but my grades have lifted my spirits, and I have definite goals for the first time ever

So, I got a 101 on my math test, and a 53,5/50 on a management test. This is incredibly encouraging for one like myself, who hasn't done well in academics since...well the middle of high school.

Why isn't "high school" a compound word as opposed to a phrase? I suppose "middle school" is also a phrase. And "kindergarten" is definitively German.

Sorry, diversion.

Abruptly, I feel inclined to list my goals, in order of Chronological Attainability (c) . I just made that term up. I copyright it.

Short term goals I define as things that I can realistically achieve, if I began preparations tomorrow, within the next 5 years. Long term goals I am defining as things, I could realistically achieve, but probably can't or won't within the limitations of 5 years.

Short term goals:
get a job
set up a daily schedule that allows time for exercise, school, work, the personal endeavor
change my dietary lifestyle
get my car fixed
lose 20 lbs (well really this is a 1 1/2 year goal)
get an apartment
get my Associates Degree
become fluent in another language

Long term goals:
publish a comic
go to school to study Linguistics
lose 80 lbs
buy a house

If everything went totally awesome/secondary goals:
Peace Corp (s.t.)
Bachelor's degree (s.t.)
live abroad (s.t.)
work abroad (s.t.)
have some property (l.t.)
open small animal sanctuary (l.t.)
have a whole line of comics (l.t.)