Welcome to a New School Year

I have the pleasure of teaching at a university and the fall is a time for new beginnings. I started classes yesterday. Yes I know it was labor day. My college believes we should work on labor day. But teaching to me is a labor of love so I had fun. When we return to campus in the fall there is a great sense of anticipation in the air. The students and faculty are full of enthusiasm and ready to to engage in teaching and learning. I feel like I have a brand new slate and I am starting fresh with no blemishes from the previous school year.

Those of you with children are busy getting them ready to go back to school. I hope they are all eagerly anticipating the start of their journey of exploration and learning. My wish is that they all find joy in the process of learning.

May you all find joy in the beginning of the school year.

Clean Start

I am off from work this week which is another way of saying I am working at home. I am very focused this week on cleaning my house. I am not a person who enjoys housekeeping but I like the end result; a clean, organized, and uncluttered environment. Clutter makes me nervous but clutter is a natural result of a busy family life. I am one of those people that believes that there is a place for everything and everything should be in its place. If I don't have a place for it I should consider finding another home for it. I have been turning out closets, bookshelves, and cabinets. The donation pile is growing. I have been washing baseboards and scrubbing floors. Although I still have a ways to go my house is looking good and smells so clean. What a good feeling and what a great way to start off the year.

A New Beginning...

I always love the first day of the year. A day to reflect on what you have done and what you have left undone in the previous year. A day to create plans for the new set of 365 days stretching out before you as yet unmarred. I have taken advantage of today to review my 2006 goals and see how much I accomplished and then launched into the development of my 2007 goals. Goals must present a challenge and mine certainly do. I look forward to trying to accomplish every single one. In addition to my 12 general life goals I also came up with six needlework goals. I will post these goals for 2007 here but I also posted my 101 Tasks in 1001 Days list in an earlier post. Although I created my task list in July of 2006 I never got around to posting it. Well now I have committed myself here as well as on some yellow legal paper in my breifcase.

So what are my goals for 2007? Here goes:
General Goals:

1. Continue to build on my relationship with DH.
2. Stay connected to my family, build these relationships and build new friendships.
3. Develop a consistent journaling habit as a way to reflect: blog & book.
4. Reevaluate my commitments, be realistic, & be reliable in those I choose to keep.
5. Exercise regularly (aerobic and weights) & improve my flexibility (yoga)
6. Take care of my health: see the doctor & dentist, change my eating habits, and get down to 150 lbs.
7. Continue to decorate and improve our home.
8. Clean out the junk in our home & organize: commons, closets, and basement.
9. Organize my office.
10. Do some financial planning.
11. Continue to develop my collaborative teaching techniques.
12. Develop my scholarship and refine UG Coordinator role.

Needlework Goals:
1. Get my x-stitch WIP number down to five. My existing WIPS are:
Stretch
Dragon Ride
StoryTeller
Christmas Tree Mandala
Dragon Virtues Afghan (January – May)
Renaissance Bookmark (TWRR)
Deco Spirit-Fire (Mira- RR)
Michael Powell’s Venice Street Scene
Mini Mandala Garden I #2
Celestial Scissor Fob (January)
Autumn Sampler
Needlepoint Leaves
2. Finish all completed needlework.
3. Finish the quilt for Eric.
4. Stitch polar fleece throws.
5. Do all mending and do some home sewing.
6. Learn some more knitting or crocheting and do one project.

101 Tasks in 1001 Days

The Mission: To complete 101 preset tasks in a period of 1001 days.

The Criteria: Tasks must be specific with a result that is either measurable or clearly defined. Tasks must also be realistic and stretching (ie. represent some amount of work and growth on my part)

Why 1001 Days?
We often create lists of goals such as New Year's resolutions which we don’t achieve. One reason is that we procrastinate. The key to beating procrastination is to set a deadline that is realistic. 1001 Days (about 2.75 years) is a better period of time than a year, because it allows you several seasons to complete the tasks, which is better for organizing and timing some tasks such as overseas trips or outdoor activities.

Some common goal setting tips:
1. Be decisive. Know exactly what you want, why you want it, and how you plan to achieve it.

2. Stay Focused. Any goal requires sustained focus from beginning to end. Constantly evaluate your progress.

3. Welcome Failure. Frequently, very little is learned from a venture that did not experience failure in some form. Failure presents the opportunity to learn and makes the success more worthy.

4. Write down your goals. It clarifies your thinking and reinforces your commitment.

5. Keep your goals in sight. Review them frequently, and ensure that they are always at the forefront of your thinking.

Start Date: July 25, 2006

End Date: April 20, 2009

Items in bold are completed.

Family

1. Have a regular date night with DH
2. Call or email my father, Lin & Wilfred once /week In Progress
3. Take Erica to the Art Museum
4. Teach Eric how to cook
5. Teach Eric how to do laundry
6. Remember to send out cards every month ( b’days, anniversaries, etc)

Health

7. Develop habit of aerobic exercise 3 days/week
8. Develop habit of weight training 2 days/week
9. Practice yoga or relaxation techniques daily
10. Lose weight: target 1=150; target 2 =130
11. Take care of my teeth; go to the dentist
12. Schedule annual mammogram, gyn, & physical exams

Home

13. Redo our walk-in closet
14. Redo Erica’s closet
15. Power wash & stain deck
16. Install a new dishwasher
17. Seal basement walls
18. Clean out & organize basement
19. Refinish Erica’s Dresser
20. Build file cabinet
21. Organize files in lateral file drawers and new file drawers
22. Replace kitchen countertops
23. Have mulberry tree cut down and landscape yard
24. Have roof replaced
25. Make or buy drapes for family room
26. Buy dining room furniture - We decided to use the dining room for the pool table
27. Buy table & chairs for eat in kitchen area
28. Decorate downstairs rooms (Library & Family Room) In Progress
29. Decorate upstairs bedrooms In Progress
30. Redo Kid’s Bathroom
31. Install tile floors on first floor
32. Redo powder room
33. Replace front outdoor light fixtures

Needlework

34. Cross stitch at least 5 days per week -In Progress
35. Finish Dragon Virtues Afghan WIP
36. Finish Story Teller WIP
37. Finish Dragon Ride WIP
38. Finish Stretch WIP
39. Finish Autumn Sampler WIP
40. Finish Celestial Scissor Fob WIP
41. Finish Christmas Tree Mandala WIP
42. Finish Renaissance Bookmark (TWRR) WIP
43. Finish Deco Spirit-Fire (Mira- RR) WIP
44. Finish Michael Powell’s Venice Street Scene WIP
45. Finish Michael Powell’s Spanish Cottage
46. Finish Mini Mandala Garden I #2 WIP
47. Finish Needlepoint Leaves WIP
48. Finish Mini Mandala Garden I #3
49. Stitch Ministrel
50. Finish LKRR & Hang
51. Finish all Christmas ornaments
52. Go to one needlework event /year - 2006 = CSNF; 2007 = none
53. Finish quilt for Eric
54. Sew three polar fleece throws
55. Learn to knit and crochet
56. Go to American Sewing Guild Meeting and decide whether to join
57. Go to Thursday night Stitch Along at GTN at least once/month
58. Organize a RAK 1X/year 2006 done; 2007 done;

Teaching

59. Develop collaborative/blended curriculum for 351 In Progress
60. Develop collaborative/blended curriculum for 515 In Progress
61. Revise layout & content of 515 lab manual
62. Revise layout & content of 342 lab manual
63. Develop Freshman Seminar Curriculum & Speaker Series -2006 Done

Department/College/Institute

64. Develop three articulation agreements for our Networking degree - 2 are done
65. Develop workshop for High School Counselors
66. Develop workshop for Community Colleges
67. Rewrite ANSA Student Handbook
68. Write handbook for prospective students
69. Write Handbook for Security BS
70. Revamp 340-341-342 sequence to two courses and implement
71. Develop networking minor & get it approved
72. Work with gaming faculty to develop networking content their BS
73. Develop & document support agreements with SE, CS, & IT
74. Develop and execute curricular changes that distinguish our degrees
75. Develop presentation to admissions on ANSA
76. Develop presentation to admissions on IS&F

Scholarship

77. Write three papers on collaborative learning, experiential learning or blended learning
78. Join ACM SIGITE & join curriculum committee
79. Read three books on curriculum or pedagogy:

Learning

80. Learn Java Programming
81. Learn C++
82. Learn how to use all features of myCourses
83. Learn how to use Breeze In Progress
84. Learn Cyber Self Defense Curriculum & teach it
85. Participate in Faculty Learning Community
86. Learn how to customize my blog
87. Take a research methods course
88. Take and pass the CCNA certification exam
89. Learn how to operate/pgm a PDA

Other

90. Develop the habit refection using a written journal or my blog daily
91. Engage in activities to develop my spirituality
92. Support my church by serving on committees, teaching Sunday school - In progress
93. Clean out & organize my office
94. Research graduate programs in curriculum development
95. Sell surplus Stash on ebay
96. Volunteer at LPGA each year- 2006 Done ;2007 done; 2008 done; 2009 done
97. Take golf lessons
98. Participate in a women’s golf league at once
99. Try Netflix & evaluate
100. Evaluate Time Warner All – in – One and change ISPs
101. Organize & document bill paying

My New Years Journey

I have not posted many entries over the last year and I hope to change that this coming year. 2006 was a wonderful year but I have not taken the time to record the wonders large and small of my year. I spend a great deal of time reflecting on my life in my head (while I am cross stitching) and never commit my thoughts to paper or to this electronic medium. Most of my reflections go unshared hence my husband's complaint that he never knows what I am thinking. So this year I am going to make a bigger effort to share my feelings and thoughts through this journal and perhaps by writing them down I will also be better able to share my thoughts verbally with those I love. In order to be successful I will initially have to make an appointment with myself each day to record my reflections until it becomes a habit or ritual.

I often wonder what my children will remember of me and realize that in many ways they will not really know me beause I haven't taken the time to share myself in any detail. They know I love them and take care of them but do they know how they took my breath away when I first looked at them? Do they know how I swell with pride at their every accomplishment?

My younger son never ceases to amaze me. He quietly sets goals and procedes to accomplish them. Perhaps in this way he is like me. I am never quite sure how seriously he takes things and then find that when it counts he takes things very seriously. That although he doesn't always tackle every situation with as much time as I would like him to he is taking care of it.

My daughter is finding out more about herself and her talents everyday and it is fun to watch her blossom. She shares her optimism and enthusiam for life with anyone who wants it. She lives life energetically. She's dramatic. She's shy. She's more talented and wonderful than she knows. She can also be very direct and blunt. She's a wonderful artist and a great storyteller. I am enjoying watching her move with great deliberation toward her goals.

My older son has recently become a father and launched me into grandparenthood about five years earlier than I expected to be there. As I watch him with his son I can see how he has matured and taken on this awesome responsibilty with grace and enthusiam. He is crafting his adult life around his family and as the circle of life continues we have pulled closer together. After the years of pulling away to become his own person it is wonderful to have him back again.

I am so very thankful for my wonderful husband and children and so very proud of all of them. What a great way to start out the new year, reflecting about those people closest to you and giving thanks for all the love in my life.