The List of 100 Dreams: Part One

::100 Dreams (Series One #1-25)::

What are your dreams? What are the things you wish for yourself? Where would you really place your time each day if you chose to truly be happy?

After undergoing a year of treatment for a serious illness and reading Laura Vanderkam's 168 Hours, I've been personally challenged over the last year to really think about what I dream about. What in my lifetime would make me truly joyful? If each day is a real gift, am I really living a joyful, challenging, and adventurous life?

In Vanderkam's book, she asks her readers, "What would you like to be doing with your 168 hours?...list as many activities as possible that you'd like to try or accomplish during your life. Cross off the ones you've done, and note how they made you feel." So, here are the first 25 dreams of mine in no particular order. I couldn't cross off the ones I've done. So, I've highlighted them in orange. Ooohhh la...la...


1. Run a half marathon. (Done - FOUR TIMES in Houston during 2003, 2008, 2009 and San Antonio during 2009. There is something absolutely amazing about being able to run 13.1 miles. Loved it!)
2. Finish high school. (Done - 1995 Finish high school, kiddos. Knowledge is half the battle. Being a Pearland Oiler is a unique experience: lived on a 5 acre lot, went to school with some very authentic, funny, and smart people. )

3. Graduate from college. (Done - 1999 Just like being a Pearland Oiler is an experience. Being an Austin College Kangaroo was a very meaningful and significant part of life. I went to school with some of the most fascinating, quirky, and eccentric people. My classmates and professors were also very humble and helpful. My mentors really encouraged me to speak up more, lead more, and serve others more. It was a great place for me to grow, mature, and learn.)


4. Pay off my car loan. (Done - 2010 The best car is a car that runs and has NO car note. I celebrated paying off my loan by throwing a champagne and fried chicken party at Alice's Tall Texan. It was one of my favorite parties: good friends, good Popeye's fried chicken and Veuve Cliquot, and no more car note!)

5. $5000 socked away in an F.U. fund. - in progress

6. Pay of student loans and any other lingering debt. - in progress

7. Six months living expenses saved. - in progress


8. Place of my own. - marinating (Where the heck would I want to live though? I am not really sure. I have the feeling that it's time for me to leave Houston, probably even Texas for sure.)

9. Buy nice mid-century modern furniture. - marinating

10. Finish a triathlon. (Done - THREE TIMES in Sugar Land during 2008, in Pearland during 2009, in Baytown during 2009, and in Pearland during 2011)

11. Travel the U.S. (Done- plenty of times pretty extensively My first trip to the U.S. was Chicago when I was an infant in 1977 and my most recent trips were New York/ Montreal in July 2011 and Austin twice in August and September 2011. Since becoming an American citizen 13 years ago, it's been really interesting to explore so many various parts of the US. I've especially liked Alaska, Hawaii, Bay Area, New York, DC, Chicago, and Miami.)

12. Live in another city besides in Texas or Houston. (ugh! oh lordy! I need to get outta here!)

13. Visit Europe. (Done - Florence, Sienna, and other beautiful Tuscan places. London, Cookham, Paris, Barcelona, Majorca, and Amsterdam. I like traveling. Being able to wander around on foot, bus, metro and seeing how beautiful everyday life is is fascinating to me. My great grandfather is from Peralta, Spain and he moved to the Philippines and started a family. And, I'm also Quebecoise. So, tracing the random European influences in my past, present and future is very edu-taining. *That's educational and entertaining if you don't know that word)

14. Finish a master's degree. - marinating on this big time (Where is the time? Where is the cash money? Sigh!)

15. Pay for my master's degree. - marinating on this big time, too


16. Learn and practice French. - (Done and in progress) I was born in Montreal. So I grew up for 5-6 years hearing the language during my formative years. Took French in high school for 4 years, and I've taken 16.5 hours of French class at L'Alliance Francaise. I've practiced Pimsleur's French I, and I've practiced my French in Montreal twice and Paris once. I also have plans to visit Togo at the end of the year.)

17. Visit the Philippines, and start to understand my heritage. (Done - This was a trip of a lifetime. This country is amazingly beautiful, and I've never met so many humble, cheerful, and happy people before in my life. I finally started to understand who my parents were, what my culture is about, and why I am so uniquely different.)

18. Use my creativity to help others - my art, yoga, self reflection, and spirituality. (Done and in progress - Dabbled in leading yoga with friends and other women in the past. Planned out two stress-free Fridays at my job. Taught an art journaling class in August. I have dreams of creating a women's retreat, leading classes, and book discussions. I'm also thinking about doing volunteer work in the arts.)

19. Practice yoga. (Done and in progress - Since 1999, I've been practicing yoga. I love to visit yoga studios when I travel. I've practiced yoga in Montreal (bi-lingual yoga, yo!), yoga with the sun rising over The City in DUMBO, Tranquil Space in Dupont Circle, in Chicago off of Halston street, in East London at Fraye and in Battersea Park, in Atlanta in a shopping strip with an indie film center and Trader Joe's, poolside at the Hotel San Jose in Austin, Be Yoga next to Lady Bird Lake in Austin, all over Houston at Joy Yoga, Lululemon, Rice, Yoga Ananda, YogaOne, and even on the lawn at the MFAH. Yoga has changed my life on and off the mat.)



20. Visit the beach. (Done and in progress - I've been to the beaches of Hawaii, Philippines, Majorca, Florida, California. And, I plan to visit the beach in Africa.)



21. Live near water/ place with a city and natural excursions. - marinating (You can count living in Montreal since St. Lawrence is nearby.)

22. Return to my birthplace, and see if it jogs my memory. - Done (Thanks to my lovely boyfriend Jacob. He took me there in May 2010. And, I returned this past summer of 2011. I miss Montreal -- le sigh)

23. Get better at rock climbing. - marinating (hmmm... I've improved in TAC class and in my upper body strength. It might be time to try it out again. ROPE has excursions this fall. I am now the queen of military push-ups and I can do one legged push-ups too. Those are super fun.)


24. Weigh between 130 and 135 pounds. - Done and in progress... (I'm doing pretty good especially since I'm walking and biking more nowadays. This range is my healthy and happy range. Hooray!)

25. Eat healthy. - Done and in progress (I think the key to this is to keep things fresh. A few years ago when I weighed a shocking 155 pounds and was a size 10, I joined Weight Watchers and lost 25 pounds over a period of 6 months. Ever since then, my outlook on how to maintain a healthy lifestyle has changed. I was a pretty scrawny kid growing up and I ate whatever I wanted. As a young adult, I was still pretty skinny. I probably weighed about 125 in college and was pretty active. It wasn't until Weight Watchers told me that 1 mile = 100 calories = 1 beer = 2 slices of pizza did I realize that perhaps EATING habits should change. I thought as a runner that gave you a get out of jail free card. But, I've changed my ways for the better.)