2019, A Sight for Sore Eyes
Yes, 2018 was a bit wonky for me as well.
Despite how much changed this year, I learned a lot about how I measure quality of life. Here's a stab at the recipe:
1 cup adventures + 1 cup giving back + 1/2 cup of gratitude + 1 heaping tablespoon of changes + 1/2 cup of challenging myself + 1/4 cup working a fulfilling job + as much time spent outdoors to taste = 1 full and happy year (adjust recipe for elevation changes and seasons)
I kicked off 2018 with a semi-birthday trip to Red Rocks and rope climbing, but this was the only time I got on rope all year. Yikes.
Following that trip, I received an award for a job I would soon leave, and diving with sharks for the first time in an aquarium on the coast of North Carolina. Wonderful.
I didn't get into the graduate program I wanted. Blah.
I then hosted my favorite event, a BioBlitz, for the Cradle of Forestry and it was 24 hours of running around connecting people with the outdoors and wildlife. Huzzah.
My time in the southeast ended with family in Florida, more scuba diving and my first night dive complete with a sea turtle staring deeply into my soul. Magical.
Then I headed west where I spent the second half of the year camping, fly-fishing, hiking to majestic lakes, exploring remote prairies, pursuing graduate studies. Well that's neat.
So why did I leave 2018 with a sigh of relief and welcoming the New Year like a warm blanket and cup of soup on a rainy day? Truly I cannot pinpoint the reasons. But I definitely did not follow the recipe above.
I haven't climbed or bouldered since April or May. I've spent a lot of money, time and energy on adopting a "vintage" RV, leaving little remaining time to explore nearby rivers and mountains. Much of my time was spent en route- to a field site, to a weekend destination, to run errands- rather than nestled in a tent and exploring trails. I felt I took a lot from others rather than offered or gave. I absolutely hate that I can list the things that didn't go well for me in 2018, because in truth so much happened that was good. I lacked the gratitude that I am usually overwhelmed with to fully take in the moments I did get to
spend on a river island laughing at two minks playing in the current, or the countryside I visited on foot as I trained for my half marathon in support of rare disorders and my nephew with PKU.
Truly, I am not trying to ignore the privileges that are given to me and the opportunities that are laid out in front of me.
Looking forward here are the contributions I want to make in 2019:
1. Commit to conservation efforts more in my own time- writing, volunteering, graduate studies
2. Commit time to spend outside and improving on my outdoor skills- snowshoeing, fly fishing and tying flies, climb more, run more
3. Be more intentional in the words I write and the message I send to the world
4. Wake up each day with motivation to contribute to good things in this world
What I'm listening to:
Ologies podcast, so good and I love listening to these "-ologists" who are so passionate and inspiring in what they do. As an interpreter I learned, "No topic is inherently boring or interesting. There are only people who make it that way (Interpretation: Making a Difference on Purpose) ."
What I'm reading:
Sam Kean's Caesar's Last Breath- Literally I just started this book that I had to buy when I saw it in the bookstore. I have loved his other books, delving into the crossroads of science and history with storytelling. My reading habits are chronically irregular, and I usually read multiple books on and off simultaneously. Sam Kean is usually in the mix.
What I recommend:
Trevor Corson's The Secret Life of Lobsters- No joke, this book is captivating and lobsters are hella cool. Not to mention this is a great allegory for an industry that protected its resources long before the government got involved and nearly messed it up.
Despite how much changed this year, I learned a lot about how I measure quality of life. Here's a stab at the recipe:
1 cup adventures + 1 cup giving back + 1/2 cup of gratitude + 1 heaping tablespoon of changes + 1/2 cup of challenging myself + 1/4 cup working a fulfilling job + as much time spent outdoors to taste = 1 full and happy year (adjust recipe for elevation changes and seasons)
I kicked off 2018 with a semi-birthday trip to Red Rocks and rope climbing, but this was the only time I got on rope all year. Yikes.
Following that trip, I received an award for a job I would soon leave, and diving with sharks for the first time in an aquarium on the coast of North Carolina. Wonderful.
I didn't get into the graduate program I wanted. Blah.
I then hosted my favorite event, a BioBlitz, for the Cradle of Forestry and it was 24 hours of running around connecting people with the outdoors and wildlife. Huzzah.
My time in the southeast ended with family in Florida, more scuba diving and my first night dive complete with a sea turtle staring deeply into my soul. Magical.
Then I headed west where I spent the second half of the year camping, fly-fishing, hiking to majestic lakes, exploring remote prairies, pursuing graduate studies. Well that's neat.
So why did I leave 2018 with a sigh of relief and welcoming the New Year like a warm blanket and cup of soup on a rainy day? Truly I cannot pinpoint the reasons. But I definitely did not follow the recipe above.
I haven't climbed or bouldered since April or May. I've spent a lot of money, time and energy on adopting a "vintage" RV, leaving little remaining time to explore nearby rivers and mountains. Much of my time was spent en route- to a field site, to a weekend destination, to run errands- rather than nestled in a tent and exploring trails. I felt I took a lot from others rather than offered or gave. I absolutely hate that I can list the things that didn't go well for me in 2018, because in truth so much happened that was good. I lacked the gratitude that I am usually overwhelmed with to fully take in the moments I did get tospend on a river island laughing at two minks playing in the current, or the countryside I visited on foot as I trained for my half marathon in support of rare disorders and my nephew with PKU.
Truly, I am not trying to ignore the privileges that are given to me and the opportunities that are laid out in front of me.
Looking forward here are the contributions I want to make in 2019:
1. Commit to conservation efforts more in my own time- writing, volunteering, graduate studies
2. Commit time to spend outside and improving on my outdoor skills- snowshoeing, fly fishing and tying flies, climb more, run more
3. Be more intentional in the words I write and the message I send to the world
4. Wake up each day with motivation to contribute to good things in this world
What I'm listening to:
Ologies podcast, so good and I love listening to these "-ologists" who are so passionate and inspiring in what they do. As an interpreter I learned, "No topic is inherently boring or interesting. There are only people who make it that way (Interpretation: Making a Difference on Purpose) ."
What I'm reading:
Sam Kean's Caesar's Last Breath- Literally I just started this book that I had to buy when I saw it in the bookstore. I have loved his other books, delving into the crossroads of science and history with storytelling. My reading habits are chronically irregular, and I usually read multiple books on and off simultaneously. Sam Kean is usually in the mix.
What I recommend:
Trevor Corson's The Secret Life of Lobsters- No joke, this book is captivating and lobsters are hella cool. Not to mention this is a great allegory for an industry that protected its resources long before the government got involved and nearly messed it up.
