My Motivations

I have been thinking (always a dangerous past time) about my blog recently and I realized that most of my entries are very disjoint and random. I write about things that I find interesting and things that I think might be useful for someone else. Although I am not sure if all of my chaotic writings are enough to really make this anything more than a glorified shrine to "all-things-Kate-finds-interesting." Not that creating a shrine is a wasted endeavor, but I would like to think I could add a bit more focus.I have decided to state the purpose of my blog and while I don't plan on changing the topics I write about (since you have to write on things you find interesting) I am going to do a good job specifying categories so at least people can skip and skim to the areas that interest them; and perhaps eventually I will actually separate my content into more meaningful sections.So what is the purpose of my blog?  Originally I started writing because I thought I had things to say people would want to know (so if I had good content and put up ads I would have another source of income).  Then I thought, I need to help evangelize my company and I should share my opinions on technical topics (but I don't want to have any ads because this is really about just having an interesting online presence).  But basically I have just created a lot of posts of which some people may find a few interesting.  The thing is, I think I am pretty interesting and for the most part there is very little about me in this whole blog.  So I am changing my focus a little bit.  I am going to write about myself and my goals.  I am going to use my little internet shrine as a means to track my goals.  And ideally I am going to put some video content up (I work for a video company after all).So this begs the question "What are my goals?"

1. Get rich (while I have no desire to retire early I want to never, ever have to worry about money).
2. Get in shape.  Reach and maintain a body weight that makes me happy.
3. Continue to learn and grow as a person.

How am I doing so far?

1. Well I still watch every paycheck and pay a close eye to my budget.  I grew up poor and my parents didn't teach me much about managing money. When I first graduated from school and got a job I spent every penny I had (and even ones I didn't--thanks to my credit cards). This meant that by my mid-twenties I was in debt (credit cards maxed out and living paycheck to paycheck). Thanks to budgets and changing my lifestyle (and an ex-boyfriend who made me actually sit down and address my bills and spending) I was able to change my financial status and start saving. I also became obsessed with all things finance, and one day I would love to move into that industry. I also left my corporate job about 2 years ago to join a startup. I hope to one day start my own company, and I thought it would be a way to see some of the upside of a startup without being completely on my own (and of course the biggest hurdle was less about risk--I thought I had no good ideas; now I come up with brilliant ideas almost weekly and if I wasn't so committed to where I am at I would leave and pursue one of my own ideas).  So needless to say I am hardly rich, but I feel like I have taken a few steps in the right direction.
2. I was doing much better on this goal a month ago.  I am a huge emotional eater and whenever I get stressed, happy, worried, bored, etc I look to food.  Plus I have a crazy sweet tooth (my favorite food is buttercream frosting).  My weight is currently 129.8 pounds but my goal weight is 115 pounds (I am 5'2" so my weight is healthy, but I feel like I could be in better shape).   I have tried most diets (atkins, zone meal delivery, south beach) but the only thing that works for me is not eating so much.  I also find that when I am happier I eat less.  Currently I am trying to work out 5 days a week and watch what I eat.  I am also trying to be happier (since that seems to have the largest effect on my progress).
3. This is probably the most ambiguous goal of the 3 (since I have clear financial goals, and an actual target weight).  However this goal is probably the most important one.  I am trying to read more (at least one book per month is my goal), I want to work towards pursuing my MBA, and finally I want to learn to be a better friend/partner/daughter/etc.  I need to get more clarity around this and break it up into some distinct goals--but hopefully you get the idea.

I think some people may share these goals (at least a couple of them) but hopefully I will still have lots of great information and people will still find it interesting :)