2011 To Do List...

I didn't make any goals for this last year because at the end of 2009 my main goal was to merely survive. Survive school, survive PPD/Anxiety, Survive motherhood. I'm happy to report that I'm in a much better place and 2010 was a far improvement over 2009. Not only did I survive motherhood but I'm the healthiest and happiest I've been in years. I graduated with my masters degree from Yale, I found my first "real" job, we moved across the country again, it was a busy almost surreal year.

I imagine that 2011 may also be one of more changes. Possible moves, job changes, Marcus maybe returning to school, but I also have many specific goals for this upcoming year that I really hope I can stick to, and even if I can't or won't I just really like the practice of making lists and goals.

1.) Start some kind of retirement account. We're big kids now and need to get on this. I think I'm going to open a Roth IRA, but I need to do some more research.

2.) Pay off our credit cards. We've never carried a balance until now. Between our cross-country move, a few months of unemployment, and our stupid car for the first time we have a balance and I don't like it at all.

3.) Start running/exercising. I really need to make this part of my everyday again. It just makes me feel so much better when I do.

4.) Read 150 books
As a subset of this goal:
a). Read 50 books that I already own and haven't yet read (I own 68 that I haven't read yet oops).
b.) Read 5 presidential autobiographies or biographies (eventually I would like to read one for each president)
c). read more theological related books

5.) Meal plan... *sigh* food and meals are really the downfall of my existence I suck at it. I don't cook, I don't particularly like food, I hate grocery shopping more than almost anything, but if Marcus and I could come up with something that works for this we would be so much happier with life. It's been an ongoing struggle for our 7 years of marriage.

6.) Organize/file/throw away the stuff I've been carrying around for decades. (I'm a pack rat and keep everything and Marcus bless him has watched me pack it up and move it across the country and back). I really need to force myself to re-evaluate the things I keep. For example do I really need every birthday card from my 14th birthday? Probably not and yet I have them all...)

I think that's about it for now I'll see if anything comes to me. Hope everyone has a happy and safe new years. Bring on 2011!