Heidi: Amazon of Awesome

[Heidi]

Abilities

• Green Belt, Six Sigma, June 2012
• Lean Six Sigma, IT, July 2012
• MALS in Philosophy -- May 2016
• Paralegal certification 2015
• Writers Workshop - June 2017, June 2018, June 2020, August-December 2020
• Spirituality Retreat - September 2017
• Certified Mediator - May -September 2017
• Masters in Library Science -- enrolled in 2018, on hold in 2019
• MFA in Creative Writing May 2020
• PhD in Philosophy -- enrolled in 2020
• Learn to knit, especially cables 2010

 

Basic world

• Be debt free other than student loans
• Pay off student loans
• Have one year's basic expenses in a savings account
• Hire a housekeeper
• Get rid of the storage unit (2013, need to do this again in 2021)
• Organize the house 2014
• Open a savings account for each of the children 2014
• Minimalism in the household 2014

Activities

• Research how many miles away food comes from
• Write thesis on stopping AIDS in one generation May 2016
• Present a paper calling for a Fourth Wave of Feminism at a conference April 2016
• Present at Philosophy of the City Conference, Democracy, Libraries, & Justice October 2019
• Present at (online) SAAP Conference on Libraries & Democracy
• Present at an international philosophy conference about the role of public libraries in democracy October 2019
• Publish a work of nonfiction

Body

• Quit smoking 2016
• Quit biting my nails 2015
• Quit Drinking 2015
• Begin Meditation 2015
• Get off anti-anxiety / anti-depression pills Autumn 2015
• Strengthen
• Distance
• Endurance
• Six-pack

Travels

• Scotland
• Yoga retreat in Bahamas / Carribean
• New Zealand, including ale at The Green Dragon Pub (I hear it comes in pints!)
• Venice, including an espresso in St. Mark's Square
• Ireland
• England
• Ancient Incan Ruins
• Christmas in a flat in New York City
• Snow and then spring in Paris
• Summer in Tuscany
• October in Massachusetts
• Summer Hike on the El Camino from Paris to Finis Terra

[Rooks]

That's a potent list! Hope to see you power through this!

[Heidi]

Thanks, Rooks.

I keep adding to the list, and there were several items not on the list that I accomplished this past year that allowed me to Level Up the items here [Green Belt-It certification and Lean certification in Six Sigma].

It's all about keeping with it, and the support of great people.

[Heidi]

As this year draws to a close, I thought I would celebrate the things I have done:

• Purge closets (mine and the children's) of clothes that we don't wear or that don't fit March
  
• Pay off medical judgments April
  
• Go Rock Climbing for the first time ever May
  
• Six Sigma Green Belt-IT Certification June
  
• Lean Six Sigma Certification July
  
• Buy a stash of yarn for knitting projects August
  
• Learn to knit in the round September
  
• Knit a sweater that I can wear October
  
• Begin reclaiming my physical health November
  
• Get a promotion at work December
  

[since1963]

As this year draws to a close, I thought I would celebrate the things I have done:

• Purge closets (mine and the children's) of clothes that we don't wear or that don't fit March
  
• Pay off medical judgments April
  
• Go Rock Climbing for the first time ever May
  
• Six Sigma Green Belt-IT Certification June
  
• Lean Six Sigma Certification July
  
• Buy a stash of yarn for knitting projects August
  
• Learn to knit in the round September
  
• Knit a sweater that I can wear October
  
• Begin reclaiming my physical health November
  
• Get a promotion at work December
  

Heidi,

you truly have been the Amazon of Awesome. When you look back on it you have accomplished more in this past year than some people manage in 2 or 3.

Absolutely outstanding!!! Congratulations! May you be just as awesome in the years ahead.

[rbudding]

Well done! That is an impressive list, those are a lot of languages to learn, and i had a hard enough time learning a basic grasp of spanish haha. I also feel you on the debt free thing. Exactly what I want to do, cause I am right in the middle of crushing student loan debt

[Heidi]

Got rid of the storage unit March 8 2013

love & peace,

Heidi

[Heidi]

Got my paralegal certification in May 2015.

Organized the house in Feb 2014

Opened savings accounts for the kids in Fall 2014.

Radical minimalism and downsizing of possessions February 2014.

[Heidi]

Quit biting my nails in Spring 2015

Quit drinking in April 2015

Got off medication in Fall 2015

Distance and endurance markedly increased spring and summer 2015

[Heidi]

Masters in Liberal studies, concentration in Humanities, Philosophy, Ethics -- May 2016

Quit smoking - April 2016

Radical Minimalism February 2014

Credit card debt to $0 - December 2016

Presented at Graduate Conference - April 2016

Mindfulness Seminar (one day) - January 2016

Hiked over 10 miles of mountain trail - July 2016

Hiked a mountain - June 2016

Walked over 12 miles in one day - June 2015

Got a job -- with benefits and everything! - October 2016

Found a great therapist - July 2016

Began Yoga therapy (at least once a month) - March 2016

Milled my own flour from wheat berries - January 2017

 

 

[Mr.Six]

On 11/21/2012 at 9:14 AM, Heidi ☯ said:

PhD in Folklore

My wife studied international folklore extensively (alongside comparative religion and psych) during her undergrad but didn't have the option to major in that area.  Keep being awesome!

[Heidi]

Just marked off attend a meditation retreat (3 days) -- got back from Sprititual Formation retreat and it was wonderful.

Looking forward to doing it again with the same folks in May, and to keeping in touch each month along the way. Spiritual progress.

[Heidi]

also, this summer has seen some serious momentum in the way forward.

May - first mediation workshop

June- first ever writing wrokshop

June - second mediation workshop

June - applied for MFA in creative writing program

July - first family mediation workshop

July - accepted to MFA program

August - final family mediation workshop

September - orientation to family mediation mentorship

September - first MFA writing submission

September - Made editor of the online articles fort the literary magazine

September - assistant editor, creative non-fiction of the literary magazine

[Heidi]

2017 Index

• January
  • Appeal Court awarded more time with Vivian
• February
• March
• April
• May
  • first mediation workshop
  • Decided that being a mediator was what I wanted to do with my life, and talked about leaving current job.
• June 
  • first ever writing workshop
  • second mediation workshop
  • applied for MFA in creative writing program
  • Moved to Apartment for the summer
  • Employment ended
• July
  • first family mediation workshop
  • accepted to MFA program
  • Lower court removed most of the time I spent with Vivian.
  • Appeal of lower court decision filed.
• August
  • final family mediation workshop
  • finalized paperwork to file for bankruptcy
  • Signed contract for sale with realtor for the house
  • First Credit Counseling
  • Wrote letter requesting formal membership with the Friends of Roanoke (Quakers)
• September
  • orientation to family mediation mentorship
  • first MFA writing submission
  • Made editor of the online articles fort the literary magazine
  • assistant editor, creative non-fiction of the literary magazine
  • Attended Spiritual Formation retreat (3 days)
  • Attended first official Mediator Observation (1/2)
  • Creditors' hearing
  • Second Credit Counseling
• October
  • Attended second mediator Observation (2/2)
  • Applied for disability benefits

 

[Heidi]

2019

 

• January
  • wrote a song
  • it went in a tv movie!
  • Roanoke Regional Writers' Conference 
• February
  • #Night of Philosophy & Ideas
  • Lexington SOPHIA
  • Head Injury
  • Electricity Failure at the Apartment
  • Becker Fellowship
  • Headaches
• March
  • A month of dogsitting
  • No electricity all month (literally powerless)
  • Headaches became Migraines
  • Physical Therapy
  • Emergency Room
  • Acupuncture
  • Presentation at ASPECT Conference
  • Retained Attorney for Workers Compensation Case
• April
  • Inability to drive
  • Birthday difficulty
  • Seizures
  • Assigned a Physiatrist to manage the Care Team
  • No driving
• May
  • Seizures worsening
  • Emergency Room
• June
  • Panic and Confusion worsening
  • Headaches
  • Dizziness
  • Poisonous Spider Bite
  • Resumed work on MFA
  • Founded Roanoke SOPHIA
• July
  • Spider Bite Management
  • Panic Attacks
  • Headaches
  • Dizziness
  • Difficulty with Kathleen, Vivian's therapist
• August
  • MRI
  • Extreme headache
  • Panic Attacks
  • Claustrophobia
  • Lexington SOPHIA
• September
  • Light duty assignment at Roanoke County Administration Building
  • Roanoke SOPHIA
  • Philosophy Twitter
  • Election Twitter
• October
  • Mediation - Workers Compensation Case
  • Presentation at Philosophers & the City Conference, Detroit MI
  • Prismatic glasses
  • Custody Hearing - Vivian
  • Deposition - Workers Compensation Case
  • Twitter Mobilization and Amplification for election
  • Retreat to Light Morning
  • Seizure-free month
• November
  • Philosophers for Sustainability Public Philosophy Team Lead
  • Philosophers for Sustainability Outreach and Social Media Team Member
  • Seizure-free month
• December
  • Sent Lyrics to  Chris & Veronique
  • Submission to PLATO Conference (June 2020, San Diego)
  • Submission to Special Issue of Philosphical Inquiry in Education
  • Dogsitting most of the month

 

 

[Heidi]

It's been a while since I updated the list.

 

These days I'm focused on just being, but there's been some significant milestones along the Way.

 

2020:

EMU Study

A return to smoking

Lockdown half-year in Durham, NC

So much sourdough

Moving everything out of the old apartment

MFA in Creative Writing

The beginning of döstädning

Accepted into the PhD Program

Editor, American Philosophical Association Blog

Extreme isolation

 

2021:

Moved to Loft Apartment

My dad died

Visits with Vivian

A year of dogsitting

Pinball League, and downtowning

 

2022:

Got rid of most everything once I found my birth certificate

Significant reunification with Vivian

Weekly Acupuncture

Started a new Contract Job

A summer of Dogsitting

Parked the Jeep, maybe forever

 

2023:

Contract Job continues

Began Apartment Therapy 

Heart Attack

Found a great therapist

Social relationships

A return to walking

A return to the sauna