RESOLUTIONS:
-Completely stop using plastic and paper bags.
We have so many plastic and paper bags tucked into drawers and crannies in our house. Even growing up, we never threw plastic bags away, we always found 2nd uses for them; but now, we can't seem to reuse them fast enough. Not to mention, I have bought about 5 canvas/vinyl reusable bags that I constantly forget to take to the store with me. I've started putting the reusable bags in my car and purse so that I always have one on me, and I'm hoping that this will help me break the plastic bag habit and that by the end of the 2012 we will have reused/recycled all the plastic and paper bags and be a completely disposable-bag-free house.
-Work out for at least 30 minutes, 3 times a week.
I don't get addicted to many things (no really, I smoked a pack of Lucky Strike filters every day from 16 to 22 and then quit cold turkey one day because "I felt like it"), but I get really addicted to routines. When it comes to physical activity, getting addicted to a routine can be my best friend or my worst enemy. Since I'm making a resolution about working out, it should come as no surprise that it's landing on the "worst enemy" side at the moment. I had surgery back in June and leading up to it I was running, hiking or walking an average of 6 miles a day. Post surgery, I could barely walk up the stairs to our apartment for weeks and have had the hardest time getting back into a routine for the past 5 months. Once something is on my calendar, it's set in stone for me, so....yes, I'm going to start scheduling running, yoga and gym time. At least until I'm addicted to it again.
-Be more patient, calm, understanding of mistakes as a wife aka Operation Simmer the F*** Down, Abby
My patience and sense of humor with 90% of the people I interact with is limitless. Especially with kids, I find that I can "laugh off and try again" almost anything. But I feel like lately (or possibly for the last....8 years) I have absolutely no patience for the one person I should. The most recent example: Paul didn't buy me anything for Christmas. He made me something and it was really sweet, but he didn't even wrap it. And he finished making it Christmas morning when we should have been hanging out and relaxing. I'm STILL annoyed by this and on Christmas I was extremely obvious and vocal with my disappointment in a not-very-mature way. Also, if he leaves his underwear on the ground and a glass on his nightstand and all of his stubble in the sink after shaving I. LOSE. MY. SHIT. and assume that he is trying to be the worst person on the planet. Here's the thing: Paul and I have two completely different takes on tending to the needs of others. I like doing things before anyone has to tell me. I offer help, ask if there's anything else someone needs of me, ask people what they want for gifts, etc. Paul thinks if someone needs or wants anything that they need to speak up and tell him. Every time. If I want something specific for Christmas I should tell him what that is. If I want him to clean up something, I should ask him. If I'm feeling like his effort was inadequate, he would like me to not get frustrated and just tell him. He is an engineer and his brain is mostly robotic. It makes sense. People handle life differently and I REALLY need to get that through my neurotic skull for the sake of my own sanity. Anyone reading this, don't seriously worry about Paul and I. Yes, his obliviousness sometimes reduces me to a weeping pile on the kitchen or bathroom floor; but I also cry at cute peanut butter commercials and that episode of Parks and Recreation where Leslie buys Ron a steak and nice scotch and lets him watch old war movies uninterrupted for his birthday. So yeah, time to work on me not being psycho.
-Create something each day.
Pretty simple. Sketch, paint, build, sing, write etc... doesn't matter what it is. Do something, no matter how small, each day.
-Figure out the design for our room and living room.
When I was in high school I covered my walls with pictures and magazine pages for the sake of covering as much space as possible. Now that I'm not 15 anymore, I'm much more picky about what I choose to put up. Ironically, I did have Christmas lights up in the living room for an entire year, but those have come down now. Our bedroom is literally just a bed, 2 nightstands and a pile of books. I say "pile" because I thought I was happy with our $10 garage sale bookcase, but I wasn't so now the books are just stacked up along the wall. My lack of desire to decorate is partly because the Stewarts are on a tight budget right now and partly because I need to get my ass more motivated to go out and find cool stuff. Courtney, make me go to the flea market on Sunday. Is that the right "flea" to use? Or is it "flee"? I've stared at them so long that neither of them even look like real words anymore.
-Dance in a Flash Mob.I'm for cereal here. I have a Flash Mob fantasy. Actually, my fantasy is to choreograph a Flash Mob to a very specific song and do it with all my friends. Marisa? Choreograph? If I have to do it, it's going to be a lot of Roger Rabbit-ing.
GOALS
-Lose 10 vanity pounds.
I know this is the most cliche New Year's statement. Maybe that means it will be easier, maybe that means it won't happen - time will tell. I'm not at an unhealthy weight. I'm 5'9" and I wear a size 8. Most shirts are mediums. Bra is a 34C. Aaaaand that's all you get right now. Honestly, if I were the size and weight that I am right now, but didn't have lovehandles - I wouldn't even care. Hence, the term "vanity pounds". Also, shorts terrify me. This is 100% for my own peace of mind and narcissism. Judge away, just being honest.
-Run a half marathon.
Pretty self-explanatory. Want to sign up for the SD Half Marathon, but not sure if the whole fam can pay the $150 each to run it, so might just run it unregistered, might have to wait til a later date to find one. It's a goal and basically want to do it just to say I did.
-Maintain at least a 3.5 for Spring '12 semester.
I'm taking 14 units next semester (4 classes). All of fall semester I had a 4.0 but then I got an 83% on a final that was worth 40% of my grade and it took my whole grade down to an 88%. If I had just done all the homework I would have been able to still get an A with just barely a 90%. Yes, I'm kicking myself in my 10-pounds-too-big ass right now. My goal for Spring is to at least get 2 A's and 2 B's. I've looked over the classes and it's completely doable IF I commit to doing everything. For me, it's not usually a matter of how well I do, it's a matter of doing it at all. Really important at this point so I can be done with school by 30 and close this chapter once and for all. I'm sure Paul would like me to eventually get a career and contribute to the household income too.
-Be more of myself/do things I like.
Possibly selfish. Not about to start complaining about life and responsibilities and time. I'm really lucky and I know it. I just need to set aside more time/money to do all the little things that I used to that made me happy and awesome. So without delving into too many details, that's a goal.
-Get pregnant.
Yeah, you're reading this right. I want to lose weight and have more time for myself and take on a full load at school and.... have a baby? Pretty much an oxymoron, I know. Possibly the most important goal for me, but the one that is the least in my control too, so it's technically more like a wish. Not ready to share the details of the journey with the whole internet (or the 4 of you who will actually read this), but it's something that's been on our minds and I'm ready. It wouldn't be my life if things weren't completely chaotic and idiosyncratic!
And there you have it. My tentative plan for a good life in 2012. I haven't decided how often I'll update this for accountability, but I'm hoping for several times a week. Happy New Year to all of you. 2012 will be our year.
We have so many plastic and paper bags tucked into drawers and crannies in our house. Even growing up, we never threw plastic bags away, we always found 2nd uses for them; but now, we can't seem to reuse them fast enough. Not to mention, I have bought about 5 canvas/vinyl reusable bags that I constantly forget to take to the store with me. I've started putting the reusable bags in my car and purse so that I always have one on me, and I'm hoping that this will help me break the plastic bag habit and that by the end of the 2012 we will have reused/recycled all the plastic and paper bags and be a completely disposable-bag-free house.
-Work out for at least 30 minutes, 3 times a week.
I don't get addicted to many things (no really, I smoked a pack of Lucky Strike filters every day from 16 to 22 and then quit cold turkey one day because "I felt like it"), but I get really addicted to routines. When it comes to physical activity, getting addicted to a routine can be my best friend or my worst enemy. Since I'm making a resolution about working out, it should come as no surprise that it's landing on the "worst enemy" side at the moment. I had surgery back in June and leading up to it I was running, hiking or walking an average of 6 miles a day. Post surgery, I could barely walk up the stairs to our apartment for weeks and have had the hardest time getting back into a routine for the past 5 months. Once something is on my calendar, it's set in stone for me, so....yes, I'm going to start scheduling running, yoga and gym time. At least until I'm addicted to it again.
-Be more patient, calm, understanding of mistakes as a wife aka Operation Simmer the F*** Down, Abby
My patience and sense of humor with 90% of the people I interact with is limitless. Especially with kids, I find that I can "laugh off and try again" almost anything. But I feel like lately (or possibly for the last....8 years) I have absolutely no patience for the one person I should. The most recent example: Paul didn't buy me anything for Christmas. He made me something and it was really sweet, but he didn't even wrap it. And he finished making it Christmas morning when we should have been hanging out and relaxing. I'm STILL annoyed by this and on Christmas I was extremely obvious and vocal with my disappointment in a not-very-mature way. Also, if he leaves his underwear on the ground and a glass on his nightstand and all of his stubble in the sink after shaving I. LOSE. MY. SHIT. and assume that he is trying to be the worst person on the planet. Here's the thing: Paul and I have two completely different takes on tending to the needs of others. I like doing things before anyone has to tell me. I offer help, ask if there's anything else someone needs of me, ask people what they want for gifts, etc. Paul thinks if someone needs or wants anything that they need to speak up and tell him. Every time. If I want something specific for Christmas I should tell him what that is. If I want him to clean up something, I should ask him. If I'm feeling like his effort was inadequate, he would like me to not get frustrated and just tell him. He is an engineer and his brain is mostly robotic. It makes sense. People handle life differently and I REALLY need to get that through my neurotic skull for the sake of my own sanity. Anyone reading this, don't seriously worry about Paul and I. Yes, his obliviousness sometimes reduces me to a weeping pile on the kitchen or bathroom floor; but I also cry at cute peanut butter commercials and that episode of Parks and Recreation where Leslie buys Ron a steak and nice scotch and lets him watch old war movies uninterrupted for his birthday. So yeah, time to work on me not being psycho.
-Create something each day.
Pretty simple. Sketch, paint, build, sing, write etc... doesn't matter what it is. Do something, no matter how small, each day.
-Figure out the design for our room and living room.
When I was in high school I covered my walls with pictures and magazine pages for the sake of covering as much space as possible. Now that I'm not 15 anymore, I'm much more picky about what I choose to put up. Ironically, I did have Christmas lights up in the living room for an entire year, but those have come down now. Our bedroom is literally just a bed, 2 nightstands and a pile of books. I say "pile" because I thought I was happy with our $10 garage sale bookcase, but I wasn't so now the books are just stacked up along the wall. My lack of desire to decorate is partly because the Stewarts are on a tight budget right now and partly because I need to get my ass more motivated to go out and find cool stuff. Courtney, make me go to the flea market on Sunday. Is that the right "flea" to use? Or is it "flee"? I've stared at them so long that neither of them even look like real words anymore.
-Dance in a Flash Mob.I'm for cereal here. I have a Flash Mob fantasy. Actually, my fantasy is to choreograph a Flash Mob to a very specific song and do it with all my friends. Marisa? Choreograph? If I have to do it, it's going to be a lot of Roger Rabbit-ing.
GOALS
-Lose 10 vanity pounds.
I know this is the most cliche New Year's statement. Maybe that means it will be easier, maybe that means it won't happen - time will tell. I'm not at an unhealthy weight. I'm 5'9" and I wear a size 8. Most shirts are mediums. Bra is a 34C. Aaaaand that's all you get right now. Honestly, if I were the size and weight that I am right now, but didn't have lovehandles - I wouldn't even care. Hence, the term "vanity pounds". Also, shorts terrify me. This is 100% for my own peace of mind and narcissism. Judge away, just being honest.
-Run a half marathon.
Pretty self-explanatory. Want to sign up for the SD Half Marathon, but not sure if the whole fam can pay the $150 each to run it, so might just run it unregistered, might have to wait til a later date to find one. It's a goal and basically want to do it just to say I did.
-Maintain at least a 3.5 for Spring '12 semester.
I'm taking 14 units next semester (4 classes). All of fall semester I had a 4.0 but then I got an 83% on a final that was worth 40% of my grade and it took my whole grade down to an 88%. If I had just done all the homework I would have been able to still get an A with just barely a 90%. Yes, I'm kicking myself in my 10-pounds-too-big ass right now. My goal for Spring is to at least get 2 A's and 2 B's. I've looked over the classes and it's completely doable IF I commit to doing everything. For me, it's not usually a matter of how well I do, it's a matter of doing it at all. Really important at this point so I can be done with school by 30 and close this chapter once and for all. I'm sure Paul would like me to eventually get a career and contribute to the household income too.
-Be more of myself/do things I like.
Possibly selfish. Not about to start complaining about life and responsibilities and time. I'm really lucky and I know it. I just need to set aside more time/money to do all the little things that I used to that made me happy and awesome. So without delving into too many details, that's a goal.
-Get pregnant.
Yeah, you're reading this right. I want to lose weight and have more time for myself and take on a full load at school and.... have a baby? Pretty much an oxymoron, I know. Possibly the most important goal for me, but the one that is the least in my control too, so it's technically more like a wish. Not ready to share the details of the journey with the whole internet (or the 4 of you who will actually read this), but it's something that's been on our minds and I'm ready. It wouldn't be my life if things weren't completely chaotic and idiosyncratic!
And there you have it. My tentative plan for a good life in 2012. I haven't decided how often I'll update this for accountability, but I'm hoping for several times a week. Happy New Year to all of you. 2012 will be our year.
very nice Abby! good goals, specific enough to keep ya accountable :)
ReplyDeleteMaybe you'll become a famous blogger and be asked to write a book and then, you could just blog, not work, and skip the degree (; Then the futurebaby will have all kinds of time with you!
ReplyDeleteHeaven! Though school is another "finish it to say I did" thing. Damn, I'm stubborn.
ReplyDeletefabulous! i look forward to cheering you on along the way =)
ReplyDeleteBTW that was me, not anonymous... weird? Oh well!
ReplyDeleteyoure wonderful:) love it all.
ReplyDeleteAbby, I will never stop enjoying you dear.. love the writing, the honesty and your heart .
ReplyDeleteLove Janice C
ReplyDeleteAwesome!!! I now have a way of getting me some aaaaaabbyyyyyyy..... after I move. You have a lovely way of putting that beautiful personality into words. I will miss your laugh.
ReplyDelete