"It's time you started your career."

That's what someone said to me last week.
Saying something noncommittal like usual, I was too stunned to actually reply.

Every day I try to validate what I do. The business of community development and poverty alleviation is hard enough, especially when working in conjunction with a bent, if not broken, education system. There can be many forces in opposition, telling you you're too young (or old) and weak and ineffective to change such an overwhelming problem.

But what if there's a different way of thinking? That's what the Springfield Promise Neighborhood has tried to do from the very beginning.

Rather than dreaming smaller in a world of limited resources and even less money, we dream bigger. And look where it got us - we were just approved to take on 11 new AmeriCorps VISTA positions starting this summer. I am lucky enough to become the VISTA Leader, or a person to help the other VISTAs do their jobs better.

I've learned so much already about leadership and entrepreneurship (in the most general sense). I'm still trying to work through complexities and hope to continue to work through them by writing.

But I've started. So there.

Typical New Year Reflections

I've got plans for this year and writing more is one of them. So what better way to start than by reflecting upon last year. Cute.

Looking back on 2013

1: What did you do in 2013 that you’d never done before?

I stood up in front of a cafeteria full of people and talked and didn't lose my head. I'd never pictured myself in the position of being someone "in charge", and now people look to me for answers. It's a lot more pressure but I get a lot of energy from the work.

2: Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

For a reminder, my promises last year were to eliminate or significantly reduce mediocrity in my life. And I can definitely say that yes, I did this. I held myself to higher standards and I held those around me to higher standards. As for my other promise, to write more, well... I did write a large amount of letters. Mostly to my good friend back home and my boss. This is ironic because we literally spend around 5 hours a day together, but somehow we still have more to talk about.

3: Did anyone close to you give birth?

Nope. I know that many people I knew from school did, but no one I'm close with. For those of you keeping score at home, I believe the number of people I went to school with that now have kids is up to 24.

4: Did anyone close to you die?

No. Thank God.

5: What countries did you visit?

Canada! For our annual girl's trip into the woods. This year my cousin, my mom, and my mom's friend Judy were in attendance. We had an absolute blast, and some adventures.

My cousin and I hiked to the top of Robertson Cliffs and had the wildest lunch of our lives on the edge of a mountain:

And we drove up to Pancake Bay one sunny afternoon:

And on the way back we stopped at Chippewa Falls, the midpoint of the Trans-Canadian Highway. Can you imagine being the first person forging through wilderness to come across this:

6: What would you like to have in 2014 that you lacked in 2013

To be quite honest, I'd like to have companionship. I know that sounds all woe-is-me but I haven't had a significant other in a long time and I feel like I'm finally at a place where it could be a fulfilling relationship.

7: What dates from 2013 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

Nothing stands out too much, except for August 14. That was the day we drove up to Pancake Bay, and the day I received word that we had been awarded a significant federal grant to open an after-school learning center at the elementary school I work with. This may not seem that significant but we had worked on it for so long and by mistake they had told us the Friday afternoon prior we hadn't gotten it. And, yay for me, I had found that out on my birthday. I was depressed in the wilderness for a few days before we reconnected with civilization (no cell phone reception on that big ol' lake) to hear that we had indeed won. It was a good day.

8: What was your biggest achievement of the year?

I would say winning the grant, but I did more of the back-end editing rather than the actual writing.

I am more inclined to say the success of our summer school program. I was involved in the planning, training, preparation, and supervision of the summer program and the students did quite well.

Career aside, I can definitely say I have learned more about using my strengths and exercising my weaknesses, both intra- and interpersonally.

9: What was your biggest failure?

Whew. Again, nothing major comes to mind. I made mistakes, to be sure, and I learned a lesson from each of them.

10: Did you suffer illness or injury?

Nope! For, like, the first time ever! Not even a cold!

11: What was the best thing you bought?

Lolz. A good knife.

12: Whose behavior merited celebration?

Famous-person-wise... this is going to sound weird but, the Pope. I'm not trying to jump on the bandwagon (Popewagon?) but I think he's said and done some really good things.

13: Whose behavior made you appalled?

Ick. Somebody like Miley Cyrus. Someone who got lots of press for doing incredibly stupid things - or doing meaningless things this hyper-celebritized society thinks is press.

14: Where did most of your money go?

Food. I love food.

15: What did you get really, really, really excited about?

Seeing Dave Matthews Band in concert in the pavilion!!

16: What song will always remind you of 2013?

Radioactive by Imagine Dragons. Thrift Shop by Macklemore. (Ick.)

17: Compared to this time last year, are you: (a) happier or sadder? (b) thinner or fatter? (c) richer or poorer?

a) Happier!

b) fatter haha

c) richer, ironically, because I'm making less full-time then I was part-time while in school.

18: What do you wish you’d done more of?

I wish I'd done more random shit. You know, when you're sitting around with your friends and someone says "Hey, have you been to ____, or have you heard about ____?" Just being more spontaneous in general.

Also, I wish I'd ridden my bike more.

19: What do you wish you’d done less of?

Eat shit. Oh, I ate a lot of terrible food this year and I'm paying for it. Insanity workouts started today!

20: How did you spend Christmas?

Christmas eve with my dad's side of the family, then playing trumpet in my church's late christmas eve service, Christmas brunch at my grandmother's, then Christmas dinner with my mom's side.

My niece Ava discovered my trumpet for the first time. She's two.

21: Did you fall in love in 2013?

No.

22: What was your favourite TV program?

Breaking Bad! Binge-watched all five seasons in time for the series finale.

...yes, he's in his underwear.

23: Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?

I don't really hate people.

24: What was the best book you read?

The Sparrow, by Mary Doria Russell. I read it while in Canada.

25: What was your greatest musical discovery?

Nightmares on Wax, In A Space Outta Sound.

A really good band to listen to while driving with the windows down on a mild day.

Also, Yes.

What can I say, I was born in the wrong era.

26: What did you want and get?

I wanted some little things, like art supplies, and a cover for my laptop.

27: What did you want and not get?

I wanted a tablet but I'm still trying to decide.

28: What was your favorite film of this year?

Pfft. I didn't see hardly any movies. Despicable Me 2. I know that's sad but I literally saw three new movies this year.

29: What one thing made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

Having a car! I got it last summer and it's glorious just having an actual car to drive around whenever I want.

30: How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2013?

Comfortable and colorful.

31: What kept you sane?

My boss. Definitely.

32: Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?

This hasn't changed. Dave, o'course.

33: What political issue stirred you the most?

Gay rights! I am so jazzed about the states that have legalized same-sex marriage. Let's keep this train moving forward!

34: Who did you miss?

I missed friends who have moved away or moved on with their lives, especially college friends.

35: Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2013.

Don't take no for an answer.

36: Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.

"I fall so hard inside the idea of you
That's why with you cant say what I mean
Wanna stay but I think I'm gettin outta here
I fall so hard inside the idea of you"