1/6 of the Way -- Resolutions Check In

Two months of the year already gone.  When I was a kid, perhaps the two things that irritated me most to hear from grown-ups were about how much I'd grown and how time goes faster when you're older (frequently in the context of chiding me to not always be looking ahead). 

But now that I'm a grown-up by pretty much any given definition, I must acknowledge that I think they were right that time does seem to pass more quickly. 

Something that feels like happened about a year ago, was actually four years ago.  Law school graduation was more than a decade ago, and it feels like it's been less than half that.  Even sometimes a phone call that I think was about two weeks ago turns out to be two months ago.  Crazy, I tell you, crazy. 

Regardless (or to use my favorite non-word EVER, irregardless), two months into the year seems like a fair checkpoint to see if I'm making any progress on my resolutions. 

1. Hardest effort ever at a couple months of speed training, then hardest effort ever training for an early fall marathon. The idea is that this work will lead me to a marathon PR by 11 minutes and 30 seconds in Berlin in late September.   IN PROGRESS.  I started working with my speed coach just under a week ago and am planning to work very hard at it.  So far I have three official workouts under my belt and I feel like I have put forth a solid effort. 

2. Cook at least 52 real dinners from recipes.  STRONG PROGRESS.  I'm keeping a list of what I've cooked so far, and I'm at about 9 meals (I think I accidentally counted a breakfast recipe since I didn't read my resolution carefully before starting my list, so maybe I'm only at 8.)  I love doing this.  It's great to have the leftovers and makes me feel more like a grown-up than eating stuff that's just thrown together and/or microwaved. 

3. Quit Facebook. Not actual facebook suicide, I'm leaving the profile up, and I may log in on weekends to check for messages and/or invitations, and I'll probably check if I'm tagged in a photo by someone else just to make sure it's not horrifying, but no more daily reading what's going on with friends.  SO FAR, SO GOOD.  I've logged on about 5 times to get email addresses, to respond to a couple personal messages, and to see photos, but I've been avoiding the news feed and happier for it.  I've been playing more sudoku on my phone, but I reason that is brain exercise. 

4. New to me country (a repeat resolution, since I'm not sure I really achieved this in 2012). If all goes as I hope, the new country will be Lichtenstein, and that will be on about October 4.  NOT YET.  It's still a plan for the fall though. 

5. Study Italian at least once a week and attend an Italian conversation class regularly.  FAILING.  I've been good about attending a conversation class frequently, but I'm not studying at all on my own, and that is perhaps what I need to do most.  Only about 8 more months to buckle down on this to have my Italian be coherent when we see my husband's family in October. 

6. Weight management. Right now I'm sitting just over the halfway point of the 10 pound range where I've hovered for the last few years. I want to get to the bottom half, ideally the bottom, and stay there.  STRONG PROGRESS.  Actually, within the last week is where I've made some strides.  If I could lose about 1 more pound and keep it off, I'll officially be in the bottom half of my 10 pound range (right now, at least I'm down to the mid-point).  I think finally cutting out the sweets and doing speedwork has caused a few pounds to melt away, which is nice.

7. Entertain at home at least 6 times, at least 3 times included people who haven't ever come over for dinner before.  STRONG PROGRESS.  We've entertained twice (once including someone new), and we have a third time on the calendar TONIGHT (with two new couples).  And we're working to get something on the books for April, so this one is going strong. 

8. Finish our wedding scrapbook.  FAILING.  The task at least was on my radar screen last weekend, even though I didn't make any progress.  Hopefully soon. 

9. Less procrastination at work. The three big areas where I drag my feet are voicemails, reports, and reviewing records. I need to check voicemail at least once a week (we have a log, so I can see who is calling, so I answer the calls I want, and let the "ugh" ones go to voicemail, then I suck at checking messages). I need to do initial case reports within 3 weeks of it hitting my desk (for most my cases, it's actually easier to do it sooner, rather than later, because the later I wait, the more information I have that I need to include). I need to review records within 60 days of receipt (I sometimes let "not urgent" stacks sit for way too many months). IN PROGRESS.  I'm doing so much better on voicemails.  Reports are getting done pretty quickly.  But records review hasn't been happening.  But I feel more on top of things and more productive, so that's good. 

10. Update our stairwell photos through the end of 2012.  IN PROGRESS.  I actually chose and ordered photos a couple weeks ago, only to realize I don't have any frames.  So now we have the prints selected and made, but I need to drive to an Ikea in a BFE suburb to get the frames.  I have been waiting for an excuse that would have me in the area.  This might not be until May, but in early May I have a 5k race not too far away from the Ikea. 

11. Sunday organizing time.  I need to set aside at least one hour every Sunday before 6:00 p.m. to prepare for the coming week -- that means making my lunches in advance (with the current running commute plan, I have to bring Mon-Thurs lunches on Monday), planning my outfits (including shoes and jewelry), packing my outfits (including laundry bags), and pulling together any "other" stuff to bring to the office on Monday (usually bills that need to be paid, greeting cards that need to be mailed, etc.).  IN PROGRESS.  I've been doing outfits and/or lunches on Sundays, occasionally both, and I feel like I'm making progess.  But I need to get this one all the way done, so that most weeks, it's all done on Sundays.   

12. Regular non-drive commute to work.  STRONG PROGRESS.  Even on days where it hasn't sounded like fun, I'm regularly commuting to work on foot.  I have a total of 5 possible commutes in any given week that can be done on foot.  Thus far, taking out holidays and jury duty days when I didn't go to the office at all, there have been 36 total possible commutes on foot.  I have done 23 of them on foot.  Not bad.  And a vast majority of the ones I've skipped have been because I had an evening commitment that I felt was really important -- volunteering, an alumni event or a work dinner.  I've been lazy a few times and asked my husband to pick me up on his way home, and he dropped me off maybe twice in bad weather.  I'd be thrilled to average about 65% of my possible commutes on foot for the year, but we'll see how it goes.  Even 20% is better than nothing in my book.