New Years Resolutions

New Years 2011 is the 1 year anniversary for my blog. I started writing here as a fulfillment of one of my resolutions, and I am happy to say I am sticking with it. It is not unlike me to forget about or move on from a project, but besides a summer break hiatus, I am still blogging regularly. In fact, this is my 86th entry, which is a pretty good number in my opinion!

Before I describe my resolutions for this new year, I think I will first discuss the success of last years.

New Years Resolutions 2010
Resolution 1: Start a blog ............ success!
Resolution 2: Read more ........... moderate success! Over the summer a read some, but during the quarters I have been too busy. One of the first things I did on my laptop was download Kindle for PC, and I already have downloaded a lot of free books. Therefore I consider this a moderate success - I did well but I can always do better this year.
Resolution 3: Do more arts and crafts ............. moderate failure. At the beginning of winter break (for the week where I was still in Bellingham) I did do a little bit of arts and crafts. Really, I think that is it for the year. The reason that I am not rating this as an extreme failure is that my attitude towards the resolution has changed. It is a failure because I did not act as my resolution asked - however due to a current lack of desire to do arts and crafts, I am very lenient here.
Resolution 4: Clean and decorate my apartment..... moderate success! I am very happy with the way Rachael's and my belongings blended this summer. The apartment is crammed, and not always perfectly tidy, however it feels like home and has been amazingly clean over the last month. My room is still a work in progress - I did decorate the walls which makes a big difference. In December I had planned to do a deep cleaning of my room - the only way to actually clean it because I just own way too much stuff for my space. I was able to get rid of bags of clothes and junk, and completely cleaned under my bed. Before I got to my closet, the next biggest hassle, the "drama" happened. Therefore, I still have work to do, but I don't feel like I live in a pig sty and instead just see a good project.
Resolution 5: Write ..... moderate failure. I never actually wrote anything this year, though I did think about stories a lot. That is the problem for me - I have the ideas, relatively complex ideas that I think about a lot. Getting it out on paper? That's another story. In all I probably wrote 10 pages worth of a book. I've spent the last couple weeks producing outlines and background information for a new book idea. When I went to go write right now, I ended up coming here instead. We'll see if this resolution has hope to be fulfilled in this new year.
Resolution 6: Cook more.... moderate success! Sandy and I would cook the occasional meal together, and Rachael and I had the same routine when she first moved in. In addition, Karisa and Lindsay come over and make dinner occasionally as well. I won't deny that I eat out of a box the majority of the time and still love a simple meal, but I have cooked a lot more in the last year than years past, and that was the goal of the resolution. Just the fact that I have made Brian's stir fry multiple times is saying something! I want to improve even more, but I am very happy with the effort so far.
Resolution 7: Become accomplished... this one is hard to rate. I haven't played the piano much (albeit a handful of times before Christmas, just so I could play carols), I've only played the flute a few times in the last few months, I've already discussed the success of the other realms within accomplishment... so really there isn't tons here. However - the idea that this resolution represented has morphed. In its origin, it was a desire to do more and be more. I did do a lot this year (like graduating from college), so I want to give myself credit for that. However- this goal will still be on my list this year, and should really be on my list every year. So I didn't do what was intended in making this resolution.... but I was accomplished.... but I still want to be even more accomplished...
Resolution 8: Though only mentioned briefly last year, being healthy was a goal over the year. I think I succeeded at this goal. I walked to and from work everyday for the summer, and I believe that was the biggest factor in making me feel healthier. In addition, I cut out unnecessary treats and desserts, though didn't restrict myself from the occasional yummy food. Also, I tried to incorporate more fruits and veggies, and eat better food, but didn't stop myself from the occasional grease. Basically, I didn't diet, but I just made healthier options. I am very pleased with this method, for I lost about 20 pounds over the year (though I don't keep close record - I just know I lost 20 pounds from my highest weight ever weighed).

One reason that Resolution 8 is on my mind is because I feel like I must have gained at least 10 pounds in the last month. With Thanksgiving, dinner, candy and snacks, I gained more bit by bit. I am okay with that though, as long as it doesn't stay with me forever. Treats are an important part of the holidays, and though I never gorged myself, I didn't deny myself either. Since I had no idea how much weight I had lost this year until half way through vacation when I happened to use my parent's bathroom instead the "kid's" bathroom, I may have lost even more than that (I was already feeling bigger by then).

Losing weight has never seemed so feasible to me in the past. My weight has always fluctuated a bit, and I never really bothered to keep close tabs on it. Sometimes I felt bigger, sometimes smaller, and I never knew if it was real or in my head. I have always rested just above the borderline between "ideal weight" and "overweight" on the BMI chart. Seeing how I could lose so much weight without dieting, crossing that line seems easier than ever. Therefore, that is my first resolution of the new year.

New Years Resolutions 2011
Resolution 1: Shed a few pounds.... It is important to note that I don't believe in dieting or restricting oneself to unrealistic standards, because that just can't last. However, through choosing to walk more and making wise choices, I have hope for a general trend. I never have really mentioned this sort of resolution before, because I fear admitting defeat - so I am going to make a note here: even if I "fail" at this resolution, I am happy where I am now. No, I may not want to gain weight - however where I am - right on the borderline of overweight... it works for me. Having a friend struggle with her health and anorexia makes me realize it even more - I am happy and comfortable in my skin (most of the time).
Resolution 2: Become more accomplished, in a non-pride and prejudice sense..... I want to do more, be more, see more and think more. I want to live a more "real" life. I can become a hermit, staying in my room using my computer. Though I love that as a source of entertainment, and am social through electronic means, I want more. This is a general resolution, and may be addressed again later in more specific resolutions, but the idea is simple. While working at my current job, I want to do a lot, see a lot and be a lot. After I finish here, I want to go have another great adventure in another city and be an even better me.
Resolution 3: Be more social.... In general, I am more of a few close friends kind of person, instead of a lot of acquintances. Therefore, I want to make an effort to hang out with my friends more formally and regularly (that means you too Rachael, even though we live together I want to hang out more!). I want to invite friends over to dinner more (though this is probably where I do best), come spring I want to be out and about, doing things and seeing people.
Resolution 4: Read and write more.... I combined these into one because neither are as important to me as they have been in the past. One thing that I really want to do is take these two ordinary tasks - that could be done by myself in my room - and expand them. On a Saturday afternoon, I want to take a book or my laptop and go to starbucks, and spend a couple hours sipping coffee and reading and writing. I may be doing the same thing I would be doing in my apartment, but I think it will just feel like more if I'm doing it while out and about.
Resolution 5: Cook more... as I suggested, even though I am happy that I'm cooking more than in the past, I could cook even more. It doesn't help that I live with a cooking/baking queen, who is making a gourmet meal every 5 minutes.... :)
Resolution 6: Since I haven't really held anything in in this post (note - weight discussion), I figure I may as well go one step further. I want to put myself out there more - in terms of meeting new people as friends and as more than that. Not to say I want to find a man and fall in love... no, I just want to meet new people. I realize that with my job and my routine, I am just never exposed to new people or new things. Work during the day, come home, maybe hangout with Rachael for a bit, maybe have a friend over, but most likely I just get online and watch movies, play games, read random crap and skype. So, I am finally admitting to the world that I want to meet new people - men and women.

Ok, so once again this is a long post, and I think I will end it here. I had hoped to write before bed (and maybe I still will), but since I've been sleeping in and running to the bus in the morning, maybe I should try and get to sleep before tomorrow starts.

I still have to update you on what it is like to have a JOB and no SCHOOL! Clearly, I have enough time to dabble away on the internet, be introspective, and write really really long posts on a blog no one reads.