So, things with the Bucket List have not exactly been going according to plan. Unfortunately, just as I was starting on week one of Culinary Faux-Blech I got really sick and could not eat anything but soup (on the bright side I DID get to try a few new soups and discovered I do like soups other than tomato). Then I got better, but life got crazy busy and I just got lazy with it. I let myself get frustrated and had a brief pity party, then I remembered something. This is MY blog, I am writing it for ME. Sure I have a lot of people reading it: friends, family, and a surprising number of strangers, but the original idea for this thing was for me to tell my story about MY journey. I lost sight of that and allowed myself to get all worked up about disappointing my readers. So my Bucket List series got way off track; that is fine. I should not force myself into a deadline for entertainment purposes. So instead, I am going to complete them as I can. I am still going to work on my bad food habits, it is going to take me a lot longer than two weeks to get myself into regularly trying new foods, and that is okay. You know what they say about Rome after all. Just to be clear, I am going to finish my Bucket List series, it is just going to take longer than I originally planned. So please feel free to continue sending me yummy recipes to try.
On another note, I finally got around to making my first appointment with a physical therapist. I get to meet her/him Thursday morning and will be going to PT regularly for the next few weeks (possibly longer). Why did it take so long after getting the referral? Well, part of that is due to my getting sick and the rest is simple stubbornness. I did not want to need PT again. But I have come to the realization that, as hard and exhausting as PT is, it HAS helped me in the past, and there is no reason to think it won’t help now. It can only make me stronger, and I can get advice on the best workouts to do to reach my fitness goals without killing my back.
I have also decided to add one more item to my Bucket List: school. I want to continue my education and complete the degree I started fresh out of High School. I want my Bachelor’s Degree in either education or social work. I plan to meet with an adviser very soon to talk over my options while here in Germany. My only real problem is I don't know anymore what I want to do. I used to be dead-set on teaching preschool or kindergarten, I love children and I love watching that light that comes on in their eyes when they learn something new about the world. My last year of HS I spent volunteering at the elementary school, working primarily with the afternoon kindergarten class, but also with the preschool kiddos. I had the privilege to help one little boy with his letters. He was really behind and was likely going to be repeating kindergarten the next fall. Smart kid, he just had a hard time with letters. But I took him aside for 15 minutes every day and we worked together through games, songs (I made up some silly ones), and repetition, he moved on to first grade the following year. Seeing his face when he finally got it right, the way he giggled and grinned at me in that "I DID it!" expression....well, that made me want to be a teacher. But I'm not sure anymore. I have been thinking for the last few years about social work, helping kids and families through difficult periods in their lives. I think that uncertainty, and lack of money, is what has kept me from pursuing school. So this Monday I am going into the education center on the base and speaking with an education adviser. Hopefully that person can help me figure it all out.
On another note, I finally got around to making my first appointment with a physical therapist. I get to meet her/him Thursday morning and will be going to PT regularly for the next few weeks (possibly longer). Why did it take so long after getting the referral? Well, part of that is due to my getting sick and the rest is simple stubbornness. I did not want to need PT again. But I have come to the realization that, as hard and exhausting as PT is, it HAS helped me in the past, and there is no reason to think it won’t help now. It can only make me stronger, and I can get advice on the best workouts to do to reach my fitness goals without killing my back.
I have also decided to add one more item to my Bucket List: school. I want to continue my education and complete the degree I started fresh out of High School. I want my Bachelor’s Degree in either education or social work. I plan to meet with an adviser very soon to talk over my options while here in Germany. My only real problem is I don't know anymore what I want to do. I used to be dead-set on teaching preschool or kindergarten, I love children and I love watching that light that comes on in their eyes when they learn something new about the world. My last year of HS I spent volunteering at the elementary school, working primarily with the afternoon kindergarten class, but also with the preschool kiddos. I had the privilege to help one little boy with his letters. He was really behind and was likely going to be repeating kindergarten the next fall. Smart kid, he just had a hard time with letters. But I took him aside for 15 minutes every day and we worked together through games, songs (I made up some silly ones), and repetition, he moved on to first grade the following year. Seeing his face when he finally got it right, the way he giggled and grinned at me in that "I DID it!" expression....well, that made me want to be a teacher. But I'm not sure anymore. I have been thinking for the last few years about social work, helping kids and families through difficult periods in their lives. I think that uncertainty, and lack of money, is what has kept me from pursuing school. So this Monday I am going into the education center on the base and speaking with an education adviser. Hopefully that person can help me figure it all out.