Resolute: 2013 Edition

Three posts in three days!  Don't worry, pretty soon I'll be back to sporadically posting on Sundays...

I was talking to my mom just past midnight this morning and we were talking about resolutions.  She said something like, I'm always so sure that it's going to be a brand new start and then about March...

"...It's like 2012 take 2?" I finished for her.

That's what this years resolutions are to me.  If I were receiving a grade for 2012 resolutions, it would be a "C-," at best.  Although I would hope that having a new baby might be considered extra credit.

So in addition to still completing last years resolutions, I have come up with the following:

Run a 10K.  Last time I made a goal to run a race, I had one in mind.  This time I haven't even had a chance to research which one to do; I just know I want to do one.  I'll update the date and location when I pick them. (Okay, this one's not my fault.  I was cursed this year.  The fact that I still run at all is good enough for me!)

Learn a new craft.  Right now it's a toss-up between knitting, crocheting and jewelry making.  I have friends who are quite skilled in each area that would (hopefully) be willing to help.  Plus my mom is a knitting/crocheting genius.  So I just need to buckle down and do it. (Fail on knitting, crocheting and jewelry making, but I did learn how to make tissue poufs--which I've always wanted to learn how to make--so I think that counts.)

Along those crafty lines, Paint a Watercolor.  When I was in sixth grade I painted a watercolor which I decided to enter in the county fair.  It took Best of Show!  I knew I would never, ever top that so I stopped painting altogether.  Well, something started gnawing at me late last year and I decided I really wanted to get into it again.  I asked for (and received, very generously,) a set of tube watercolors, a palette and paintbrushes for my birthday from my mom (also an amazing artist, if you will remember.)  (Fail on this as well.  Bummer.  My watercolors are still unwrapped...)

Start Bean's Piano Lessons.  One of Bean's favorite things to do is put on a "show" in which she will "play music" on the piano while I dance.  Then we switch and I play the piano while she dances.  I was 4 when I learned how to play the piano so I figured this is the year to give it a try with Bean; I think she's ready.  (Fail, but for good reason--the girl had a pretty busy year, so we'll wait until later.)

Also, Have Quarterly Date Nights with Bean.  I took Bean to see the witches at Gardner Village last October: just she and I.  We took the train up and she loved it.  I did too!  She was so well behaved!  Afterwards we went to dinner at Panda Express.  I would love to make this a tradition with her.  (They weren't exactly formal date nights, but I've gotten lots of time in with Bean, especially lately...I've been taking Bean grocery shopping with me in the evenings and it's been great having it be just me and her.)

Go rappelling.  Over a waterfall.  S and I are taking a trip to Costa Rica this fall!  You're definitely going to hear more about this, I'm sure, but one of the adventures you can choose there includes rappelling over a waterfall.  Both ideas absolutely terrify me, but I figure if S (who does not like horses) can take a horseback ride up the side of a volcano for me, I can rappel over the side of a waterfall for him.  And if I'm being honest, the idea kind of excites me!  In a terrifying way.  (PASS!  Finally!  Need proof?  Check here.)

Make Eggplant Parmesan.  I made Eggplant Parmesan a few years ago and it is THE WORST MEAL I HAVE EVER COOKED.  I figured it just wasn't a good recipe but then S (who will confirm that it is THE WORST MEAL I HAVE EVER COOKED) had some at the fire station that he said was really good.  I found a recipe in Martha Stewart's Everyday Food magazine that has step-by-step instructions, illustrations included.  So I'm going to give it another shot.  (Fail, though I still have the recipe ready to go.  I just can't bring myself to make it yet...)

Journal at least once a week.  This is so much harder than it sounds.  I have started and failed at keeping up a journal probably since I was 8 and was given my first book to journal in.  I guess you could consider blogging journaling in a way, but there are more subjects of a personal and spiritual nature that I know I need to be recording: I just can't find the time.  So I figure a "once-a-week" date with myself sounds less demanding than an "every-night" approach.  (I didn't keep up on it as often as I would like, but I did try to journal more frequently.)

I feel like this is plenty, considering I still have 2012's to work through as well.  I will link up this post at the side of my blog (and try to do better at updating it.)