Six months: Reality check

23rd July, 2011 - Posted by admin - No Comments

What sad news there has been in the media this motzash. Signing onto Facebook, my newsfeed was filled with links and comments about the death of singer Amy Winehouse. She was 27 and joins the infamous “27 Club” which includes Brian Jones, Kurt Cobain, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix among others. There were also references to the Norway attacks yesterday. (The more I think about, the more it seems that there are few things more dangerous in this world than twenty-somethings.)

I didn’t realize Winehouse and I were the same age. It’s amazing what different life experiences we all have. I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately. A few weeks ago I started reading Mountains Beyond Mountains about Infectious Disease specialist Paul Farmer and his determination and commitment to treat patients and improve public health in poor countries, especially Haiti. The things he has accomplished over the years and impact he has had on those around him or even not around him, is incredibly inspiring. Reading this book reminds me of a brief period I had in college when I considered getting a Masters in Public Health.

Interestingly, although I didn’t end up doing anything health-related, in a way I have, as most of the companies I’ve been writing about lately have been biotech ones. It is amazing what Israeli companies are working on. However, that is not the point of this entry. The connection between the book and this entry is that it is an additional reminder to think about what I am doing with my life and where I am going. And at the six month mark, it is very appropriate.

What have I done?

The better question is, what have I learned?

One major thing I’ve learned is that having a proper celebration for oneself, whether it’s to mark a birthday, moving somewhere, or even not moving somewhere, is important. My birthday celebration for 27 this year was last minute and casual. I gave it little importance or significance and except for my roommate and Davina, neither did anyone else. I forget if I read it in one of Dale Carnegie’s books or somewhere else, but in the past few months I’ve learned that it’s important to recognize one’s birthday and other milestones because, among other reasons, 1) if you don’t who and why would anyone else 2) it’s a way to show friends that they’re important in your life. 3) if you don’t celebrate the good then all you have is the bad.

I’ve also learned about what it means to be a good friend and to have a friend’s back. I may or may not have first thought about it during a How I Met Your Mother episode. Anyway, I saw from a certain friend her determination and outgoingness to ensure that her friends have proper celebration for whatever the special occasion was. An incident with that friend a few weeks ago made me think of the How I Met Your Mother episode and whether I really could or would have this friend’s back to the same extent, and it’s still something I am thinking about.

This has me re-evaulating my goals and upcoming plans. Regarding goals and plans, thinking over the past six months and what can be expected in the next six months, as with all plans it was more guidelines, and in several instances, things and circumstances have changed. Like a business plan, these goals have offered guidance and reminders and have been tweaked and changed along the way as I try to reach an overall goal, which, in this case is self-improvement.

So, what do I mean? Here’s a breakdown of the list so far, in no particular order.

1. Fall in love. My friends and I recently had a discussion about love. I said that at times this year I have felt that although I once said that “I rather know love and have my heart broken than to never know it at all”, I don’t necessarily feel that way any longer. Looking at this, especially at the point in time, when I wrote it, it seems that I forgot that a big point of the 28 was to put myself out there and make myself vulnerable. To have my heart broken and be rejected again. To take a chance. This is an excellent reminder.
2. Go to China. I told people that this list was made up of realistic and vey likely things and less realistic and likely things. I would give this example as such. In recent weeks I have decided that I really want to go to China, and not only China, but also Australia this year. I am thinking about making this happen at the end of December or in January.
3. Go to Greece. This seems like it will still happen. New plans regarding it to be shared in the coming weeks.
4. Read for at least 10 minutes every day. I have done this almost everyday.
5. Light candles every week. I have done this almost every week.
6. Bake a challah. Hopefully to happen in the next two or three weeks.
7. Find a rabbi. Rebecca is still pretty much my rav. But the rabbi of Yakar is also becoming one.
8. Find a chavruta. Anyone want to learn with me?
9. Smile more in public. I stopped for a while but in the past few days have tried to pick it up more a gain.
10. Break a habit every month. I have created some successfully and others less so.
11. Call a friend every day. Almost every day. I have heard great and less great things from doing so.
12. Go to the kotel once a month. Except for this past month, I’ve gone every month (including twice the previous month).
13. Start a weekly basketball game. Still slowly in the process of doing so.
14. Join an improve group. Went once and need to go again.
15. Go to business school. I have put this off indefinitely. For now, I am learning a lot about business from work.
16. Learn Hebrew. I still have a long way to go. I’ve started reading the newspaper in Hebrew more (for work, almost everyday) and watching Israeli TV shows (Ramzor, The Office).
17. Go jogging once a week. I have instead bought a bike and try to go at least once a week.
18. Volunteer once a month. I have been doing so at least once a month with Etgarim.
19. Go hiking once a month. I have done this almost every month.
20. Spend at least one Shabbat a month in a non-anglo community in Israel. I have done this less often in recent months.
21. Plant a tree. That was the first thing I did.
22. Learn the dance to a Britney Spears or Madonna song. Still figuring out which song to learn the dance to 
23. Write a novel. Thinking about the plot. Although I will unlikely finish it this year.
24. TBA 1. I got a new job.
25. TBA 2. Still to be announced. Although I may have changed my mind about it.
26. Try skeleton. Would still like to.
27. Do something new every Friday. Have done this frequently.
28. Do one thing that makes me happy everyday. This has generally been watching sitcoms.

Posted on: July 23, 2011

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