Jan 1st

The first day of the new year! I look forward to 2014. I have high expectations for what this year will bring. I really didn't have any set goals that needed completing by the end of 2013 with the exception of one: Get to the 400 word mark on Memrise. Which I successfully did, squeezing in the last few new words an hour before midnight last night. You can see the proof here: www.memrise.com/user/jibroni

So what else did I accomplish this year? Well, since this blog has become mainly a journal for myself rather than anything I write for the benefit/enjoyment of others, I will indulge in some of things I consider successes of 2013.

I can now do 80 pushups in a row. My goal this year is to get to 100. I also installed a pullup bar. I have a calendar plan to reach 20 this year (I can barely eek one out, but in 6 weeks I plan to do 20, yikes!)

I got my K-vocab up to almost 600 words. That, to me, is a huge triumph. I learn a little bit more about Korean and Korea each day. Slowly but surely.

I moved to Korea and have lived here for four months. Actually, it seems longer than that! Life here is pretty cool, tiny apartment and all!

I remodeled an attic into a third floor living space. That was a big deal as I have very little skill in carpentry. From gutting to the bare walls, to insulating, wiring, sheetrock, mudding, tongue and groove, carpet, built in bookshelves, and a sweet drop ceiling section, I learned a lot about what I am capable of and the importance of having good networking skills. The network of connections helped me to get the angles sheetrocked, the windows installed, the chimney removed, the roof repaired, and the trim installed. What a project! I look forward to completing it some day, Lord willing. It's 80% finished. Just need to install the remaining portion of tongue and groove and install the closet at the base of the steps.

I got new life injected into my unfinished novel which is just enough to push me to finally complete it. Which has now become a goal for 2014: finish the book! And get started on the next one!

What are my remaining goals? Well, my goals for Korea come into play, as there is a good chance I will be leaving here this year. If I depart, it will be in August which means I must complete these before then. However, these goals are not necessarily tangible with the exception of one. Here they are in no particular order:

Build Relationships
Study the Culture
Learn the Language
Become Debt Free

I cannot truly determine the successful completion of any of these except the last one. Lord willing, I will pay off my financial aid debt by the time I leave here.

More important than any of these things is my desire for the Lord to change me into His image. The only goal that really matters is to know Him. That goal will continue on every year until I die. Yet, I ask the Lord for specific things to work on in me that he has shown me I lack in. I desire to be less selfish, to have a better understanding of what I want and need, and finally, to be diligent and pursue these things and my destiny as well.

There is one more goal I have but I am too excited at the possibility of it so I'm not going to post it on here. When the day comes, if it does, I will let people know. For now, it's my only secret goal.
Happy New Year!