Triumphant

Since moving home, I've been quite contemplative on new habits I would like to create, mind-sets I want to cultivate, hobbies I want to indulge in, etc. this year.

Last New Years, I made a list of "14 Things I want to do in 2014." The items were fairly small - easy to accomplish yet large enough that I would have to challenge myself and get off my butt. I also made the vow to myself that I would not judge myself based upon completion of the list. That list made it into the recycling bin while I was moving. Some things I remember off it were

1) Swim in the Gypsy Hill Park (one of Staunton's Town Parks) Pool - incomplete

2) Go camping on my own - incomplete

3) Go cross country skiing in West Virginia - complete and it rocked

4) Go to the Purple Fiddle (a hole in the wall bar/music venue in West Virginia) - did twice

5) Learn how to do a head stand without support of a wall - still working on

6) Don't text/call AJ unless he calls/texts you - no comment

7) Run 365 miles - did not track this and I ran a 10 miler and a half marathon so I feel fairly accomplished

8) Go for a long bike ride at least once a month - I should have thought more on this as the winter months really don't allow for it

9) Have at least 14 dance parties (even if it is by yourself) - also didn't count. I bet I made it...

10) drink more kombucha - I did

11) write more poetry - did not, however I did write more creatively

12) I think there was one about going on at least one date or something like that. I think I went on exactly one, ha.

If 13 & 14 come to me, I'll let you know. And there are still three days for me to try and complete some of these items! Not swimming in the pool but I could still camp by myself...does my back yard count?

I plan to do this again in 2015. My hope is that this year's list might be a little wiser from the experience of last year.

Two years ago, I posted New Year's resolution "substitutes" from a woman I follow on Twitter (wow, I don't do THAT any more). In the theme of 2014 reflections, I am writing on one of her prompts

2. List your favorite memories and triumphs of 2014, including the challenges you faced with courage or humor (even if things didn't turn out the way you hoped). Studies show that remembering your strengths increases future perseverance and willpower; and reminiscing about the past increases future happiness.

I am so thankful to have celebrated in the wedding of Gaby and Jake. Our bachelorette was filled with more snow and hot cocoa than initially planned and our friend group is so flexible and happy to be together, it was more than okay that we were not able to fulfill all of our original plans. I'm glad that I made the decision to drive up for the weekend of the bridal shower and share in the memories of us at college and those Gaby's family shares with her. Theresa and John proved on this day as well as the rehearsal dinner that they sure know how to cook and throw a party - there is always love, laughter, and loudness in the Segalla house. Your wedding Gaby, was so close to being perfect. Who cares if the photos don't reflect those memories perfectly - we were all so in the moment, we get to cherish those memories unbiased by photographs. Though, I hope one day to have pictures of all four of us at our weddings side by side somewhere in my house: the yellow dresses, the navy, the ...

Every couple of months or so, I have one of those days that I can't help but look around me, see the

magic, and remind myself of how lucky I am. My last full day in Virginia was one of those days. Despite being stressed about packing and cleaning, I had made plans with the Project GROWS staff. They were ending their work day early at 2:30 to join me at a local winery where one of my friends was employed as the assistant wine maker (he has left for another wine job already). He greeted us, filled our glasses, and started driving us around the 60+ acre estate in a safari truck. We conversed about the history of the vineyard itself, grape varieties, pruning techniques, and the estates weird owners all whilst the sun was setting of course. We then proceeded to the winery where he talked us through the fermenting process, showing us the equipment, steel tanks for the whites, and barrels for the reds. We tasted almost every wine regardless of its stage in fermentation and I got pretty tipsy. If I remember correctly, the 2013 Petit Verdot was my favorite. Jenna, the dd, then drove us back to Staunton where we met our dinner guests for a farm-to-table dinner. Last but not least, we went and got gelato. I made mine a sundae.

One challenge came this Spring when a board member had a strong reaction to an email I wrote. To make a long story short, it was an over reaction, but since she went to the board president with it, I still had to stick my tail between my legs and say that it was "my fault." This is not an uncommon occurrence with non-profit, or probably any, board and just shows you how oddly some people deal with situations.

Making the choice to move from Virginia was also a hard choice. You all saw how hard it was for me to leave New England after each visit and still in leaving Virginia, I was saying goodbye to a job I enjoyed, co-workers I adored, mountains I called home, and friends I hope that I will have forever. Friday, I will start a new chapter in Great Barrington and again John and Theresa (and Johnny) are being wonderful hosts by letting me stay in the upstairs apartment while I decide what I want to do for a living situation - stay there forever or stay there one week (it will definitely be longer than a week).

Share your toys

At a meeting yesterday about forming a council to create "visionary" solutions in the Nashoba region, a woman from Ashburnham made an analogy that just made sense. You know, it was one of those times when you read or hear something an think to yourself: "Now why haven't I heard about this before?!"
This woman works with kids. And we all know that as kids, you must learn to share, to get along with the other children in your class (or at least tolerate them). One child gets time with a toy and if another child wishes to play with it, they either wait their turn or the children use it together. The teacher or parents doesn't immediately go running out the door to buy another of that toy so that both can have one.
Sharing is such an important part of a child's social life and parents and teachers seem to constantly stress this ideal. So if it is such an important teaching while we are in our developing stage, how come it doesn't carry on into our adult life?
Does every house need a swimming pool? A big screen tv with a bluray player? Does every town need its own senior center?
This woman merely pointed out to this room full of people the idea that we as adults can utilize this concept of sharing in developing solutions to our current economic and social problems. We must do it as kids, so why ever stop? There doesn't have to come a time in our life that we forgot that basic principal we all grew up on.