Well, here I am on January 1, 2011 and I’m looking to a new year, wondering what lies ahead for me. Will I get a new job? Alternatively, will I lose my job due to economic circumstances??? Will I travel to a new, unexplored country? Will I make new friends? Will sadness or tragedy hit my friends or family? Will I enhance my spirituality? Lots of questions, lots of possibilities, and lots of opportunities.
I float back and forth every year as to whether I’m going to do the whole “resolution thing” as I usually find the exercise predictable (“lose weight”) or overwhelming (“climb Mt. Everest”). However, I have my goal book that I wrote several years ago and I think there are some good things in there that I can tackle in 2011. Herewith, the goals for 2011:
1. Read
Jesus the Christ. Cherstyn gave me a copy of the book years ago and while I’ve read a large section and referenced different chapters for church lessons and talks, I’ve never read the book cover to cover. This year, I will.
2. Take a trip to honor my 40th birthday. In an effort to keep myself from swinging from a shower rod on September 6 (“AGH! I’m 40 years old and I don’t have a husband, a child, a substantive retirement account, or own my own home!!”), I want to go on a fun trip to an exciting country and make some great memories. I’m thinking of Argentina, but we’ll see in the coming months where I end up.
3. Lose 5-inches off my waist. Ok, I know. This is the typical “lose weight” resolution, but I really think I have to tackle this issue for health reasons. I feel great, but I definitely think that as I’m knocking on 40, I have to get the lbs off the body.
4. Become closer to receiving temple endowment. This is a major mental obstacle for me, but I’m sensing the need to go through the temple soon. I’ve talked with Bishop Sampson about it twice – both at his instigation, so it’s no credit to me – and I think it’s something I need to start thinking about more seriously. For years, I didn’t think about it because I stopped being a full tithe payer, but that issue was corrected three or four years ago, so now it’s just my own issues that I need to overcome.
5. Read the New Testament. This year, the Sunday School curriculum is the New Testament and I’d like to read the book “cover to cover” so-to-speak.
6. Build emergency savings to $40,000. In June 2009, I hit a major personal milestone when I managed to save $30,000 for an emergency savings account. It was a significant moment for me to have some financial security because for so many years (i.e., 15 years!)) I lived with some degree of consumer debt. Getting out from under that debt and building a savings account was huge. Unfortunately, in 2010, I had to draw $8,000 out of my hard-earned savings account. While $5,000 went to a Roth IRA, which is still savings, $3,000 went to that stupid Verizon wireless bill. As of today, my savings account stands at just over $21,000. It’s time to use 2011 to seriously build that account. I’m counting on my tax return, my annual bonus, and some good old fashion savings!
7. Pay 1% of my salary to charity. Susan gave me this idea last year and I thought it was terrific. So many of us always say, “When I make $X, I’ll give to charity.” Well, now I make $X, but outside of my 10% tithe to the church and the occasional check to the Boy Scouts or cancer research, I don’t give much to charity. The goal this year is to give 11% of my gross pay to charity – 10% to the church and 1% to other charitable causes.
8. Read
War and Peace. Another beast of a resolution, but I can remember teaching a Relief Society lesson in the mid-1990s when I was a member of the Colonial Ward and I referenced a goal I set for myself to read the book. Well, it’s now 15 years later and there are no more excuses!
9. Finish Christmas quilt / stockings. Years ago, I completed 12 cross-stitches of Santa Claus scenes. Rather than continue to keep these blasted things in a Nordstrom box, tucked away at the back of a closet, where they’ve been for years, it’s time to do something with them!
10. Update my resume. I don’t “need” an updated resume right now, but my resume hasn’t been updated since early 2005, when I was looking for a job in San Francisco, so it’s time. I’ve done a lot of work in the past six years that I need to capture on paper. I’m not looking forward to doing this, but it needs to be done!
Well, there’s the list. I’m looking forward to 2011 and all that waits ahead for me. Here’s hoping I rise to my own challenges!
Holy snow, Batman! Washington was hit last night by a fast moving snow storm that absolutely crippled the city and put me smack in the middle of a commute that was sent directly from Satan.