Goals of the Spirit

I recently read this ah-maze-iiiing commencement address given by Ann Lamott at UC Berkeley. Do yourself a favor.  Read it. It really hit home with me as I continuously catch myself comparing my life to others. Although I know I'm not supposed to this and I try like the dickens to fully live in the present, I often think about how my life is perceived by my peers. And while this is a pretty common occurrence amongst our human race, when I think about how gosh darn silly that sounds, it makes me feel like a muppet.

So I have these goals which have everything to do with my spirit and nothing to do with making cash money millionaires or working at some boring desk job with a fancy title.

1) Break dance without embarrassing myself (or while embarrassing myself, but without feeling embarrassed). 

I go to lessons about once a month. Most of the people in my group are age 7 and they're excellent teachers. I love it every time I go, but don't always make the effort to get my booty on the dance floor, or the basketball court as it is at the Youth Sharing Project. Phil recently took a video of me doing the worm. Still embarrassing. I'll post the one where I look awesome in a few weeks........er, months?  This goal can work one of two ways. I actually learn to learn break dance, or I feel so danged self-confident, I do it any way. Win win.

2) Participate in a flash mob, perhaps using my mad skillz after I accomplish goal #1.

Although I wouldn't mind being able to participate this flash mob, I'm trying to be remotely realistic in this list of goals.  As my only experience with the flute lasted about 3 months and mainly consisted of being grossed out by spit traps and being pimped out Ms Ellison to sell a load of crap to my neighbors to support the band, I won't add symphony flash mob to list. But you gotta see this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gww9_S4PNV0&feature=player_embedded It gave me goosebumps all over and, if I'm honest, I nearly cried.  Feed your spirit and watch.

3) Make some sort of awesome video. 

We have a video camera Phil got for Christmas a few years ago, but I'm not sure its ever been used as we are a pair of mechanical morons to some degree. I'm going to see if I can get that gadget working and then maybe I'll make that magic dancing babies videos I talked about a few weeks ago. (not the weird digital dancing babies videos. real babies.)

4) Spend more time outside, specifically in my hammock. 

Uganda basically has the world's best climate. If there were a beach here, the population would probably quadriplecate.  And with this incredible weather and my gorgeous tropical garden, I spend far too many hours in chock-a-block traffic, at my desk in my relatively dark office, or on my couch watching hours of Enourage (but isn't that Vinny Chase just so dreamy?).  With this blog, I thee pledge, to love and to cherish my most fortunate surroundings, to never again take for granted this tropical paradise, and to get my hiney out-of-doors, in my hammock, with a book. Which brings me to goal numero tano (that's Luganda for 5*)

5) Read more.

Not much to say on this one. Reading is fun. Reading is good. There are approximately 16 cajillion delicious books I have yet to read.

*one of my goals should be to learn Luganda, but it feels too rat race for this list and it is just. so. friggin. hard.

You better hold me to these!

What are some of your goals?

Only fun ones, pah-leeze. I don't want to hear about losing 5 pounds.