Resolution Recap from April

Sorry the blog’s been wonky recently. My scheduled posts don’t seem to be going out. Maybe something with WordPress? Maybe user error. (Most likely the latter!)

Alright, we’re still at the beginning of May, so there’s still time to recap how New Year’s resolutions are going. Find other recaps here. Alrighty, let’s dive right in.

1. Run 10 miles a week.

I’m still below what I should be for this one, and I kind of quit keeping track. I only wear my GPS watch every so often. Also, I’ve been running a lot more with other people from work, so I like to focus on the conversation instead of checking my watch for pace every 10 minutes. Ya know? It’s been kinda nice. Overall, I’d say I’m averaging less than 10 miles a week if we don’t count weekend soccer games.

Soccer Cleats

2. Write a novel.

Another failed resolution. I’ve pretty much given up on this one. I feel like a lot of my writing happens here (and at work), and my brain is too fried and not willing to cooperate when it comes to writing after all that. Surprisingly, I’ve discovered that Sean is a really good source of ideas. He has a great imagination for stories. I wish I had that AND the will to write right now. Alas, I don’t. We’ll see how this one turns out by the end of the year, but I have a feeling my motivation in this area will continue to wane.

3. Read a new book every month.

I was on track with this one until that dumb Blackberry Winter book. It was really not my type of read at all, but I’d paid for it. So, I slowly trudged through it. I want to get back on track with reading. I’m watching Game of Thrones (obviously since I mention it at least once a week here), so maybe that could count for 1/8 of a book. No? I agree. I just need to commit to another novel.

Blackberry Winter

I’m warning you now. Don’t read this.

4. Save $2000+ for emergency fund.

Done and done. And I’m pretty proud of myself for it. Carolyn, the spendaholic, saved a goal amount in less than half a year. Boom! Now I’m going to work to get to $3000 by the end of the year.

5. Stop biting my nails.

Not happening yet. I know it’s gross. I know there are germs. Nothing you say can stop the compulsion. Maybe I’ll re-commit to the nasty nail polish and just work through Game of Thrones nervousness.

Pitch Perfect Movie

I’m only posting this so you can check out my alien thumb.

6. Get a tattoo.

I’m starting to do serious research on this now. I’m actually looking into tattoo places nearby, their reviews, cleanliness ratings, etc. I’m also, of course, spending a ton of time researching tattoo designs. I’m really leaning toward getting a fox somewhere on my arms. Everyone I talk to about it thinks I should get a cat instead.

7. Buy no new clothes in 2013.

This is getting harder now that it’s summer. I almost  bought some new workout pants last night, but I couldn’t find any that don’t get sheer when you squat/bend over. Any recommendations? Other than last night’s moment of ALMOST weakness, I’ve not even thought about buying new clothes. Minus the running clothes I really want.

Thumbs Up Race Finish

Maybe I’ll just wear my tri suit for every run from now on?

8. Eat out only once a month.

I can’t remember paying for an out-to-eat meal in April. A lot of people took me out for my birthday (super nice!), but I’m still in the “bring your lunch to a restaurant” mode. I don’t care who thinks I’m rude!

So there we are! I’m only really excelling in money-related resolutions this year. Not like me at all!

Resolution Recap–How’d March Fare?

Yup, this is how I’m keeping up with my New Year’s Resolutions! How are you doing on yours?

I’ll keep this short since you probably get the drift by now:

1. Run 520 miles (10 miles a week):

Running Route

I have upped my mileage now that the weather’s nicer, but I’m afraid my deficit from the beginning of the year will doom this resolution.

2. Write a novel.

Maybe this one just isn’t bound to happen. I’ve made this resolution in different forms for the past 2 years and failed both times.

3. Read a new book every month.

Blackberry Winter

I tried to read 2 books (one about Scientology, the other a novel) and failed finishing at both. Maybe I should just focus on 1 good one instead of trying to read everything at once!

4. Save $2000+ (for emergency fund).

I’m so close to this. I’m pretty sure I’ll have it done by June.

5. Stop biting my nails.

I tried really hard at this one for about 2 weeks. I bought a nasty-tasting nail polish and was going to focus on one nail at a time so I’m not overwhelmed by the cold turkey quitting of my nervous compulsion. But then I watched Game of Thrones and bit right through the nasty tasting nail polish.

Game of Thrones Kahl Drogo

(source)

6. Get a tattoo.

Still no ink.

7. Buy no new clothes in 2013.

So far, so good. Rocking the old duds with pride.

8. Eat out only once a month.

Not done too well with this in March. Moving to a new house put a dent in the eating out when we were very low on groceries, but didn’t want to have to haul a new load of food from the old apartment to the new house. Or when I was cleaning out the apartment and needed food to not pass out. Oh well, April’s a new month.

Daffodils

Read previous Resolution Recaps here:

January

February

Also, don’t forget your 30 second plank today!

Come back tomorrow for the chickenless tortilla soup recipe!

2013 New Year’s Resolutions

Hooray! It’s almost 2013. Sean thinks it’s a bad omen to end the year in 13, but it’s gotta happen at least once every century! Why not make the most of it?

I recently posted about how well I did on my 2012 resolutions. Overall, I’d say I stuck with the program (for the most part, anyway). This year, I’m working on many goals–health and fitness, money, and personal. Wanna get started?

Ok, here we go:

1. Run 520 miles. This seems like a lot at first glance. Whoa! 520 miles? But I’m splitting that up over the year, so it’s only 10 miles a week. Not bad at all, actually. I have a hard time running when I’m not training for anything, so having a goal like this will hopefully keep me on track. And I’m hoping to build up for a larger goal in 2014! Maybe 1000 miles!

Cold weather running

2. Write a novel. This past year, I tried to make this goal really specific–writing 4 pages of non-work, non-blog anything a week. Well, I definitely didn’t even do this the first week of 2012. So I’m trying a less specific and more create way of making myself write for me as opposed to writing because I feel obligated.

3. Read a new book every month. This isn’t new. I pretty much make this resolution every year. 12 books a year is pretty much nothing. Remember when we were in college and read 12 books before the semester even started? When did I become so literarily lazy? (Maybe when  decided to start making up words like “literarily…”)

4. Save $2000+ dollars. I really did myself a disservice and drained my bank accounts this Christmas. It’s a horrible disease I have that I really like getting people a lot for the holidays just because I like feeling like I “nailed it” when they open their gifts. I need to plump back up my emergency fund, because I can’t really afford for anything out of line to happen right now, and that’s not a good feeling!

5. Stop biting my nails. This is a pretty disgusting habit that I’ve had since I can remember. Sean says my fingers look like little round alien digits because I’ve been without nails for my whole life. think about all the germs that are going in my mouth when I bite my nails. I do attribute my awesome immune system to this childhood habit, but it’s time for me to grow up and stop this unprofessional little mannerism. Plus, it annoys the bejesus out of Sean.

6. Get a tattoo. I’ve been really non-committal about getting a tattoo, but I’ve been wanting to do it for a while now. I have a whole board on Pinterest dedicated to the tattoos I like. I’m not going to go all out and get a huge sleeve or something, but I don’t think a little tattoo ever hurt anybody… Figuratively, of course.

Cat Tattoo

(source)

7. Buy no new clothes in 2013. This one is a big one. I think clothes are one of my biggest money-sucks of all time. There’s really no need for me to have 5 black skirts. I have 5 pairs of jeans. Why do I keep buying more? I get tons of pairs of socks for Christmas. I have a thousand t-shirts. You get the picture. Exceptions to this resolution include gift cards which are not my money and can therefore be spent on clothes. I haven’t decided if I’ll let myself buy used clothes yet (like from a thrift store or the Goodwill).

8. Eat out only 1 time a month. Sean and I used to be pretty good about NOT eating out, but sometimes life gets busy. We resorted to eating out WAY too much in 2012. What’s especially bad is when you have the groceries to make the dishes you’re choosing to go somewhere else to pay to eat. I want to keep this down to 1 time a month.

What are your 2013 New Year’s resolutions?