Happy New Year!

Well friends, it's a new day and a new year. This year I leave my 20's behind and begin the glorious journey through my 30's. I'm not dreading my 30th birthday because I'm not married or because I haven't accomplished what I thought I would by this point in my life. Life has taken me down another path, through a different journey than I would have chosen, but I am happy with where I am and what I have been learning for the last 29 and almost 1/2 years. But there are things I do want to have done before my 31st birthday.

I recently found a journal entry from two years ago and it was a list of goals for myself. I realized I have accomplished most of those: started my MBA, I found myself, found a new job, bought a house, found love, left the past behind and keep moving forward... My last goal, I'm not sure if I can measure this: Embody intelligence, compassion, strength, maturity and grace. I will let those of you who know me judge that.

Well, it's time for a new list of goals for my 30th year. Here they are:

1. Live a simpler, less material life.
2. Get into graduate school.
3. Live healthier.
4. See the world.

I can only think of these four things that I really want to do (oh, and finding a job, but you know...). They are somewhat vague and not concrete. As a dear friend of mine tells me, when you set a goal, you also need to define how you will accomplish that goal.

1. Live a simpler, less material life. For me, this will involve getting rid of things I don't need and don't wear. Shopping less has already become part of my life, but when I find a job, I know that shopping for clothes is going to be one of the first things I want to do. But, I think I will enlist the help of a stylist to help me go throught my clothes and shop more strategically, so I always look my best, but not at a great expense.
2. Get into graduate school. Take the GRE. Research the schools I want to get into. Write essays. Apply.
3. Live healthier. Stop cooking with so much cream and butter! Learn to like veggies and eat more fruits. Work out regularly. Keep going to yoga. Learn to relax and not worry or stress out so much.
4. See the world. I've always dreamed of travelling the world. I've never thought I had the money to do it. And, I've been afraid to do it on my own. Maybe I will have a travel partner and maybe I won't, but I know there are tour groups and other options. God willing I will have a job soon and be able to start this.

Landing a Job Like Getting into Harvard

If Samuel Sherradan is correct, my odds don't look too promising either way (click blog title for article on CNN.com). After finding myself unhappy in my accidental career, I sought the advice of career counselor David Goodenough of the Goodenough Company. He suggested that I was actually an adventurous, free-spirited type. And, he concluded, I was under-educated for my intellect. I kind of like the sound of that. He suggested the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard. I am in the process of applying and studying for the GRE for the second time in my life. But after reading this article by Mr. Sherradan, I wonder if it is better that I sell all my belongings, find a new home for the cats, and wander the world like a vagabond until the job market improves. While trying to comprehend the staggering statistic of 30 million underemployed, discouraged and unemployed human beings in the United States, I discovered what else 30 million stands for:

• 30 million iPhones sold by early 2009
• Google's Chrome browser now boasts 30 million users.
• Firefox gained 30 million users in 8 weeks
• There are over 30 million users on Facebook
• Novartis, a Swiss drugmaker, is sending the U.S. 30 million H1N1 vaccine shots
• 30 million Americans cannot get insurance

Well, I know that sums up my life: I use my iPhone to make calls to recruiters, try to find how I can get affordable health insurance, search for health clinics where I can get the H1N1 vaccine using Firefox, then I update my Facebook status using Google Chrome. Mr. Sherradan, what are my chances of finding a job and getting into Harvard?