Reviewing 2021
So 2021, in my opinion, was worse than 2020. Maybe it didn't have the anxiety or the paralyzing fear of an unknown virus like 2020, but it just wasn't a really good year. Many people left our lives (and NOT from Covid), and many of them left too soon. Although I am grateful for health, and that I am still working from home, and for all the good things that DID happen this year, it just felt like a trying 365 days with a lot of depression and frustration.
That being said, let's get on with the usual. My annual review of my goals:
1. Get a new house. This is by far the biggest, most challenging, and most anxiety inducing goal for the year. I have been saving and trying to fix up the condo to get to this point, and I finally feel like it's time. Barring another economic collapse or some kind of enormous medical expense, by the spring I should be able to afford a good down payment. I should also be done with the final upgrades to the condo. The hardest part - figuring out where to move and finding a place we like, and being SURE. I would like to at least have set a date for a closing.
--> Well, this didn't happen. However I've been actively looking at homes, and visiting homes. Unfortunately, with the market being what it is, it would just be stupid to buy a house at this time. I definitely have succeeded in having the funds, but the house just didn't show. We had one that we really liked and almost were able to get as the owner didn't want to use a real estate agent - however that is what they ended up doing, and it was the right move for them as they scored an offer over $100k than what they were asking in 2019. Since I've been actively trying, and forces beyond my control have prevented me from fulfilling this goal, I give it:
Rating: 3 out of 5
2. Read at least TWO new books. I have sooo many books that are sitting on my nightstand, waiting to be read. Some are biographies, some fiction, some are just fun guides. I want to get through at least two of them by the end of the year.
--> Success! I read THREE books this year. "My Rail Life" by my old Train Conductor about his time working for Metro North (I was a little sad I didn't hear about myself in there, lol). Also "Light Magic for Dark Times" helped get me in touch with my inner 90s kid, bringing back some light and fun witchcraft. And lastly "Ride of a Lifetime" by Bob Iger, the head of Disney and about it's transformation back to power. Pretty good stuff. I have a few other books I intend to start reading, it's always nice to have something to read right before bed to help me wind down.
Rating: 5 out of 5
3. Run at least TWO 5k races or a half marathon (somewhat of a repeat). Hopefully fun races will resume in 2021, maybe I can even make it down to Disney World to run the half marathon. If the pandemic continues though, I can at least run on my own and do some virtual races. I need to get back into running. I'd like to be feeling like my old self by the summer.
--> Ehhhh. I really didn't run much at all this year. I don't know what it was. I did a TON of hiking though! I even made new hiking friends on instagram. I wanted to start running again towards the end of the year, so without training or anything I joined a couple friends at the Christopher Martin road race, and actually ran one of my fastest 5ks in probably 15 years. 28:05 (which would've been more like 27:40 if I didn't stop and jog backwards to wait for my friend). I then paid for this activity for about a week afterwards, with horrifically sore calves and quads. But it did get me excited to start running again, and I did go back to the gym to start running for the first time since March of 2020. I will try to continue the trend and get back to a good place with my running. The only reason I will give myself 2.5 is because I did SOOO much hiking. I went to a ton of places I didn't even know existed!
Rating: 2.5 out of 5
4. Finish writing my story. Writing was always a good creative outlet for me, and I had a decent idea (I think) that I wanted to see through. A year is plenty of time to get through a first draft.
--> Fail. This is way harder than I had anticipated. Plus you just need days to focus and really be inspired on what you want to write. Very difficult. I only wrote a tiny bit, before I realized I need to write out an outline first to help me along. Hopefully I can get more pages next year.
Rating: 2 out of 5
5. Go pond skating. Once. I have NEVER been pond skating. I really just want to have one time, where I can get out there and skate and feel what it's like to be on the pond. This should be an easy one, but in 36 years I have never done it.
-->Success!! I FINALLY DID THIS!!! It was amazing and I loved it. And I was able to go TWICE!! The second time we even had a full on game. I also ate it within the first 10 minutes as I got too confident and hit a big stick frozen into the ice. I also brought my skates to Stowe and skated on their fun outdoor park which was felt very magical.
Rating: 5 out of 5
Overall rating: 3.5
So 2021 was also terrible. But I managed to keep a good rating for the year, and even beats last year as the highest ever. Being home and being a little more focused helps me achieve my goals at least. So another silver lining to the pandemic. It seems like things are getting a little better - the numbers are climbing yet again but at least the death rate is staying fairly low now. I'm hoping the variants start to weaken and this thing just becomes a bad common cold. Anyway, big plans for 2022! More skiing, more hiking, new experiences, and hopefully more house hunting. We are exactly 10 days away (if this posts correctly, ha) from a new year!