Looking Back and Looking Forward 2010 & 2011

[€uroMeinke]

Remember this thread? How'd you do this time?

Despite obvious fails of reading more and getting back on the Metro, I think I did okay, though I'll probably be working on some of the same issues for 2011 - but I'll have to mull that over a bit before I commit anything to writing here.

How about you?

[BarTopDancer]

• Continue to pay off more debt than I accrue.
• Find a job that isn't sucking my soul out in the most painful way possible.
• Continue to expand my social network. I know it will come as a shock to most of you, but I am painfully shy and it takes extreme effort to talk to new people (in person).
• Continue to expand my creativity venues.

I have succeeded in paying off quite a bit of debt but that was due to the generosity of my parents. I still have a lot to go but it's manageable now, and not crushing.

I found a job that I love, most days.

I have expanded my social network quite a bit. SCORE!

Despite keeping them off LoT, I have continued to expand my creativity venues.

4 for 4!

For 2011:

• I spent most of 2010 in some sort of injury preventing me from really working out. I will go back to the gym and focus on my health.
  
• Continue my education in ways that will allow me to branch out from tech support. So.Over.It.
  
• Travel more, beyond Vegas. Maybe even go see E in F'in UT.

[CoasterMatt]

We did well on the debt side of things, but lost too many near and dear friends and relatives.

[flippyshark]

Last year, I wrote:

I want to do more legit performance this year.

I have a short novel to finish and several music compositions that are so close to being done but too long neglected.

Better time management as well ... Oh good grief, I've got to go or I'll be late on stage!

If by legit performances I meant "not for theme park visitors," well, that's happening right now! (Yay Shakespeare!)

I abandoned the writing of the short novel, probably forever. I'm focusing on shorter pieces intended for a web site I'm also hoping to get up and running this year.

I finished several musical pieces, but not the ones I was talking about a year ago.

Not really any better at time management.


For this year, I hope to:

- figure out why I hate Twitter so much and how I can make it work out better for me
- establish a compelling web presence
- kiss somebody pretty

That's more than enough for a year.

[alphabassettgrrl]

As is normal, I apparently didn't make any public resolutions last year, and I kept all of them.

Not a resolution, but things I'd like to work on: getting out more; getting more organized and decluttering; getting a job.

[Ghoulish Delight]

I hesitate to make any for this year considering the unpredictability a newborn will bring, but boy it'd be nice if I find myself hating work less next year. Whether that comes from reinvesting myself in the current job, or moving on to bigger and better.

Batted a thousand! Even if it did take 7 months or so to get around to it.

I've resolved to not answer the phone when the caller ID tells me its certain coworkers who have a stubborn refusal to use email and instead waste my time with interminable, pointless phone calls. Especially when they wait to place those phone calls until 5 minutes before lunch or before the end of my day. You have email, USE IT!

She got fired not long after I posted that. So that doesn't count as an at-bat since I never had the chance to test my resolve.

As for a new vague, non-committal, non-resolution - I dunno. 2010 quite honestly will stand as one of the seminal awesome years of my life. It makes me want to try to block out the whole concept of drawing a line between years for fear that it'll just seem like I'm starting from zero and trying to somehow match the greatness that was, which is a fool's endeavor. I'm just going to go ahead and ride the wave forward.

[Alex]

Global financial meltdown still has not yet happened so I'm still perfect.

If all goes well within the next couple of days my demotion will become official which would be the culmination of my unofficial resolution.

[Cadaverous Pallor]

It'd be far too easy to say that my resolution for 2010 is to have a healthy baby and do my best by him. I'll expand on that to say that I resolve to find others near us who have begun families and are cool enough to hang out with. I resolve to do my best to not spiral in worry and perfectionism over my kid, but also to show him guidance and care in ways that will benefit him as much as possible. It's a fine line.

Found others with kids that are actually cool - CHECK. Maybe they'll eventually merit an invite into my LoT world, heh.

There are areas that I'm very laid back about with Theo and others where I do obsess a bit. It can be hard to not second guess yourself when you have very little feedback from someone who can't tell you what they need. I can't say I'm fully successful at tamping down the crazy but I'm doing as well as I can. I will continue to work on it.

For 2011...I use a lot of tools in my parenting kit, including Patience, Playfulness, Optimism, Joy...and they need sharpening constantly. I resolve to keep smiling amidst hard days because he deserves the best mom I can be.

I resolve to have more people over, and to visit people more often. Sure, there are limitations, but there are also many possibilities.

Sigh, I'd like to say that I resolve to follow my creative heart and make Halloween costumes for babies...but I just don't think I can make the time. Ok, I resolve to continue to consider it and not give up on it.

[Not Afraid]

did "something" about my career which has made the rest of the things something I have very little time to do.

In 2010 - Balance (and I'm not talking about doing that on one foot while walking 12 dogs, ordering pet supplies, balancing cash drawers and selling Buddy Belts).

WOW! I was working at P&P at this time last year. So much has changed! I left there - and while it was a really good decision, it did take me a while to get back on my feet again. I went back to pet sitting and started making jewelery seriously. I did my first craft fair in May and I haven't stopped since! While the dog walking still pays the majority of the bills and keeps me super busy, my creative life has sure been a fulfilling one! The first show I curated opened at the beginning of December and has been a wonderful experience! I know I'll be curating more shows, but, if I do that, I need to find ways to encourage the sale of art.

My goal in 2011 is to keep growing that part of my life and see if I can figure out a way to make that really work for me. I'm not sure that is actually realistic, but I'll certainly give it a shot.

Who knows where things will lead. It's sure been a fun ride this past year! I'm looking forward to what 2011 will bring. Rain or shine, the experiences are so worth it.

[wendybeth]

Originally Posted by Cadaverous Pallor

Found others with kids that are actually cool - CHECK. Maybe they'll eventually merit an invite into my LoT world, heh.

There are areas that I'm very laid back about with Theo and others where I do obsess a bit. It can be hard to not second guess yourself when you have very little feedback from someone who can't tell you what they need. I can't say I'm fully successful at tamping down the crazy but I'm doing as well as I can. I will continue to work on it.

For 2011...I use a lot of tools in my parenting kit, including Patience, Playfulness, Optimism, Joy...and they need sharpening constantly. I resolve to keep smiling amidst hard days because he deserves the best mom I can be.

I resolve to have more people over, and to visit people more often. Sure, there are limitations, but there are also many possibilities.

Sigh, I'd like to say that I resolve to follow my creative heart and make Halloween costumes for babies...but I just don't think I can make the time. Ok, I resolve to continue to consider it and not give up on it.

Now that you've had Theo a good amount of time, and gotten to know him pretty well (although he still has some surprises for you), I'm curious: What have you found to be the most difficult thing about being a Mom (and there will be more than one answer), and what is the most surprising? I've had my girl for 15+ years, and I am supremely grateful for each and every moment. I never thought I would be a Mom- I really didn't think I could have kids, and had settled in to being a total Uber-Auntie before the happy surprise. My most difficult things- watching kids and parents be stupid and unkind, and not being able to stop the illness that took her hearing. My best: realizing she was her own little person, with her own likes and dislikes, and learning how to cater to them. (I foolishly thought I would have at least a semblance of influence in these areas...) Also, when I realized that her hearing loss didn't define her, but it contributed to the awesome person she is.

My 2010 was rather 'eh'- neither good nor bad. The worst part of it was when my sis lost her job- I was so worried about her (she's a total workaholic) and I was so very happy for her when she landed in an even better situation. I also had to have a couple of esophageal biopsies, which was a bit scary as I had a 2 out of three chance of having something bad. I lucked out and got a serious food allergy, which at press time seems to be wheat. (Try to find things without wheat or gluten in them- I dares ya!). Let's just say I'm ecstatic about Trader Joes finally coming to Spokane. (Woot!)