I’m back!

By now it should be no secret: I love a good New Year’s resolution. Or, more accurately, a good, long, probably-unattainable list of New Year’s resolutions. See: 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, and 2016. And of course 2022, below.

Looking Back on 2022

Did I read ClassicQuest book? Well, I guess so! I thought I’d completely neglected this one, since my reading plan kind of went sideways, but I did actually read Gone with the Wind as planned. So, yes!

Did I read one self-help book and spend the whole gosh darn year applying it? I’ll give this one a yeh-no. I did read How to Win Friends but I didn’t do the greatest at gosh-darn applying it.

Did I read one parenting book and apply it? Kinda! I did read How to Talk to Kids but didn’t really apply it, BUT then randomly fulfilled this requirement with the book Hunt Gather Parent. Which I intend on spending next year continuing to apply, because it’s just that good.

Did I focus on cooking as many recipes from one cookbook as I could? Not really. I discovered pretty quickly that Scandi Kitchen was both disappointing and required complex ingredients. So I never got more than a few recipes into that project.

Did I learn a language through Duolingo? Eh. I attempted both French and Russian, but never got very far in either, because other *ahem* languages demanded my attention.

Did I work on achieving my goal of performing a single pull-up? That’s just a straight-up no.

Did I complete as many Conquerer challenges as I could? Kinda! I got through about 1 2/3 of the three Jarrod gifted me. I got behind on the second one this summer, but I haven’t given up!

Did I do a 75 Hard? Ah…no.

Did I get an agent? Of course not, man.

Did I write Lucy in Love? And start drafting the next book? No and noooo. I reached a wall with Lucy in Love because I do with all my darn books. Just gotta push through the garbage, Em! Gah.

Did I spend the time it takes figuring out how to get Medium posts curated? No.

Did I launch my copywriting business? Big ol’ no.

Did I start a completely different career in software development? Yes! Yes I did! Haven’t got a job yet, but boy the majority of my focus this year went towards this goal, so I’ll give it a big green checkity-check.

Did I continue curating my closet? Um…I dunno. Not exactly, but I have pared down quite a bit. And I am more intentional about what I buy. So, kinda?

Did I smash my TBR list? Yes and no. But not having a real list, I didn’t really have anything to smash. I mean, I did have a list but I wasn’t super interested in anything. But I did re-launch my TBR list in September and it’s been going great ever since, so. Yes-ish.

Did I get help for my anger? Gah, not really. I asked for a referral at an appointment in the spring, but I never followed up with it. So. I dunno. Life seems to be going a little better now, but I still do scream occasionally. Hopefully I’m not completely scarring the kids for life. 🙁

And for this year…

Looking Ahead to 2023

Since I kind of like the plug-n-play idea:

I’ll read one more long ClassicQuest book. I’m thinking it’s finally time for me to brave The Count of Monte Cristo. It is excessively long, but I do hear it’s very good, so. Why not give it a shot?

I’ll read one more self-help book and spend the year applying it. Probably this is gonna be The Lazy Genius. Which I’ve already read. But it’s SO GOOD and I need to apply it for real.

I’ll read one more parenting book and spend the year applying it. Again, one I’ve already read — Hunt Gather Parent — but really need to apply for RILL.

I’ll do 52 Weeks of Cooking. Again. I kinda hated it the year I did it, but I also kinda want to try it again. And, wheeeee! I can already see the first three weeks of prompts! Rainy Day, Cabbage, and Oaxacan! Avocado ice, here we go.

I’ll learn a Duolingo language. Why not? The question is, improve my Español? Deutsch? Try something completely new?

I’ll really and truly get down to pre-Ambrose weight. I had actually gained some good traction right before the move, so hopefully once the new year hits and things get less crazy I’ll be able to pick it back up again.

I’ll continue to complete my Conquerer challenges. Part of me wants to double my distance goal for the year but maybe that’s a terrible idea, considering I couldn’t even make the 365 miles I proposed.

I’ll finish a draft of a book. Might as well add it to my list, right? Maybe Lucy in Love, maybe Mom Detectives, maybe something entirely new and undreamed-of.

I’ll write 12 short stories. Nothing too crazy. Just to dip my toe into the world of short-story writing. Why not add to the ridiculousness I’m proposing for myself?

I’ll write a short blog post every weekday. Speaking of ambitious and ridiculously unattainable! But, if I can pull this one off it’ll be good for Future Em. Basically, I want to dash off a very short blog post (like, we’re talking time commitment of 30 minutes or less) at the end of each day, covering something I learned that day (related to software development, I mean).

I’ll get a real, salaried jerb! Also ambitious, because the state of tech hiring right now is eeeeeeek. Especially for entry-level devs like moi. But! I will try as hard as I can to get this one done.

I’ll continue being intentional about clothing and shoe purchases. A-yup.

I’ll smash my TBR list, for real. For real! I have a plan this year. NBD. Currently enjoying the heck out of The Last Cuentista.

And that’s about it! This year will be wild, what with settling into that sweet sweet multigenerational home life in KC and our move to Yonkers in the fall. But I’m looking forward to revisiting these intentions in a year and seeing what all I’ve managed to do.