No More End Dates! Life is a blank page ready to be written!

So today I was thinking about life and all... it happens sometimes. :) Well, usually every day...I do worry a lot about the future and I had a lot of time to think today cause work was kinda slow. Anyway, I was realizing that this is the first time, in a long, and I mean pretty long time, where I don't know what to expect next in life! I've been in school and a mission then school and work again and then an internship. All those things had end dates! I knew that eventually they were going to end, and I knew what those end dates were! So this is the first time in the last seven years, no wait, 20 years (school always had end dates.), of my life that I don't have an end date. I don't know what's going to happen next, all I know is that I'm working at MyNewPlace.com out here in San Francisco. I enjoy it and I'm excited for the new adventures that await in this unknown, unmapped future, but...it's different. It's kind of exciting too, because now that I don't have homework every night, and I'm not worrying about finding a job, I have time to dedicate to the things I want to pursue. I could take dance classes. I have time to go to the gym. I could start doing my art again, or continue with bookbinding. I can make goals to go places around the city and I can save up for vacations! It's actually really exciting! But I need to change my way of thinking. I've been in this survivor mode for so long that now I'm not yet taking advantage of this new freedom I have! Whoever said graduating is scary, is right, but...there is light at the end of the tunnel, and it's a bright one! I'm so excited to do all these things that I never had time to do before! Okay, so if I'm gonna change my mindset, then I need to first figure out what I want to do with my time, and make goals.

So here's some things that I want to start doing:

• Here in San Fran they have the SF center for the book where they offer bookbinding workshops! Here: http://sfcb.org/ I'm gonna sign up for some of them so I can continue to hone in on my bookbinding skills. :)
• Ballroom dancing: I absolutely love it and I've been missing it since I left Provo! The sad thing is I feel like I've forgotten so many steps already! So I've been looking up some schools out here so I can keep taking classes. Pick School of Ballroom Dancing seems fun. http://www.pickdance.com/ It doesn't seems to be too ritzy! I can't wait to get signed up for some cha-cha, or the tango, or the waltz!
• I want to start drawing and painting again. It's been a while since I've really done anything. For 2 reasons: I was really busy with school, taking Pysch classes, and because honestly I know that I've lost some of the skill I used to have. But the only way to get better again is by drawing, all the time! So I'm gonna make it a goal to do 1 art project a week, whether it be a painting, drawing.
• I want go to Museums around the city! I'm living in one of the most artistic places in the US and I haven't been to a single museum yet! Here's a list of museums I want to go to some are art but others are science museams: California Academy of Sciences,  Exploratorium, University of California Botanical Gardens, Ansel Adams Center, Asian Art Museum of San Francisco, de Young Museum, Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco, Yerba Buena Center for the Arts,  San Francisco Museum of Modern Art
• I'd also like to plan a few trips this year! There are a few places I'd love to go: 1. North Carolina- I want to go and visit my awesome sister and brother in law out in Dudley, NC. I'm thinking in the Summer time I'll go and see all the sights their place has to offer, and all of their beautiful flowered trees! But, maybe I should try for spring in that case, but that's too soon, next spring for sure! ;) 2. Europe! I've never been and I've wanted to go for so long, but I think I'll save that one for next year! 3. New York City, I love it out there, and I've only been once, for 5 days, I'd love to go out there and just explore the Met for hours, it is amazing! Not to mention all the other amazing art galleries! Central Park really is gorgeous! Times Square is so much fun, there's so much to see and do! When I went, I didn't even see the Statue of Liberty or the Empire State Building so those would be on my list. Chris, if you get an internship out there this Summer, expect a visit! :) 
• Cooking, I want to try out all sorts of new recipes. I was always too busy to really cook before, and then when you're a poor college student a long list of ingredients can look quite intimidating. But I want to start experimenting with new things like making my own Indian food, and fun recipes like this one: http://www.evilshenanigans.com/2011/02/chocolate-chip-and-candied-bacon-pancakes-with-nutella-maple-syrup/, or this one, http://www.modernbeet.com/archives/312. Mmm, I actually made my own Thai Curry this Sunday, with coconut milk, and chicken. I've made it a lot, but this was the first time that I mixed my own curry spices instead of just buying the paste. It turned out pretty good, and was very exciting. :) So once a week, I'm going to try a new recipe.

So yeah, those are a few of the things I'm planning on, I've gotta make use of this time in my life, where the only real responsibility I have is to work! It's pretty nice, I'm loving life and hope to progress and improve everyday!