A New Year and New Goals

Since it's the start of a brand new year, I thought I'd resurrect my blog.

2012 is supposedly the year that the world will end, but I don't put much faith in that.  I'll continue living like I have many years left on this earth, and if it does end on December 21st, then I'll die a happy woman.  'Nuff said :)

Last year was less than eventful for Mark and me, but you know what?  That's OK!  We haven't had any major upsets, and our lives have been rather "normal" for quite some time.  A little bit of normalcy is nice every now and then.  Still, I was expecting to have been hired by some wonderful environmental company and be well into my career by now.  Of course, things didn't work out that way, and I'm actively looking into other career possibilities, though I'm still applying for jobs in the environmental field.  Last October, I enrolled in online classes to get my real estate license.  I know, I know, everyone's first question is, "But isn't the market down right now?"  Yes, but there are houses selling and now is the best time to buy!!  Homes are SO much cheaper now (especially around here) that people who've never been able to afford to buy finally can.  So, I imagine that I'll do OK if I get into the right office and learn the tricks of the trade.  Plus, even if I sell one house and make $1000 commission, that's $1000 more than I had before!  In my mind, it's worth it.

But why real estate?  Quite frankly, I'm tired of trying to convince others that I'm competent enough to do the job.  I know I'm competent and more than willing to do the tasks, but conveying that to an interviewer is darn near impossible, especially when you're competing with 50 other people who have better qualifications!!  I've applied and applied and applied and have gotten two interviews in the past year and a half.  Talk about FRUSTRATING.  Every day I thank God that Mark has his job at the railroad.  I'm sure if he was a high school dropout working at Del Taco, we would still be living with his parents.  Being in real estate at least gives me the chance to make a name for myself ON MY OWN.  I'll have the backing of an agency, but it'll be up to me how well I do.  If it sucks, I still have my education to fall back on and will continue to apply for environmental jobs.  I won't be any worse off than I am now, right?  Of course, being a real estate agent comes with its own expenses, but hopefully God will provide and I'll be able to support my new career.  My biggest hurdle is my car.  It's a Civic coupe, and I doubt most families would be too happy to be crammed into my backseat while I'm taking them around to different houses.  So, hopefully Mark and I can get some things paid off, which will free up a little extra money for a more passenger friendly car.

Besides work, one of my other goals is to be healthier.  This is already being compromised since we have delicious strawberry cheesecake in the fridge for Mark's birthday.  It's beckoning me as we speak!!  I'm trying to resist, but I'll probably give in a little later tonight :)  Anyhoo, some of you know I've been interested in the Eat Clean Diet.  It's actually more of a lifestyle than a diet, as it recommends we all eat a lot of lean protein (i.e. turkey and chicken) and complex carbs (whole grains, fruits, and veggies).  I was doing very well on it a couple years back and lost about 20 pounds!  However, I love to eat and eventually my eating clean gave way to eating whatever I felt like.  I've managed to keep most of the weight off, but I've noticed that I've become increasingly flabbier since my diet has worsened.  Figures :)  Time to hop back on the eating clean wagon and start exercising again... if any of you are interested, Tosca Reno is the lady behind the Eat Clean Diet, and there are several books (even a couple of cookbooks!) available.  Like I said, I'm not hardcore into it, but if you follow it, it really does help with weight loss!  One of my other motivations for getting into better shape is... Mark and I might be trying for a baby sometime this year -- keyword is MIGHT!  If our finances improve enough, we both agree that it would be a good time to start a family.  I would love to be in fantastic shape prior to getting pregnant so that it's easier to lose that post-baby weight.  I admire those moms who bounce right back, so I'll do what I can pre-pregnancy and during to keep the excess weight off, not only for looks but also for my health!

Another goal is for us to have a written budget.  We'll see how this one pans out :)

These are some of my goals... what are yours?  Happy New Year everyone!!