Manifesto-of-Sorts

The semester starts in a week! THANK GOODNESS! I LOVE GRAD SCHOOL!

(I really, really do.)

I’ve been lesson planning, writing, reading recreationally, and getting my life together. It’s always a fun time when “getting your life together” is on the agenda.

Getting my life together involves errand-running and goal-setting. In this post, I’d thought I’d write down a few goals, even though some aren’t really concrete. Some are super vague, and most you can’t check off a list.

So this reads more like a little manifesto, I think. Unless I’m getting the definition of “manifesto” confused with something else. Oh well.

So. During this school year, this semester, and this life, I vow to…

1. Stand taller, speak louder, and cut I’m sorry and I don’t know from my vocabulary. Or at least limit those phrases to situations that actually call for them.
2. Take failure as it comes and handle it with grace. Accept that it’s a part of the ‘biz and life and everything.
3. Celebrate every victory, big or small. Maybe with some cake (but not too much).
4. Work my you-know-what off every single day.
5. Rest and relax and do what I love every single day.
6. Read for my craft.
7. Read for my enjoyment.
8. Send snail mail to people, because I’ve realized I love writing letters and I want to spread more ink-smeared magic.
9. Smile more.
10. Say, “Yes!” more.
11. Say, “No!” when it’s best for me.
12. Find so much joy in the opportunity I’ve been given to learn and teach and write.
13. Go to [restaurant that is famous in college town], because I feel like it’s essential to the whole experience of living in [college town].
14. Maybe exercise some. (Really, Kaila. EXERCISE SOME.)
15. Take pride in my work, take pride in the process, and take pride in the ideas that pop into my head. Because sometimes I have some good ones.

I hope everyone is having a happy day. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to watch Kids Baking Championship. Baked goods and cute kids = a winning combo for television.

Ha. Okay. Goodbye now.