New Years "Resolutions"
I really hate New Year's resolutions, but I think it's an idea that's doomed to failure. People want to make these big life changes in a year, and never end up accomplishing them, which only leads to disappointment. So, this year, I am not making any New Year's resolutuons. I am, however, planning on making monthly goals for myself. Something to strive for, but no huge life changes that will crush me if I fall short of them. I will update them monthly, and if I achieve anything on my list, I will replace it with something else. If I haven't, then it will carry over to the next month. I don't want this to be a one chance only kind of deal.
For January, I would like to:
get another block done of Sarah's cross stitch, at least
read a dozen books (new ones, hopefully, but I will allow myself to re-read some of my favourites as I am currently re-reading Harry Potter)
clean up the bedroom and make a damn good effort at keeping it tidy
get the wedding invitations sorted
make the placecard holders
find decent wedding shoes for my diy comic book shoe idea
start compiling a playlist for the wedding
purge some clothes I don't wear (and shoes, too)
get a new temporary dresser (my current one is broken beyond any repair and is the main reason the room is so messy, I have nowhere to put any of my clothes so I just fill any laundry basket I can find and then they just stay where they're laid. I didn't want to buy a brand new one because mom and dad said they wanted to get Mike and I a bedroom set for a wedding present, but realistically I can't let things stay as they are until August!)
make an effort to get out and do things outside the house more often
spend less time on tumblr.
Mike's still sick. It looked like the flu he got on Christmas Eve was going away, and his fever broke on Christmas Day which was great, but now the coughing and aches and sneezing are back with a vengeance. Other than his flu, Christmas was okay. It was super hectic and stressful, but I got to spend it with family at least. I was thinking of doing a "what you got" post, but I've put away most of our presents and I don't feel like digging them out to take pictures. So I'll do a summary:
Mom and dad: new pots and pans (for both Mike and I), the computer I'm typing on (joint birthday-Christmas gift), two shirts, and a stocking full of tea and random kitchen gadgets and silly little things (also shared)
Andrew: giant Spider-man comic cover poster (I have NO idea where I'm going to put this!)
Nana: ticket to see Jeremy Hotz with Mike (Mike really wanted to go but thought tickets were just out of his price range, but they were exactly the price nana was planning on spending, so I suggested it, and obviously she didn't want him to go alone), framed artwork from my favourite local artist
Uncle Steve and Aunt Joan: groupon for a restaurant, prepaid VISA, local fudge
Uncle Paul: a pashmina he bought when he was in Nepal
Grandma and Grandfer: two shirts, a pair of pants, LUSH bath stuff, mittens, pill shaped ice cube tray
Mike: Donkey Konga, foot massager, sleep masks, chocolate, monkey pajama pants
Alan (Mike's older brother): pomegranate wine
Mike's parents: coasters, bed in a bag set
Sarah: Neil Gaiman's Death comics, a dinosaur ornament, Neil Gaiman American God's shirt, Darth Vader ice cube tray (I collect ice cube trays, can you tell?), tea
Christina: moustache chocolate bar, 'tub tea' bath salts, a tea cozy with a cat head that she made me
Danielle: a Winchester tin sign, homemade Buffy the Vampire slayer ornaments, homemade Supernatural ornaments, When TV Goes to Hell- a book on Supernatural and how it relates to folklore, religion, gender and sexuality studies, etc.
I still have to exchange gifts with my Uncle Craig and Aunt Kelley (that will be tomorrow) but they usually give us movie money, and my online secret santa present has yet to arrive. I never really knew how many people I exchanged gifts with until I went through that list. I have a big family, and three close friends that I exchange gifts with, but it doesn't seem like a lot until I say it out loud.
Sarah said the gift I gave her (homemade nail polish, Jurassic Park themed tote that I stenciled, organic lip stain, dinosaur piggy bank, paint your own dinosaur kit, and a book that is out of print that she really wanted) was the best gift she got this year. That's my favourite part of Christmas. Giving people things that they really enjoy and seeing how happy it makes them.
And now it's New Year's Eve, it's half an hour until the New Year, and I'm home in my jammies, about to join my sick fiance in bed. I have to say, I kind of like a quiet New Year's because the rest of my Christmas is a lot of running around. But I think next year I'd like to go out somewhere, even if it's only for a few hours.
I hope everyone else's year was fantastic, and if it wasn't, I hope 2013 has good things in store for you.
(Also, and I hope I don't jinx it by saying so, I only have half an hour to go until I have successfully made it through this year without injuring myself and having to go to the hospital!)
For January, I would like to:
get another block done of Sarah's cross stitch, at least
read a dozen books (new ones, hopefully, but I will allow myself to re-read some of my favourites as I am currently re-reading Harry Potter)
clean up the bedroom and make a damn good effort at keeping it tidy
get the wedding invitations sorted
make the placecard holders
find decent wedding shoes for my diy comic book shoe idea
start compiling a playlist for the wedding
purge some clothes I don't wear (and shoes, too)
get a new temporary dresser (my current one is broken beyond any repair and is the main reason the room is so messy, I have nowhere to put any of my clothes so I just fill any laundry basket I can find and then they just stay where they're laid. I didn't want to buy a brand new one because mom and dad said they wanted to get Mike and I a bedroom set for a wedding present, but realistically I can't let things stay as they are until August!)
make an effort to get out and do things outside the house more often
spend less time on tumblr.
Mike's still sick. It looked like the flu he got on Christmas Eve was going away, and his fever broke on Christmas Day which was great, but now the coughing and aches and sneezing are back with a vengeance. Other than his flu, Christmas was okay. It was super hectic and stressful, but I got to spend it with family at least. I was thinking of doing a "what you got" post, but I've put away most of our presents and I don't feel like digging them out to take pictures. So I'll do a summary:
Mom and dad: new pots and pans (for both Mike and I), the computer I'm typing on (joint birthday-Christmas gift), two shirts, and a stocking full of tea and random kitchen gadgets and silly little things (also shared)
Andrew: giant Spider-man comic cover poster (I have NO idea where I'm going to put this!)
Nana: ticket to see Jeremy Hotz with Mike (Mike really wanted to go but thought tickets were just out of his price range, but they were exactly the price nana was planning on spending, so I suggested it, and obviously she didn't want him to go alone), framed artwork from my favourite local artist
Uncle Steve and Aunt Joan: groupon for a restaurant, prepaid VISA, local fudge
Uncle Paul: a pashmina he bought when he was in Nepal
Grandma and Grandfer: two shirts, a pair of pants, LUSH bath stuff, mittens, pill shaped ice cube tray
Mike: Donkey Konga, foot massager, sleep masks, chocolate, monkey pajama pants
Alan (Mike's older brother): pomegranate wine
Mike's parents: coasters, bed in a bag set
Sarah: Neil Gaiman's Death comics, a dinosaur ornament, Neil Gaiman American God's shirt, Darth Vader ice cube tray (I collect ice cube trays, can you tell?), tea
Christina: moustache chocolate bar, 'tub tea' bath salts, a tea cozy with a cat head that she made me
Danielle: a Winchester tin sign, homemade Buffy the Vampire slayer ornaments, homemade Supernatural ornaments, When TV Goes to Hell- a book on Supernatural and how it relates to folklore, religion, gender and sexuality studies, etc.
I still have to exchange gifts with my Uncle Craig and Aunt Kelley (that will be tomorrow) but they usually give us movie money, and my online secret santa present has yet to arrive. I never really knew how many people I exchanged gifts with until I went through that list. I have a big family, and three close friends that I exchange gifts with, but it doesn't seem like a lot until I say it out loud.
Sarah said the gift I gave her (homemade nail polish, Jurassic Park themed tote that I stenciled, organic lip stain, dinosaur piggy bank, paint your own dinosaur kit, and a book that is out of print that she really wanted) was the best gift she got this year. That's my favourite part of Christmas. Giving people things that they really enjoy and seeing how happy it makes them.
And now it's New Year's Eve, it's half an hour until the New Year, and I'm home in my jammies, about to join my sick fiance in bed. I have to say, I kind of like a quiet New Year's because the rest of my Christmas is a lot of running around. But I think next year I'd like to go out somewhere, even if it's only for a few hours.
I hope everyone else's year was fantastic, and if it wasn't, I hope 2013 has good things in store for you.
(Also, and I hope I don't jinx it by saying so, I only have half an hour to go until I have successfully made it through this year without injuring myself and having to go to the hospital!)