November 28, 2007

November 28, 2007 - there I was.....sitting in an airplane, trying to distract myself before take off. Listening to music? Didn't work. Doing the crossword puzzle in my People Magazine? Nope, that didn't help things either. You see....I have a severe fear of flying and become desperate for a distraction as I countdown the last few minutes of my life. At least, that's what I convince myself of. Clearly, I have no shame in fully disclosing my craziness when it comes to flying.

On this particular pre-flight, I was heading to a conference in Ohio for work and was close to a total breakdown. Since none of the above mentioned were working to put me at ease, I took out my journal from my carry-on, opened it to a clean page, and wrote out a title: "Things to Accomplish By 11/28/08". And from there, I just started jotting down goals for the following year. I became so caught up and excited about this task, before I knew it, we were airborne and I had stopped panicking.

Almost a year later, here's where I landed.

Things I accomplished:
-Go on a road trip just for fun
-Make a decision on what album company to partner with (3/08 - Finao)
-Participate in a photography workshop (Mike Colon - 2/08 & David Jay - 9/08)
-Take a photography class (Light Factory 2/08)
-Cook something I never have before (Enchiladas - 12/07)
-Second shoot for another photographer (did this a BUNCH! Kristin Vining, Shara Lana, Scarlett Lillian, Lauren Wright, Ruth Rackley, Jeremy Igo, Kristen Leigh, Jill Higgins, David Johnson, Gayle Brooker)
-Get a new laptop (YEAH Mac!)
-Print and frame pictures for our house
-Get my logo designed
-Get a website (12/07)
-Read a book for fun
-Wash and clean my car
-Play volleyball inside a gym (12/07)
-Paint the blue room (is now green and has been transformed into an office)
-Put up a Christmas tree
-Make homemade cookies
-Shoot Kristina's senior portraits
-Organize my email inbox
-Go to the dentist
-Get a new camera and lenses (5D!)
-Make sample albums
-Go away for our 1st anniversary (technically, we were working...but we were still in Pittsburgh, PA)
-Go to Newspring Church at least once
-Go to Atlanta to visit Whitney and Matt and go to IKEA
-Start lifting weights

Things not yet accomplished, but will before said deadline (11/28/08):
-Dye my hair dark
-Send my grandma a care package just because

Things that didn't happen, but are to be put on next year's list:
-Make our wedding album
-Have a new house party
-Have Todd and Abbey over for dinner
-Take Ellen to obedience school
-Start my "Lessons to My Teenager" book
-Plant flowers in our yard
-Shave all of Ellen's hair off
-Have a date night with Geoff once per month for a year
-Write a letter to my cousin Shawn
-Edit Christy and Cheyenne's Northeast Road Trip video


Perhaps I'll post my goals to accomplish before 11/28/09 sometime.....but first I have to decide what they will be. Lucky me, I don't have to figure them out on a plane this year. :)

And so no post is without a picture, here's a sneak peek of our shoot yesterday with Jessica and A.W.

Also, today is my mother's birthday - Happy Birthday you old goat! Love you lots.

Be sure to check back tomorrow for Laura and Joe's wedding. :)