A time to update

Hi,

You may or may not have noticed, but my posts have been fewer than in previous months. In the past few weeks I have been working hard and playing hard, and so I want to take a quick moment to reflect on the past few weeks and the weeks ahead, which will also suffice to update you all.

Last week, my team and I were accepted to present at a Case Competition held by DC Public Schools. This competition is a concrete mark of my interest in education policy. I am so psyched about competing, meeting some education movers and shakers, and spending a weekend in DC. I will also have a chance to see two my aunts, and family is always reason to celebrate.On March 7, I ran my first marathon, and it was everything I imagined. With the counsel and encouragement of JR, Naomi, my dad, and Tracy, I trained right and truly enjoyed the experience. The marathon was in Napa, CA, and Tracy and I took the weekend to enjoy the sites. We rode some of the course the day before and treated ourselves to two nights in a hotel. During the race, I met some really interesting people and didn't bonk. I even managed a negative split (and I stayed in my dad's will by not beating his marathon time).

This semester, Tracy and I have made the effort not to work every weekend. Thus far, we've made it to Tahoe, Orange County, Half Moon Bay, and Napa. Also, I've run a couple races, tried surfing (which I struggled mightily at), spent time with my cousin, and housed a prospective graduate student. I have looked forward to every adventure, and the memories have been more valuable than any monetary cost.

Keeping some of my weekend sacred has done wonders for my productivity. The imminence of the weekend drives me to crunch more hours into the day. It also helps that I'm really enjoying my graduate program-- the learning curve this semester is crazy-steep and I am constantly challenged and stimulated. I feel fully immersed in education, psychology, policy, and sociology...

Looking back, I'm really thankful for the experiences, and I'm evermore excited about the experiences on the horizon. My mother is retiring (more like changing jobs), and I am looking forward to a celebration of her ascent of a career. In April, JR, Tracy, Oliver, and I are riding in the Gran Fondo in Santa Cruz. In May and June, JR and I are riding across the country and then I'm teaching Sociology to highschoolers. It's happening!

--This note may not belong here, but I do want to mention a personal goal for the rest of the semester and year. I want to be more methodical with my organization. I'd like to maintain order, rather than having massive cleaning efforts every week. I am busy, but I think I can save time (and stress) but maintaining some order in my life! That's all for now.

Create your own momentum.