Day 1: Measure Your Life in Love

It's the first day of 2008. I decided to close my second blog, What's Next, for a couple of reasons. For one, 2007 ended up so disappointingly after a great start, I was ready to close the year in every way possible. Also, I discovered the answer to the question of my blog title: Change is what was next. I thought it was finally my turn to settle down. Unfortunately, I was wrong.

This has been a day of rest. As expected, the partying went on late into the night last night. I got a couple of hours of sleep last night and have been with my niece all day. Admittedly, not a bad thing in itself, but she can wear a person out.

After today, though, I'm getting into gear. I have some big things lined up in 2008. I'm going to start running again tomorrow. I stopped running when I came down with a sinus infection a few weeks ago, then got a bad head cold. But it's back to business this week. I even bought myself new running shoes to get myself more excited.

I'm also going to get back on a writing schedule. I was doing good until everything fell apart a couple months ago: I was writing for an hour every day after work. I was actually getting work done. Well, as scary as sitting down and facing myself on the page is, I'm going to get back on track with that again. I'm at work on a series of personal essays. We'll see what I can do with them.

I'm also joining a gay softball league this spring. I know... Joseph, athletic? Who woulda thought? But I'm twenty different kinds of excited about it. I was in an intramural softball league ages ago. This could be fun. And getting myself into shape never hurts.

And I'm going to start a couple of volunteer positions. I'll be tutoring again, once a week at the local public library. I'll be assigned a student that I'll work with through the semester. Depending on how things go, I may add another student to my load. I'm also going to volunteer at the local OutYouth center. I miss working with kids. These are both great ways to get back into it.

And, the big one... I'm getting my teaching certification this fall. It's time. I've finally decided to stop fighting the teaching bug. Besides writing, teaching is the one career that I know will satisfy me. I have not given up on the writing. I can still work on that. I just know it's time for me to do this. I've looked into the program at one of the local colleges, and it looks perfect for me. If things work out and I'm accepted into the program, I'll be starting in May and will be in the classroom by August. Then, I'll be certified by 2009. I'll finally be a career man.

So, there's a lot of opportunity waiting for me in the coming year. As much as I'm still hurting over the disappointment of 2007, I know there's much to look forward to. I need to get going because no one's going to do it for me. As difficult as it is, it can only get easier.

As for the title of the new blog, for anyone who's seen the movie or musical Rent, it's from the song "Seasons of Love," where the cast asks how we should measure a year in a life. And the answer: "Measure your life in love." That's what it comes down to. No matter how many times we fall because of it. And the clean layout is just what I need. No carry-over, nothing clouding goals and expectations. In these next 525,600 minutes, I want to grow (finally). I want to get on with things and finally--finally--LIVE. Without sadness. Without regret. Without fear.

Here's to a better year, to a fuller year. Here's to (I don't care how corny this sounds) all our dreams coming true. To finding love that amazes us more than any other has. To dreaming BIG and not being afraid to. This is it. I have paid my dues out the nose. I'm collecting this year. I'm ready for 30 and everything that'll come with it.

Let's all do it.

J