Some thoughts, seven years (well, minus one day) into the blog:

A lot of things have changed in that time. There have been changes in the larger world (most recently in the news: we have our first African-American president ever). There have also been changes that have happened in my life:

1. I successfully received tenure and promotion at my first "real" job. Unless there is an extreme change-for-the-worse (which I do not anticipate), I expect to stay here a while longer. Maybe even the rest of my career, as odd and possibly-suspect as that is these days.

2. I published part of my doctoral dissertation as a paper in the Journal of the Torrey Botanical Club.

3. I've traveled - for the first time - to the "big city" (Chicago) all by myself to attend meetings. I've gotten a lot better at making necessary arrangements like trying to find a hotel room close to the convention center.

4. I've taken on more responsibility at church, even being an elder (women can serve as elders in my denomination) because

5. I lived through an extremely nasty, and still-occasionally-with-repercussions split of the congregation I belonged to. (The same fall as I was going through tenure stress. Yay.) It felt very much like being at the center of a divorce. It is not something I would recommend as an experience to anyone.

6. Perhaps partly as a result of fall 2003, I started noticing grey hairs. There are more now, of course, but they are fairly well hidden at this point. And truth be told, they are actually white rather than grey, which I kind of secretly rejoice over - one of my grandmothers had white hair and it was very pretty and nice, but I've also seen women with grey hair - that sort of steely grey - and I don't think it would look good on me. So, I'm pulling for the white hair.

7. I had my first-ever crown preparation and installation.

8. I replaced a roof, a hot water heater, and a dishwasher. (And hopefully the next thing I have to replace - most likely my stove, I'm guessing - won't be too soon)

9. I found someone who will machine quilt for a reasonable price and as a result rediscovered my love of piecing quilt tops

10. I lost far too many people who were important to me. But I suppose that's just a part of life.

There's been stuff I've learned to do. (I may add to this list later on)

1. Change out the wax seal on a toilet.

2. Knit a sock from the toe up (this one just recently)

3. Knit a sweater from the top down (the Fibonacci cardigan)

4. Identify (more or less; I'm still not an expert) lichens

5. I've learned to use a digital camera. I'm still not perfect at it and I'd honestly like a smaller, more-megapixels, better model with a good macro lens, but it still does count as something I've learned.

6. I learned a little bit of German but didn't continue with it the way I thought I might.

7. I learned how to successfully make "real" bread (as opposed to bread from the bread machine). I used to over-knead and it would get too dry.

8. (Added) I learned to use the "symbolcraft" symbols for crochet instructions (rather than the line by line instructions) and find I like them a lot better. (I also prefer charts for knitting. I guess I am primarily a visual/spatial person when it comes to things like that - I do better if I can see the "big picture" all at once)

9. I learned some yoga but have not kept up with it. Not enough hours in the day.


There are things I am still learning:

1. To play the piano

2. To be less conscious of/worried about what people think of me

3. To feel less bereft when recognition and popularity pass me by, as they have most of the time

I also find that I have (pretty well, for now at least) come to terms with the fact that I will be turning 40 - which used to be the Official Turning Point Where You Became Old - in just a month now. (Stay tuned, though, there may still be a freakout or two between now and then. I've been saying it to myself a lot, referring to myself publicly as "fortyish" to begin to accustom myself to the idea. But I still reserve the right to at least one little meltdown if I feel I need it).