List of Things I am Excited About

Because there are 6 more months before I have to start preparing for the hibernation and seasonal affective disorder and 6 months of shit that is late autumn/winter in Washington, DC, and because I am fucking terrified of Monday when I start my new job where like, I am answerable to myself and my own productivity and not taking orders but giving them and like, managing things and in charge of things, I am going to distract myself with a list of things I am looking forward to in the coming months!

1. Tonight, because I have not exercised in a week, I am going for a good healthy run and then doing some work on my core directly after work, because it is almost bathing suit season and I have gained ten pounds since the last bathing suit season and this year I’d really like to go to the beach without a few teenagers walking by me pointing and laughing at me in my bathing suit.
2. Tomorrow night I’m celebrating the birthday of my good friend Rob at one of my favorite new spots to hang, the Rockville Ale House.
3. The next night I am celebrating the 22nd birthday of my little baby brother in the company of my family and my mom’s home cooking.
4. Sunday I am organizing my entire life to try and become a morning person and feeling ready to take on a new job in a new city with a killer commute.
5. Monday is my first day of work at a crazy great opportunity of a new job and I’m trying to convince myself to feel ultra crazy ready for it, which is why I’m including it in this list instead of List of Things I’m Totally Terrified Of.
6. Monday night is my first soccer game with the Arlington Co-Ed 8×8 Soccer League on Team Fresh Kicks. WOOO. And for every Monday for 7 weeks thereafter.
7. Tuesday I’m meeting up with a running club in Arlington through the Potomac River Running Store for a 3-7 mile run that I will probably huff and puff for most of but at least there will be peer pressure to not give up too early. If I chicken out of that my work is down the street from a Busboys and Poets at which a book discussion of an amazing book called Half the Sky is happening, and I can’t decide which one I’d rather do.
8. I’m excited to spend time getting to know the Arlington Public Library at which I will be getting a lot of my grad school homework done instead of sitting in traffic for an hour and a half trying to get home during rush hour. I’m excited to do my homework at the library instead of all the distractions of my home.
9. I’m excited that my tax refund came in and I was able to pay off my entire credit card!
10. I’m excited for working hard to produce more work for my Thursday night Writer’s Group Meetings so I’m not always giving commentary but also putting myself out there more than the one time I’ve done so before.
11. I’m excited that on Thursday March 28th I’m going to hear Junot Diaz speak. Look him up. You’ve heard of him. Busboys & Poets.
12. I’m excited that next weekend I’m going to New York City for the weekend to hang out with my friend Jordan, explore the city, maybe do some writing, find some used and indie book stores, maybe hit the MOMA, and see Motown the Musical on Broadway! I’m not much for musicals but it’s MOTOWN.
13. I’m excited for Tuesday April 2 when Elizabeth Strout will be speaking at Politics & Prose and to have her sign my copy of Olive Kitteridge which I haven’t read yet but I am really excited to read and also because I love hearing writers speak.
14. I’m excited for the first 5k I’ll ever run, the Tyson’s Corner Regional Chamber of Commerce 5k Challenge to benefit the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors on Sunday April 7. 7am wooo!
15. I’m excited for Tuesday April 9 when my favorite band Paramore’s new self-titled, fourth album drops. SO EXCITED.
16. I am excited for Wednesday April 10 when my friend Laila who doesn’t know it yet will be cruising around in my car with me blasting it at top volume.
17. I’m excited for Saturday April 13 and a beautiful spring 5-mile hike through Piney Run Reservoir.
18. I’m excited for Sunday April 28 for Paws in the Park with MCHS!
19. I’m excited for an as-yet unscheduled weekend beach trip to Rehoboth with my friend Sam.
20. I’m excited for Saturday May 4 to run the Run for the Bay 5k in support of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation!
21. I’m excited to host a party at my apartment that same night!
22. I’m excited for May 11-13, a Saturday through Monday, when I will be staying at a resort in Tennessee just reading and enjoying summer break because I did not enroll in summer classes for grad school this year.
23. I’m excited that with my new job I get to attend this on May 16-17 and for all the things I will learn and my mind will be opened to.
24. I’m excited for Saturday May 18, not only for the Gaithersburg Book Festival (!!!) but also because THAT NIGHT PARAMORE WILL BE AT THE FILLMORE IN SILVER SPRING and I’m going to be FRONT ROW (I dare anyone to push me out of the way) WITH MY BEST FRIENDS.
25. I’m excited to get up awfully early and bleary the next morning to run the Poplar Springs Animal Sanctuary 5k in Wheaton Regional Park.
26. I’m excited for Wednesday, May 29 when I will be rooting for my O’s at Camden Yards against the Nats in the Battle of the Beltway!
27. I’m excited for Saturday June 8 for the Run, Walk and Wag 5k in Virginia to support Fairfax County Spay/Neuter programs!
28. I’m excited for June 9-23 when I will be at Yale for my Writers’ Conference! I want to make new friends who are like-mindedly passionate about the English language and writing and expression and I want to not be so intimidated by the people there that are ready to get published and get agents and just focus on the workshopping aspect and do the best work I can do.
29. I’m nervous/excited about my lease running out in June – I’ll miss my apartment but it’s a constant reminder of Monster’s absence so I will be moving home for a bit to save up some money to look for a new apartment closer to my new job in Arlington.
30. I’m excited to some time in mid July to start training for either a 10k or a 10-miler.
31. I’m excited for July 20 for the freaking fun./Tegan & Sara concert that me and all my best friends will be in the pit for!!!

And I will stop there because then we are more than halfway to when it starts getting cold and dark and depressing and we will regroup then when we have to.

Yay excitement and optimism!

Tagged: 5ks, birthdays, concerts, excited, looking forward, new job, optimism, paramore, Running, sports, writers