Accomplishments ~ Your Life as A List

[Daywalker]

For me personally, being home (and not by choice) leaves me in
a state of mind that can make me feel...well, worthless.
:watereyes:

Last month I created an exercise to get me out of that funk.
:vigil:

I made a mental list of all the things in life that I have Accomplished.
:dance2:

:thinking:

So I thought, hey...lemme share this and see if anyone else wants to remind
themselves of all the things they have accomplished thus far in life.
:goodscore:

Anyone wanna share their List?

:glasses:


:daywalker:

[Linus]

Good idea!.. Let's see..

- Edited a book
- Biked long distance over a variety of provinces (Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and PEI) totaling over 15,000 miles over 7 years.
- was a professor
- am a technical trainer
- moved to another country successfully
- lived on my own
- paid off all debt once (and am working on doing it again)
- have run successful blogs
- have published technical security articles online
- have gotten at least 6 technical certifications related to work on my own studying habits (which can be odd)
- started on my road to transition

[Daywalker]

Good idea!.. Let's see..

- Edited a book
- Biked long distance over a variety of provinces (Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and PEI) totaling over 15,000 miles over 7 years.
- was a professor
- am a technical trainer
- moved to another country successfully
- lived on my own
- paid off all debt once (and am working on doing it again)
- have run successful blogs
- have published technical security articles online
- have gotten at least 6 technical certifications related to work on my own studying habits (which can be odd)
- started on my road to transition

Thank you Linus for sharing your List.

I remember hitting you up in Yahoo when you
landed here as an Official Resident!

:danceparty:

:daywalker:

[Sachita]

raised a son into a man
bought, remodeled and sold 5 homes
bought and built hobby farm
Operated several small businesses
Rescued many animals

Still trying to understand the meaning of life. lol

[Leigh]

I love these happy, positive threads :)

Here is My list so far:


~ Started coming out to My family as trans

~ Begun My journey from female to male

~ Graduated with My G.E.D (grade 12 equivalent) in 2006


*It may not be a long list to start, but I'm working on more :)

[Gemme]

I have:

survived a less than stellar childhood and came out no more scathed than anyone else

survived two marriages (and finally learned my lesson!)

like Linus, paid all my debt off....once.....and am working on it again

bought multiple homes with others, but bought and sold my own home as well

graduated college, and want to go back to further my education

moved cross country into the unknown and will do so again

written some really good stories and poems

won an award in 3rd grade for art :artist:

went to State for Advanced Placement Latin III and IV

driven a full-sized 53 foot semi around in a lot (it doesn't sound like much, but it's pretty cool for someone who doesn't know how to drive a stick)

gotten quite a lot of praise for a job well done over the years in the hospitality field

been privileged to have had some really good relationships in my life

[Kobi]

How wonderful to have the opportunity to look back and see what one has accomplished. For me:

1. getting an advanced degree which now sits in my closet collecting dust
2. having a wonderful job for many years which gave me great satisfaction, freedom, and security
3. being able to walk away from that job and the security it provided when my peace of mind and need for simplicity became more important
4. starting over at the bottom and surviving the experience
5. taking a year off to care for my ailing grandmother so she wouldnt have to go to a nursing home.
6. being a published author
7. owning a home and all the headaches that go with it
8. being a self employed consultant
9. simplifying my life and letting go of the need for things
10. being my own person and having the courage to change myself and my life as needed
11. being a field instructor for budding, idealistic social workers....hence the prematurely gray hair
12. finding peace in a hectic and stressful world

[Blade]

Bump and subscribing, will post later

[Heart]

*Co-founded a theater company in the 80s
*Got a graduate degree in the 90s
*Raised a son who is off to college
*Came out (again) at 40
*Studied martial arts and became a self defense teacher for women and queers
*Just celebrated 15 years at a job I'm passionate about
*Recently been published in a professional journal and a queer anthology

[Hack]

Reminds me of an exercise in journalism school -- we had to write our own obit. lol


1. Survived as an obvious queer child in a small, conservative Michigan town (population 4500), even though I never fit in. I survived by constructing my own inner world, and my survival mechanisms.

2. Paid for my own college education because I wanted to be a journalist. My father wanted me in pre-med or pre-law, so he refused to give me a dime. I worked my ass off all summer, every summer, and worked 3 part-time jobs during school and took out loans so I could pay for everything myself.

3. Was the first person on my mom's side of the family to go to college, and graduate.

4. Paid off my school loans before I was 30, and bought my first house that same year.

5. Had the privilege to be a part of history in Michigan by working on the campaign staff that elected the first female Governor in our state's history.

6. Worked 3 years for that governor as her deputy press secretary and speechwriter.

7. Received an award from a state-wide GLBTQ organization as an Advocate for the Community because of my out, proud public service career in state government.

8. I am now chief of an entire division within a department of Michigan state government, working for an awesome boss who is a national leader in her field.

9. I am a great and fun uncle (though they call me "aunt") to two amazing, beautiful three year-old nieces.

10. I saw Europe...well, the Netherlands and Belgium....when I never thought a small-town kid like me would ever travel abroad. Especially after I chose to play it safe after college and stay stateside to work as a journalist when I really wanted to be a war correspondent and photographer in a place far away.

[chefhottie25]

Finished college, and grad school, and culinary school
Have loved some amazing women
Cooked for Stevie Wonder, Billy Idol,and Hillary Clinton(i am a chef)
Got clean and am still clean(18 months)
Learned to live with schizophrenia
Started a thread on another website about schizophrenia
Was assistant editor of my college newspaper
Played lacrosse in college
Repaired my relationship with my little sister
Kissed Shirley Manson(singer in the band garbage)

[Lillie]

Surviving
:praying:

[deb_U_taunt]

I live a life I am be grateful for.
I married my best friend.
I live a simple, peaceful life.
We raised our kids to be adults.
My childhood no longer defines me.

[Gráinne]

My children growing into outstanding young adults, way out in front
Going back to school on my own and graduating
Almost done with masters' degree
Teaching in China for two months
Traveling alone to England (I was meeting friends, but no doubt I could do it on my own)
I am an outstanding teacher
When I worked at the grocery, I asked for and got a promotion to cashier
read War and Peace
won awards for showing horses when I was a kid
competed in chess tournaments

[LaneyDoll]

Ooo, nice topic!

I am going to list a few, in the interest of time. I will probably think of something else later. ;)

* Like Gemme, I survived a less than stellar childhood although I have flashes of memories and a crippling fear of being tickled.

* I am raising, as a single mom, three boys who are turning out to be pretty good kids.

* I have had poetry and/or erotica published on several websites-one sells adult toys.

* I won the volunteer of the year award for the Alabama Chapter of the Make-A-Wish foundation.

* I may have saved a little girl's life, I certainly saved her from very bad head injuries.

* I visualized and spearheaded a fundraising campaign to raise funds for a community member affected by the April tornado that destroyed her home.

* I was on the cover of a magazine (not a major one but it still counts-lol).

* In Aug 2008, I walked alone into the very intimidating world of BDSM. Within a year and a half, my club created a position for me. I now run the special events there. I have had a few people refer to me as "the infamous LaneyDoll."

:sparklyheart:

[Tcountry]

HMMMM WHERE TO START...?
excelled in speech contests in Jr high
Attended multi leadership conferences thru high school
Played volleyball in college for a national championship team
Graduated from college
Have held 1-3 jobs at a time since age 12(if babysitting counts)
Practically raised 2 amazing girls for 7 yrs
Mastered the Delta-T ethanol design...& am the best in the world at running it
Found the most amazing woman to spend the rest of my life with
Studied enough to know how to do almost anything home improvement wise
Discovered the true meaning of acceptance & unconditional

[cane]

Accomplishments:

I've survived this far...

[LadyFlamezzz]

bumpin'

this thread
because I think sometimes people need to be reminded how unique they are and what better way than to list what your life has gifted you thus far :}
:tea:

[Scorp]

Scene Set: Kitchen area at work while folks are getting coffee, etc:

Co-Worker(s): "Good Morning, how is everyone today?"

Me: (with a smile on my face) my response is: "I'm able to sit up and take nourishment".

And of course everyone gets a chuckle out of my response and it becomes a smiling chain reaction. It's always nice to start a day off like that.

I guess this really makes folks think. So in other words be thankful you're alive and able to do the things that we may take for granted, that others may not have the privilege to do. We're blessed in so many ways.

[Gemme]

I have:

survived a less than stellar childhood and came out no more scathed than anyone else

survived two marriages (and finally learned my lesson!)

like Linus, paid all my debt off....once.....and am working on it again

bought multiple homes with others, but bought and sold my own home as well

graduated college, and want to go back to further my education

moved cross country into the unknown and will do so again

written some really good stories and poems

won an award in 3rd grade for art :artist:

went to State for Advanced Placement Latin III and IV

driven a full-sized 53 foot semi around in a lot (it doesn't sound like much, but it's pretty cool for someone who doesn't know how to drive a stick)

gotten quite a lot of praise for a job well done over the years in the hospitality field

been privileged to have had some really good relationships in my life

Since I posted last, I've have some other fantastic things happen to me.

I have been published in an online magazine.

I drove from Washington down to Texas, by myself, and in less than 37 hours and moved via the USPS. On a related note, I survived driving through the lowlands at 3 in the morning and the fog being thicker'n split pea soup. That was pretty darn scary!

I went to the first reunion here last year and met some folks I've wanted to meet for years!!!

I snatched up a pretty awesome guy.

I have gone from being hired on part time to running my own store in six months and 2 days, after being unemployed for 4 months and change.

[Oiler41]

In spite of being a high school drop out, I did get back to school and eventually earned a Bachelor’s and a Master’s degree.

I was the intramural racquetball champion in college in 1981.

I served my country in the U.S. Army. Later, I marched with the uniformed veterans/color guard for the 1993 and 2000 GLBT Marches on Washington.

I have been published in two gay and lesbian publications.

Helped form, and was vice-president of the Mississippi Gay and Lesbian Task Force in Mississippi in the early 90’s and helped the students at the three major public universities there form GLBT student groups.

Worked with the Mississippi ACLU to bring to light GLBT discrimination cases in the state of Mississippi. The victim of one of those cases brought forward ultimately testified before Congress about this.

I designed a refinery turnaround system while working for a very large refining company. Six months after I left the company I was offered a very lucrative consulting position with the same company to show them how to implement that system across all of their domestic refineries.

I bought three houses; still have two of them and inherited five more; so in addition to working, I’ve been remotely managing the rental/repairs of them for nearly four years now. They are in Mississippi and New York.

I’ve stood for justice and doing what is right my whole life. I've slipped here and there a time or two, (I am human!) but I stand solidly on my history.

And best of all, I met the love of my life and married her!

I'm thinking that is it for now!

Glynn

[Sweet Bliss]

let's see, looking backwards with my rose colored granny glasses, (remember those? hee hee hee!)

Graduated high school (drug and alcohol free during the 70's) (major accomplishment, little joke there ya'll)

Won 2nd place in the U.G.L.Y. Bartender contest in Hawaii (fundraiser for MS)

Lived past 30.......ya, whodathunkit?

Lived in Europe for several years, wanna go back...

Discovered Love is possible, and all around me...

Am writing my first of what I hope will be many novels...

learned to give MYSELF an orgasm..... (you have no idea....:cheerleader:)

Found my voice.... Thank you BF community!!

and today..... living in Grace

[Kätzchen]

Life growing up had lots of positive experiences but also had its heartbreak too. I lived with my family on a farm, raised my brothers and sisters, and made sure all the daily chores were done as expected (school work and church stuff too).

Growing up, I was lucky to study piano (for many years). I also loved to sing and dance and be part of an English Handbell Choir.

My young adult life got off to a very rough start (which this has tempered my outlook on life, for years).

Looking to make my life better, I earned two very expensive college degrees but also earned a separate certificate of completion for my long held career in the beauty industry (45 years and still active).

I raised my two sons on my own. They are the loves of my life. My sons are awesome.

Late in life, I lost my dad to dementia and Alzheimer’s, and just last fall my eldest brother (and abuser) passed on, too.

I am very private and guard my privacy as well as I can and to me, that is a really big achievement.

[Stone-Butch]

As a butch teen I was a dawg. So many girls , so little time. I grew up. LOL

I went to nursing school and passed and worked till I injured my back and had to wear a brace for 8 months. But it still has not really healed.

I went to work at a vet clinic for 12 yrs and quit because of politics.
I also went to work at the first Canadian Animal Emergency clinic (in the paper)

That clinic closed and I went to work as a Private Investigator for the OPP.

I left there and went to work at Purolator driving. Reinjured my back.

Went to night school and got my 13, then University for 5 y rs for my Sociology degree, the college for two years to get my addictions papers, my teaching papers so I could teach Sociology or English.

Invited on graduation to join "Just for Today" addictions counselling and retired from there.

I do not cook bad but could not bake to save my soul. I had two real relationships , one for 22 yrs and one for 12. Not up for discussion,

I now live alone in Canada in a one bedroom apt. Life is ok.

[easygoingfemme]

Kätzchen, thank you for sharing. I'm glad that you were able to infuse music and education into your life as you did.

Stone-Butch- what is the OPP? It can stand for so many things.

Mine: Hmmm
I was raised in a basic no frills 70s household. I had a library card and a bicycle and didn't need much more than that.

I graduated high school a year early by doubling up. Then went to community college at 16, then transferred to a 2 year college to get my AAS and then to a 4 year where I got a double BA in Women's studies, secondary education, and English literature. I worked my way through college as a nanny, cook in the college kitchen, and a nude model in an art school in Woodstock. By Jr. year I had good enough grades that I was able to disappear from time to time to follow the Grateful Dead so long as I came back and caught up. I always did and I graduated with honors.

I floated around for a little after that, moved to New Mexico, trained to be a birth doula and assisted with births on a reservation out there. Had my own baby at 23 years old and then moved back to NY with my baby to get settled.

From there I've been invested in not-for-profit work serving women and children. I started as a case manager for teen parents in my city and then was recruited to manage our county domestic violence shelter. I've been with the same not-for-profit organization for most of the past 20 years, minus 5 years I took a break and worked from home as a counselor while homeschooling my daughter and then ended up dealing with cancer. I went back to the same organization in 2017 and grew from a program manager to the director of a massive housing program for women and children in our city. We are about to embark on a multi million dollar housing expansion to double our capacity to house women and children who are homeless due to trafficking, domestic violence, addiction, mental health struggles, and poverty.

My rough patches: In 2015 I was diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer. I had a bilateral mastectomy, chemo, radiation. I think I came back strong from that but it changed me for sure. I was on track working and living my life when my brother unexpectedly died in 2019. We had been on the phone just two hours before his heart stopped in his sleep. That changed me in a deeper way that.. I'll never be the person I was before. He was my only sibling so I dug in deep taking care of his children and my parents.

I got into a relationship soon after that A move of vulnerability and fear. We married in 2021. It was not a good choice. My wife became increasingly mentally abusive and controlling. I became a shell of who I used to be and lived in fear. My health was suffering greatly. I left her in January 2024- a middle of the night bolt with a backpack and a friends house to crash in. Soon after that my parents needed help with my father's worsening health and they asked me to stay with them to help, which I did.

I'm rebuilding from that and am poised to buy my house in the coming weeks. It's just down the road from my parents so I can continue to help but also have my space to take care of myself and find my footing again.

I know there will be more struggles ahead but I'm laying down roots for a stronger foundation. I'm active in hiking and in a local rowing/crew team. I cherish my friends and small family. I'm getting back into art and enjoying slow no pressure creativity.

So that's... the first 50 years.

[Stone-Butch]

easygoingfemme-- OPP is Ontario Provincial Police.

[Orema]

Here are some of my accomplishments.

I walked away from an abusive relationship with the clothes on my back in a city where I knew no one other than the people I lived with. For years I was stuck (avoided) thinking about the 24 hours before I left. Through art and therapy I was able to work through those harrowing hours and now I appreciate the strength and resilience I used to get through that period.

I sold a home, bought a home and made a cross-country move during a pandemic. (cough, cough) :bow:

I took a job as an artwork proofreader, a job no one in the department wanted—everyone wants to create projects but no one wants to meet printers at 6am for press checks or change a hundred trademarks to registration marks. I was more than willing to do that job just to get into this company and that department (I had been a freelance worker with them and a couple other companies). I knew it was a place I could thrive and I did. I had a great career with them for 20 years that allowed to me to express my deep need to analyze, attend to details and micromanage.

Another accomplishment was I proved her wrong. Mrs. Leon thought I was good for nothing more than changing bedpans. I'm good at changing bedpans and a whole lot more.

[easygoingfemme]

Here are some of my accomplishments.

I walked away from an abusive relationship with the clothes on my back in a city where I knew no one other than the people I lived with. For years I was stuck (avoided) thinking about the 24 hours before I left. Through art and therapy I was able to work through those harrowing hours and now I appreciate the strength and resilience I used to get through that period.

I sold a home, bought a home and made a cross-country move during a pandemic. (cough, cough) :bow:

I took a job as an artwork proofreader, a job no one in the department wanted—everyone wants to create projects but no one wants to meet printers at 6am for press checks or change a hundred trademarks to registration marks. I was more than willing to do that job just to get into this company and that department (I had been a freelance worker with them and a couple other companies). I knew it was a place I could thrive and I did. I had a great career with them for 20 years that allowed to me to express my deep need to analyze, attend to details and micromanage.

Another accomplishment was I proved her wrong. Mrs. Leon thought I was good for nothing more than changing bedpans. I'm good at changing bedpans and a whole lot more.


I love your description of being an artwork proofreader. Mrs. Leon can kiss off.