As I cleaned out my old computer this evening, I found an old list that I wrote on April 22, 2010 — a series of goals that I hoped to accomplish in my lifetime.  I usually take to writing such lists in moments of incredible vulnerability, uncertainty, or after eating half a jar of Nutella with a spoon in one sitting.  My goal within the goal list (yes, a meta-goal) was to accomplish at least one item every year.  I now see that many of these goals (most notably #1) are subject to incredible institutional changes that require a coup in the state of Texas led by gays, Mexicans, and/or Gay Mexicans.  Additionally, many of these goals are ongoing throughout my lifetime (see #8).  Oh, excuses, excuses, Jen.

For reference, the red circled numbers indicate goals that have consistently appeared on various versions of goal lists written on napkins, in notebooks, in journals, on history notes, on the back of receipts, on my phone, in several documents on my computer (usually in the middle of a failed attempt to write a paper), and in long e-mails written to myself, usually telling me to get it together, girlfriend, and write your thesis.  And comb your hair!

As of today, I am elated to have accomplished 2 of these goals (“#2:  Run a marathon ‘under 4′” as well as “#12: Go to grad school — only if someone else pays”) and have written in one additional goal (“#16:  Give this list to my children at their college graduation(s) and have it mean something.”).  Aside from the aforementioned, this list has not changed and is still, more or less, everything I hope to experience at some point in my life.

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