Happy Birthday to Me!

Identity Crisis started the birthday blog post tradition. I guess I'll continue it.

Things I am Thankful for this Last Year (as of 1/13/08):

1. Engaging in the blogosphere. I haven't been on Waiting 2 Speak in awhile, but between that and the four or five other blogs, social networking rings, my Twitter family, and the hyperbolic needle worthy Crackbook, I've managed to create a virtual space for myself. Which, in my alone-ness, made me feel less alone. First step to Kismet's health & wellness :)
   
2. Passing my prospectus defense. Like whoa. Then I am thankful for my advisor, the department secretary, and others who helped me hustle the doctoral candidacy paperwork through the system at the last minute. Your girl is a PRO-CRAS-TI-NA-TOR. Say it twice for good measure.
3. An AWESOME summer of foolishness (read: more procrastination). I became a Crisis Counselor and Hospital Advocate with the D.C. Race Crisis center, I ran around the DMV with Twin, I traveled to Chicago, New York, and Atlanta. And MV (before Black Lilly calls me out on it, yes, I 'fess up. I went to the Vineyard. That's why Black Lilly is a 2. And I'm a 5 4.5). I danced. And oh yeah...BRAZIL. Wow. Brazil. Salvador is love.
4. Getting my workout game and taking it seriously. I've managed to stay on task for the most part (3 days a week, 1/2 each day) and I'm proud of myself for that. It is the little things. Even when you fall off, the important thing is to get back on.
5. Serving as Goddess of Infrastructure at the Youth Education Alliance. Maybe the best work experience I've had yet.
6. My family in general. Because they deserve it. Especially my mom and my two little sisters. Having someone to take care of keeps me from dropping out of school (I'm so not lying).
   
7. My friends, linesisters, and activist sistren. For keeping my head on straight.
   
8. Mr.'s big head self. Because he makes me a better person.
9. Very cool new roommates to replace the very cool old roommate I had who moved on to bigger and better things. Kudos to her.
   

I didn't make it to ten but I'm sure there are all kinds of other things to be thankful for this last year.

Now what do I have to look forward to? I'll keep it to 8 by 28. For now. Maybe I'll add more.

1. Make it from 3 to a solid 5.5. Nah!
   
2. Have 4 out of 5 chapters of this dissertation done.
3. Travel to at least three more continents (Dubai anyone?)
   
4. Clear up all my debt and organize my student loan information. Because those bastards are coming to get me in another year and a half. And because if I had the savings and a better credit rating, I would be in the housing market right now; prices are deliciously low at the moment.
   
5. Present at 2 major conferences
6. Publish 1 article in a major journal
7. Begin researching how to start my history/research/workshop non-profit for high school students and undergraduates
8. Read a book a month for pleasure that is completely unrelated to my own research or the historical profession (for me, this is the equivalent of a non-work book; Junot Diaz is my January book)
9. Write in my journal a little bit every day.
   

9 is a freebie.

Happy Birthday to me. I'm blessed. I know I say that a lot, but I've got to remind myself every day because life gets hard. But as long as I've got the fam (fam = family + everyone else I love) then I know I'm good.

And Happy Founder's Day to my Maven. Best wishes my darling!