February Review (Month 2 of Quests)

Quests Completed

Quest # 14: Compost
I (with tons of the help from my mother) put together a compost bin, and have started putting kitchen scraps and leaves from the yard in it! We'll see if I can get this ratio of "greens" to "browns" figured out. It would be wonderful to be able to use some good compost on my garden this year.

Work Complete!

Quests-in-Progress

Quest # 1: Biographies
Officially kicked off this quest with Negroland, a memoir, by Margo Jefferson.  I highly recommend the book, as it helps put some current news in better perspective. It's a bit rough to get through - of course - but sort of like eating your healthy-foods: you can feel the wholesomeness improving you after getting through it. My post on it is a bit long and disjointed... it's kind of difficult for me to collect my thoughts if I don't have someone to talk with/at. But I'm up for discussion if someone has feedback.

Quest # 2: Finances

Mint has been very helpful with giving me a better big-picture view of my situation. I also did my taxes (early!), and found out that I will be getting money back this year. Now the dilemma is: do I spend it on necessary things, spontaneously fun things, or fun things that I have planned? I am (after counseling from family and coworkers, since I tend to blab to everyone before making big-ish decisions) leaning toward putting that money away for my reunion with the ladies in Paris this October.  

Quest # 3: Tithing
Time: I spaced on this one. Didn't volunteer this month.
Money:   I substituted this months lack of volunteer time with extra donation money, and "adopted" a sloth through the World Wildlife Fund (WWF)!.

Quest # 5: Performance

Local 506 - a popular music venue, where Amigo played this month.

I went to see my college friend's band (Amigo) open for a couple other bands' album release party (Silver Dollar Switchblade and Campfires and Constellations), which are all of the Americana variety, and local North Carolina bands. I'm getting to the point that I can sing along a bit with some of their songs, and even recently bought their record album! I love hanging out with them before and after their performance. They're a trio of fun/funny/chill guys. Their song "A Murder of Crows Outside" gets stuck in my head (although, the lyrics make me squirm a bit, admittedly).
They also recently had one of their songs played on a TV show - Z Nation, on the SyFy channel - which is completely awesome! "Love's Made a Fool Out of Me" was played during an epic zombie stripper dance/bounty hunter fight scene, and played again in total during the end credits. I was also impressed with Campfires and Constellations. If they can keep focused, I would be willing to bet that they could go pretty far. They've got charisma and catchy songs like you could hear on the radio ("Outlaw's Dream" is especially fun, in my opinion).

Quest # 11: Photography
I took some fun photos during my work trip with dad down to Charleston (photos at the end of the blog). I also finally downloaded an app which allows for making collages!

Quest # 12: Utilize Pinterest

Used Pinterest to plan my birthday party (see previous post for photos),

Quest # 15: Housework

This month I had been planning to help out with the renovation of our upstairs bathroom, but our general contractor was swamped with work. Instead, I cleaned up the work area in the garage - which is something I have been wanting to do for almost a year now. That felt really good. Now, we can access all of the drawers and compartments, and utilize the tabletop. We also have a big bundle of things now to donate to the ReStore and to Goodwill. 

Before. I had just finished pulling stuff off of the top of the workbench.

After. Things put away, and now we have access to all of the cabinets and drawers! 

Quest # 16: Job Work

Had a ton of jobs this month. My "own" (w/ my supervisor's help), as well as assisting in training my new coworker. 

One of my jobs this month (this one really was more of me assisting my supervisor, since it was so much over my head), lead me to stay in Charleston, South Carolina! I love traveling and checking out the history of the area....and the food. So, Charleston is one of my more favorite southern American cities I've been to. I posted photos from the trip below, at the end of the blog.
We got our stand-up desks! S. and I put them together ourselves, which was a pretty fun teamwork activity. ;-D

Quest # 18: Exercise

The goal is three times a week, and I made it more like two times a week.... With work keeping me late and on weekends (and sometimes out of town), it was a struggle to get myself to carve out time to go to the gym.

Quest # 20: Meal Plan

Did some meal planning, but still not quite up to what my goal is. Got a NutriBullet from my dad for my birthday, so I've been doing some prep for that on Sundays. At least I have a morning drink some mornings. Some other things I've done .... 

.. I made some curry ttoekpokki (카레 떡볶이 - rice cake noodles in curry with vegetables) after talking with one of my dear friends, Natalie. It was a bit jarring to shop at the Korean food market in town. I had so many happy memories of the food I would make or buy there. It was quite the nostalgic rush on the emotions. The dish came out great, thanks to my friend's instructions.

... and some yooboo chobap ( 유부 초밥 -rice with veggies and apple cider vinegar, stuffed into tofu triangle pockets). One of the places I tutored at would often make these for the students to snack on while we were in class. One of my favorite summer foods!

.... I also tried a curried cauliflower cheese soup! I'm not completely sure if I did it right - I feel like I ended up with more soup than the recipe says I should have - but it is yummy. Thanks to my coworker for lending me her soup cook-book, and my little brother for helping with some finishing tweaks to the recipe to make it even more delicious!

... and, with my kombucha batch this month, I tried making some hibiscus flavored bottles, thanks to my friend McNeill for the idea! Apparently someone in her area in Vietnam has been selling kombucha, and hibiscus was McNeill's favorite. It is so tart, sweet, and refreshing! 

Quest # 24: Floss

Again, I averaged about 3 times a week. I'm starting to think this may be the healthy number for me and my gums, since I've noticed if I do a couple nights in a row, my teeth get incredibly sensitive. So, maybe I'll build up to consecutive flossings, but for now, the 'every-other-day' thing seems to be best for my mouth.

Quest # 26: Friends

Had Skype dates with Natalie in Paris, Suh in Daegu (S. Korea), and my monthly video chat date with my group of university friends. I chatted a bit with a few others, and I hope to visit friends in March. 

Coming up next:

Quest # 1: Biographies
March is Women History Month, and I am slated to read Bachelor Girl by Betsy Israel. There are a couple other options though, so we'll see what's available at the library.

Quest # 13: Garden
I've got a solid, general idea of what I want: a raised bed for veggies, out in the yard, and pots of herbs on the back porch. I have everything to start off some seedlings, so, March is it! Let's get this party started!

Quest # 15: House Work - bathroom remodel.
Hopefully it will happen this month. I have a friend who will help with the demo of the existing bathroom, and we have paint and shower tiles picked (basically). Just need a date for our GC and we'll be ready to go on this project.

Quest # 22: Contact Lenses 
It's starting to get sunny and warm, so I'm sure I'll be wanting to wear sunglasses soon. I'm not sure that my eyelids have improved much. I'm not completely positive they are ready to accept lenses again. But I'm mentally ready to have them back in my life (I think, ultimately, I'll need to just save up for surgery).

Quest # 23: Knee
The exercising multiple times a week has really helped (ie I can walk on that leg now), but I'd like to get back into dancing, and I'd like to do a 5k in May. It's time to see a doc about a knee.

and I'll continue with the above Quests-in-Progress!
 

Below are photos from our trip down south I-95 to Charleston, South Carolina. I hope ya'll enjoy!

KJets

South of the Border (theme park? destination area?), just across the NC/SC border, in Hamer, South Carolina

Welcome to the lovely Charleston!

Poogan's Porch - scrumptious American food in a traditional Charleston home 

There were quite a few of the frames on the walls - framed notes and signatures from famous actors, singers, and other public figures who have dined here, at Poogin's Porch.

OMGPleaseComeLiveInMyKitchenChefBenjaminHarris!! QQ

The meal - Mostly made with locally sourced ingredients, and locally brewed beer

South Carolina Aquarium. Stunning architecture!

An old Navy building/post, now a delicious, stylish seafood restaurant 

The Cat Head Basil Lemonade was so delicious!

# 1 Biographies: Negroland, a memoir by Margo Jefferson

Quests in Humanities

February Biography: Negroland, a memoir by Margo Jefferson

   In honor of Black History Month, I picked a biography about the life of a black/African American woman, and I am so glad I did. This is one of those books that changes the way I see the world around me. Even before I finished it, I was already interpreting actions and reactions of people in the news differently - even music and other entertainment. I was seeing through the lens of Margo Jefferson's experience.

   I'll note now: I am sorry if any word choices or opinions offend you, the reader. If you are easily offended, I would advise perhaps not reading further. However, if you choose to continue reading, please understand I write the following with thoughtfulness and respect, with no intention for degradation or slights toward any gender, skin color, or culture.

   This memoir brings the reader along in the experience of a woman of color in america, and especially the tightrope-walk-balance of being a middle-class woman of color. She starts with a brief history of what her parents and their generation lived through, and then began her reflection on her years growing up. Through childhood, college life, and beyond, she talks about her experience, situations she faced, and how society evolved and changed through the years; how society's view of the "Middle Class Negro" (as she says) changed, and how their own view of themselves changed.

   Her struggles were a lot more complex that anything I have experienced as a white middle-class woman. However, my experiences and struggles as a Woman did help me sympathize, appreciate, and put myself in her shoes emotionally. It made me so frustrated and angry for her. So many of the struggles are the same as they were that she is writing about from the 1970's. Isn't that a shame? Like, a crying, screaming shame.

   I wish this was required reading. You're going to be an adult in our society? Here. Read some books about what life is like for people who do not look or act exactly like you, and don't have the same opportunities that you have. Read, and understand.

   To clarify: this book wasn't like some sort of "cure" to my ignorance. I honestly wish I had some friends of color that I felt comfortable talking with them about this book (of the acquaintances and friends I do have, I don't want to impose. Like "mmm excuse me, would you like to be an ambassador and educate me? Pls, thx!").

   One of the things I was sad about when I moved back home, was that I felt like I had stopped being around another culture. I was back in my birthplace and felt like I knew the basics of everything I needed to know about American culture. This book was encouraging: other cultures (than my white, middle class one) are here, I just have to go a bit out of my normal life habits to get into and learn about those cultures.

   If I could talk to someone, I would want to ask: what is that person's experience nowadays? What do they find the most frustrating/unjust? (other than police brutality. I kinda get that one)What things have changed for the better, and what feels like it could be the solution? In the meantime, I'm watching you, Beyonce.

Some Quotes and Topics I Wish I Had a Bookclub to Discuss With:

(unless otherwise noted, quotes are from Margo Jefferson)

     Although trying to warn and prepare us for life in the "real world," our parents often accidentally pass down their own negative feelings and viewpoints to us:
 
"The secret signal which one generation passes, under disguise, to the next is loathing, hatred, despair. And as a result of these, a sense of perpetual violation."

   Although I have not personally experienced as much sexism as my mother or the women before her, I know through their stories. I know the injustices which have happened, and I have taken their anger as my own. Yes, I also have experienced sexism and injustices through men (and sadly, sometimes women). But lately I have wondered how that has fueled a pre-existing distrust, or if my awareness has made me simply more aware of the fact that what they did or said was wrong. Awareness is good, and important. Hand-me-down hurt is not.

  ---------------------------------------

   On page 136 of the book, she talks about seeing black actors on television, in movies, and in plays. There weren't very many. Some roles that they played were shunned and scorned by other members of the middle class, so she learned/memorized that these roles were embarrassing (and anyone nowadays would most likely agree. The writers were not very educated or perhaps did not care too much about dignity).
   I was also watching an old Gilmore Girls show recently, where the mother was heavily making fun of the woman character of the show they were watching - a stay-at-home wife who was unnaturally cheerful and always baking.*  I agree that it is important to understand how damaging these roles are.
   People see these (highly unrealistic/stylized, yet not intentionally comedic?) portrayals, and if it's the only way they ever see that type of person, their expectations of real life can be horribly skewed. A black or Asian man as intelligent, powerful, and sexy? Or a woman of any color in a powerful, main-character role? Or in a role where she is important but her sexual appeal is NOT in anyway the focus? These are not very common things to see still on television. As a result, it is difficult for anyone to envision them in those types of roles.

*On the flip side, I don't think it's alright to make complete fun of some of these stereotypes. What's wrong with a housewife/househusband? Nothing but our own perception. In fact, I think it's wonderful when a partner is able to stay home at least part time and take care of the home and health of the family. This is a phenomenally powerful role which has been largely undervalued.

Chelsea Does : Racism, a documentary/somewhat of a comedy on Netflix

   Yesterday I watched a mini-documentary by Chelsea Handler ("Chelsea Does." a mini-series of documentaries on Netflix) where she discusses and investigates racism. She's a bit...unfiltered... but I thought it was an interesting watch. It definitely had cringeworthy moments, as this Washington Post article covers. But, in one of her interviews, the Native American woman she talked with mentions that when we don't have people like us (you, whoever is watching) on the screen, we sort of become "non-people" or "non-existent" in the imagination of society.  I believe that we need to see positive reflections of ourselves on the screen, in the media, in our entertainment, to help us envision ourselves in various roles and possibilities.

----------------------------------

   She talks about the incredible amount of pressure the middle-class people of color went through. It was so stressful that she says, "in Negroland boys learned early how to die." It was even more difficult for the girls, with so many stipulations on how ladylike, chaste, intelligent and strong they must be.
   During the feminist movement of the '70's, white women had the privilege of expressing their depression and melancholy. White women were able to be "freely yielding to depression, of flaunting neurosis as a mark of social and psychic complexity." which were feelings that were not allowed for a woman of color to express "because our people had endured horrors and prevailed, even triumphed, their descendants should be too strong and to proud for such behavior."
   "We were to be ladies, responsible Negro women, and indomitable Black Women."

------------------------------------

At one point in the book be shows her collection of quotes she related to:

   "I had wanted to compromise with Fate to escape occasional great agonies by submitting to a whole life of privations and small pains. Fate would not be so pacified . . .
   'But if I feel, may I never express?'
   'Never!' declared Reason.
   I groaned under her bitter sternness. . . . If I have obeyed her it has chiefly been with the obedience of fear, not of love."
Charlotte Bronte, Villette
(My note: it's infuriating how unwelcome expressions of anger and hurt are, when we have experienced something unjust. Anyone who hasn't gone through that experience - anyone at the top of the social food chain ::ahem::white men::ahem:: - gets uncomfortable and tells us to be quiet. If we express our hurt too much, they start to shun us, calling us crazy, angry, irrational people)

   "You are you and you are going to be you forever. It was like coasting downhill, this thought, only much much worse, and it quickly smashed into a tree. Why was I a human being?"
Elizabeth Bishop, The Country Mouse

  "I have stories to tell?
   I have cuts and bruises that do not map a course.
Wendy Walters, A Letter from the Hunted in Retrospect
"And none of them are justified unless you find a way to make the story worth telling." - Margo Jefferson
(My note: I have gone through periods where I feel like there is no one who will accept my feelings as justified, unless I can find a way to put it into a more palatable, more interesting and pleasant story. I guess that is always the case, for any situation, but it does make a person feel a little more isolated and hopeless)

---------------------------------

   On Florynce Kennedy, a lawyer, protester, organizer; an activist for civil rights, anti-war, black power, feminism, and gay rights:
 "She used to say something like this:
   When black women tell me feminism is a white woman's thing, I tell them: you've spent all these years, all these centuries, imitating every bad idea white women came up with - about their hair, their makeup, their clothes, their duties to their men. And now, they finally come up with one good idea- feminism- and you decide you don't want anything to do with it!"

   Margo Jefferson writes that "I won't trap myself into quantifying which matters more, race, or gender, or class." that these are all "basic elements of on's living." In the end, it's a question of "How does each matter?" (Not "which matters most?"). As she says,
   "Gender, race, class; class, race, gender - your three in one and one in three."

----------------------------------

   My conclusion: this was very important to read, especially with the Black Lives Matter movement currently, and the recent hoopla about Beyonce and her Black Panthers reference at the Super Bowl. I hope teachers are using material like this in school. I cannot emphasize enough the importance of doing what you can to try to understand people who are not living in your own personal sphere of existence.
   Knowledge is power, and the understanding that comes with knowledge leads to peace.

KJets

https://youtu.be/nVtT4jZM9GA

#14 Compost: Boss 1 Defeated!

Quests for Skills

Boss 1 of the Compost Quest has been defeated, huzzah!

Mom and I put together a compost bin which I ordered off of Amazon (through AmazonSmile, so that my purchase benefits my January charity, Corral Riding Academy). We got a Yimby Tumbler Composter, and so far, I would recommend it.  However....

Sliding door with two, separated compartments for your composting needs.

...the Amazon reviewers were correct: this was a bit of a beast to put together. I'm sorry now that I didn't get pictures of the struggle, but it was real. Part of the problem was that the diagrams and font sizes were so small, but mostly it was because the instruction booklet just straight-up didn't have explanations for the diagrams. Definitely a two-person endeavor.

Isn't it a beauty? -_^

In the end though, it really was fine. It was a good team-building activity for mom and me, and now we have a working, rotating compost bin sitting outside our shed. Let the decomposition begin!

KJets

#3 Tithing: World Wildlife Fund

Quests in Humanities

World Wildlife Fund

This February I have totally spaced on volunteering. To make up for that, I'm making a larger financial donation. Like.... "adopt" a sloth!

The World Wildlife Fund has a donation program where you can help sponsor for various species of animals (124 listed).

Small example of the variety of animals you can "adopt."

My life feels like I'm going at a turtle-pace, so I contemplated sponsoring a tortoise, but ultimately went with a sloth. My "F* It, I'm Going to Run Away" dream is to work on a sloth-rehabilitation farm in Costa Rica, like the Sloth Sanctuary of Cost Rica.

Yay! The donation comes with information about the species, as well as some other goodies.

I have mixed feelings about getting gifts as a reward for donating.

The money used to supply the gifts could and should be used toward extra charity work, and put toward needed things.
However, the gifts they are giving away are (most likely) not as expensive as people may be assuming. Non-profits often get what are called In-Kind donations - gifts of goods or services - from companies. Perhaps in this case from a stuffed animal manufacturing company.
I know this doesn't excuse it. Every penny counts in a non-profit. Admittedly, I'm being selfish.

However....

I'm so super excited about getting this fun swag!!! Ever since I saw Kamala Khan (the new Ms. Marvel, comic book character) has a stuffed animal sloth, I've wanted one as well.

KJets

29th Birthday - Clock is Ticking

The 29th Birthday

The clock has officially started: one year to complete my "30 by 30" quests.

I'm not keen on having too much time to contemplate my birthday - on my birthday - so when family asked what I was doing this year I decided it might as well be a party. I'll get plenty of people around me, helping me think about them and not ponder too deeply on my own existence.

Taking a look through Pinterest,  I found some ideas for making a dreary, cold-weather,  Valentine's-Day-month birthday into a theme of comfy and sweet:  Plaid, gold/sparkles, burlap, and German chocolate cake on a slice of wood.  Sort of "Lumberjane" with sparkles (maybe something more like a gold panner who lives in a forest?...). Yay for utilizing Pinterest! And super yay for family and friends rushing in to help an overwhelmed bday girl put together a party.

My kitty, trying to 'help' me decorate.

So, embarrassingly, I had a bit of a meltdown, right as the first few friends showed up.  I had been rushing around all morning,  trying to get errands done, decorations finished and up, food made, and the house cleaned.  Even with help from family earlier,  at that very moment - prepping the shepherds pie - I was alone in the house and winding myself up into a stressball-frenzy.  As soon as the pie went in the oven,  I put myself in time-out up in my room (with the remains of a bottle of wine). 

Did I want to be stressed on my birthday? Of course not... Then why was I letting all the little things bother me? Did my friends really care if the food was ready immediately? Or that everything is clean and set up perfectly? Nope.  Got no friends like that.  Why? 'cause I'm a lucky ducky with awesome friends.  So, I focused on that. That was the important thing and the reason for the party.
After a couple more swigs of wine and a few deep breaths,  I refocused and was able to have a good time the rest of the night. 

Mom and friends created my dream cake!

I'm hoping that I will generally be able to do that with my life this year. Coming back to live in the US  after over two years abroad,  I have been stressed,  depressed,  and generally miserable.  Like a kid trying to eat her veggies when she's thinking about those delicious cookies she'd rather be eating.  Of course those cookies-of-travel are awesome, and everyone knows I'd rather be participating in them... But I need to try to set them further back in my mind for now. This year I need to learn how to focus on enjoying my vegetables-of-staying-put, and saving money.

Dad made the terracotta campfires come to life! 

Holding on to these feelings aren't doing me any good. They're just letting me live miserable.  I may not want to be here, but I am here. If I do well in the life I have now,  I could work my way into a situation where I can travel again. So! There's plenty to look forward to, if I just do well at paying attention to -  and find the happy things in -  this moment. This time in my life will be good too. 

Without dad's help, we wouldn't have been able to have so many delicious S'mores

So, at 29 I'm going to focus on this: now is a great time to work on myself,  my character and skill sets.  Slow times are meant for recovery and rebuilding,  right? So that's what I'll focus on.  Take a few breaths now,  and I'll get back to living my life. 

After party clean up time

KJets

January Review (Month 1 of Quests)

January 2016 Questing Report

Quests Completed

Quest # 17: Cleanses
Boss 1 and 3 have been defeated (liver and kidney detoxes), but Boss 2 (liver) remains. I only needed to defeat one in order to complete the quest, but I may revisit Boss 2 later this year. Overall this was interesting, and good to know what to expect if I try to do a detox diet/cleanse again (and do them a little more thoroughly).
Reflecting:  I'd like to continue including fresh veggie juices in my diet, and one day a week do a juice fast to give the digestive system a rest.

Quest # 25: Skin care
Created whipped body butter - with organic and all-natural ingredients. Smells good and feels great on my body skin....  But not strong enough for my hands, and a little too oily for my face.
Reflecting: This was a good skill to learn, and I'd like to experiment later to try other types of skin care products.

Quests-in-Progress

Quest # 2: Finances

I've gone through my finances a few times, attempting to understand them and create a budget.  I'm still not entirely sure what I'm spending every month, other than the set amount I have to for bills. Also, my income is stable now, but in a month I will he switching over to commission so.... this budget thing seems like it might get a little complicated. So, I read around a bit, found an especially cool blog post about budgeting apps, and took the leap with Mint.  It seems to be helping me get a clearer big-picture of what's going on. It's been a good first step. 

Quest # 3: Tithing
I did fair on the quest this first month:
Time: I spent half a day with Rebuilding Together,  working on fixing an old deck.
Money: Although I selected Corral Riding Academy, I didn't actually donate this month.  I did,     however,  make them my charity on AmazonSmile.

Quest # 6: Exhibits
I visited the Page-Walker Arts & History Center with my student (is "tutee" a word?). It was originally built in 1868 as a very fancy hotel for passengers of the North Carolina Railroad. The first floor now has rotating exhibits (I really enjoyed the photos that were on display when we went), the second floor seemed to be all photos and art about the history of Cary, North Carolina, and the third floor is a historical museum (which we didn't venture up to see). It was really cool to see photos of people, farms/estates, and old building which townships, neighborhoods, and the roads we drive on every day are named after. My advice to everyone: get to know the history of the town you are living in. It's really probably some of the most fascinating history you can learn about, since you will directly live in its influence every day.

Quest # 11: Photography
Just did some fairly typical photo-taking this month. In an effort to share (and later remember that I did do something) I'm posting the pictures I took of our flowers with some lighting I thought was pretty.
    

Quest # 12: Utilize Pinterest

Used Pinterest to find a recipe for the whipped body butter; for some recipes for meal-planned meals; for getting ideas for this blog; and for saving ideas to later use for my quests. I have been using it in a productive way this month, but have still managed to spend way too much time growing my "Fantasy Art" board (816 followers for that board now though, so that has me pretty stoked!).

Quest # 16: Job Work

Getting a little faster at work, thanks mostly to my supervisor taking the time to sit down and show me how to do the work. Now that I have a better understanding, I think I can get this (wasn't so hopeful in December). Also, we're getting stand-up desks! I'm looking forward to the possibility for more movement while in the office. I can't for the life of me stay awake and focused while I'm slumped over at the typical desk/chair situation. Feel like I'm folding away into an awkward sleep-coma by the end of every day. The new desks have arrived, but I haven't quite gotten the chance yet to set them up. Hopefully by the end of this week... but that's for February's recap.

We are totally going to take our pictures like this now...

Quest # 18: Exercise

The goal is three times a week, and I haven't come close to that goal this month. I had two weeks there that I did nothing whatsoever, because of being too busy with work (staying until 9 or 11 at night), and generally feeling lethargic because of consuming almost nothing but liquids. I also had tried switching things up and did Jazzercise this month (which was fun, but very hard on my knee). I'm not happy with this goal progress, but I don't think I'll beat myself up about it too much since those cleanses won't happen too often. Work however, that will need to be squished around to fit my life. February has been better so far. 

Quest # 20: Meal Plan

Was doing great during the detox diets/cleanses. I would make a bunch of juice every Sunday, and then make another batch halfway through the week. I made a root veggie with kale gratin the following Sunday, and a chicken pot pie (I modified it to be gluten free, and mostly dairy free) the next. So, for January I have done well. February has been off to a rough start though, so we'll see how February's recap goes..

Quest # 24: Floss

Been averaging about 3 times a week, which is about a 300% increase. Not too shabby.

Bonus:

Although not officially a quest (maybe it should be one of my electives?),  I did some quality catch-up time with a old friend this month.  

My little sister from my sorority had a baby shower.  I hadn't seen her since before her wedding, and before I left the country (about 3 years ago),  so it was quite a shock to my memory to see my cute little "Little," preggo and about ready to pop a little baby boy out.  She's looking beautiful; has a perfect, new family house; seems to be doing well in her marriage; and now has a baby due in about a month and a half.  I am so excited for her,  and glad to have her back in my life.  Hopefully whenever I have the money to get a sturdier car,  I'll be able to make the 3-hour journey to see her more often (there is only so much borrowing of your little brother's car one can do). Took some pictures on the drive out to see Little, I went through some pretty rural areas (places which had an equal ratio of gospel/Christian music radio stations to secular stations, and odd little home-made dune-buggy things on the road).

On my way to the baby shower,  I attempted to stop for a hike. Didn't find the ranger station until I was passing it at 60 miles an hour and in a growing need for a toilet,  so a pressed onward to my lunch stop of The Mickey D's. 

On my way to the baby shower -  interesting,  old movie theater. 

Is that supposed to be on the highway...? Or is this a small-town thing? 

Coming up next:

Quest # 1: Biographies
Starting this quest with Black History Month. I will be reading a memoir in which a woman recounts what life was like growing up rich and black in the US.

Quest # 13: Garden
Looking through plant ideas and raised bed plans right now, getting plant ideas from my coworker (who used to work at a nursery), scouring Pinterest for general ideas, and talking garden construction plans with a friend who has home construction experience.

Quest # 14: Compost
Already have a small bin inside to collect kitchen scraps, but plan to purchase a full compost bin for the yard this month, with the help of some points I've earned on my credit card (debt is good for something, eh? -_^ ).

Quest # 15: House Work - bathroom remodel.
Already have picked out some tiling ideas for the shower area, and paint ideas for the walls. Need to figure out fixtures, the vanity, and tiling for the floor. I'm using Pinterest for what (I'm pretty sure) it was originally meant to do, and it's working well.

and... continue with the above Quests-in-Progress!
   
KJets

#3 Tithing (money): Corral Riding Academy

Quests in Humanities

Corral Riding Academy 

So,  I'm trying not to beat myself up about this.
On the negative side: I didn't actually donate during the month of February.
On the positive side: I learned about AmazonSmile,  and have now set it up so that this organization will be getting small donations* every time I buy something on Amazon.com (I plan to  buy a composter this month so voila! I will have accomplished the goal of donating to them,  even though I'll be a bit later than January.  Lol)

Some cool things about Corral:

- They are a non-profit equestrian center (place for riding horses)  that focuses on equine assisted therapy for at risk girls and young women.  They also do some academic and job skills help,  but check out their website for more information

- They were going to lose the farm -  due to the owner of the land wanting to develop it and make a bunch of money,  is what the reason seemed to be -  so Corral needed to buy the land from the owner.  In just three months,  they raised the required million dollars! This organization is well supported by this community :)

I'd like to try volunteering with them at some point.  They have an open house every month,  so maybe I'll try this month. Or March.... When the weather starts getting a little nicer....  But it would be wonderful to be around horses again. Aaaah that barn smell! I'd feel a little out of my relm of abilities if I was asked to help with the girls in some way...  But give me a wheelbarrow and a scooper and I'm ready to clean some stalls!

KJets

*AmazonSmile donates 0.5% of every order placed on Amazon to the charity that you have selected. Do it! An easy way to support a cause that is close to your heart!