I have not abandoned the project, but I did put it on the back burner...and kind of forgot it was simmering back there. It's been kind of a crazy year, but I'm trying to get things back on track, and resuming this project is part of that. After reviewing my goals - sadly, I couldn't remember most of them - I see that I haven't made a lot of progress on them, but I'll do my best to piece together what I can remember accomplishing since March.
***Warning: This is kind of a long one. Apparently, I made more progress than I thought. Plus, I'm long-winded.***
Goal # 3 (Participate in at least 10 volunteer projects): I helped the NCA Promise (a scholarship program for the local high school) by volunteering at a concession stand during the 4th of July celebration in Hermansville, and helping set up for the annual Halloween carnival. Codi and I went together and adopted a little girl from the Salvation Army's Christmas Angel project, and I'm doing several hours of bell-ringing for their fund-raising campaign as well. I'm also thinking about organizing a book drive for the Hermansville library, but we'll see...At any rate, I've got 4 out of 10 completed.
Goal #9 (Read 5 Biographies/Autobiographies): While I have done a lot less reading than I would have liked over the past several months, I did manage to read a few memoirs recently. "Naked" by David Sedaris was excellent, and I definitely plan to read more of his writing in the future. He's one of the few writers who has actually made me laugh out loud while reading (Thankfully, I was alone in the house at the time, with only my landlady's goldfish to give me funny looks.) The second was "If You Ask Me (And of Course You Won't)" by Betty White. It had a lot of very short chapters and a number of pictures and was a quick easy read, especially since I adore Ms. White. I also read "Goodbye Jumbo, Hello Cruel World" by Louie Anderson, which I enjoyed as well. I am currently reading "Fat Girl" by Judith Moore, which I am having a few issues with. Not because of the writer's skill, but because her viewpoint bothers me a bit. Still, 3 1/2 out of 5 isn't too bad.
Goal #11 (Book List): I haven't made nearly the progress on this goal as I would have liked. I did read "The Color Purple" by Alice Walker, which I really enjoyed, even though it was tough to take at times. I got a good part of the way through "A Farewell to Arms" before setting it aside - I'll probably have to start it all over again. And I have picked up a number of other books from my list, but I keep finding more interesting things to read instead. So right now, I'm at 1/10.
Goal #12 (Movie List): I have watched quite a few new-to-me older movies since I last posted (i.e. "Whatever Happened to Baby Jane" & "Meet Me in St. Louis") but apparently only 3 of them were on my list - "A Clockwork Orange" (weird as crap), "Singin' in the Rain" (loved it, think I need to buy a copy), and "Gone With the Wind" (Good, but I kind of preferred the book.) Which puts me at 14/20 - so, I'm in good shape on that goal. Of course, that's one of the easiest ones I have.
Goal #19 (Postcrossing): I love this project - I've sent 15 cards (only 13 were registered as received, and I have 2 more that need to be sent out) and I've gotten 15 postcards from all over the place. I want to start an album of my postcards. My profile at Postcrossing can be found here http://www.postcrossing.com/user/ngearhart
Goal #22 (Try 5 new foods): I'm sure I've tried a number of new things, especially since I've been staying with Pasqua, who has much broader culinary tastes than I do, but the only things I can recall at the moment are avocado, which Nancy actually introduced me to, and I like quite a bit, and kale, which I tried at a culinary class at the Bonifas Art Center that I attended with Pasqua. It was not bad, but not something I plan to rush out and buy. Also, I've been trying to be better about eating tomatoes, which I like in sauces and cooked as part of dishes, but not so much when they're raw - this isn't a "new" food for me, but it is a pretty big step for me to voluntarily eat raw tomatoes. Anyhow, with avocado & kale, I've got 2/5 down.
Goal #23 (Eat at 5 new restaurants): While I was in Lansing, a friend took me to supper at a Mexican restaurant called "El Azteca." No t very high-end place, but really good Mexican food. (1/5)
Goal #29 (See a movie in 3D): I saw Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 in 3D. This actually wasn't too difficult, since this year has seen the whole 3D movie thing explode.
Goal #39 (spend a day with each sibling): Codi and I went to Appleton this summer after I won a certificate for a free stay at a hotel there. We went out to supper, had a drink at the hotel bar, hit the mall a couple times, had a lot of fun at this huge arcade near our hotel, and got totally goofy with this stuffed animal that we got at Build-A-Bear. It was a lot of fun, and a time-out that we both needed. I knew Codi'd be the easiest one to accomplish with this goal though - the boys are going to be a bit trickier. But I'm at 1/4 now.
Goal #40 (Visit Sam & Liv): Made another trip to WI this summer for Sam & Herb's wedding, where Codi helped me take pictures. I was very happy to be part of their special day.
Goal #48 (Attend 5 Concerts): Thanks to Roseanna's VIP connections at the casino, I'm WAY ahead on this one. This year I've seen Fab Four (Beatles cover band), Clint Black, Kenny Chesney, Uncle Kracker, Billy Currington, The Zack Brown Band (Kenny, Kracker, Billy & ZBB were at Lambeau Field together for the "Goin' Coastal Tour"), Randy Travis, and LeeAnn Rimes. Plus, I saw Carrot Top and Ron White perform. Not exactly concerts persay, but I'm counting them anyhow. Add Little Big Town to the mix (mentioned in a previous post), and I'm looking at 8/5 (or 11/5 if you count each of the Goin' Coastal participants separately.)
Goal #50 (Take at least 1 art class): Gotta love the Bonifas for this one. I took a class on triple-strand necklaces this summer, which helped out when I was working on the jewelry for Sam's wedding. I also went to two art appreciation classes, both part of the "I Love the Great Masters" series - one on Portraits and one on Landscapes. Very interesting stuff.
Goal #66 (Meal plan): I managed to create a weekly meal plan that I stuck to once this year, as part of a Diabetes education class I was taking. But hopefully I can get my act together and be better with it once I get myself settled in one living space. So, 1/10.
Goal #68 (Exercise 30 mins 3x week): I began working out at the YMCA's fitness room 3-4 times/week (always for at least 45 minutes) shortly before staring my Diabetes education class, and reduced that to once or twice a week once I started taking water aerobics twice a week (a 45 minute class). An extremely irritating leg infection has kept me away from the Y for the past month and a half, but I'd like to get involved again at some point. Anyhow, I had over 4 months there, but I'm going to be a bit conservative, I'm going to say 16/25.
Goal #71 (Visit downstate Family and Friends): Codi, Jae and I went down to the Finley Family Labor Day celebration, so we got to see pretty much all of the downstate family there, which was awesome. I also got a chance to have supper with Sue Katzman, who has been a friend of the family since I was in elementary school, when I went to Lansing for a work conference.
Goal #75 (Try 5 new mixed drinks): I got a chance to try some of Pasqua's homemade Limoncello (Italian lemon liqueur) which was very good. Not sure that most people would call it a mixed drink, but I'm counting it anyhow. 1/5
Goal #81 (Try 3 types of wine): A local winery provided beverages at the art appreciation classes at the Bonifas, so I was able to try their Cherry Wine and a white wine called C Marie, both of which were very good. I also had a white wine at Dad & Roseanna's wedding, which was NOT very good - in fact, it was pretty terrible, even according to the folks there who like wine enough to drink it on a regular basis. I also got to try some champagne at he wedding, which was MUCH better than the wine. I also picked up a bottle of Sangria, at one point this summer which I enjoyed as well. So I'm 4/3 on this one, but I think I'll be trying more as I go along.
So, I think that about covers it. And I really am going to try to be better about keeping up with this from now on - both by actually working on my goals, and updating things more regularly. Maybe I'll make that this year's New Years Resolution. :)
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