BLOGGER TEMPLATES AND TWITTER BACKGROUNDS

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

goals, or not.

Lately I have been possessed with this desire to learn to sew.


But I just read in a magazine that "people who tell others their newest goals too soon often end up not doing them. It is better to start working on the goal, and after having done it consistently, talk about it."

Okay.

So I am not going to tell you that it's a goal of mine and you may or may not someday see a picture on this blog of a pillow that I made.

And I am not wondering if my mom might lend me her sewing machine.

And actually making a pillow may or may not be a goal of mine.

I guess I'll just keep it to myself for now.

So instead, let's talk Christmas.

Too soon?

Okay, we'll table that. Even though I have been listening to some Christmas music. But it was really just one song, an original song from Over the Rhine's Christmas album, and it doesn't even sound very Christmasy at all, more wintry and encouraging, so don't get all we haven't even had Halloween yet, let ALONE Thanksgiving!!! on me, okay?

Cause wintry and encouraging music is approved for listening all year round in my book.

But fine, let's talk...2009.

Cause it's already September of this year. And almost the end, at that. I know, I know, where did the time go? I know that I spent a lot of it doing step, kick, kick, step, kick, touch and if that means nothing to you, than maybe you should see A Chorus Line. Or just follow those verbs verbatim and see what you get, cause that could be pretty funny.

Maybe as funny as the time my brother Jase bragged to me and (his girlfriend at the time but is now his wife) Darby that he could definitely kick this little good smelling decoration that was hanging from my parents' kitchen ceiling.

Okay, Jase, let's see it, we encouraged him, only too thrilled to sit back and watch his bravado meet its match in the form of EXTREMELY TIGHT HAMSTRINGS.

And now I'm gonna brag and say that I was right. He lunged in preparation, his eye on that prize hanging from the ceiling, so perfectly kickable, right?

Well, no.

His leg flew up in the air with all the speed of a ticketer at the beach once your car has been parked just one minute past the time you've paid for and what about grace, Bethany Beach, what about grace?!?! But it was the leg still on the ground that failed him.

Or maybe it was his sock, that slippery sock that never stood a chance against the hardwood floor.

Because his socked foot slipped out from underneath him right as his hamstring alerted his airborne leg that it had gone as far as it could, really, and with a great and glorious crash the poor guy fell backwards.

And no, Darby and I didn't laugh.

At least not until we made sure he was still alive, that is.

And no, he didn't ever kick that little decorative thing that was hanging from my parents' kitchen ceiling.

But I think what he did end up doing might have been even better. At least for us.

But, 2009.

Can you believe it's September? The kind of September that's almost October, albeit?

And speaking of goals, or uh, not speaking of goals, rather, are there any goals that you'd like to accomplish before this year goes by?

Other than the sewing thing, which I am so not mentioning here, as per the instructions of that magazine, I also want to book another project. One that doesn't involve something that sounds a lot like A Shmorus Shline.

Not that I am not grateful.

But it's time for a new job, and that makes me pretty excited.

So that's a goal of mine.

Okay, your turn.

21 comments:

peaj said...

My goal is to not let the weight that I want to lose be my goal, but rather to make general fitness be my goal.

Mandy Hornbuckle said...

I did the "step, kick, kick, step, kick, touch" in my head and it didn't look quite right. Turns out I can't even dance in my fantasies.

My goal is also to learn to sew, and to make Ellyn one of these (http://girliegowns.com/store/WsPages.asp?ID=2) using this pattern (http://www.lazygirldesigns.com/hospitalgown.php) and maybe a dog collar, since I bought the hardware for it and all and set up my sewing machine and all... But since I'm going to see her in 4 weeks, I really had better get moving on that hospital gown!!

I would also really like to scrapbook my project 365 photos. They're all just sitting there, taunting me.

But I didn't say any of that. :)

Mandy Hornbuckle said...

The dog collar is not for Ellyn. Just to clarify.

merry said...

AAHHHHHAAAAAAAA! That Jase story is hilarious and as I pictured him doing it I was laughing so hard I was tearing.

Jessica said...

Peaj--awesome goal! It sounds like you've been doing a good job at running from the statuses I've seen on FB;)

Mandy--you are so gonna beat me with sewing, since I am hopefully gonna start once I get home, in about 7 1/2 weeks...and what an awesome gift for Ellyn! You are so thoughtful; she's gonna love it!

Merry--yes, it really was hilarious. Poor guy, though, he fell really hard on that floor...

Mama Bear said...

Jon got me a sewing machine for Christmas last year and I have yet to complete a successful project. Pillows are harder than they look! If you learn, maybe you can give me a lesson!

Jessica said...

what an awesome gift! and yeah, I was youtubing (yes, I just used that as a verb) lessons on how to sew pillows and it looks quite complicated. Perhaps we can start a support group:)

jason said...

I could have kicked that thing, but I knew that you and Darby needed a good laugh, so it was compassion, not tight hammy's, that caused my fall.

Jessica said...

Uh-huh, sure. Ooookay.

And thanks for taking one for the team, then!

Emily said...

oh, goals - they are out the window; I need to find a smaller word for accomplishing little bits of things, because an entire project seems to be beyond me right now. Maybe I'll call them "gos" or "oals". There are paintings in my head, just dying to come out on canvas, and hat patterns, although I have been knitting. It's just that I have barely been able to keep abreast of the wave of babies, and have not yet been able to build up any kind of surplus. The idea was to start a little etsy store, but maybe next year.

Jessica said...

Emily, I can only imagine cause you have your hands quite full...and the paintings in your head and the hats that need to be knit and even the Etsy store (which would make me so excited, btw, and I think you would be awesome at) aren't going anywhere.

Do them when you can.
And I like the idea of gos or oals.

laura said...

I have a sewing machine.
I don't know how to sew.
But I do want to learn.
When you come home, maybe we can learn together. If we don't let the distance from each other's houses get in the way. :)

Jessica said...

Laura, I would seriously love that. I get excited when I think about picking out material...and of course start to see all different yellows I can use...Please. Let's do it!!!

kathiek said...

A goal of mine is to write more.

Jessica said...

Yes, Kathie--that's an excellent goal! Do it:) please:)

Unknown said...

My goal is to finish the lyrics to a song I've been writing since... March? Yeah. That sounds right. A friend of mine wants to record it for a demo and has politely declined my request that she hum for four minutes. That'll teach me to write a vocal melody before I have lyrics.

Jessica said...

Owen, first of all I like your name.

Second of all, I have little snippets of songs that need to be finished too, so I totally get it. And that's a great goal--your friend who is astoundingly against humming (which can be quite lovely) will appreciate it!!!

Unknown said...

Well, thank you, Jessica. I've always been rather fond of my name myself. =D

I'm slowly but surely getting there. Usually during my anthropology class. Which may or may not be a good thing.

I also somehow managed to throw the word 'epitomizing' in there. If my friend wants lyrics, then she's getting lyrics.

Karenkool said...

My mom taught me to sew since I was a wee tot, but I don't have a sewing machine (in case anyone wanted to pass off their unused one). I also learned to sew by hand and made a quilt. It started out as a queen sized and after about a month decidedly became a twin. Not sure if I ever finished it, but it's done enough to be used.

My goal? To clean my house... or higher someone to clean it. It's kind of short range goal, but that's as good as I can do!

Natalie said...

Goal: transfer to a four-year school with a good theatre program.

Secondary goal: work on general coordination. I am severely lacking.

Jessica said...

Owen--considering the use of the word 'epitomizing' in the song, I would say it has been well worth the wait.

Karen--I think that goal is AWESOME. I feel much better about my life in general and like I can maybe accomplish some other things when my house is clean. When it's not...good luck!!!

Natalie--great, great goals. I totally think you will be able to do both!!!