Twelve for 12 - The Buzzer

Time's up.
A mere 365 days ago, I set forth in my attempt to complete 12 tasks or projects by the end of the year.  Some of them were easily tangible - a certain number of things to do, etc.  Others were a little more ephemeral and difficult to really mark off until today.
Well, let's take a look.

1. Run a half marathon (considering I already signed up, I felt that it was best to put this as Thing #1)
2. Begin painting the house (interior)
3. Continue collecting my china pattern
4. Participate in at least one new run/race event
5. Declutter the master bedroom (or at least start)
6. Begin my masters
7. Start and finish at least 2 knitting projects (although in a post to be named later, I may carry one "start" from 2011 over)
8. Take HRH to one, new, exciting Thing each month
9. Obtain a post-race massage (this is not indulgent; studies show they help runners recover)
10. Read a book that is not intended for the 3-year-old crowd
11. Donate blood 4 times
12. Spend more high-quality less-TV time with The Husband

Looks like I'm batting .500.  This is still better than Derek Jeter this year, so there.

As far as painting the house goes, I have determined the color that will cover about 85% of my walls, and for Christmas, I racked up enough Lowe's gift cards to get the party started.

I didn't complete as many races this year.  I'm OK with that.  Sometimes, it's not about being in an event but just being out there, like I was yesterday.

No, I didn't begin my masters.  Insert yet another lame excuse.

To my credit, numbers 8 and 12 are hard to quantify.  What is a "new, exciting Thing"?  Hell, going to JC Penney could (and should) count as that, really.  And what happens if I took her to TWO Things one month and nothing the next month.  I'm not sure I tallied twelve truly exciting new Things that we did this year, but I am certain that the Things we did do were full of the excitement I intended.  And what does count as quality time with one's significant other?  Does sitting and making fun of each other count?

And I donated blood twice, although one of those occasions was the "power red," which was a double donation, so technically, I think I can count three donations.  This is something I must be better about next year.  The pool of donors is very small anyway; if I miss a donation, it will have an impact.  I encourage you to consider being a blood donor, if you are not already.

Did I spread myself too thin this year with twelve separate goals?  Perhaps.  However, things change in 365 days.  What my plans were then are different from what they are now.  I'm not going to beat myself up for not writing down each exciting Thing HRH and I did together in order to blog about it.  I am going to, instead, celebrate what I was able to do.

I did spend time with both HRH and TH doing Fun Things like two children's museums, movies, and more.

I more than doubled my running mileage, even though it wasn't directed any new races.

I knitted several items with love for my family and friends.  Knitting is something that I find therapeutic, and I am wondering if there is a relationship between the higher number of knitting project this year and the smaller number of eczema breakouts in the same time span.

I have rejoiced in the victories and high points of my friends and family, and I have grieved with them at their losses.

In 2013, I'll not be working on a "thirteen for 13."  I'm not superstitious, but I just don't want to set a trend, and I think that I can better focus my goals, objectives, plans, or purposes on the year if I don't stick with a number because it's cute.

Did you have a goal (or resolution) this year?

What was it?

Did you stick with it?

Twelve for Twelve - It's Been a While

I had thought by now that the "crazy" part of the school year would be behind me, but to be honest, it's just been a crazy, difficult semester, and I suspect that it will follow me into the spring term.  Not my most favorite prediction ever, but it is what it is.
Add to that picking up both soccer and swim for HRH, I am about a bazillion ideas and projects behind.
So it really shouldn't be much of a surprise that I have been feeling like I'm not getting anything done.  And I'm not just saying that because that basket of laundry has been sitting there for a week, taunting me.
Crossing items off a list, then, has to give a little satisfaction, right?
Let's get to it.

#3 - Continue collecting my china pattern

This one was pretty awesome, as my mother-in-law made more pieces my birthday present this year.  At this point, I have a complete set of a few pieces in the collection, and I have seven complete place settings (my goal is 16).  

My china pattern, I think I have mentioned before, was my paternal grandmother's, and it's been discontinued by Sango, so it's really something I have to collect from online distributors.  There are a few pieces I may never find, but it's fun looking.

What has been amazing is to see the different in the sizes of the plates when I bust out the china during various dinners.  Plates certainly HAVE gotten bigger in the last half-century.

#5 - Declutter the master bedroom (or at least start)
I've started!  A few weeks ago, I went nuts on our closet, reorganizing all my shoes and everything.  I still need to take our donation items to Goodwill, but we're headed in the right direction.  I can see the floor of the closet again.
Regardless, I'm claiming this as crossed off.

#7 - Start and finish at least 2 knitting projects
This bad boy is done.  I've actually gotten more than two projects finished this year, and I have another one on the needles right now.

• I made a baby blanket for my principal, who had a little girl in January.
• I made a baby blanket for my brother-in-law and sister-in-law, who welcomed my precious niece in July.
• I made a baby blanket for my cousin and her husband; their little one (the third girl in my knitting streak!) arrived in August.
• I moved on to hats next, and I knitted an R2D2 hat for my other brother-in-law.  And like and IDIOT I sent it without taking any pictures of it!  It was awesome, though.  When we visit them, I'll try to get a snap.
• Then I started to make him another hat and realized that it was so big it would really only fit Andre the Giant, so that one has been un-knitted and is back on the drawing board.
• I made a fun scarf for HRH and another for me.  TH thinks they look like sea cucumbers.  He's not getting a scarf of his own now.

I'd say I've hit this one out of the park.

The edging for my niece's blanket

The blanket was apple green, turquoise, white, and bright pink
to match her room.

My cousin's blanket - pink and cream

HRH's "sea cucumber" scarf (mine is blue)

#9 Obtain a post-race massage
OK, so it wasn't really a post-race massage, but I have been scheduling massages a little more regularly during training.  It has made a HUGE difference in my running.  I highly recommend the sports massage; I made the "mistake" of getting a Swedish massage for one appointment, thinking it would be relaxing, and it just didn't get into the muscles deeply enough.  
I tend to carry my stress in my shoulders, so massage has been helpful working out those knots, but I also had a huge knot in my hamstring that I hadn't realized was there, and since that got worked out, my legs have been must fresher much faster.
So this totally counts.

Sadly, I'm pretty sure the master's is going to be put off again, and as I have requested Lowe's gift cards as the only non-donation Christmas gift that I would want, painting the house will probably be a new year's project, too.  As for less TV time, that damn boob tube has quite the siren song for the hubs.  There is a race next month that I'm hoping to do - it even comes with chocolate!

1. Run a half marathon (considering I already signed up, I felt that it was best to put this as Thing #1)
2. Begin painting the house (interior)
3. Continue collecting my china pattern
4. Participate in at least one new run/race event
5. Declutter the master bedroom (or at least start)
6. Begin my masters
7. Start and finish at least 2 knitting projects (although in a post to be named later, I may carry one "start" from 2011 over)
8. Take HRH to one, new, exciting Thing each month
9. Obtain a post-race massage (this is not indulgent; studies show they help runners recover)
10. Read a book that is not intended for the 3-year-old crowd
11. Donate blood 4 times
12. Spend more high-quality less-TV time with The Husband

Ahhhh, that felt good.

Do you have any big accomplishments that you'd like to virtually cross off?

Twelve for 12: March Progress Report

I haven't posted an update about my List of Things To Do for a couple of months, but since many of those "to do" items are time consuming, there wasn't a great deal to add since January's update.
But in the last two months, I have managed to cross off a few more of those items and add to others that are ongoing.

#7 - Start and finish at least 2 knitting projects (although in a post to be named later, I may carry one "state" from 2011 over)
Last update I had bought yarn.  Happily, I've finished that blanket and given it to the little lady who will hopefully enjoy snuggling herself in it.
The only wrench here is that while I have also begun project #2 (which is NOT the project that I'm carrying over from 2011), I have mentally prepared myself for two more babies... er, projects to bestow on some expecting friends.  Thankfully, they have had the decency to space out their pregnancies and are due later in the fall.

Pink and cream hearts for a sweet little girl

#8 - Take HRH to one, new, exciting Thing each month
Even though January had both ZooLights and Beauty and the Beast in 3D, I've been working hard to add variety to our routines.
In February, we took her to a pottery painting shop in Gilbert, where she painted a fish (that has yet to be picked up... ahem).  Fortunately, she didn't see the Belle figurine that she could have painted, had I been willing to shell out the big bucks.
This month the princess had to wait until the end of the month for anything new (we did go to the zoo during Spring Break, though), but it was worth it.  Since I have a child who has seemingly endless energy, I decided it was Time to Get This Kid Into A Sport.  Now, The Husband really wants her to play soccer, and I agree that a team sport is important for her to experience, especially as an only child.  But I also want it to be her choice.  Enter our local parks and rec - we found a four-week class for kids HRH's age that introduces them to 9 different sports.
The first class presented soccer and golf, and already HRH said she enjoyed both.  The Husband, I am sure, will actively be working on drills in the backyard with the bazillion (half dozen) soccer balls we already have, but I'll bet that she'd be happy hitting the "links" over in the pocket park down the street.

#10 - Read a book that is not intended for the 3-year-old crowd
Last month, Mads sent me The Art of Racing in the Rain, by Garth Stein.  I had heard good things about the book, including Megan's comment that I will "ugly cry" (no, really - that's an endorsement).
I haven't opened it yet.
As much as I want to, knowing that reading it will elicit that "ugly cry," I want to make sure that I can devote a solid block of time to sit, alone, tissues in my lap, sobbing and snotting all over the book.  So that's on my list for my vacation time this summer.
However, I did finish Savor: Mindful Eating, Mindful Life, by Thich Nhat Hanh and Dr. Lilian Cheung, earlier this month, so I am already able to cross this item off my list.
Of course, one book is just not going to be Enough.  Two probably won't be, either.

I still have quite a few that need starting, but progress is progress, and I still have nine months left in the year.
Baby steps.

1. Run a half marathon (considering I already signed up, I felt that it was best to put this as Thing #1)
2. Begin painting the house (interior)
3. Continue collecting my china pattern
4. Participate in at least one new run/race event
5. Declutter the master bedroom (or at least start)
6. Begin my masters
7. Start and finish at least 2 knitting projects (although in a post to be named later, I may carry one "start" from 2011 over)
8. Take HRH to one, new, exciting Thing each month
9. Obtain a post-race massage (this is not indulgent; studies show they help runners recover)
10. Read a book that is not intended for the 3-year-old crowd
11. Donate blood 4 times
12. Spend more high-quality less-TV time with The Husband

Twelve for 12: January Progress Report

It's really the end of the month already, which means starting tomorrow HRH is going to start getting pissed that she has to learn a new month at school.
It also means that I need to start actively looking at my Twelve for 12 List of Things to Do to make sure that I can cross them all off the list by December 31, a mere 335 days away (that includes the leap day).
So, let's see how things are going.

Twelve for 12: Project Planning

We are a mere week plus days into the new year, and after looking at my list, I think that it will be a helpful tool for me to plan out my strategies to make sure I end the year with all 12 agenda items:

1. Run a half marathon (considering I already signed up, I felt that it was best to put this as Thing #1)
2. Begin painting the house (interior)
3. Continue collecting my china pattern
4. Participate in at least one new run/race event
5. Declutter the master bedroom (or at least start)
6. Begin my masters
7. Start and finish at least 2 knitting projects (although in a post to be named later, I may carry one "start" from 2011 over)
8. Take HRH to one, new, exciting Thing each month
9. Obtain a post-race massage (this is not indulgent; studies show they help runners recover)
10. Read a book that is not intended for the 3-year-old crowd
11. Donate blood 4 times
12. Spend more high-quality less-TV time with The Husband

crossed off with a flourish.

Think of it as (English teacher nerd alert!!!!!) an outline as a precursor to the first draft, the final draft of which won't be revised until December.

Like writing an essay, things will have to change, and the order that I placed my objectives above are most certainly not going to be the order in which I complete them.  

Some of those items are not going to appear in the outline below.

Yet.

Twelve for 12

New Year's Day means resolution time for many many people.
I hate resolutions.
And, considering my luck with this past year, I clearly hate "goals" that, by their very nature, shouldn't be that hard.
So I'm trying something different this year.  "New year, new you," right?

You have my full permission to smack me upside the head for using that horrible, terrible, disgusting cliché.  In fact, I highly encourage it.

At work, I am known for my "to do" lists on my famous Legal Pads.  Most of my department colleagues know that if "it" is not on The List, it will remain Not Done.  I prefer white legal pads, but when a yellow one is presented to me, I will not turn it down.  However, it needs to be wide ruled rather than college ruled (although for binder paper, college ruled is the only way to go).  Even with my new, shiny, lovely iPhone 4S and all the bells, whistles, and list apps I have at my fingertips, I often choose to make a grocery list or, recently, Christmas gift shopping list, on my beloved pad (insert joke about having "the original iPad" right here).
For further proof that The List works, my friend Kat over at Tenaciously Yours, has created an Ultimate To Do List of things she wants to accomplish by the time that young pup turns 25.  Thus far she's crossed many an item off that list.
And that Crossing Things Off The List is such a nice feeling.  I love being able to take that blue pen and make a right-to-left scratch across that Thing To Do.  Ahhhhhh.... accomplishment.
So... in this new year, it's time to make The List of Things To Do.

1. Run a half marathon (considering I already signed up, I felt that it was best to put this as Thing #1)
2. Begin painting the house (interior)
3. Continue collecting my china pattern
4. Participate in at least one new run/race event
5. Declutter the master bedroom (or at least start)
6. Begin my masters
7. Start and finish at least 2 knitting projects (although in a post to be named later, I may carry one "start" from 2011 over)
8. Take HRH to one, new, exciting Thing each month
9. Obtain a post-race massage (this is not indulgent; studies show they help runners recover)
10. Read a book that is not intended for the 3-year-old crowd
11. Donate blood 4 times
12. Spend more high-quality less-TV time with The Husband

And there we have it.  Sure, some things have the word start in front of them, so there isn't really an end date.  But I can't truly start and finish my masters this year (that would be pretty awesome if I could, but let's be realistic here).  And since our house only has one room that is properly painted, I don't want to make myself a promise I can't guarantee that I'll keep.  But if I can start, I can work to put these items on The List for next year - just with finish where we have start this year.

And why, may I ask, is "giving The Cat more love
than The Stupid Dog" not on this list???

OK, 2012.  BRING IT.