Thursday, January 5, 2012

Resolving and Resoluting

Last year, I made five new year's resolutions... or is it New Year resolutions... New Years' Resolutions... Proper capitalization and punctuation aside, I'm quite certain that they're going to remain the same for this year but my priorities have changed.

For 2011, my top goal was to be the best instructor that I could be. I seized as many opportunities as the department threw at me, challenged myself to be before a crowd in a different way, and cheer on the flight attendants in a professional, positive, and constructive manner. There are a few skills that I know I need to work on - such as how (non-east coast) people perceive me (I apparently come off as a raging Yankee bitch'o'saurus to mid-westerners and foreigners), and how to get a class to go from disinterested to engaged. But this year, 2012, I'm thinking this is headed down the list. While instructing will continue to make me grow as a person, in light of everything that went down in December - read - my grandfather died - there are other things I want to accomplish.

This year's top goal is going to be making sure I spend time doing the things I want to do, which is studying German, continuing to write, and reading. I want to continue pursuing my dream of being a German speaker. Spend some quality time with Rosetta and her rocks, continuing to take German class in the city. Come April, I'm headed back to the Deutschland for a few weeks and I'm hoping to squeeze being there for a month out of my two weeks of vacation; the most unnerving part about that is packing. I can't tell you the last time I wrote personally, in my journal. I love writing, even if it is just for me. There are also four titles on my Kindle left unread and it is unacceptable to watch the movie instead.

My other goals were personal - I want to continue to be conscious of maintaining a healthy and active lifestyle. I flew two trips in December, and I felt fat and unhealthy. I haven't been to the gym in I can't tell you how long, and have let my diet go. I have the slow cooker, a George Forman, an empty freezer, and the skills to plan a successful diet. For 2012, I'd also like to add giving back as an important part of "healthy lifestyle". I found a soup kitchen that's nearby and am looking forward to adding volunteer to who I am and what's important.

I want to make sure I continue to actually live in my apartment and make this my home as best as I can. Last year, I bought a $500 couch that I practically live on, new bedding, and even hung up a bulletin board in the kitchen all by myself. My next project is to hang shit on the walls in my sitting room; the current project is making a wall collage of my Europe pictures. I'm also thinking of some sort of decoupage project of all the greeting cards I've been given over the years.

And lastly, most certainly leastly as well, is to be credit card debt free. Meh, I'm sure I'll get there eventually.

So, in short, here's a manageable list of goals for 2012:

1. Studying German. Reading. Writing.

2. Healthy lifestyle: diet, exercise, volunteering.

3. Best instructor I can be (perhaps I should start by learning the new program I have to teach next week...)

4. My home

5. Finances. (does this rule out my $30 manicure every two weeks...? love that gel!)

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