Day 1 results

Well, as usual life still got in the way of us both completing our entire list, but we both accomplished a lot, and challenging ourselves like this seems to have had a positive impact.  I managed to get to yoga, and to read my 50 pages, but I was too dehydrated when I went to yoga so I spent a good part of the afternoon recuperating and then had to primp for the long ride out to Naperville where I had a lovely pasta dinner with Reilly, his dad, and some family friends.  Reilly took a walk, put in some job applications, cleaned the house, and most importantly started writing.  This is a big milestone as it seems (at least 3 days later) to have provided the initial burst of momentum needed for Reilly to start working on his first novel.  This morning he told me that he has set a daily word goal for himself and a word goal for the complete novel.  If he sticks to his goals he'll have a finished draft in just about a month!  I think so much of his melancholia is rooted in creative frustration, I'm glad he's finally giving himself a way to channel all of that energy.  The couple of pages I've read show real promise (at least to my untrained eye) and I'm looking forward to reading the rest.
As for me, watching him get excited about his writing is inspiring me to get back to my own creative projects, to work on my quilts and maybe (just maybe) to start sketching some dress designs.  I've also started a pintrest board to keep a list of things to do and places to eat in Chicago that Reilly and I can use as inspiration for exploration as the city grows green and warm.  At the moment, I'm feeling optimistic at the moment about what this summer holds for us.  Here's to turning new leaves all around! 

The Eve of a Great Adventure

When I left Los Angeles and moved to Chicago last August for grad school, I promised myself that I would "be" the person I have always wanted and imagined myself to be.  I would be adventurous and outgoing, I would be a dedicated student and spend my free time improving my body and expanding my mind with all that Chicago has to offer.  It was a great plan, and for a few weeks I did exactly that; but then school started.  I struggled through my first quarter to find my rhythm, and as winter set in so did the winter blues.  Seizing the day is always easier when the weather is nice.

Reilly is currently in the process of searching for his big career break, but in the mean time has struggled to feel productive and energized without a regular schedule or things to fill up the monotony that comes with excessive leisure time and a lack of disposable income.

This blog is the result of a bet we set together tonight to challenge each other to be better; to set goals, create structure, and have fun together and independently.  While at the moment we have only set goals for tomorrow, I hope that this becomes something that includes daily, weekly, and monthly goals for ourselves as individuals and as a couple.  Hopefully the outcome is that by holding ourselves accountable to each other and whoever finds this on the web we will both develop better habits and become more like the people we want to be.

Tomorrow's Challenge:
Bet: whoever fails to complete their list buys the next round of sushi rolls

Reilly’s Day	Sasha’s Day
20 minute Walk	Yoga class
5 Job Applications	50 pages min. reading for class
Trip to the Hobby shop	1 hour of Greek review
Write 1 page