Okay. Here, slightly delayed, is my New Year's entry...
2004 was... an interesting year. A good year, all in all, although not the "shout it from the rooftops" kind of good. It's odd, because 2003 was such a dramatic, roller-coaster of a year, with tremendous highs and lows (mostly lows) and a lot of changes and personal growth. In contrast, when I think about 2004, I almost forget how many changes took place until I remind myself... oh, yeah, that's right. A year ago, I was a full-time college student living with two roommates and getting checks in the mail from my parents, just starting to date Alex. Today, I've got a degree, a full-time job that I've held for 9 months, and an income 10 times higher than ever previously, and I'm sharing a home with my boyfriend.
I guess it feels like even though my
life has changed a lot in 2004,
I haven't changed too much. I've been pretty low-energy all year long (which I'm discovering is actually pretty common for people entering the working world for the first time, although the almost complete lack of exercise until recently couldn't've helped), and I've been more preoccupied with getting the hang of everything that comes along with this new life-stage than with personal growth and self-improvement.
I think, though, that I've finally made it to the point where I have the basics under control of what it means to be a twenty-something college graduate and working woman, which means (hopefully!) that I'll be able to successfully move forward in the coming year. So, without further ado, here are my New Year's resolutions:
1. Keep exercising 30 minutes every day (brisk walking). Start doing additional higher-intensity workouts at least 1-2 times a week, hopefully more often over time.
2. Start volunteering somewhere on a weekly basis. Why the heck haven't I done this yet?
3. Renew my library card at the Evanston library, and start taking out books and reading on the El. There's no reason I should spend 40 minutes twice a day staring out the window.
4. Write more. More (and better) entries here, but also fiction. I've always wanted to try
NaNoWriMo, and maybe I can do it this year, but there's no way I can pull it off if I'm as rusty at writing on November 1 as I am now. And if that's too ambitious, I can at least try to come up with some short pieces. Writing
Protest articles is good, and I certainly write enough memos at work, but I want to be more expressive and more creative.
5. Do the dishes more often; at the very least, commit to making sure that the sink is completely dish-free by the end of every weekend.
6. Don't turn on the TV before 11pm on weekdays.
7. Make lunches at home. Yes, having $1 cup 'o' soups every day is cheaper than going out to eat, but if I bring actual lunches from home, it'll probably be cheaper, healthier, and more interesting.
8. Make more interesting and complicated meals, instead of the same endless rotation (spaghetti, potatoes, stir-fry, rice and beans, rinse and repeat). Try to make a new and/or challenging meal at least every weekend.
9. Work hard at making, improving, and maintaining friendships, even when it's awkward and difficult. Do what's necessary to spend time with people, instead of taking the lazy road and then moping about it.
Wish me luck!
