The New Year's Post

I have always hated the idea of making New Years resolutions that you never intend to keep. There is absolutely no point to it! I do believe in making a small number of resolutions to provide some goals to attain. It’s a good reason to write down the goals that are floating around in my head anyhow, right?! So here are my 2009 New Years resolutions:

• Increase my fluency in Spanish (and go somewhere to use it!)
• Hide some money (i.e. Find and use a good income tax shelter) – buy a house, increase my 401k, etc.
• Stop eating at the same places! Limit myself to dining at a particular restaurant no more than once a month. (i.e. stop going to Bella Vita and Supermac so often – this will be hard!)
• Apply to (and get into) grad school. And find a good student loan where interest doesn’t begin accruing until after you’re out.

Last New Years I made a list of events and realizations I made throughout the previous year and found it refreshing to hash through what I’d learned over the course of a year. This past year has been far less eventful, but there have definitely been some realizations and subsequent changes made.

I vowed not to work more than 60(ish) hours a week last New Years

+ I learned that some resolutions are worth working on

+ I succeeded on this one for the most part

+ I’m happier with the balance in my life

I left town for every major holiday in NYC (New Years, 4^th of July, Thanksgiving, Christmas)

+ I realized that once is enough for each of the big holidays in NYC

I took some friends and hung out at my parents house mid-summer

+ I savored the fact that I have fantastic parents

+ I realized having a place on the water to vacation is a fantastic luxury

+ I thought about how nice it would be to own a river house with a boat, a dock, and a rope-swing

I moved into my own apartment

+ I found relief and peace in coming home to a quiet spot all my own

+ I realized how much stuff I actually have (and that I could not fit into a studio apartment)

+ I have re-learned how much I appreciate living on my own

+ I found that I love hosting game nights

+ I got lucky with what has thus far been a great landlord

+ I did forget to take pictures of my apartment before I moved in again (D’oh!)

I paid off my car and all credit cards

+ I realized how relieving it is to know you have no debt.

+ I thought about how much debt buying a house would incur

I went to South America on vacation

+ I learned how fascinating socio-political setting and economic development is to me

+ I realized you need more than a week to really understand a country

+ I remembered more Spanish than I thought I did

+ I found a new love in the beautiful butterflies of Iguazu, Argentina

+ I learned to keep a better eye on valuables while traveling (my iPod is gone…)

+ I realized a vacation from your vacation is necessary after spending it all on adventures

+ I learned if you declare everything in customs, you can bring back lots of good wine

I moved my office into my apartment

+ I figured out how much I could save myself and my company by not having an office

+ I realized the dedication needed for taking showers and getting dressed in the morning

More friends got married, had kids, or bought houses

+ I am continually baffled by how all this growing up happens…

I ended the year in Vermont with a boy and good friends

+ I realized I only like to sleep in rooms with people I know

+ I realized how long ago college seems now

+ I thought about how nice it would be to own a ski chalet

And I am still keeping track of that balloon ride I won in 2007 that someone still owes me.