Another Year, Another List

So....hello, 2014!

Last year I did a post about all the things I'd hoped to accomplish or improve upon from 2012 and whatdayaknow, I actually succeeded on a few of them. This year, I'm reviewing my 2013 resolutions.

One of them was to read more. I resolved to read 52 books last year. Did I do it? Ha, NOPE. How many books did I read last year? Uhhhh....shoot. Well, I started a couple. That is...holy crap...that's terrible.

ANYWAY!

I also resolved to write more and get published more. And thank Jeebus I did that! I added a few more lit journals to my list of places my work has appeared AND landed a fun gig guest editing an upcoming issue of Dead Flowers: A Poetry Rag. Stay tuned for that.

I resolved to craft more and start an Etsy shop. Victory again! I really outdid myself I think. I learned to knit, crochet, and work with wood. And I improved my sewing skills! And I started that shop and while it wasn't amazingly lucrative, it DID earn me $600 bucks over the last 12 months! Heck, that's roughly $50 a month!

Lose weight was also on the list. Hahaha....well...I did lose the baby weight. Just in time to get preggers again, so there's that. Oh well.

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So how about 2014?
Here's the list:

• Keep throwing myself into the writing. Keep writing and submitting and enter at least a couple writing contests.
• Read more. This year's the year. Gotta do it. Not gonna throw out a number. I just resolve read more good stuff.
• Learn everything I can about good photography. I have a schmancy camera and a couple schmancy lenses and a kid (soon TWO kids!) to shoot! I might try to save my pennies and get a few pieces of good equipment (a tripod is on that list) while I'm at it.
• Be more musical. It's a shame I never touch the pretty piano I bought myself before there were kids. Or the gorgeous epiphone guitar Neal bought me when we were first married. I can read music/understand a little tablature and know some chords. It's time I played, so I resolve to at least make a little time for it, even if it's not a ton. I think this will pay off with Silas, who LOVES music. If I can instill an interest in learning from this early age, it'll be totally worth it.
• Be healthier in general and in realistic ways. Not going to do anything too crazy or become the paleo queen or anything. Just try to incorporate healthier things into my life, including exercise.

Geez, that's enough! I hope I succeed! I sort of hate resolutions, because of the inevitable not-doing-of-them that happens. But maybe that's just the stuff like "floss every single time" or "lose 50lbs." I figure if I make "loose" resolutions to just be better about doing this thing or that, I can be proud of myself at the end of the year! Hey--I'm pretty happy with what I did in 2013, so...there's hope!