Resolution Check-In

So the other day I was thinking it would be a good time to check in on how I'm doing on my New Year's Resolutions.  A blog I read a lot, A Merry Life, checked in on resolutions a month or so ago, and I couldn't believe the year was already more than half over.  This year, with the job change, I've been much less focused on my resolutions, and it seems to be a good time to refocus. 

Here's a link to my original resolutions, with some description of each and some explanation of why I chose it, or what it meant to me.  Reading that almost makes me feel bad b/c I haaven't made a lot of progress on these.  Not to say there haven't been awesome things I've wanted to do for a long time that I did but weren't on the list, just that I haven't made as much progress on this list as I would have hoped.  Definitely need to refocus. 

1. Italian at home (evenings on the second floor (where the kitchen and living room are)).  Mid-August status:  This is maybe my biggest resolution failure.  We did well through about February (specifically my last entries on the vocab list were Feb. 7).  But all this stuff happened in Feb when I decided to change jobs and marital communication took priority over Italian practice, but we really should consider going back to this one.  Even if not every night, at least some.  I bet it would really be good for me.  Kind of like flossing, see below. 

2. Follow at least one ambitious marathon training program to the best of my ability (with this eventually leading to a marathon PR in 2011, either in the spring or the fall or both).  Mid-August status:  CHECK!  A resolution I did!  I faltered for one of the highest mileage weeks of training, worried about an injury, but I stuck to the schedule well and it paid off with a little PR in Boston.  I'd love a bigger PR in San Antonio in November! 

3. Log at least 1400 miles of running.  2009 I was at 1284, and 2010 I was just over 1400.  Mid-August status:  I think I'm on track.  I don't have exact totals right now, but I know I'm over 1000 miles for the year!  Even if my calf (which was painful after last weekend's long run and REALLY painful after yesterday's long run) keeps me down for a few weeks, I think I should be able to hit 100 miles per month for the rest of the year. 

4. Attain a new 5k PR. Mid-August status:  No progress but definitely something I'd love to do.  I already wrote about how I am thinking of registering for the race where my current PR was set -- the one I need to break by only 2 seconds...  That might be a good opportunity to take a crack at this resolution, but I'm not feeling particularly speedy right now.  The odds of beating it are very slim.  I might be better off looking for a mid-October 5k, or maybe even something in early Dec., assuming I finish San Antonio strong and can keep at it.  So bottom line, I don't know when or where I'm going to go for this one, and it's hard to think about seriously right now b/c my left calf hurts.  Maybe this won't happen this year.  Too bad I didn't expressly make a marathon PR one of my resolutions! 

5. Entertaining at home -- similar resolution to last year's in terms of quantity, goal is to host several people we did not host last year.  Mid-August status:  Not good.  I feel like we've been out of town more this year, and that's made it tough.  I'd say we've had people over 2 or 3 times.  Way behind schedule.  Maybe I can work on this for Labor Day weekend, have a few people over that Friday night and do something nice.  I've just sent out invites to 3 couples for this coming Friday.  But I should plan out the calendar and guest lists a bit more and see if I can't get this one done by year end.  Looking at the calendar, there are really only 3 good dates left -- twice in September (this weekend and the last weekend) and once at the end of October.  Need to think of guests and come up with a plan. 

6. Flossing five days per week.  Mid-August status:  Oops.  I have a dentist appointment coming up too, so I really should have looked back at these resolutions a couple weeks ago!  I should see about doing this one, maybe taping a flosser to my calendar each day and seeing if that will help.  For some reason I don't really like flossing at the same time as when I brush. 

7. Operation: Fit-Closet (moving toward having everything in my closet fit me and be things I wear). Mid-August status:  slow progress, at best.  I got about 10 skirts altered to fit me, and I chose 10 pairs of pants and one dress that I want altered, but I didn't get around to doing that before we went on vacation in April and May, and I haven't lost the weight yet that I gained, so I am holding off on altering them until I hopefully get to my fighting weight.  Or at least back to where I was in about February...  The good news is I've been wearing a wider variety of clothes.  There was a section where I was putting things I was thinking of getting rid of, and in my attempt to wear varying things to work, several of them have gotten into the rotation again.  But I need to purge A LOT MORE.  And I should be doing it now.  I need to think of Dallas summer like a winter up north -- time inside to do projects inside.  Maybe that will be a good Labor Day weekend project.  But I need to purge.  I think I own over 50 skirts that fit me (that's including all seasons, and all levels of formality (casual weekend skirts, and a floor length velvet one I'll wear around the holidays sometimes)).  Desperately need to purge, but it's hard for me. 

8. Book Research.  Mid-August status:  not technically stalled, but not making a lot of progress.  I suppose I'm still doing research, but no attempts yet to organize the research, let alone start writing.  But the more I research, the more I realize I need to research more. 

So there you have it, my 8 published resolutions reviewed.  Not pretty.  But like I said, I made progress on other fronts, I just think these were important to me at the beginning of the year, and realistically, are still things I'd like to work toward, so I should refocus.