the above items. Instead of looking at the first exactly how it’s written—I’m going to look at it as a means of boosting one’s self-confidence.

I’ve got a couple of courses on learning how to invest…maybe it’s time to start watching one or two of them. I’m working on my inner peace, and remembering to b-r-e-a-t-h-e….but in terms of dropping grudges…the main one currently (against a certain government carrying out genocide)…nope, not dropping it currently.

This moon is also moving through my first house or my image zone (how one presents themselves to the world). While the Aries new moon is the start of the zodiac calendar—when the new moon passes through your first house, it can also seem as the start of a “new year” (we can have a “new start” twice a year if necessary).

So what are some of the things that one can do if the moon is passing through their first house? Well, they include:

  1. Surprise friends with the ‘new you’
  2. Throw out all your old make-up and start new
  3. Get married or meet someone new
  4. Good time to move
  5. Splurge on something in a vibrant color
  6. Have a facial
  7. Get your sight checked

Let’s see…what on the above list can be automatically discarded?

Well—throwing out old makeup and buying new…I don’t wear makeup, and haven’t since I was in middle school/junior high. Getting married or meeting someone new…currently not in looking for a relationship. Getting a facial…I can do that at home for cheap. Moving…that is possible within a couple of years (just not right now). 

Who would I consider the ‘new me’? Being a little more outspoken on what’s going on in the world? Being a little more blunt and outspoken about life in general? Neither of those are really ‘new’…it’s just I’m getting sick and tired of all the patriarchy bullshit that is still penetrating life and making things miserable for a large chunk of the global population. 

I should get my eyes checked…it’s been a couple of years since my last eye appointment, and I know if nothing else I need a new set of lens for the glasses.

Therefore, this new moon is letting us know to focus on more personal growth than professional–though that can still be within the goals, because as I look at things personal and professional growth are just opposite sides of the same coin. Learning about investments is something that falls into both categories–because wealth/earning/ and so forth are needed to survive and to flourish.

So what goals am I setting for the Scorpio New Moon? Well, they’re going to include mostly ‘open-ended’ goals…or goals that I start, knowing that they’ll be a work in progress and possibly finished during another new or full moon period. The goals will include:

  1. Continue to work on healing my relationship with food and movement. I’m getting better at making ‘healthier’ choices when it comes to eating…though I still need to work on getting more protein in at breakfast time and snack time. I’m not totally sitting on my butt all day, but with the current state of global affairs—I’ve found that I’m a little more lethargic than I usually am…so working on doing random dance parties in the living room with the dogs watching. There may be walks with the dogs…once someone else is home to pup-sit the one left behind (currently I can’t control them both at the same time).
  2. Content creation. Do brain dumps, mind-maps, outlines, and start doing research for different types of communications pieces to showcase on both the science/health/med comms website and within my LinkedIn profile. In addition, to doing brain dumps, mind-maps, and outlines for other pieces for the creative blog, and other social media channels.
  3. Becoming more financially literate. Pick a finance e-course that I’ve bought over the years and actually start working through one.
  4. Unplugging at night. Working on craft projects, reading, or doing brain dumps of ideas
  5. Reading. Try to finish at least one of the books that I’ve bought to help me understand the history behind all the problems in West Asia
  6. Figuring out my personal/professional brand. What services do I want to offer, how to blend the science/health comms with the whimsical crafty side of things

Six goals…all can almost be considered ‘open-ended’…yes, I have reading down (but none of the books are exactly short or easy to read), and working though an e-course (but they can be up to six or seven hours—so it will depend on how much time per day/week I set aside for the goal). The brain-dumps, mind-maps, and outlines can be considered ‘closed-ended’ goals…the ‘open-ended’ portion is the research (depending on the the length of the outline).

I’m aiming for progress and not perfection, also being happy with ‘done’…I need to define what ‘done’ looks like for different projects, and so forth—because that is a rabbit hole that I fall down all the time…am I covering this topic in-depth, do I have all the pain points, am I doing this or that…it’s exhausting…and if I change how I’m defining ‘done’—I can get rid of at least a little bit of the exhaustion.

Working on these goals will also have me focusing on project and time management as well…which is something I need to become more attuned to…at times I have the ‘problem’ of falling down the rabbit hole of research (or reading) and before I know it…the day has sped by and I haven’t gotten nearly as much done as I’d hoped.

That means—even if I only manage a few days (or even a just a week) focusing on each one—that is progress, baby steps forward is progress—and that is what I’m aiming for—the slow steady progress that would result in finishing a marathon.

Curious–what is one of your top favorite things about fall?

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Unplugging at night…now to focus on time & project management tasks

13
Nov
2023

Introduction

So, tonight is November’s new moon. I’m a day behind schedule on most things (as I’ve been this year), and before I look ahead to the Scorpio new moon—I need to look at the goals that I’d set for the Libra new moon and reflect on my progress.

I only set three goals for the Libra new moon. All of them could almost be considered continuous goals…though the first one is also one that could be considered ‘one and done’.  So, what goals did I set for the Libra new moon? Well they included:

  1. Unplugging at night
  2. Continuing my journey in regaining my identity and developing my personal/professional brand
  3. Facing a fear–getting the freelance/remote/contract science/health/medical communications/education business up and going

Three goals…or actually one ‘non-evolving’ goal and two continuously moving and evolving goals. The ‘non-evolving’ goal is unplugging at night. Turning off the computer, setting aside the phone and either working on a craft project, reflecting on the day, or reading (true I read on a kindle…but I don’t have social media apps installed). The other two are more of continuously moving and evolving goals.

So how did I do with each of them?

Unplugging at night:

So, how did I do? I did fairly well. For the most part I just check email, and quickly look at social media before working on a craft project. I’ve managed to finish two large doodles (and framed them) and several smaller black and white doodles. Currently I’m working on a larger one again, that is going to be a mix of black & white, plus color (dragon eyes). I will admit there are some nights that I get sucked into social media with the current shit-show that is going on in West Asia.

I’ve realized that while it is important to stay on top of global events…one also needs to disconnect every so often for the sake of one’s mental health. Therefore I’m going to keep trying to unplug at night—especially after say 7pm (with the exception of using the cell phone for the meditation app around 9pm)

Though I should also spend some time reflecting on the day, making adjustments to the schedule for the following day/week, and just doing some journaling in general.

The journey to regain my identity and the progress of developing my personal/professional brand:

This is an on-going continuous goal. Why is on-going…well depending on exactly what types of communications I decided to focus on for the science/health/medical freelance business—the tone/style and so forth could change if I pivot later. Regaining my identity is an on-going project as I work to unlearn bad habits/thought patterns and history and replace them with better habits, positive thought patterns, and somewhat complete history (filling in gaps that had been left out).

I’ve become more outspoken on the horrors that are happening in West Asia…and I know that there are people that don’t agree with me…and I know that there are one or two people who are offended that I unfriend, unconnected, and then limited their ability to comment on my social media feeds. I did that to help protect my mental health and sanity—because I’m tired of trying to rationalize and have civil debate with people who think that genocide, carpet bombing, and forcing people from their homes is a good idea (or who think that the oppressed are doing it to themselves). 

So..I know that I’m also going to be weaving social activism (at least on-line) into my personal/professional brand. Why mainly on-line? Well…I don’t drive—so until I move somewhere that is closer to places that have rallies for various things—my social activism is basically on-line.

I know that there are more horrors and atrocities going on outside of West Asia…there is the fighting in Sudan, Ethiopia, the Congo, the detention of Uyghur Muslims by the Chinese, and numerous other problems. Why haven’t I spoken out about those??? Well…in part to not having a broad network to learn more about what is going on…western news really doesn’t cover those problems, and if they do—the reports are usually slanted. Also, I haven’t spoken out much—because as an emphatic introvert—it drains me to see the suffering in the world, and know that the various powers to be are perfectly fine with the suffering of the masses.

So…I know that I will probably need to process emotions prior to publishing things, so that I can hopefully engage in civil discussions with people..though I will always reserve the right to delete any comments that I feel are gaslighting in regards to the topic (which I’ve done numerous times with quite a few of my posts on LinkedIn).

But still looking to figure out how to shorten the following description of myself:

‘I’m a freelance science/health/medical communications/education specialist, who also dabbles in blogging, crafts, gardening, photography, and is expanding my knowledge in the areas of not only mental health, microbiomes, marine biology and anthropology, but also within the area of social activism and history (working on unlearning/dismantling the western colonial mindset perceptive and looking at things from the other perceptive).’

Facing a Fear: Getting the freelance/remote/contract science/health/medical communications/education business up and going

I’m slowly working on getting the freelance business up and going. I have the website more or less ‘live’…two blog posts were published last month (an intro post and then a book review). I’m still in the process of working on pieces for the ‘portfolio’ part of the site. In addition I’m also planning out the YouTube channel (and possible podcast). The YouTube channel is going to be a multi-facet channel. It will cover science/health/medical topics, in addition to social sciences/history, talking about books, crafts, and mental health…in addition to whatever else I think up. I know that I may use various aspects of the past month or so for videos—such as one post that I did on LI that someone stated was ‘anti-semitic’ and ‘anti-Jewish’ (there is a difference between bashing languages/religions and bashing a government that has politicized both in order to get away with war crimes against another population).

The reason why I’m not further along with this project—depression and anger. While I know that anger doesn’t do me any good—it doesn’t stop me from feeling it towards a significant part of the global population that thinks that what is happening in Gaza is okay…I can understand not posting or making their opinion known due to fears of being fired and so forth—but still. The depression is due in part to the same problem—a significant part of the global population seemingly to either be for or indifferent towards what is happening in Gaza.

Conclusions:

So…I probably managed to hit about half the goals. I unplugged for the most part (at least eighty percent of the time)—so I consider that a win. The other two goals were more in line of being long-term goals than being short-and-sweet goals. In terms of my personal/professional brand development: I’m outspoken, snarky/sarcastic, have a passion for improving education globally—within both the science/health/medical realm along with the social sciences and humanities. I’m a avid reader (with an emphasis on romance, but trying to get back into also reading non-fiction and historical fiction), crafter, photographer, and blogger. 

I’m working ‘decolonizing’ my world views and relearning history of various parts of the world (as we all know that the history in the books is written by those in power), in addition to working on improving my own mental, spiritual, emotional, and physical health at the same time. We’re all a work in progress—if we admit to the fact that none of us are perfect, we all carry trauma, and in order for society to survive—we must decolonize our mindset and remember we’re all in this together.

I mentioned last month that I was going to have the mottos of ‘progress over perfection’ and ‘done is better than perfect, because perfect never gets done’ as my mottos for the last few months of the year. I’m going to try to stick with them…though truthfully the motto really should be ‘take things a day at a time, an hour at a time, or even a second at a time’. This is because of the horrors that are still going on in West Asia and the scary fact that we’re just a few steps away from another world war (and this time more than just one country has nuclear arms).

So to try and end on a slightly more upbeat note: What big Libra goal did you manage to get accomplished?

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Another attempt on 101 goals in 1001-days, with 44 things to do before turning 44

16
Oct
2023

I’ve tried several time since 2018 in doing a 101 goals in 1001-day challenge. I’ve even tried to expand it to 100+ goals in 2002-days. My problem has always been the same: I make the list, and then I only occasionally look at it again to see how I’m doing in terms of the goals—and some of the goals never seemed to feel like ‘mine’. They felt like goals I should put down because they’re ones that ‘society’ deems acceptable.

Last year I also tried to a ’43 things to do before turning 43’ list of goals. The problem: I made that list/goal idea during a really rough time—my mother was still in the hospital, and I thought making a ‘smaller’ list of goals and a ‘tighter’ window would result in the goals being accomplished.

I did manage to accomplish about 44% of the goals that I set last year—as I counted even semi-accomplished (or started) goals in the ‘check’ category. Ones I did start or attempt were considered ‘not done’.

So, I’m three weeks and a few days late in posting this particular post—it is a combination of a new 101 goals in 1001 days list, and a ’44 things to do before turning 44’ goal list.

What’s the difference: I’ve actually picked a handful of 101 goals to try to get accomplished (or at least a good head start on) by my birthday next year. In addition, there are several additional goals at the end of the list that are on my ‘44 things to do’ list that aren’t on (or fit with) the 101 goals in 1001 days.

So what is what? The long list is basically the 101 goals that I’m aiming to accomplish in 1001 days. Items that are bolded are from the 44 things to do before turning 44 list. I’ve determined that I’m going to be having ‘scheduled’ updates—every two months for the 44 things before 44 list, and every 100 days for the 101-goals (plus yearly updates around my birthday).

The areas that I’m focusing on for both lists: career/professional growth; personal growth (including areas of health/wellness, spirituality, and personal finances); and crafts/hobbies (tied with career). Why these areas? Because, they’re the ones that if I focus on will also have the most impact in other areas of life (such as social life, friends/family, contributions/donations and physical environment).

So what are the goals? They include:

  1. Start my freelance science/health/medical communications business
  2. Transition to a remote science/health/medical communications position
  3. Monetize blogs and set up an Etsy store for the crafts and so-forth
  4. Launch a YouTube channel
  5. Launch a podcast
  6. Increase blog/website(s) traffic (aim for 500+ views/day)
  7. Social media following of 500+ across different channels
  8. Launch at least one online course
  9. Hit 10K (and then 12.5K, 15K, 20+K) followers on LinkedIn
  10. Go to at least one scientific conference
  11. Present at least one scientific conference
  12. Renew professional memberships (ASBMB, ASCB; at least once)
  13. More interaction on LinkedIn
  14. Go to at least two professional networking events
  15. Attend at least one blogging conference
  16. Attend at least one author-reader conference
  17. Develop a passive income stream
  18. Complete at least 18 different e-courses
    • Finish at least two CSA advanced programs
    • Finish at least four Udemy courses
    • Finish at least six Skillshare courses
  19. Read at leaet 100 different nonfiction/historical fiction books
    • Read at least 44 nonfiction/historical books before Sept 20, 2024
  20. Become fluent in Spanish
  21. Become fluent in German
  22. Become proficient in French, Norwegian, or Swedish
    • Learn to say hello and thank you in ten different languages
  23. Complete at least one 365-day photography challenge
  24. Editorial calendars, to-be accomplished lists for both blogs and various social media accounts
  25. Learn python coding
  26. Create a physical vision board and update it regularly
    • Based on my vision/definition of success
  27. Learn basic sign language
  28. Get out of debt
  29. Increase my savings account 500x
  30. Increase my retirement account 500x
  31. No spend challenges
  32. Finish at least one personal finance book and e-course
  33. Get into the best shape of my life
    • Learn about body confidence
    • Create a happiness plan
  34. Daily mediation (work up to twice a day)
  35. Stretch daily
  36. Hold a 90-second plank
  37. Develop (and stick with) a consistent exercise schedule
  38. Make a candle (or two, or three, or more)
  39. Make some mosaic art & resin art
  40. Make some soap
  41. Make some tie-dye clothes/accessories
  42. Draw/doodle, color, and frame a original drawing
  43. Draw/doodle, paint, and frame a original piece of art
  44. Sew something I’d wear
  45. Start my own jewelry line
  46. Make a memorial quilt
  47. Start another afghan (or make some scarfs to donate)
  48. Upload/update photography pages (namely bird pages) on creative/hobby blog
  49. Complete at least another six cross-stitch projects
  50. Create my own coffee-table photography book
  51. Create my own calendar using my nature photographs
  52. Create at least one piece of wood-burnt art
  53. Monthly new & full moon goals
  54. Daily oracle card drawings
  55. Create my own Wicca/pagan altar & update throughout the seasons
  56. See a coral reef
  57. Tour a vineyard
  58. See the Northern Lights
  59. Go to a Renaissance Festival
  60. Visit at least three countries
  61. Visit at least one ‘new’ national and/or state park
  62. Visit at least one ‘new’ national and/or state monument
  63. Visit at least one ‘new’ zoo
  64. Visit at least one ‘new’ aquarium
  65. Visit at least one ‘new’ state
  66. Visit at least one ‘new’ city
  67. Fly out and/or land at three ‘new’ airports
  68. Make fresh pasta
  69. Learn to make sushi
  70. Learn glass etching
  71. Get a haircut and highlights (light purple, blue, and/or green)
  72. Various top ten author/book series lists (creative blog)
  73. Keep at least three plants alive
  74. Start a succulent garden in a pot
  75. Design a science-based board game
  76. Declutter and downsize
  77. Create a minimal wardrobe
  78. Swim with whale sharks
  79. Put in at least one flower garden around the house
  80. Become better informed in regards to politics
  81. Become better informed in regards to economics
  82. Pick a non-science topic and develop ‘niche’ knowledge on it
  83. Research 30 prominent women throughout history
  84. Write a minimum of 101 mini-book reviews
  85. Write a minimum of 100 blurbs/reviews on different research papers/topics
  86. Start a junk journal
  87. Listen to a different podcast everyday (30-120 day challenge)
  88. Yoga for a minimum of 30 days
  89. 30+ days of iPhone photography
  90. 30+ days of doodling
    • Create a coloring book from various (uncolored) doodles/drawings
  91. 30-days of coloring in coloring books
  92. Solo dance parties (minimum of four to five songs)
  93. 30-days of making rubbings of interesting surfaces and textures (leaves, flowers, tree bark, so forth)
  94. Film progress of one (or more) 30-day challenge
  95. Learn a new country (or fact) a day
  96. Do a Sudoku or crossword puzzle daily
  97. Jumping jack/squat challenge
  98. Watch a different TedTalk each day (30-120 day challenge); plus a 100-200 word summary
  99. Create my own cookbook
  100. Ten minutes on the exercise bike (work up to a 5+ mile bike ride)
  101. 30+ days of mind-maps

The last few things from the 44 things to do before turning 44 list:

Complete at least five 30-day challenges (some of which are listed above)

Read at least two ‘new’ banned books

Read at least two ‘new’ classic books

Read at least one ‘new’ trilogy (or longer) series

Finish creating a inspiring work/craft area

Write a letter to my future self (again)

So that is my combined 101 goals and 44 things list…technically could call it a 107 goals in 1001 days…but splitting things up may help me actually complete more of the goals. In terms of updating the lists: I’ll be updating my progress on the bolded items every 60 days (basically the 20th of every other month) and the first update will be Nov 20 2023. In terms of the 101 goals–updates will be every 100 days, with yearly updates on my birthday (so there will a 365 day and 730 day update in addition to all the other updates). The first update for the 101 goals will be Dec 30 2023.

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It’s time for self-reflection, self-care, and planning for 2024: Libra New Moon Goals

15
Oct
2023

Yesterday marked October’s new moon, and it was also a partial eclipse. Since I didn’t have the correct type of glasses—I didn’t even bother to try to get outside to view it. I’m a day late in posting (which truthfully—isn’t that bad, since earlier this year I’d gone ‘silent’ for months). 

We’re not quite halfway through October…which means that there 76 days left in 2023…and I’m so ready for this year to be over. 

With the moon moving through the Libra constellation over the next day or two, there are various things that we can look at or work on over the next few weeks and they include:

Look at how you’re relating to other people (are you’re helping more than asking).

Look into your partnerships (any issues that need addressing?)

Negotiate—try to bring things into balance if needed.

Look gorgeous—work on improving your self-image, and self-love.

Regain your identity—figure out how to resolve any unhealthy co-dependency issues if needed.

Looking at the above five items, I would have to say the following about each (if I numbered them one-to-five):

  1. Currently I’m back in a semi self-isolation mode (younger brother contracted COVID, and while I’m not showing symptoms—I’m trying to stay away from others just in case I’m asymptomatic). Plus, I’d gone ‘radio silent’ for a good part of the year…so I’m trying to get back into a routine in regards to giving more than asking (especially on LinkedIn).
  2. Well, still not in a relationship (I’ve got enough on my metaphoric plate, that I don’t need to add in a relationship). In terms of family—things are about as ‘normal’ as they can get, since we’re all still trying to find our new ‘normal’. I’m also currently trying to launch my freelance business—so there currently aren’t any business ‘relationships’ to be concerned about (yet). 
  3. Since I’m back into semi self-isolation, I can’t think of things with other people that need negotiating—I know that I probably need to negotiate quite a bit with myself.
  4. I’m starting to look more into the concept of body confidence and everything that goes along the topic.
  5. I’m also slowly working on trying to regain my identity—mainly from the negative thought patterns surrounding body image and my writing ability.

The Libra new moon is also moving through my 12th house—or my secret zone. This is the time/house when you really just want to retreat from the world and work things out for a while. In terms of self-care/self-love what are some of the things you could focus on during this time?

(1) Practice yoga

(2) Take a break from social media and/or numerous social obligations

(3) Start a dream journal

(4) Face one big fear

(5) Trust your intuition

(6) Buy a meditation CD & use it every day for a month

(7) Write poetry from the heart

(8) Share one of your secrets

I’ve been crossing one or two things off the list (usually due to self-isolating thanks to COVID, or just because they don’t ‘speak’ to me)—and the two things that I’m probably not going to get around to doing: Sharing one of my secrets; and using a meditation CD. The reason for the meditation CD—I make use of the app SoothingPod for my evening attempts at meditation.

I’m an introvert that can become slightly ‘extroverted’ under the right circumstances…and currently I have no idea when those circumstances are going to arise…with that said, what are my goals going to be for the Libra new moon?

I’m only setting three goals for the Libra new moon, and only one will be considered an ‘total’ success at the end of the new moon period. The other two goals are on-going goals, though the third goal could be considered ‘success or failure’ if I also added a few other points to it….but for now–I need to focus on getting the ‘backbone’ of the business set up.

So the goals are:

(1) Unplug at night. 

I’ve been getting pretty good at doing this. I will usually check my email after my evening shower, and then start working on a craft project. Currently I’m working on a large doodle that once I have it colored in, I’m going to frame it and hang it on my bedroom wall—as proof that I am an artist.

In addition to working on crafts, I can either read or reflect on the day and adjust my schedule for the next day….or also straighten up the bedroom.

(2) Continue my journey in terms of regaining my identity and developing my personal/professional brand. I’m still working on resolving my issues with food and movement, while at the same time trying to find the best combo of words/phrases to describe myself to others. It’s a mouthful to say: ‘I’m a freelance science/health/medical communication/education specialist, who also dabbles in blogging, crafts, gardening, and expanding my knowledge in the areas of mental health, microbiomes, marine biology, and anthropology’. 

(3) Facing a fear—I’m going to be continuing working at getting my freelance/remote/contract science/health/medical communications/education business up and running. The savings account has pretty well dwindled down to almost nothing—so unless I want to be stuck at the bench—I need to get this ‘dream’ up and running. I’m willing to do remote work within the arena—both to have a steady paycheck for awhile, and to also gain experience. One part of this business that I need to also plan out—a YouTube channel (and possibly podcast). It is something that I have in my ‘risk and die’ zones on my comfort diagram—I figured it is risky trying to set up a part-time business, and an anxiety inducing dilemma trying to set up a full-time business. I’m going to try—the worse that comes of it, I keep it part-time, the best that can come of it—I manage to double (if not triple) what I was earning in academia within the first year of doing freelance writing.

I stated last year that my motto for the last quarter (since the Libra new moon had happened in Sept) was ‘progress over perfection’. The mottos for the last 70 odd days of 2023—‘progress over perfection’ and ‘done is better than perfect, because perfect never gets done’. That has been one of the biggest hurdles this year: the imposter syndrome dragging out the ‘perfection’ comparison. I know that there is room to grow and learn (which means I’m capable of admitting that I’m not perfect), and I just need to keep reminding my inner critic of that—we’re entering another ‘learning’ phase of life—and it is perfectly fine not to know everything..

What is something you’ve always wanted to try to do, but haven’t done yet?

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Figuring out my optimal energy period: Reviewing Virgo Goals

13
Oct
2023

So, we’re going to entering the Libra New Moon this weekend, and that means that I should review what goals I had set for the Virgo New Moon last month. It seems that the roller coaster that is this decade keeps adding one more raging dumpster fire to the line of raging dumpster fires. Needless to say—that is really all I’m going to say on the current events, other than I’m more than ready for this damn year/decade to be over.

Okay…now what were the goals that I had set for the Virgo New Moon? They included:

  1. Take inventory of various aspects of life (research/writing/editing, crafts/hobbies, fitness, and mental health/spirituality) and develop a working schedule that will help me increase my productivity throughout the week.
  2. Create a fitness schedule that includes weights, shadow boxing, and getting on the exercise bike.
  3. Continue with the evening meditations, oracle card readings and journaling.

.

Okay, I only set three goals for the Virgo new moon. How did I do with them?

Well….for full transparency—after posting the goals, things went semi-south again around here. So I really didn’t make any progress with the first two goals. In the evenings I usually combine my meditation with reading oracle cards; and then I journal for about five to ten minutes afterwards.

What went south? Well…we lost my dad’s cat on my birthday (she’d been acting normal up until about a day or two before hand), and then my younger brother somehow managed to contract COVID (and he still isn’t totally over it yet) a few days later. Oh, then my father managed to bruise the hell out his thigh bone—meaning that we now have two hyperactive dogs to deal with, I’m only able to take them for walks one at a time, (and when someone is around to watch the other one; duel leashes don’t work with these two currently).

I’m still trying to figure out when my ‘peak’ work/energy time is—that way I can get quite a bit of work done during that time; instead of possibly expending that energy on things such as reading or playing silly match-3 games.

The other problem—is that damn pesky and sneaky imposter syndrome/inner critic that keeps coming out to try to throw their two cents around. I know that I’m capable of becoming a kick-ass writer, crafter, blogger, science/health/medical communicator—I just need to quit listening (or figure out how to work with) that pesky voice.

So…I’m also finished with my large needlepoint project that I’ve been working on since about June; I’m reading nonfiction (a little more often), and I’m trying to steer clear of the news currently…so I possibly (maybe) hit about forty percent goal wise. I’d been aiming for more like two-thirds, but forty percent is better than zero.

That is the takeaway message—progress, even if it feels minuscule is still progress. It stops becoming progress when you stop trying and attempting to make progress towards your goals. The one thing that I’m still going to work on even as we head into the Libra New Moon—prioritizing my mental health, and working on devising a ‘plan’ one could say to start healing my own trauma…one way I’m prioritizing my mental health—staying away (for the most part) from the news. I know what is going on in the Middle East…it sucks for all civilians involved; the political leaders on both sides need to be held accountable for their actions that led to the current shit show (not to mention other world leaders, both past and present)….it does seem that if we don’t learn from history we’re going to be doomed to repeat it.

Anyway…didn’t mean to end on that slightly morbid note—but that seems to be the theme for 2023—morbidity.

So, to end on a slightly ‘lighter’ note—how do you do with meeting your Virgo New Moon goals?

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Reflection and planning for the fourth quarter: Aries Full Moon Goals

29
Sep
2023

So the moon will be entering its next full moon cycle for the year tonight. This means that there is only an day left in September and then we’re sprinting into the fourth and final quarter of 2023.

I will be more than happy to see the end of this year…and if I could find a time machine—I’d jump ahead a few years to say 2026 or 2028.

So the moon will be moving through the Aries constellation—which means that astrologically we’re ‘starting a new year’ since Aries is the start of the Zodiac calendar. It is the time to reassess, redesign, toss, and make new goals if one is inclined.

So what are some of the questions we can reflect on during this time? They include:

Have I been hotheaded, selfish, or argumentative this month?

Have I been going too fast or been impulsive this month?

Have I been brash, blunt, or too competitive?

Have I ignored other people’s finer sensibilties?

Have I had enough fun?

So before answering the questions, I do need to point out that September is basically over, and these questions can be answered in one of two ways: 1) reflecting back on the month of September, or 2) how one want to behave during the Aries phase (which is the first two weeks of October). So as usual I’m going to number the questions 1 to 5 as I answer them.

  1. I would have to say that I’ve managed not to lose my temper, get into any arguments (at least any that are worth remembering having), and I haven’t been acting selfish. September (while it is my birth month), is now just another month I’d rather avoid if possible. I was joking with someone that I was only going to acknowledge half the year, and was debating on how often that would mean I’d have a birthday.
  2. Have I been impulsive during the month of September? Well—yes, if I take into account how many e-books I’ve bought. I probably should keep the phone on airplane mode for majority of the day to ensure that I’m not spending time on social media; also should download another time management app that would ‘block’ my access from different sites (namely Facebook). Have I been going too fast during the month of September? No. I probably have been going a little too slow again. While I have the science/health/med blog/website up and going—I haven’t gotten a blog post up or started any projects to highlight in the portfolio section of the site. The goals for October are not to spend excess money (only order what is absolutely necessary and no new books [other than what’s already been pre-ordered]), and to have at least one if not two blog posts up on the new site, and drafts of at least three different pieces for the portfolio done. 
  3. No, I don’t think I’ve been brash, blunt, or too competitive this past month. I may start being a little more blunt around certain topics (especially education and basic civil rights), but that is a topic for another day. I’m only going to try to be competitive with myself—and only the person I was yesterday.
  4. Well I’m still self-isolating for the most part, and therefore majority of my interactions with people are virtual. I’m working on being more empathetic while at the same time drawing and maintaining my boundaries on certain topics/areas of life.
  5. What is this word fun? The past year has been nothing short of a dumpster fire and we’re going to be stuck dealing with the damn SARS-CoV2 virus thanks to all the idiots back in 2020 that didn’t want to stay at home any longer, and all the idiots that refused to wear masks, social distance, and get their damn vaccines and/or booster shots. While I may have caught COVID—luckily it’s been extremely mild (though it could also still be allergies—need to purchase an in-home test to determine for certain). Therefore, I’m slowly trying to ‘reintroduce’ fun into my day-to-day routine. Fun for me can mean anything from working on my needlepoint project, to sitting outside with the dogs, to making cookies or brownies.

Aries is moves through my sixth house (or my daily work and health zone). This house is where we can sit and reflect on who we are (both in terms of professional/work and personal/health) and decide to work on those aspects that we don’t like.

It’s that time of year (for the second time) to sit and reflect on various things—the good, the bad, and the silly. Figure out where we’re stalling, and then try to develop a plan to start pushing the needle forward again (instead of having it spin around in a circle).

Health wise—I’m still procrastinating on developing a weekly schedule for fitness. I have most of my dumb bells in the family room (the 14-lb and 20-lb weights are still in my bedroom), the exercise bike is in the living room, and I technically have the room to roll out the yoga mat. 

My excuse has been centered more or less around our youngest pup and the fact that if you’re on the ground—he thinks it is playtime (and he plays rather rough—but then again he’s only about seven or eight months old). The excuse for the bike—nothing to watch and I get bored after only a minute or two; and the dogs try to attack the pedals. 

Needless to say—I need to ‘schedule’ the thirty minutes or so for a bike ride, pop on a movie (or pull one up on Amazon video) and get my workout in. Also—can pop in a workout DVD (I do have a handful that I could work out to again), and see how they handle me trying to do a workout in the front of the house.

Nutrition wise—I’m trying to get more protein in each day (starting to mix protein powder in with plain Greek yogurt, chia seeds, and fruit), drink more water, and cut back on the processed foods (mostly the sweets and chips).

Career wise—I’m pivoting to freelance science/health/medical communications. Why—to help improve the science/health/medical literacy in the global community. There is so much mis- and dis- information out there on various things, that if we’re going to try to colonize another planet—we need people who understand these topics.

I’m still working on developing a schedule that will work for life (health/wellness, career(s), personal/professional growth, and crafts/hobbies), and determining different ways of handling the procrastination bug when it bites (which it does on a fairly regular basis). So time and project management skills are still on the ‘improvement’ list of habits.

The Aries full moon is arriving just before the start of the final quarter of 2023. Therefore, my goals for this full moon are going to revolve around getting things going for both the final quarter of the year—and the next year or two. 

The goals of the Aries full moon will then include:

  1. Setting up the October calendar, fourth quarter BINGO card, and the October BINGO card
  2. Devise (and then test) an intentional movement schedule that includes weight lifting, walking, cardio (exercise bike, dance parties, and shadow boxing), yoga, and so forth.
  3. Have at least two mini-book reviews written and posted on various sites
  4. Work through at least part of a personal/professional e-course
  5. Continue reading (and finishing) at least one non-fiction book that I’ve started.

The motto for the final quarter of 2023: ‘Progress over Perfection’.

What is a personal/professional goal that you’re going to work towards achieving this quarter?

No Comments AstrologyBookscareerCraftsfitnessFull Moon GoalsHealthno spend challengesPersonal Developmentprofessional developmentReflectionsspirituality

Review of Pisces Goals: Procrastination Habits Acknowledged & Progress on Projects

28
Sep
2023

So the moon will be entering its full moon for September tomorrow night, which means I should look back at the goals that I set for the August Super Blue Moon (since it had two). This also means that we’re basically down to the last quarter of 2023.

So what goals did I make for the Pisces Super Blue Moon? They included:

  1. Troubleshooting my weekly ‘schedule’—making notes of what blocks of periods work, what doesn’t work; am I trying to cram too much stuff in on any particular day; are there days that may be better served as ‘brainstorming’/‘learning’ days?
  2. Spend at least fifteen to thirty minutes a day on some type of craft project
  3. Working on both blogs—getting the second blog up and ‘running’ (having the home page & about me pages written, and having the ‘blog’ portion live with at least one post by the end of September); working on editorial calendars, and so forth.
  4. Work through at least part of one personal/professional e-course.

So how did I do with each of them?

Troubleshooting my weekly schedule:

I had hopes that I would be done ‘troubleshooting’ my weekly schedule this week and could commit to a schedule come October. Well—what I’ve found is that my evening block is best spent doing crafts and relaxing, and I’d rather flip and move around times for doing chores and cooking instead of blocking those off in the late afternoon.

I also think that on Wednesdays, I will be dedicating more time to brainstorming and/or e-courses in addition to the chores for the day. I also need to get better at actually doing things on the weekends. Usually I’ve managed to get about sixty percent of things I want done during the week done…goal for the last quarter is to get that percentage up to eighty percent.

Spending at least fifteen minutes to a half hour on crafts:

I’m starting to spend more time in the evenings working on my large needlepoint project (and hopefully will have it done by Thanksgiving weekend if not by Halloween). One thing I’d realized over the past week, is that unless I’m doing crafts (and taking progress photos) there isn’t a lot of new photographs to share (since I was going to try to do a 365-day photography challenge). But that is something again to work on during the fourth quarter of the year.

Working on both blogs:

Well, I have the second blog/website (the science/health/medical) up and ‘running’. Basically other than the blog and portfolio pages, the rest are all visible. I had planned on getting a blog post up last week, but stuff happened (we unexpectedly lost one of our cats) and that blog post never happened. But it is on the schedule for October. 

I have also posted at least four times to this blog, while I had a bigger goal in mind (say weekly)—I’ll take being at least consistent in being sporadic in posting. Again, becoming more consistent is on the schedule for October.

Working through another e-course:

I worked through/watched ‘The Ten Steps for Getting Your Point Across in Writing’ on Udemy. The main thing I got from this course—I don’t spend enough time on the planning and editing stages of writing. That will change (especially for the science/health/medical site) moving forward.

Progress is being made in terms of both time and project management. The fourth goal (which was the only ‘yes/no’ in terms of total completion) was completed, and progress on the other three were made. Scheduling (or time blocking) is the aspect of time/project management that I need to get better at during the next few months. 

I know that I switch things up at the last minute because I feel I will either get bored or not get the task completed to my ‘liking’ (aka fear of failure and my inner critic is rearing it’s ugly head again). How will I work with my inner critic? Well, I could offer it an unlimited supply of cookies and brownies…which means focusing more on baking than content creation. So—maybe (at least every so often). Basically, I need to dedicate a good chunk of time to the planning stage of projects (outlines, determining what style(s) of communication I can get out of said outline; and then making (and sticking) with a reasonable deadline schedule). This means that to begin with I may only have a blog post monthly on the new site, and once I get enough outlines/mind maps made it could move to biweekly, and then weekly.

It is better to start at a slow jog, than to try to sprint my way to a ‘finish’ line that may or may not be the one for me.

The two phrases I need to keep in mind as I move forward with various endeavors: ‘progress over perfection’ and ‘done is better than perfect, because perfect never gets done’.

As the moon moves into Aries, it is time to take a look at things and figure out where I’ve been stalling in goals…and that is the subject of the next Full Moon Goals post.

No Comments AstrologycareerCraftsFull Moon GoalsPersonal Developmentprofessional developmentReflections

Health, time and project management: Goals for the Virgo New Moon

17
Sep
2023

So, we’re going to entering the Virgo New Moon this weekend, and I’m a couple days late in posting my new moon goals. That means the month is literally halfway over, and there are only a few days until my birthday. It also means that we’re almost through Virgo season as well.

While I’m not counting down the days until my birthday (I have too many things that I’d like to get done before hand…that if I start counting down the days—I may have either a nervous breakdown, or just turn off the computer and read), I will try to focus on what goals I can set and achieve during this time.

So what are some of the things that one can do during the Virgo new moon?

Take an inventory of your life. Figure out what is working and what isn’t and then figure out what needs to change for the things that aren’t working.

Be of service—help out more at work (if able), do the little things that can help make someone else’s day a little more bearable.

Be healthy—see what is and isn’t working in your health and fitness routines and then figure out what to fix—what new habits to start working on.

Avoid nitpicking—this is where the motto “progress over perfection” really comes into play

Get organized—pay bills, figure out the monthly schedule (workout, eating, so forth)—things that can make life a little more bearable going forward.

While most would think that the new moon would be moving through my first house (since my star sign is Virgo), it actually moving through my 11th house (or friends’ zone), since I’ve been going with my rising sign (which is Scorpio). 

Last year I wrote that my ‘new normal’ was social distancing (with a few exceptions—meeting a friend for lunch), wearing a mask, and just trying to be considerate of others. That is still part of my ‘new normal’, but now it also includes trying to figure out life post-trauma (death in the family back in May, and loss of a couple of pets in June).

Some of the things one can do in regards to their 11th house include:

Sign up for an evening class in something you’ve always wanted to do.

Ask your friends to introduce to friends of theirs you’ve never met.

Wish on a star every night for a month.

Introduce a childhood pal to a friend from your life now.

Say ‘Hi’ to someone you see nearly every day but never talk to.

Thank your best friend for being there for you.

Even though the pandemic has been ‘dialed’ back to epidemic status—I still don’t get out that much, therefore about two-thirds of the above list won’t be getting done.

The only things I could do in regards to my 11th house is: wish on a star every night for a month (would help improve my astronomy—as I’d probably be wishing on a satellite or a plane), and thank my best friend for being there for me (especially this past year).

So, since I’m still in semi self-isolation, my goals for the Virgo New Moon period will include:

  1. Take inventory of various aspects of life (research/writing/editing, crafts/hobbies, fitness, and mental health/spirituality) and develop a working schedule that will help me increase my productivity throughout the week.
  2. Create a fitness schedule that includes weights, shadow boxing, and getting on the exercise bike.
  3. Continue with the evening meditations, oracle card readings and journaling.

.

Goals are similar to last years—but I removed two of them. One didn’t add anything to the list, and in theory should have just been combined with the first goal (which I did here). The second one I removed was the list of outlines/drafts that I had planned for last year. I still need to make outlines/drafts/lists for both blogs, but I don’t need to do them all at once.

September is now over halfway over, and that means that there are only 105 days left in 2023. I’m more than ready for those 105 days to fly by…while at the same time wanting them to drag (mainly to ensure that I get things accomplished before 2024 gets here).

Progress is being made—I hit ‘publish’ on the science, health, medical blog website, and am working on getting it linked to my LinkedIn profile and the ‘business’ page I made for it on LinkedIn as well.

While I want to say that things are mellowing out—I also don’t want to jinx things, so I’ll just raise a toast (my cup of sleepy time tea) to the last 105 days of the year. Now, off to get some more planning done for the last quarter of the year.

What is one big goal you have for the last few months of 2023?

No Comments AstrologycareerfitnessHealthNew Moon GoalsPersonal Developmentprofessional developmentReflectionsspirituality

Focusing on time & project management during the Super Blue Moon

30
Aug
2023

So the moon will be entering its second full moon for August tonight—making it a super blue moon. I’ve seen it stated that the moon could be either in Pisces or back in Aquarius…so I’m going to go with the first—that the moon will be moving through Pisces tonight.

That means there is only a day left in August of 2023, and four months left in the year.

So if I look to the book “Moonology: working with the magic of lunar cycles” by Yasmin Boland, there are five questions that one can ask themselves during this time:

Self-reflection questions:

(1) Have I been dreamy to the point of not getting enough done and making silly errors?

(2) Have I been overly sensitive and too easily hurt?

(3) Have I been acting like a martyr? Or too easily led?

(4) Have I been meditating every day, and if not, why not?

(5) Have I been in touch with my intuitive side? Following my dreams and hunches?

My answers:

  1. I don’t think I’ve been ‘too dreamy’ lately…distracted, semi-depressed, dealing with grief, and still totally irritated with the world? Yep…this year hasn’t been the greatest, I’m working on finding a new routine, while balancing various other things—and working on improving my overall mental health. I haven’t been making silly errors, but I probably haven’t been getting nearly enough things done…though I have managed to three ‘BINGOs’ on my August BINGO goal card.
  2. The past year has been a sh*t show of epic proportions, and I probably am a little more sensitive lately compared to say two or three years ago. I do realize that everyone is busy with things and that if someone doesn’t respond—it only means they’re busy. 
  3. Nope.
  4. While I’m still using the soothing pod app for ‘guided’ meditation at night…I’d say my ability to ‘focus’ on breath for meditating is currently sitting around two minutes (the opening intros of the guided meditations)…then I listen as I pull a couple of oracle cards to ‘read’.
  5. As I’ve mentioned a couple of times—this is something that I’m working on…having spent so many years in higher edu research—I’m extremely good at being in touch with my analytical side, and ‘ignoring’ my intuitive side. I’m working at getting better at being in the moment, taking things slowly, and not having everything planned out. I am going after my dream of having a more independent career away from the bench. I am pivoting to the direction of freelance/remote/contract science/health/medical communications. In other words—writing, creating infographics, posters, slide decks, and other educational type material. Once I have that up and going, I’ll also be working different ideas/directions for this blog as well (creative writing/crafts/photography/travel/book reviews). I’ve chosen these directions because I want something that is location independent, time independent, and allows me to ‘jump’ between different areas/subjects that are of interest to me as I create content. 

So in addition to the self-reflection questions, one should also check to see what house or zone the moon is moving through as well. For me, the Pisces full moon is moving through my 5th house (according to my rising sign), which is also known as the “kids, romance, and creativity zone”.

I’m still semi self-isolating—I’ll meet a friend for lunch occasionally, we try to get out to walk the dogs at a park once a week (temperatures permitting), and hopefully within a month or two I can start trying to get a walk in at Boomer; but there are new variants of the omicron COVID-19 variant popping up—so I may not do the lunch meetup all that often this fall.

I made note last year that when (and if) I move, it would require moving into a small one or two bedroom house, due to my dog…well, now when that happens—it will probably be a two (or three) bedroom house with a basement, and possibly an apartment over the detached garage. Seems mighty specific, huh…well—moving is going to become an ‘family’ affair. My father is going to be retiring within two or three years, and has been talking of moving once that happens. My younger brother is financially dependent on my father, and well—I’m going to have power of attorney…so I’d rather be in the same area in case something goes wrong.  The current ‘specifics’ of the house/property is from how I imagine us being able to move and ‘live’ around each other.

Again, the only ‘kids’ I’m currently around are the furry variety—the two dogs and two cats. My niece is out in CA, and we don’t see them that often; and when I meet up with friends for lunch, if it’s during the school year—her daughter is in school.

I’m doing well with crafts…I’m making progress on my large cross-stitch project, and have started a large doodle/drawing project as well. If I like how the doodle/drawing turns out this winter—the second one will actually be done on a canvas (the current paper is a little too thin for even water colors).

Pisces Super Blue Full Moon goals:

(1) Troubleshooting my weekly ‘schedule’—making notes of what blocks of periods work, what doesn’t work; am I trying to cram too much stuff in on any particular day; are there days that may be better served as ‘brainstorming’/‘learning’ days?

(2) Spend at least fifteen to thirty minutes a day on some type of craft project.

(3) Working on both blogs—getting the second blog up and ‘running’ (having the home page & about me pages written, and having the ‘blog’ portion live with at least one post by the end of September); working on editorial calendars, and so forth.

(4) Work through at least part of one personal/professional e-course.

Four goals, and while only one (the last) will actually have a ‘yes/no’ in terms of completion—the rest can also be considered on-going/continuous goals—but if one doesn’t start them…one can in theory never continue them…

Bits and pieces from previous chapters of our lives usually find their way into our current chapters that we’re trying to write…the bits and pieces from my previous chapters unfortunately right now include: imposter syndrome, inner critic, negative self-talk, and feelings of inadequacy. 

I know that I can work through all of those feelings, and will be doing so—but also just acknowledging them is a huge step in the right direction of self-care/self-acceptance, and healing. 

Therefore, I’m also going to keep the following quote at the forefront: ‘progress over perfection’, and knowing that I’m slowly starting the next chapter of my life (as I’m done re-reading the last one), in addition to limiting the influence of others in terms of what I decide to do with my future.

Question time: what are some of your favorite crafts?

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