Today, while making dinners for two couples that just had their first babies, I had a thought. Wouldn’t it be great just to help people all day? I am a teacher, so that’s what I do, but I get paid for it. Also, I feel like my teaching duties sometimes keep me from helping, hanging out with, or communicating with others–friends, family, and strangers. Sometimes my work keeps me from taking care of me. So, if I didn’t work, what would I do all day? Here’s what I would LOVE to do:

Keep a garden that would feed Justin and me. Donate the rest. Cut flowers and give to others. Cook for people who are too busy. Keep my house clean. Help others with their laundry, shopping, errands. Write letters, call people, send emails. Take pictures. Tutor elementary, middle, and high school students. Help with Ohana more often. Write letters to Compassion children. Knit scarves, hats, baby booties, bibs, socks, mittens, and gloves for people who need them and just for fun (baby showers, etc.). Read and journal. Volunteer at food banks. Exercise. Take people to coffee or to dinner. Work on my dissertation (at some point). Go for walks. Babysit for tired parents. Travel with a cause: building schools, building homes, teach intensive gardening, etc. Start cleaning out stuff we don’t use/need anymore. Write letters for Amnesty International. Visit family for long stretches of time. Host more get-togethers. Go camping and hiking. Travel anytime.

Can I be a millionaire without working so I can keep my house and afford to give to others?

Is this insane?

I made these for myself in 2007. Let’s see how I did in 2008 and 2007:

finish reading “New Testament and the People of God”: YES–2007
read the Bible (exclusively) during Lent: NO, in either year
look for more opportunities to serve: Yes, somewhat in 2007. In 2008–service projects at Ohana help with this.
visit other churches’ activities to get reconnected with our brothers and sisters in Christ: Yes, somewhat in 2007. In 2008, visited Emerald City Bible Fellowship and working to get connected with Christian coworkers.
sign up for co-rec soccer: Done and done in 2008; Probably won’t during the school year this year.
learn Mandarin Chinese from Lan this summer (keep in practice with my Spanish and Italian, for starters!): No, she moved!
more hiking and camping: No camping, but some hiking—still the same in 2007 and 2008–no camping
knit socks (NO), mittens (NO), baby kimono (Started it), baby blanket (No), baby bibs (YES), and wrist warmers (NO): Wow. I seem to be at a knitting standstill. Baby bibs and scarves seem to be all that I want to do.
run in more 5Ks and 10Ks; run more regularly: Totally didn’t run at all last year (2007). In 2008, I ran a 5K–the Fremont Oktoberfest. This year (2009) I have a treadmill, so I look forward to running indoors.
be more proactive with Mary Kay business: No, but doing OK. I don’t know if this is a goal I have anymore.
become more organized; get rid of several items a week (I hate having so much stuff that I don’t use just lying around!): YES! Doing that this year, too. I REALLY want to simplify what I have.
go to Portland (NO in 2007; went twice in 2008!), Vancouver (YES in 2007), New England/Northeastern States (NO in 2007; Went to NY/DE/PA in 2008), and San Francisco (YES!) with Justin
sing/play french horn again? learn bass (I picked up some in December!) and acoustic so that I am able to play (Not yet….): I am not sure that I will have time to do this, but I do enjoy singing. I will have to have a reason to play guitar or French Horn if I am really going to learn it.
garden (veggies and decorative) YES! I had a great garden this year, and I planted dahlias and other decorative garden plants
have friends over more often for dinner, etc. NO in 2007; Some in 2008, but not nearly enough!
become more professional as a teacher, as far as reading journals (NO in 2007; Yes in 2008), presenting more (YES both years), and getting published (NO in 2007; No in 2008); research PhD programs (YES!) in Science Education or other areas of interest–Accepted in 2008!
blog…with pictures! No….YES in 2008
be more money savvy: Started to become proactive, but we’re not there yet in 2007; In 2008–Started a Budget!!

2008: I did about half of the resolutions on this ridiculously long list, which I count as some sort of triumphant victory. Does anyone actually expect to do all of them?
2009: Looking Ahead: I am fairly optimistic this year when I look at what I set out to do in 2008 and what I want to do in 2009. I have stayed fairly consistent in my goals and with what I want to do in life, whether that is for better or worse. I know now that I have a habit of setting goals that are ridiculous for the year, but for a three year cycle, they aren’t so bad!

Too cute, uploaded by amybaeder.

I’m ridiculously tired, but I wanted to let everyone know I posted pics from the last month on Flickr. This tiny little bunny was one of the many delightfully adorable creatures Dawn and I saw at the Puyallup Fair this morning. Take a look at this photos when you get a chance! I’m off to bed.

Later….

My Harvest, uploaded by amybaeder.

I think a lot about food in a time where people shouldn’t have to obsess about it because it is everywhere, anytime, and in just about any form one can imagine. Maybe that’s why I think about it so much. I wonder where food comes from, what it tastes like, when it will go bad, who grew it, when I will make it, if we have enough of it at home, and when I will eat it. I enjoy reading books and articles about where our food comes from because it is something that impacts everyone everyday. I’ve read Super Size Me, Chew on This, Fast Food Nation, Botany of Desire, and The Omnivore’s Dilemma, which have all influenced my views on food, especially industrially-grown food. I’m not a vegetarian yet, but I am definitely interested in locally-grown, sustainable food.

The picture on this page is from my garden–two 4′X6′ beds with peppers, squash, tomatoes, chives, broccoli, carrots, chard, and beans in them. I also have lavender, mint, basil, and rosemary (as well as completely unsuccessful eggplant and lettuce). We have eaten just a few meals from my harvests, but I feel completely connected to my food as a result of having tended these plants since, in some cases, March. Sometimes it’s a little scary for me to eat veggies that I know has been in my yard because I know there is construction dust, exhaust, stray cats, and a resident slug around my food. These are the least of a consumer’s worries, but it’s easier to not know about where our food comes from and to think that it magically appears in our grocery stores than to think of our food as part of an ecosystem.

I know that I will continue to grow my own food as long as I can for this first reason: a connection to my food, an appreciation for how much work goes into growing, say, a carrot, and knowledge of where my food has been.

5% Covered in Ice, uploaded by amybaeder.

This is where I was one week ago today–Snow Lake in the Alpine Wilderness about 60 miles east of Seattle. Justin and I are hoping to hike more often, so we decided to start by hiking on one of the hottest days of the summer–last Saturday. Oh, and about half of the hike was on exposed switchbacks, it was ridiculously crowded with people and dogs, and we didn’t bring enough water. But really, it was a wonderful hike. We saw a snake, a mouse, a pika, chipmunks, and a bear. I got to soak my hot feet in the chilled water of the lake, we got a rigorous workout, and we got to talk to each other for 6 miles (when we weren’t catching our breath). I think our next hike will have to be another one in the Alpine Wilderness, as these are generally June-October hikes. Here’s to the great outdoors!

See Virgil Taste Edamame, uploaded by amybaeder.

I think my cat may be partially vegetarian. Anytime I’m cooking veggies or cleaning fruit, he meows at me. When I take out the compost, he meows at me (because he wants to go out and eat grass). When I work in my garden, he meows at me incessantly.

Not until this week, though, has he had a taste for the soybean. I wanted some edamame and rice for dinner Wednesday before my big bowl-off with Dawn and Lesley. I was also in the middle of doing laundry, so after I ate dinner, I stepped into the garage to put the laundry in the dryer. When I came out, I saw this adorable–although somewhat unsettling–sight. For the rest of the pics documenting this strange event, visit my flickr page. And Virgil…stick to the food in your cat bowl.

Kona Palms, uploaded by amybaeder.

This was supposed to be the sunny side of the island, but it was a bit rainy and cloudy (and VOGgy–volcanic smog) that day. We visited Ali’i drive after our coffee tours. We went to the Farmer’s Market for some fresh mangoes, and we ate burgers at an outdoor table. I got a pedicure in a tiny shop right on the water. Unfortunately, the museum I wanted to see was closed due to earthquake renovations. I’ll remember this relaxing view when my schedule gets hectic and just take a deep breath.

Boardwalk and Pu’u O’o, uploaded by amybaeder.

You know that picture I posted with the lava? See that steam in the background of this photo? That’s what lava-hitting-the-ocean looks like during the day. Theoretically, it would be really easy to drive to that spot because a road does go to that location, but, alas, hardened lava now covers the rest of the Chain of Craters road.

The boardwalk you see surrounds petroglyphs made by ancient Hawaiians. If you click on this picture, you can get to my photostream where there are pictures of the actual petroglyphs.

Fireshower, uploaded by amybaeder.

Rain. Crowds. Trekking across old lava fields for a mile…..we endured all of this to get this picture of new land being created by lava on the Big Island of Hawaii. I wish we could have gotten closer–this was nothing like the pictures I had seen in guidebooks of children crouching down to view glacially-moving lava at their feet–but we did get some amazing video with lightning coming from what seemed like within the lava “splashes.” Despite the effort it took to get to the viewing location, this experience was completely worthwhile–where else can you even get close to seeing this kind of fireworks show?

P7050103, uploaded by amybaeder.

Cute as these shoes are (and they were free, too!), they were the WRONG shoes to wear to trot all around New York City. In this picture, I’m kicking up my feet in Bryant Park, right behind the huge Public Library. After we watched WALL-E on 42nd street, I ended up buying some comfy Sketchers bike-style shoes to replace these. Aaaahhh.