Review and Resolve: How I Did in 2006 and What I’ll Do in 2007

The one thing that hasn’t been discussed this year are last year’s resolutions (and how well I did with them) and what this year’s resolutions are to be. I have started this year’s resolutions and they are working out well, but let’s document them for posterity’s sake. So that, if I have children, they can see that their mom was just as likely to succeed as she was to fail. I’m not perfect, probable future children, but you damn well better be!

Kidding. I love you, kids. Now go ask your dad for money, Mommy’s selfishly hoarding it.

Let’s review last year’s resolutions, shall we? The goals for 2006 were . . .

1. Run in a half-marathon and full marathon.  Okay, the half-marathon not so much, but I did succeed with the full marathon. I had naively chosen the New York City Marathon as my first, not exactly knowing that you needed to selected to run it. Luckily, I was, because it spurred my running and gave me the greatest running experience I’ve ever had.
2. Lose 10 pounds.  Not so much. Didn’t lose any, but I did get stronger legs in the process of training for my marathon. An employee at my gym tells me I’ve definitely lost weight, but my jeans tell another story—alas, nothing’s really changed.
3. Quit my current job. Good luck was in my corner and I quit my job about three weeks after I wrote this resolution. Even if another job hadn’t come along, I’d like to believe I would’ve stuck to my guns and quit anyway. I hated Dyn-o-mite! With the fiery passion of a thousand dying suns. The fact that it can still engender feelings of murderous rage in me says a lot about that place that gives you nothing but fresh horror each and every day.
4. Find a new job. Resolutions #3, #4, and #5 were all luck, but it happened. Twelve days after I wrote this, I interviewed for my current position. And I love my job, even as I currently sit without anything to do and kind of missing my work buddies (but hey, I get to work out tonight and sleep in my own bed—the exchange is a fair one).
5. Move out of the homestead and preferably out of Michigan. Done and done! I now live in the Washington DC area. I moved at the end of January.
6. See the Royal Shakespeare Company when they come to Ann Arbor, hoping that I’m flying in to see them work their magic. Did it! It was fabulous! Love you, RSC.  IP accompanied me to Michigan, but he did not see the plays—he instead spent time with my family.  How cute!
7. Here’s a tough one: No matter what my rant is on any particular day, I’m going to try to end each blog post with something good that’s happened.  Didn’t happen, but not because of the lack of greatness in my family or IP, or because nothing good happened—it’s because I was so busy with all the new things in my life that I didn’t have time. I could’ve written one good thing every single day, but the fact was, my blog kind of suffered last year. Hopefully I’ll do better this year.
8. Keep a record of the books I read this year, and try to get more books into that record. I did this, and read 27 books last year. Not a ton, but it’s not shabby considering how busy I was (as IP pointed out).  I’m working on my first book of the year, and while it’s going slowly, it’s a good book.
9. Publicize the fact that I’m a damn good editor a bit more. You know, it’s funny, but this also happened even as I shifted into a new position that didn’t really require my editing skills. I’m the go-to person for that kind of stuff nowadays.
10. Last but not least, appreciate my supportive family, appreciate my understanding and very cool boyfriend, try not to take my friends too seriously (since they don’t take me seriously, it seems), and focus on my strengths as a friend, daughter, sister, and girlfriend.  I did do this for the most part, I think.  My friends got to me a bit, but what can you do?  I’m just not on the same page as most of them.

So, you could say that I didn’t do about two, three things on this list—not bad. What’s in store for 2007, though? Behold!

1. Build up some muscle: Over the break, IP threw together a workout routine for me; I’ve been doing it since I got back from Michigan, and while I obviously can’t see results yet, I promise myself I’ll keep on doing them. Additionally, my sister gave me a resistance band that will also help me towards my goals (especially when I travel). We shall see, though!  I want to be relatively fast when I run the Cherry Blossom 10-Miler in April.
2. Spend less money on clothes and other incidentals: I began this resolution in December 2006. I don’t need anymore clothes (my closet is a disaster) and I should save my money. I’m doing great so far; even as I purchase stuff with which to decorate my place, I’m being conservative and saving money. I’ve stopped buying my lunch out each day, which will help my budget and waistline tremendously.  I’m already seeing a minor difference in my bank account, and it’s thrilling.
3. Put money into a retirement account: Given my recent raise and my desire to save money, I’m going to be smart and start putting away money for when I get to retire (who knows when that’ll be, but it’s smart to start saving). I can’t depend on my good-for-nothing probable future kids for support (kidding, probable future kids, you know I love you!).

And that’s it for resolutions. I’m going to be very modest after a tremendous year last year. Other goals I have for myself are another marathon (Marine Corps in DC) and to work hard at work (although it’s quiet now, I know it’s going to get busy and that’s great—I need to continue to prove myself).  This year, I’ll probably settle into a better everyday routine, gain my footing a bit more firmly as a responsible adult (we hope, right?), and enjoy the people around me.  And mojitos!