1. Photography: Learn more. Do more. Take a class.
Update: I am happy to have done quite a few photo shoots this year! I am looking forward to taking more formal classes but there's definitely something to be said for getting out there and really just trying things out. I still have a lot to learn but I am more comfortable behind the camera and look forward to learning more in 2011.
2. Start a garden: Big, small or in between. I just need to do this. Even a small herb garden will make me happy, and I think the satisfaction of having some food items go from this land to our table will incentivize me to do more.
Update: No updates since September for obvious reasons. But the herbs, tomatoes, hosta and primrose are in the pot/ground (respectively).... check this one off!
Update: I am happy to have done quite a few photo shoots this year! I am looking forward to taking more formal classes but there's definitely something to be said for getting out there and really just trying things out. I still have a lot to learn but I am more comfortable behind the camera and look forward to learning more in 2011.
2. Start a garden: Big, small or in between. I just need to do this. Even a small herb garden will make me happy, and I think the satisfaction of having some food items go from this land to our table will incentivize me to do more.
Update: No updates since September for obvious reasons. But the herbs, tomatoes, hosta and primrose are in the pot/ground (respectively).... check this one off!
3. Meet with a financial planner to plan for saving and paying down the 2 loans I currently have. I make enough to do this better than I am right now and I'm already making strides on my own but I do better with a plan and some accountability- and getting that from a professional should do the trick.
Update: Crap. No excuses. This didn't happen. Need to make the phone call this week and get this done! So silly to have put this off.
4. Knitting- I know the basics of knit and purl but there are scores of things I can still learn to make more intricate pieces. So this year I will take classes at the Creative Stitch, a local yarn store, and better my knitting.
Update: I made 2 big steps forward towards my personal knitting goals this year. 1) I learned how to cable! Its not nearly as difficult as I expected. I'm so glad to have acquired this skill. It looks gorgeous. 2) I made a hat! My first knitting-in-the-round adventure and my first top-down technique piece! And it came out great!!
5. Learn more healthy recipes to add to my weekly meal plan list (and get better at meal planning all together-- focusing on eating local and organic as much as possible).
Update: Added roasted beets and brussel sprouts to my diet. Love them both. I can't believe I hadn't eaten them for 29 years. Shame on me. Mostly though I've been eating a lot of my old stand-bys. Come to find out, I like my same old meals... Not sure why I'm surprised by that really.
6. Blog more. I am going to add this to my calendar and set reminders to make sure I keep up with this. This year I want to write more and this blog is a great outlet for that. So it will permanently be on my to-do list :)
Update: 85 posts in 2010, 156 last year. Wow. Miserable failure. Better luck next year.
7. Research new green items for the house- toothpaste, deodorant and hairspray being top on the list right now. I have already switched over many products to items I feel comfortable with. But others are tougher. This year I will make more progress in that area.
Update: No update since September. 2 out 3 ain't bad. Feeling ok about this one.
8. Write up all my notes from the various research I've done on Organics, farming, gardening, the Green Movement into something that's concise and meaningful. I have notes in my notebooks and on the computer... but I need a way to remind myself of all the things I've learned and to keep some sort of visual reminders handy when I'm tempted to buy stuff that I know is not good for me.
Update: This one has fallen off my radar. I know what I've read. I can find it if I need it. No one else is banging down my door for it. If anyone has been waiting for anything, shoot me an email or post a comment and I'll be glad to tell you anything you're wondering about :)
9. Master my Mac! I've already taken 3 classes at the Apple store and have already signed up for another. I have learned a lot but there are so many more cool things I can do with this tool.
Update: No update since September. I'm feeling pretty comfy with this bad boy. Love this machine. Thanks Apple.
10. Cut out soda. {so far so good! i have not had any soda yet this year}
Update: I am still surprised that I don't miss Diet Coke on a daily basis but I don't. I've had a couple diet sprite's here and there, but only on very rare occasions and they probably total a max of 8. And I had a couple lemon soda type things in Europe... but what happens in Europe stays in Europe right? :)
11. Form my 2010 3Day Team- start fundraising early. At this point I'm still finalizing a team name. Once I get that submitted I'll officially be recruiting for fellow walkers who will commit to this with me. Yes, the fundraising seems scary but we can totally do this! I have a lot of great ideas for this year and I'm excited to get the ball rolling.
Update: I raised over $3500 this year! So happy with that number. And I've signed up for Boston in 2011 with a team all ready beginning to form- Tini, Jenni, Ryan and I'm sure there are more that are interested! Our Cheering Station team already has a theme for their stations this year. Let the fun continue.
12. PT Exercises EVERYDAY! {still haven't been great about this thus far} My shoulder is feeling better but in building my strength and retraining my muscles I hope I can avoid the chronic pain I've been having there.
Update: I suck. @PT at least. My shoulder is out of whack. No stretching + oodles of knitting makes Jen a sore girl. I need to be better. No real hope on the horizon. For this I'm finding I have no discipline.
13. Improve photo editing skills. My Mac classes should help me with this. Be it iPhoto or PhotoShop- I'll take advantage of every opportunity to learn what I can about editing.
Update: no update here. There are just not enough hours in the day...
14. Plan out gifts to give throughout the year- PLAN AHEAD. I've already started the list. Now to organize and figure a way to easily track ideas.
Update: This only really worked for Christmas, but that's the majority of my gift-giving and I'm happy with the results in that regard. I made the majority of my Christmas gifts this year and was so pleased to see them opened! There is such huge satisfaction in that. In 2011 I will start even earlier and aim for a higher percentage of handmade. Its so worth it to avoid shopping during the holidays.
15. Purchase coffee (out) no more than 2 times a week. Its not good for me. Its unnecessary. But I really enjoy it. Still, twice a week is plenty. And it will help me to eat out less and save more money. It all comes together :)
Update: I am drinking coffee. I buy it out. At least I use my reusable cup and feel good about that. But I get it 5 days a week. Hey, I'm just being honest. May need to readjust this for next year ;)
16. Make some of my own personal care products(organic, all natural and no artificial-anythings). I've got some recipes and once I price out some items I'll be ready to go. Homemade moisturizer here we come.
Update: This didn't happen. I am still interested in it, but the Christmas handmade gift adventure took up most of the fall. Plus, this one requires buying a lot in bulk in order to get the materials I'd want, so its a big undertaking. I'm not ready yet. Maybe in 2011 I can incorporate this into my handmade gift goal :)
All in all, it felt like a productive year. I bit off a lot. Didn't swallow all of it, but I'm happy with what I've done, learned and achieved. Now here's to the opportunity that lies ahead in 2011.
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