Carry on.

I’m just about headed to class, so I’ll write a bit more later. Anyway, here’s what it says in today’s Vancouver Province about my Birthday:

If Your Birthday Is Today

Actress/singer Bette Midler (1945) shares your birthday. You’re dynamic and people oriented. You have high ideals and will speak out about your values. You believe that people should treat each other decently. You are generous with your time and your money. You want to make a difference in this world. Important choices face you this year: choose wisely.

Writing this a couple of days late, but I can’t help but feel a little bit melancholy that I’m almost 30. Twenty nine seems so much older than 28 for some reason. One year before the big 30. Some people as young as 29 can get heart attacks. 29 is a prime number. Now I know I’m being ridiculous! 😉

I decided to look back one year ago in my blog. Here’s the entry:

Herb’s 28th Birthday

Looking back, I think I was a little messed up at the time. Feeling sorry for myself most of the time and not doing a thing about it to change my situation. But with the help and support of my family and a lot of God’s help, things have really turned around for me. I completed five coures in School, I got promoted to Operations support at work, Mushroom is now employed full time in a career she enjoys. “Old man” is in Motessori school. We’re actually saving up and getting out of debt too. It won’t be long until we can afford our own place, small as it may be.

Last year, the train left the station. This year, the train is slowly but surely chugging along getting to the destinations that it was meant to.

Here are the highlights of my 29th year.
“Mushroom”:
To be honest, I don’t know what my life would be like if it hadn’t been for her. I’ve done so many stupid, crazy and funny things in the past year, and yet she’s still beside me, ever patient and always kind to me. I am so greatful and thankful that she decided to marry me. Now that we’re both working, things have been challenging. But we’ve been able to change together and make sure that we’re on the same page.

“Old Man”:
I see a lot of myself in him… the impatience, the lack of concentration, pickiness in eating… But I also see the joy, the unconditional love and the raw intelligence just waiting to break out of him,. He’s almost a little “me”… almost, but not quite. I love him and I hope that he will grow up to be a fine young man. I hope that he will avoid the mistakes that I’ve made, and choose the right. I hope that he will be smarter than me, that there will come a day where he can outwit and outsmart his Dad. He is a lot more coordinated than I was when I was his age.

“Capilano College”
Last year, my schooling was headed nowhere. But this year, I had the opportunity to complete five courses! I love my program and I really like the school. Sure, it’s not UBC or SFU, but Capilano was the only college willing to take me as I was and give me a new start. Just one more year, and I’ll figure out whether to transfer to SFU or not. It’s been difficult at times in school, but this time around, I know where I’m headed and I know that I will not only finish, but make something of myself because of this degree

“My Work”
After three years in technical support, I’ve been promoted to Operations Support. It doesn’t translate to an increase in pay that much, but I’m learning so much. It’s nice to know that my company has decided to invest in me and accomadate my goals so I can finish my education. This time last year, I was afraid of being laid off. But now, I feel a lot better about where I am. We moved to a downtown building too! Good food!

“Hawaii”
All that studying and all that time apart can really fray your nerves. Going away with Mushroom to a tiny, quiet island on the Northwestern portion of the Hawaiian islands can sharpen you up a bit.

Things I would like to do on my 30th year
I’m going on 30, so I want to start of this decade with a bang. I hope that I can make this year, one of the best years of my life. So here are a few things that I want to do this year:

“Capilano College”
Complete 10 courses (30 Credits) this year. It’ll cost a bit of money and a lot of time. But getting through 25% of my courses next year will really put me ahead of my goal to finish my education by 2008. I was able to handle three courses last term, so I’m going to try to stretch it to four per term, with two, possible three courses in the summer. I know I’m really pushing it, but life is just too short to be spending the best years in a classroom for too long. The sooner I’m out of here (with a degree of course) the better.

After the summer term is over, I’ll look into transferring into SFU in January 2006. They told me that If I complete 30 credits with a B average, then I’ll be admitted! But I like Capilano too!

“Get back to 180 lbs”
I weigh 210 lbs at the moment… got it all back ever since the doctor told me to stop doing the Atkins diet. I just need to stop eating out and exercise on a regular basis. Now that we’re working downtown, I’m looking forward to the spring where I can go jogging at stanley park. Goal: Fast food free for this year! Think I can do it?

“Complete 2 OT Institute manuals, read Triple combo.”
I could make excuses that I had school and I didn’t have time to read them, but really… I have no excuse to not read my scriputres on a regular basis. With me taking the bus, I’ll definitely have the time to read them. Family home evening – I need to start doing that on a regular basis.

Well… I think that about covers this year. It’s doable. I just need to put the effort into it.
Happy birthday! This year is going to be a good one!