New year- new post!!

2014. Sounds really futuristic, doesn't it? The other day I literally wrote 2001 on something. As though that were just yesterday. And then I realized that I was 11 years old then. And holy cow, that was a long time ago! I've kind of changed since then...quite a lot actually. 

So it really is 2014. I'm excited for this year. I think it will hold a lot of challenges (not the least of which is the comprehensive exam I have to pass this summer in order to continue working towards my phD!). But I also think it will be a lovely year for many reasons. Being more settled here in Iowa City after a full year of school means I get to teach Zumba regularly, swing dance at least once a week, know where my favorite coffee shops are and what kind of food to order there...lots of things to be thankful for :)

This year will also include some minor traveling. Lots of trips to and from Chicago (location of Michael's med school....and location of Michael). A few swing dance festivals around the midwest. A conference in Georgia (Cognitive Aging Conference). Hopefully another visit to Michigan (Michael's home state). 

Probably not Europe though. Gotta save up for another trip like that one. Maybe in 10 years ;)

It has been such a long time since I've written a blog post, I feel like I've forgotten how to do it! Most of the time I write for me, in such a way that I first presume no one is going to read it and then later decide it's decent enough to be shared. Right now I just feel like I'm writing a Christmas letter! Maybe that's ok, though. It'll probably be a few years before I write a real Christmas letter. Although this wouldn't be a Christmas letter. It would be a 11-days-post-New Year's letter. (and probably not a very good one, at that) But I do hope these have been a good 11 days for you. 

By the way, one of my resolutions for 2014 is to gain direction and focus for what I actually want to spend the majority of my life doing (no, not just swing dancing or teaching Zumba)...my actual career. I'm torn between feeling like I want to teach Neuroscience (or positive psych, or health psych/neuroscience, or something of that nature) and feeling like I want to be in a lab, writing grants, running subjects, developing projects...but I also have a strong feeling that I really want to work on developing projects that can be implemented in communities- to promote activity, wellness and body and brain health. Can I just do all of them? And also maybe write a book? 

Lofty goals. One step at a time. 

Happy 3rd week of 2014 :)