Month: January 2012

  • round up

    My goals for 2011, with final commentary:

    • Keep calm – This is a repeat from last year, but I think it’s important enough for me that I need to keep it as a priority. [I'm doing better on this one. In fact, one of my coworkers recently told me that she wishes she were able to stay as calm and unstressed as I do. I think I do have some anxiety and frustration from time to time, but I've gotten settled enough that my reaction to stress is to just buckle down on the work I can do, keep myself covered, and lash out as much as necessary to keep everyone else in line. Grade: B]
    • Carry on – I need to get used to the idea that everyone I know is growing up, and stop letting it make me sad. [This one is still hard for me, especially since all of the married people are now progressing towards having kids, which makes it harder for me to keep my life going in its own direction without being affected. I've resigned myself to this, pretty much, and am just glad that Boyfriend is with me on this one. No kids, just dogs, and all the time in the world to be carefree and selfish. Grade: B]
    • Be well – I need more calcium and an occasional trip to the gym. [I've been good about calcium and vitamins, but terrible about everything else. I haven't gotten sick much, but have definitely gotten more out of shape than before. Also, in my end of year reading sprint, I messed up my wrists again, because one of the books I was reading was a printed book, and really cumbersome. Grade: C-]
    • Be good – I’m going to find more ways to be good. More charitable donations and volunteer work. More kindness and patience with my friends and family. More treats for my dog. [I think I've done all right on this one. I donated more than I've donated in the rest of my life combined, I think, and found several new charities that I like. I've been decent to my friends and family (although this is probably where I need to improve the most), and my dog has been getting regular treats. Grade: B+]
    • Stay on target – Stay on top of all of the other stuff, like reading, working, saving, and figuring out how to do everything better, faster, smarter. [This one has been good. I've got enough in the bank to go for five or six years, some of which I should probably invest in something. Or I could just take a few years off and play, which is very tempting... I read 150 books, which ended up being a lot, especially on top of my work and TV schedules, and I've gotten pretty good at making my work fit into the time I want it to (for the most part -- occasional nights and weekends are unavoidable). Grade: A-]

    2011 Highs:

    • Really good macro diving in Dumaguete (Philippines)
    • Getting a 50% (and soon-to-be 100%) job with my new group
    • Croatia and Montenegro with Superman, Kanga, and Roo
    • Kanga and Roo’s wedding(s) in Chicago and Z-town
    • Hitting four new countries in one year — this is the most I’ve managed in a year since moving back from Europe
    • Actually making it to 150 books in one year

    2011 Lows:

    • Don’t ever say the word “re-org” to me again — still feeling the impact of this (no one lost their jobs, but department morale is slumping) and trying to complete my transition to my new group in order to completely shake off the after-effects
    • Losing my cousin

    2011 Weird Moments:

    • More uncomfortable than weird. Butting heads with my manager over when my full transition will happen. We’ve never had any tension before, but his group is so strapped that I think he’s fighting to keep people in the group as long as possible in order to keep deals covered. I understand, but it’s still a bit frustrating to be in limbo.

    2012 Aspirations:

    • Give more — I really enjoyed increasing my donations of both money and clothes, and want to continue this upward trend. 
    • Lose some — I gained a rather unprecedented ten pounds in the last year, mostly due to my nighttime eating, so I’d like to get back to my normal weight.
    • See people — I find myself becoming something of a hermit (partly to spend prodigious amounts of time reading, sleeping, and watching TV, but partly out of sheer laziness). I should spend more time with people.
    • Doubt less – I want to be more appreciative and less cynical and regain some measure of optimism.