I’ve always been a slow learner. How else could have this particular beginning have taken 34 years and change?

Carpe Diem

Mario Valdovinos – Several times between 1991 and 1992

Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. but it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning.

Winston Churchill - November 10, 1942

But 2009 is here! It’s time to move on with all the resolutions implied in reinventing yourself and the bucket list.  It’s like a high stakes poker game; you’ve won some hands and have lost some others but the next big pot is on the table and the other players are all-in; now it’s the time to call the game and see if you had what it takes.

In a way it reminds me when I tested for shodan in Naginata. I was so worried and upset until I realized that all I could do was my best. If I didn’t do my best then none of the stress or harshness with myself would have helped.  So I let go, and you know what, it was one of the best tests I’ve ever taken in martial arts.

Same here.  You did your best, or what you thought was your best, and now all you can do is wait and find out if your best was good enough or not.  It’s not on your hands anymore, which is both freeing and scary as hell.

I’m starting my Kaplan GRE course tonight (1/5/2008) and will take the GRE the week of February 6 (taking it the day after I finish the course…)  I achieved 2/3 of my initial goal: my verbal score is above 500 and the combined score is above 1000. All I have to do is to get the math score above 500 and then to improve both scores to the highest I can get them.

There are so many things that to do. The trick is getting the organized in a way that they can be accomplished. Otherwise I’ll go nuts.

Let’s try ballroom dancing first. There are only so many places where I can learn to tango and I think that’s a goal that is accomplishable in the time I have when I’m accepted to UGA (and yes, I’m keeping up with the thought that I will be accepted).

I may run, no... I will, at least one sprint triathlon before the end of the year.  I think that’s one healthy challenge to strive for and it’ll be fun as heck to get ready for it. As usual, the journey is where I’m concentrating in… whether  you finish first or last is immaterial.

Then let’s see if we can test for ni dan in Naginata in February/March as well

I want to close by referencing Seth Godin’s Blog entry today about goals.  It is tempting never to have goals and to just cruise by life but who wants to do that when the end result is mediocrity?