I can't believe 2010 is coming to a close. In some ways this year has been interminably long and in other ways I'm flabbergasted that today is already the final day of the year. I can't say that I'm sad to see 2010 come to an end. It hasn't been the best year for me and I really am looking forward to the possibility that 2011 will be a vast improvement. But it was a jam-packed year and I have learned so many things in the past 365 days, about life, about living, about happiness, about myself. To me, happiness is what life is all about. Therefore, even though 2010 was a bumpy, pothole-filled road, I am thankful to have made my way through it and have had the experiences, growth, and opportunities that it brought me.
The past few days I have been looking back on 2010 and forward to 2011. I found the New Year's Quiz below at All and Sundry's blog and thought it would be a lovely way to commemorate my thoughts on the year just passed and on the year coming up.
Please feel free to copy/paste for yourself! If you do post this on your own blog, will you post a link to your entry in the comments on All and Sundry's blog? She’d love to see what you have to say about your 2010. You should also read her blog once you're there . . . she's amazing and funny and smart and always a great read. You can also link your entry in the comments here if you'd like ~ in fact I would appreciate it if you did. I always find it interesting to read about your journeys. It often sparks something in me and I'm always grateful for that.
1. Did you keep your 2010 New Year’s resolutions, and will you make more for 2011?
I don’t remember making specific resolutions last year. I will make some for 2011, and since I am posting this I should be able to look back and remember what they were. Yay!
Resolutions for 2011:
Exercise, at minimum, four days per week ~ All. Year. Long.
Use my Wii at least twice per month
Learn the Yoga Sun Salutation
Do the Yoga Sun Salutation every morning
Take more pictures
Write more
Blog more
Pay off at least one credit card
2. What did you do in 2010 that you’d never done before?
Played a PS3 game (GT5), ate Japanese food (Tempura, for Ed's birthday), stood up for myself in a very intimidating situation, tried to give medicine to a cat
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Quay, Mo, and Chamise
4. What countries did you visit?
None
5. What would you like to have in 2011 that you lacked in 2010?
Happiness and peace with the current moment, whatever that is, even if it isn't what I was hoping for. Staying more "in the moment" rather than reminiscing about the past or dreaming about the future. This. Moment. Is. My. Life.
6. What dates from 2010 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
All the Girls Nights with my DOT girls. The Girlz Nite at Applebee's where I laughed so hard I was sore the next day.
7. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Starting to exercise and sticking with it for three straight months, missing only one day. Discovering that when I do it, I really do enjoy it. It's a great way to transition from work to home and is also a great way to deal with stress and unwind from the day.
8. What was your biggest failure?
Not staying motivated with my daily exercising. I got sick and allowed that to derail me even once I was well. Since then, I have sporadically exercised, but not back to the daily routine I once had.
9. Did you suffer illness or injury?
H1N1 in February. A fairly decent cut on my finger while dicing mushrooms. Luckily no stitches. A couple of burns that blistered. Nothing serious or life threatening thankfully although I might do well to consider staying out of the kitchen.
10. What was the best thing you bought?
Gifts for Ed and my parents
11. Where did most of your money go?
Housing
12. What did you get really excited about?
The possibility of moving
13. What song will always remind you of 2010?
Tik Tok by Ke$ha, Telephone by Lady Gaga, Like a G6 by Far East Movement
14. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Writing, blogging, photography, Frisbee golf, being social
15. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Stressing
16. How did you spend Christmas?
Christmas Eve with Ed at my parents' house and Christmas Day at home just the two of us and the cat
17. What was your favorite TV program?
The Vampire Diairies, hands down!
18. What were your favorite books you read this year?
The Host by Stephenie Meyer, Women, Food, and God by Geneen Roth, U is for Undertow by Sue Grafton, every Desmond Morris book I could get my hands on, and of course the Harry Potter Series (for the umpteenth time)
19. What was your favorite music from this year?
Lady Gaga, Usher, One Republic, Linkin Park, Ke$ha, Like a G6
20. What were your favorite films of the year?
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part I, Avatar, Inception, The Social Network, The Hangover, How to Train Your Dragon, The Book of Eli, Remember Me
21. What did you do on your birthday?
My best friend Keri took me to lunch at Club Calpella were I had my favorite Chef Salad and fried mushrooms. Ed took me to The Broiler and made me cookies for dessert. My co-workers gave me a desk full of gifts, balloons, and yummy goodies.
22. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Fun. Realizing that the instant satisfaction of the purchase does NOT outweigh the long-term dissatisfaction of bills.
23. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2010?
Comfort, plain, mix and match, machine wash
24. What kept you sane?
Great friends, exercise (when I managed to do it), counseling, writing, photography, sleep
25. What valuable life lesson did you learn in 2010?
I believe that 2010 was attempting to teach me patience. I imagine 2011 will continue the lesson as I have not completely learned it yet. So . . . patience, mindfulness, living "in the moment". Also, that while anxiety may feel like it will kill me it won't and choosing to live under the thumb of anxiety severely limits the experience of life.
26. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Lady Gaga. She's always interesting even if I don't always agree with what she's doing. I love her apparent lack of anxiety and her apparent lack of concern with what people think of her. I admire her drive, her talent, her uniqueness, and her ability to speak her mind, do what she wants, and fight for what she believes. She has a beautiful voice, I love her music, and I love watching her dance.
27. What political issue stirred you the most?
Arizona's Immigration Law
28. Who did you miss?
Grandma B, Gerry, and my college friend Hollie Jose / Hollie Mutunga who I can't seem to find. If you are reading this Hollie, please leave me a comment so I can find you!!
29. What did you want and not get?
Fun, to be thinner and healthier, to move, another tattoo
30. What did you want and get?
Another year making memories with the best boyfriend in the world. Another year of great times with the best friends in the world. Another year of employment. An iPod Touch and a new lens for my camera. I know. You're jealous. You have every right.
The past few days I have been looking back on 2010 and forward to 2011. I found the New Year's Quiz below at All and Sundry's blog and thought it would be a lovely way to commemorate my thoughts on the year just passed and on the year coming up.
Please feel free to copy/paste for yourself! If you do post this on your own blog, will you post a link to your entry in the comments on All and Sundry's blog? She’d love to see what you have to say about your 2010. You should also read her blog once you're there . . . she's amazing and funny and smart and always a great read. You can also link your entry in the comments here if you'd like ~ in fact I would appreciate it if you did. I always find it interesting to read about your journeys. It often sparks something in me and I'm always grateful for that.
1. Did you keep your 2010 New Year’s resolutions, and will you make more for 2011?
I don’t remember making specific resolutions last year. I will make some for 2011, and since I am posting this I should be able to look back and remember what they were. Yay!
Resolutions for 2011:
Exercise, at minimum, four days per week ~ All. Year. Long.
Use my Wii at least twice per month
Learn the Yoga Sun Salutation
Do the Yoga Sun Salutation every morning
Take more pictures
Write more
Blog more
Pay off at least one credit card
2. What did you do in 2010 that you’d never done before?
Played a PS3 game (GT5), ate Japanese food (Tempura, for Ed's birthday), stood up for myself in a very intimidating situation, tried to give medicine to a cat
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Quay, Mo, and Chamise
4. What countries did you visit?
None
5. What would you like to have in 2011 that you lacked in 2010?
Happiness and peace with the current moment, whatever that is, even if it isn't what I was hoping for. Staying more "in the moment" rather than reminiscing about the past or dreaming about the future. This. Moment. Is. My. Life.
6. What dates from 2010 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
All the Girls Nights with my DOT girls. The Girlz Nite at Applebee's where I laughed so hard I was sore the next day.
7. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Starting to exercise and sticking with it for three straight months, missing only one day. Discovering that when I do it, I really do enjoy it. It's a great way to transition from work to home and is also a great way to deal with stress and unwind from the day.
8. What was your biggest failure?
Not staying motivated with my daily exercising. I got sick and allowed that to derail me even once I was well. Since then, I have sporadically exercised, but not back to the daily routine I once had.
9. Did you suffer illness or injury?
H1N1 in February. A fairly decent cut on my finger while dicing mushrooms. Luckily no stitches. A couple of burns that blistered. Nothing serious or life threatening thankfully although I might do well to consider staying out of the kitchen.
10. What was the best thing you bought?
Gifts for Ed and my parents
11. Where did most of your money go?
Housing
12. What did you get really excited about?
The possibility of moving
13. What song will always remind you of 2010?
Tik Tok by Ke$ha, Telephone by Lady Gaga, Like a G6 by Far East Movement
14. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Writing, blogging, photography, Frisbee golf, being social
15. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Stressing
16. How did you spend Christmas?
Christmas Eve with Ed at my parents' house and Christmas Day at home just the two of us and the cat
17. What was your favorite TV program?
The Vampire Diairies, hands down!
18. What were your favorite books you read this year?
The Host by Stephenie Meyer, Women, Food, and God by Geneen Roth, U is for Undertow by Sue Grafton, every Desmond Morris book I could get my hands on, and of course the Harry Potter Series (for the umpteenth time)
19. What was your favorite music from this year?
Lady Gaga, Usher, One Republic, Linkin Park, Ke$ha, Like a G6
20. What were your favorite films of the year?
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part I, Avatar, Inception, The Social Network, The Hangover, How to Train Your Dragon, The Book of Eli, Remember Me
21. What did you do on your birthday?
My best friend Keri took me to lunch at Club Calpella were I had my favorite Chef Salad and fried mushrooms. Ed took me to The Broiler and made me cookies for dessert. My co-workers gave me a desk full of gifts, balloons, and yummy goodies.
22. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Fun. Realizing that the instant satisfaction of the purchase does NOT outweigh the long-term dissatisfaction of bills.
23. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2010?
Comfort, plain, mix and match, machine wash
24. What kept you sane?
Great friends, exercise (when I managed to do it), counseling, writing, photography, sleep
25. What valuable life lesson did you learn in 2010?
I believe that 2010 was attempting to teach me patience. I imagine 2011 will continue the lesson as I have not completely learned it yet. So . . . patience, mindfulness, living "in the moment". Also, that while anxiety may feel like it will kill me it won't and choosing to live under the thumb of anxiety severely limits the experience of life.
26. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Lady Gaga. She's always interesting even if I don't always agree with what she's doing. I love her apparent lack of anxiety and her apparent lack of concern with what people think of her. I admire her drive, her talent, her uniqueness, and her ability to speak her mind, do what she wants, and fight for what she believes. She has a beautiful voice, I love her music, and I love watching her dance.
27. What political issue stirred you the most?
Arizona's Immigration Law
28. Who did you miss?
Grandma B, Gerry, and my college friend Hollie Jose / Hollie Mutunga who I can't seem to find. If you are reading this Hollie, please leave me a comment so I can find you!!
29. What did you want and not get?
Fun, to be thinner and healthier, to move, another tattoo
30. What did you want and get?
Another year making memories with the best boyfriend in the world. Another year of great times with the best friends in the world. Another year of employment. An iPod Touch and a new lens for my camera. I know. You're jealous. You have every right.
OK people . . . it's your turn. Let me hear from you!!
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! Bring on a happy, peaceful, fun, fulfilling 2011.
