Goals for 2017

Well guys, we somehow survived 2016. Traditionally, 2016 should have been a good year for me. I love these odd fourth years with their summer Olympics and the leap years and all the intelligent political discussion. To quote myself, "It's gonna be a good one guys. Leap years always are."

Yeah...no...

But we came out the other side! Before going on to my feelings about the weird trip that 2017 will be, let's reflect a bit back on 2016: how did I do on my resolutions?

• Find two doctors: general and ob/gyn. Technically, complete success! I've found two doctors, but I haven't booked appointments yet, so I don't fail on a technicality! Any progress is something when this resolution has lived on my lists for years now. C
• Take a vacation. Utter success! Kauai was beautiful and we needed that trip. And one of these days, I'll finish writing about it (Parts 1 & 2 here)! A+
• Be more proactive on home projects. Well, given that the demolition of the blue bathroom was my doing, I stepped up my game. I ripped out the old carpet and started the ball rolling on the renovation. My hands more dirty this year than any before, but it could have been more. I could have completed more, so points off for that. B
• Blog a new recipe once a month. I was hoping that this goal would get me baking and cooking more and make me more adventurous. It did, slightly, but the problem arose that the only things new I wanted to make were terrible for me. So, while this was a complete success, I may need to find a different way to keep this up if I want to keep wearing my pants. (You can visit my recipe blog here). A+
• Get a promotion. Well, there are posts upon posts that I could write about this, but short answer: it didn't happen. However, the lack of promotion is not due to any failure on my part. This year made me better at what I do and we'll see in the upcoming months how that shakes out. This will be an interesting year for me career-wise...C
• Disconnect from technology more. I failed. If anything, I'm more connected now than I was a year ago. I've fallen victim to too many good computer games. It's still a valid goal, but I don't know the proactive way to create lastly change. F
• Make grocery shopping a priority/routine. This one was an accident that's work out well. I've started taking an early Saturday morning Zumba class and I hit the grocery store afterwards on my way home. The store is quiet, the house is stocked up for all the weekend cooking, and it is no longer an after-work stress point. A

And now, for the future! 2017!

• Finally, successfully, learn how to drive stick shift. I've got two failed attempts under my belt from my father, so maybe it's time I find another teacher.
• Write four blog posts a month. I've let my writing slide over the last 12 months and I neeeeeeed to get back into it. I've gotten caught up in whether something is worthy of a write-up and I just need to write anything and everything.
• Hang out with Dan more. We've gotten into a bad habit of not dating each other and we need to break it. He's a good egg, my husband, and it would be nice to spend some more quality time together. 
• Read more. In 2016, I stopped caring about what my reading choices said about me. I read good books, trash books, old books, new books, complete series, teen books, anything. I'd like to try to read more books that challenge me, but I don't want reading to become work. This goal will stay ambiguous intentionally. 
• Find more ways to give back. My life is great. I really have nothing to complain about, but here I am, finding ways to pick at it. I can give back, so I should. I started being conscious of it over the last year, but I want to more. I have the power to give back so it's really my obligation.

A good combination of concrete and fluid goals. 

This will be a weird year. The year I turn 30. Either it will be the year I finally start to get my shit together or the year I throw it all at the fan.