December & January Summary (Month 12 and the Final Month of Quests) - Work Complete!

Today I turned 30!

My "quest" to accomplish thirty things for myself before turning thirty has been completed, officially, and I'm pretty happy with the results. I've been updating the original list this whole time (found here), and I can't tell you how glad I am I did this.

This blog helped keep me accountable to myself and my own personal goals. I didn't do the blog with the intent of creating a following (although, hearing positive feedback from friends who have read it does leave me supercharged and excited to do more to complete my goals). I created this blog to have something ... tangible? electronically tangible, if that's possible? to show myself my progress; to show myself a record of the good things I've been able to successfully do for myself.

I did put a little caveat in my original goal setting: if I accomplish at least 2/3 of this list, I will consider the blog a success. I'm not used to finishing goals I set for myself, so I thought that this was necessary, in order to not let myself down.

However, I can definitely say I accomplish at least that, if not more. I have felt more confident in myself and happy with my own life for the accomplishments I have created for myself this year. I have goals for my 30th year now as well, but I am not sure yet if I will put them in blog form or not.

Quests Completed

(for the full list of completed quests, click here)

Quest #1 : Biographies
Ellen Foster by Kaye Gibbons - technically was a fiction novel, but it was heavily based on the author's life. So, it may be a little bit of a stretch to call it a biography, but it was generally about her life growing up in the South, and how she overcame the adversities of her mother dying; living for a while with her alcoholic, neglectful, abusive father; and the musical chairs of homes after that.

I Am Malala - beautifully told and insightful. I have a bad habit of sort of lumping "all of the Middle East" into my mind, maybe from hearing nothing positive about the countries over there in the news; always some new, bad and scary thing that has happened.

My mind just sort of goes into auto-pilot, puts all that unhappiness in a tidy little box and puts in away on a shelf somewhere in the back of my mind. All new information tends to just redirect immediately to this unhappy little container in my brain for "The Middle East."

It was helpful to read her story, of growing up in Swat, Pakistan and the rise of The Taliban. Again, I didn't realize how much I had it ingrained in my psyche my misconceptions of how they were able to gain power over so many people until I read her story. So, I'm thankful I took the time to read her story, and reading of how she was able to maintain courage in the face of so much adversity.

Quest #2 : Finances
I bought myself a financial transaction register booklet to keep track of my accounts and overall cash flow, and that has been the most effective budget I've been able to create this year.

I also signed up for Acorns this year, micro-investing, and it's been neat to see how they balance their investment portfolios. I'd like to eventually transfer my money out of it, and into something maybe more aligned with my personal values, but there are really maybe only a few things in their portfolio that I'd rather not have my money in. So, I'm ok with it for now, while I'm attempting to grow a little Egg of Investment haha.

Quest #3 : Tithing
I have been a bit tight on money, so I've been holding back on tithing (need to cover those bills first!). But I tried to make up for it a bit this month, to be able to finish this year on a good note. So, for December, January, and technically February, I donated to:

1) Southern Poverty Law Center (to support human rights and upholding constitutional rights here in the U.S.); 2) Planned Parenthood - my local/regional affiliate (to support sexual health education and women's reproductive rights); and 3) NPR - my local affiliate/broadcasting station (to support freedom of the press, well researched journalism, and like, a bazillion great programs they have on there)

I think I've explained this before, in a different post, but, I think there are a plethora of great causes and non-profits out there, and no shortage of ways you can put your money to good use in helping support your community. I hate the feeling of powerlessness that I get from listening to the news, and I don't think it's a very realistic/helpful emotion.

I could do so much more for my community. I could take the time to be more involved and volunteer, for one. But, for now, I will at least help fund the people who are making it their life's work to do good in the community.

Quest #8 : Musical Instrument
I recorded something!! 8-o

I ran out of time (i.e. I kept putting this off, despite being something that makes me feel good), so I ended up doing just one song that is easy for people to sing along with, and recorded it, put it onto YouTube, and published it in my blog here.

I'll take that as a good solid start to my musical career. -_^

Quest #10 : Writing
Boss Battle: Create a short story
I have been keeping a dream journal / regular journal this year. So, again, pressed for time I decided to write up a few of my less personal dreams.

The stories a little darker than my awake-self usually is (aside from my healthy appreciation of good B-grade horror movies), but thought they may be fun to expand on someday and create actual stories out of them.
You can read them in my post here.

Big Boss Battle: Complete this blog! (if you are reading this, this has been a success ^-^)

Quest #11 : Photography
Boss Battle 1: Submit a photo for publishing
So, my birthday was coming up quick, and I had forgotten about this particular Boss Battle.

I was contemplating creating an Etsy or DeviantArt profile, something that I could set up and maybe sell the occasional photo on... but I want to take the time to polish up photos that I've taken over the years, really select a few decent quality photos, etc. etc.


Since this would take more time then I had at the moment, I took some creative license with my phrasing and "submitted" photos to a photobook publishing business to "publish" a photo book for myself and my own coffee table haha. The photobook is of my travels to Italy - Rome and Pompeii - and it was fun to look back and remember what a beautiful country it is!

Quest #12: Pinterest
In summary with this quest: I have used it as a tool to help me accomplish many of my goals this year, I'm not as addicted to it (not spending hours of my day anymore, just sorting photos/images into my boards), and I'm currently utilizing it to help me with meal planning. The taming of the Pinterest beast has been a success!

Here's to a wonderful year of questing! Huzzah!

K Jet

#8 Musical Instrument : Ukulele

So, I learned and recorded a song today.
Purely to satisfy my personal need to at least attempt this before this blog is officially finished.

Full disclosure:

1) I recorded vocal and ukulele tracks separately.
    I wasn't good enough to learn how to strum and sing at the same time in a day (jeez, didn't realize how hard it was to do those two different things at the same time! haha This has given a little extra appreciate for all those singers out there who play the instrument at the same time haha)

2) I attempted to edit this so that it wouldn't make your ears bleed.
    I actually attempted editing in several different ways for about an hour or two, but ended up going back to the second version, which had a little less layers of editing to it haha

3) Despite all this: it's still pretty raw on the ears to listen to.
    I'm not an experienced singer, ukulele player, or music editor at this point in my life, so, I hope your ears can forgive me if you chose to listen. ;-p

Now I can officially say, "I did do that, that one time" and have a better idea as to whether or not I want to continue trying to make music in the future (it was very fun, but a bit time consuming...a bit like editing pictures). I imagine that making good music would take quite a while and a lot of practice (both with the music making, and the music editing).

If the link below doesn't work, the video can also be found here.




(All photos are either taken by me, or my gentleman friend -_^  -_^)


It was fun, and, I would definitely like to take some time to improve.


K Jet

#10 Writing: Short Story

More of Gravy than of Grave About You

Wasn’t sure if my psyche was trying to tell me something, or if I had (most likely) eaten something that then didn’t agree with my stomach while I slept. These played out more like films - sweeping views, smooth transitions - than like my normal “what is my brain trying to tell me” dreams.

The Delicate Woman

1/29/16

Her hair was short and blond, slicked down the nape of her neck with lake water. She was 30-something and lithe, like a Tilda Swinton body double. She was swimming in the lake and marveling at how clear and blue the water was.

You could just make out the boulders lining the bottom, like bubbles cemented into perfect shapes. Boulders lined the edges of the water as well, covered in soft green moss, like bryophyte fur. It sparkled in its lagoon-like seclusion.

The people swimming nearby stopped, concerned. Quickly they became manic, writhing in the water to get a better look at their own bodies. They said they were burning. It was strange though that they were still so lily-white. With the trees surrounding us, there was no way to sunburn so quickly.

Then it hit her.

There were chemicals in the water. She was deathly allergic to these chemicals. She swam as fast as she could to the moss-covered safety, out of the poisonous water. But it was too late. As soon as she got out, the dappled sunlight started to sear her flesh. She could feel the life-energy draining out of her. Her companions were beyond the bridge, nearly completely out of sight; too far to hear her if she called out. Help was a hopeless desire.

She spoke to me. She begged me to tell her friends where to find her body. Then, with effort, she rolled herself down into a crevice between the boulders, desperately trying to shade her body from the flesh-scorching sun.

The Spider Man

3/23/16

The spider reached its massive leg out to touch the young man, as he was walking away.

::Don’t go:: it silently called to him.

The young man stopped and coolly turned around.

“You are released. You may let go.”

A wave of gratitude and relief rippled through the elephant-sized spider, as it shuddered, jerked, and collapsed to the ground. Within seconds, everything but the legs had melted away, leaving a viscous goo surrounding the lifeless, bare body of a little boy.

The young man looked away, tired but determined. He made his way into the next room of the old factory. A small group of people were being herded, terrified, by another giant spider. They looked to the young man, as if he would take pity on them and make the spider stop.

Not until everyone was here. Not until they will finally listen.

The boys were in pain. The psychic energy building and holding them together - these massive exoskeletons - was burning them up. He knew their pain, he could feel them screaming. But he needed them. Release will come when he is finished. This was too important.

The Hideaways

6/17/16

A mother and her 5 year old child, a young lady of about 20, and a woman scientist entered the mansion. It was being remodeled into an inn, and the basement was currently the focus. Workers were busily milling all around.

A young man with an important air about him quickly met the women in the foyer. He had something to show them downstairs, something he had discovered. He was a very serious person with a complete openness about him. The women trusted him.
In what used to be a laundry room - like, an actual room, not those pantries that hide the machines - there was something like an electrical outlet in the left corner of the back wall. It was obscured by some lumber, waiting to be used in the remodeling.

The young man pressed the outlet like a button, and a door opened in the concrete floor. There was a small room below. After everyone had a good look, he closed the secret door and it returned to being a seamless part of the smooth, cold floor.

There were many other rooms - bedrooms - down here along this hallway, all stripped to concrete floors and unpainted walls. He had found another secret room back here on the end. We helped him find three more.

He was baffled, what had possessed the original builder to put these in? But we understood. The scientist told him,
“What happens, when the government controls and outlaws certain people? You can’t record rent for invisible rooms.”
He understood what she meant, and just in time. The women’s pursuers had arrived on the mansion’s grounds. A sympathetic worker had ran as fast as he could to the house to warn us.

"Quickly!"
The young woman and the scientist were hid under the laundry room. The mother and her child under one of the bedrooms. We desperately try to make sure the switches aren’t visible. She - the leader of the pursuers - will overturn everything in the house to find them.
She arrived, with her armed, personal SWAT team.
I plead quietly, to whatever greater force in the universe that could help, please don’t let them be found.

Or forgotten.




That concludes that! Hope this inspires you to write your dreams and thoughts down as well!

K Jets