2010 is HUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGE!!!!!!!!!!!

So I just read over my goals from last year. 2009 was largely sucky but a lot of good happened too. A recap:

1. I got my service selection in November! I'm going to be commissioned a Marine Corps ground Officer this May.
2. I accomplished Leatherneck and Plebe Summer detail even though I was nervous about both and struggled a lot. But I learned a lot too and that's pretty important.
3. I ran a 22:48 PFT and I never even believed I'd be able to run a sub-24:00. I was so excited. AND I finished the O-Course in 2:00 and I barely thought I'd be able to pass in 4:00!! Last year at this time I couldn't even climb a rope and during Leatherneck I did it 5 or 6 times in a row!
4. I finally made an A in aptitude ranking - now, I think ranking is pretty dumb but it was one of my goals. As a plebe, I never thought I'd ever make an A and I finally did. Granted, I never got my "comments" yet and I'm not looking forward to reading them because usually they're hurtful (your classmates can make anonymous comments about you). I would've finally made Supe's List if my grades didn't drop! Ugh! Irony!
5. I got selected for Company Commander. When I was a plebe, I despised my company so much and I told myself I'd NEVER EVER even consider going up for CC...not that I thought I'd ever get it!
6. I finally detached myself from my ex and even though we're not friends anymore, I don't blame myself for being a terrible human being like I used to. I feel a lot better about this even if it's not great.
7. I finally told Boy how I felt about him and even though it was one of the worst experiences of my life and I nearly puked on him, I knew I had to do it or I'd never be able to just drop it and move on. And, I'm moved on. Great.
8. I had an amazing time during this internship in Quantico. AMAZING. I still keep in touch with everyone.
9. I went to Budapest and Bratislava for Spring Break! WONDERFUL. I went with one of my good friends Kalea - definitely one of my best friends at school - and we stayed with her friend Bethany. We went to a Turkish Bath, ancient Roman ruins, castles and chapels on these gorgeous hills, a Hungarian math class!, and we got there in time for the Spring Uprising celebration...AND I got to touch the Danube!
10. I went to Hawaii with D&B - so fun! We went hiking and scuba diving and even though the team lost, we had an awesome time together during Thanksgiving. We had a *cough* memorable experience at Ruth's Chris.
11. NAVY MANHANDLED MIZZOU! My last Navy football game as a Midshipman and we finally won a Bowl Game! Great times with great friends. I got to see Mission Control!
12. I took like a million people to the ER this year, including one time during a D&B MO to New Orleans (which was pretty fun). Everyone okay, including myself when I had breathing problems (which I still have).
13. I'm better friends with my classmates in my company. I'm a lot happier about this. And I have better appreciation for my other friends, especially in D&B.
14. I was Ops Officer for our Bowl Game and it didn't completely explode in major catastrophe! Never thought I'd be able to do Ops for D&B, let alone for the Bowl Game. It wasn't perfect and I have some good after-action thoughts for next time, but I it a success.
15. I got to go to Chris and Janyse's wedding in Pensacola in August...definitely fun. I stayed with Haylee and it was basically a D&B MO!!
16. I saw this trippy version of Dante's Inferno with Haylee and Shawn and I think Stephen in DC. And that same weekend I went to this Pompeii exhibit at I think the National Gallery of Art with the Italian Midshipmen Club (uh, 4 of us - I was the only non-Plebe).
17. I met some more awesome teachers and role models like Prof Witt and Rabbit an Prof Yetman. And I've realized even more this year what an amazing effect Kim Julka has had on my life and I miss her so much!
18. Saw some great movies like The Joy Luck Club, Jurassic Park, The Deer Hunter, Platoon, Star Trek, Up. No, not all for the first time, but when I saw them this year they really changed me - The Joy Luck Club for the beautiful interpretations of these women's lives and Jurassic Park for the imagination. And I'm starting to get into Star Trek with my mom.
19. I discovered the Brigade Sports Complex and went to yoga with Aubrey (my awesome roommate) and Holly and Jess and the next day went to "play tennis" with Krisandra - FUN!!
20. I finally started a good weight training routine since I took the weight training class which was the best PE class ever. Triathlon next semester.
21. The night I studied for my atoms final, I learned a lot about quantum physics and I finally got that satisfaction I wanted from learning (I've not had that for a while). And I got an A on the final!
22. I saw a modern version of King Lear in DC after my Quantico intership. Weird, but I'm glad I got to see it. Stacey Keach played King Lear. After taking Forms of Poetry with Doc White and a Shakespeare class (I sat next to Chris so it was awesome!), I have a new love and appreciation for Cordelia.
23. I read some good books like Doctor Faustus by Christopher Marlowe, Hadji Murat by Leo Tolstoy, A Hero of Our Times by Mikhail Lermontov, some Chekhov short stories, Gogol shorts stories (they were great!), and good poetry - Tennyson, Eliot, Yeats; I became especially close to "If" by Kipling. I didn't get to finish any of the novels from my Modern British Lit class but I plan to. I'm currently reading Snow Falling On Cedars (I got interrupted since I accidentally left it in Pensacola after Chris and Janyse's wedding) and Till We Have Faces by C.S. Lewis. Also The Book of Three by Lloyd Alexander (I started it around this time last year but left it at school). I got introducted to more Shakespeare even though I didn't get to finish reading any of the plays (Bad Leslie!).
24. NAVY D&B BEAT AIR FORCE!! Woohoo! We had a great show and it was fun to play (as usual) - Batman (I was on vibes), Spiderman (bells), and Superman (marimba). I can't believe I already played my last field show. I'm gonna miss those.
25. Hollis is a plebe now and she's doing well! I'm so proud of her. I miss her - she had to go back to Annapolis early for swim team training.
26. Grant said this past semester is the happiest he's ever seen me. That was one of the best things anyone could have said to me.
27. Gained (or regained) love for some musicians - The Cranberries, Rusted Root, CCR, Foo Fighters, Smashing Pumpkins.
28. Completed my third marathon - and most of it by myself (never thought I'd be able to do that) - and I ENJOYED IT THE WHOLE TIME!! Never whined or cried and I would've beat my time if we didn't stop for Ryan to wait in line for the bathroom, so all around a success!
29. I driving all over the east coast all by myself (and Garmin)! Got to visit Andy in Philly a million times and even that's not enough (miss him too!!!).
30. I had some awesome talks about literature with Rabbit and his family and friends and with Prof Hartley - from Wayside School to C.S. Lewis!!!
31. I understand Gamma integrals! Finally! But with math tables...
32. I'm almost able to integrate! But let's not get carried away...
33. I got into reading more magazines and I like it a lot even though I don't read as much as I'd like to. I'm a proud subscriber of National Geographic (awesome photos let alone articles), Discover, and Military History. I just started getting into The Economist. I'm looking for a good, comprehensive world news source.

Okay so my goals for 2010:

1. Work on my temper and my patience. More like, not let my emotions take over since I CAN be rational.
2. Not WORRY over what other people think of me. It's kinda sad that I have this as a goal because that means I do worry about it and that I've experienced a lot of negativity, but I'd rather be confident with who I am (strengths and flaws) and not get upset about other people. It doesn't mean I shouldn't be concerned since I don't want to be a total douchebag.
3. Read more and read better. It's my goal to finish those books I mentioned before that I'm part-way through, and also to memorize more poetry and keep it in my heart. I was so amazed and moved when Rabbit quoted poetry off the top of his head - "The Indian Upon God" by William Butler Yeats.
4. Draw more and try to paint. Rabbit says you should be going through a ton of sketchpads a year.
5. Play piano more regularly (at all would also be nice!).
6. Improve in Russian rather than to lose it.
7. Gain running competency.
8. Get huge. Not but seriously - maintain my weight training but keep my weight where I want it without obsessing over it like I do.
9. Spend more time with family, even if that means only calling. Also, more time with friends.
10. Not to waste time and to be able to work through exhaustion - just figure out something to do rather than stare at a wall or computer screen.
11. Work out a lot more and more regularly.
12. Get up earlier, go to bed earlier. That's a hard thing since I can't sleep at night.
13. Become closer to God. Pray more, especially as I start and end the day.
14. Be satisfied with what I learn from my classes, hopefully get A's but more important gain knowledge and not to lose that after I graduate.
15. Make this my best year yet - live a fuller life.

Some great challenges this year will offer:

being CC
TBS but especially land nav, the A-frame (I just might die on this), and the E-Course
thermal physics and GR (general relativity taught by a soon-Nobel winner)
getting commissioned - USNA is basically a playground in comparison