Resolution Review

It's that time of year again - time to look back at the year that's ending, and look ahead to a new "start." So how did I do in '06?

2006 Resolutions:
1. Get off my ass. - done a bit this summer, but not enough.

2. Make the morning mine. - Done a little bit. Staying up too late has made this difficult.

3. Drink more coffee. - DONE! (This was in lieu of drinking too much Dr. Pepper.)

4. Eat "better." - I did fairly well for a while. I still eat better dinners and less junk food, but there is always room for more fruits and vegetables.

5. Get a job. - DONE!

6. Read more. - Sadly, I read the fewest number of books this year than I've read in about 7 years.

7. Do more "other" crafts. - I made a skirt (that doesn't fit), several bags, a hanging needle case, several bracelets, a necklace and some stamped tags for knitted gifts.


8. Learn new knitting techniques. - I did some more complicated projects, my first fair isle/stranded project, several sweaters and more complicated lace.

9. Keep the house relatively clean and organized. - Hmmmm. I guess?

Overall, 2006 was a good year, even if I didn't "do" everything I wanted to. I did get a job, and that's a major accomplishment!

What's in store for 2007?

1. Set up a weekly cleaning schedule and stick to it.

2. Run/walk/work out at least 3 times a week. Ideally, every day. This will be easier as the days get longer, as I don't like to walk in the dark.

3. Accumulate less junk. We have a lot of stuff. We do not need more stuff. We recycle/resuse a lot, and give away things to Goodwill on a fairly regular basis. However, we need to cut back on just getting things because they are on sale or we like them.

4. Spend less. Yes, we were low on funds for some time. Now we have plenty of money. However, if we want to improve the house/take trips/move/retire at a decent age, we need to save more.

5. Plan and shop for better meals. We eat fairly well-balanced meals, but there are only about 5 meals in our rotation. We need more variety. We have plenty of cookbooks, so this shouldn't be a problem.

6. Be calm. Don't sweat the small stuff. Let go.

7. Be a better friend/daughter/sister/wife/mother. Don't we all try to do this? I need to stay in contact more, make more of an effort, and keep my emotions in check. This goes hand in hand with number 6.

8. Craft more. Again, I'd like to use the sewing machine more, and spend more time with needlework/cross-stitch/embroidery. I'm hoping to do this in the summer, when it seems too hot to knit some days.

9. Knit from the stash. I've had this idea bouncing around for a few weeks, long before Wendy ever said anything about it. And now everybody's doing it. (Don't worry, when y'all jump off the bridge, I'll be here. Debating the pros and cons of jumping off the bridge.) My plan is to knit from the stash until at least June '07. This doesn't mean that I can't buy yarn. It just means, for me, that I need to knit up some of the lovely stuff I've been hoarding. I have many sweaters in the stash and way too much sock yarn. I will try to curb the buying a bit, in keeping with the other resolutions, but if the "right" thing for something is on sale, or if it is something I just can't live without, it's OK to get it. I've regretted a few times this year not buying something that I was sure I could get later. Guess what. I can't. (Yes, I realize this bit is in direct opposition to the "buy less stuff" resolution. So sue me. They're my resolutions after all.

10. Knit more gifts. The family and friends really seem to appreciate them. Sadly, they will have to wait a little bit as I knit for mememe for a while! (Don't worry, there are several gifts already on the needles, and more coming up.)

Whew! I think that about covers it. No pictures again today - must straighten up the house before guests arrive for the PARTY! Have a safe and happy New Year. And thanks for reading, I really appreciate y'all!