1. Healthier lifestyle
I know I know, we all want to lose weight and train for a marathon. I'm no different (even though I don't want to train for a marathon). The pregnancy weight is off (all eighty-three pounds. Yup, you read that right), but I was on the big side before getting pregnant. To lose twenty-five pounds would be awesome. To reach this goal, DH and I thought of many small changes in our daily routine that hopefully will help us get fitter, slimmer, and healthier. (Small changes such as "plan meals ahead," "three meatless dinners per week," "desserts on days that start with S" [this last one is a suggestion from Michael Pollan], "no sugar in coffee"...)
2. Explore locally
We live in one of the geographically most interesting states in the country, and we better make the best of it! We want to get to know the city, the valley, the Wasatch range, and Southern Utah.
3. Get back into the saddle
We used to bike all the time, but I haven't mounted my bike in 2011 more than a few times. It's time to get back on my bike! We can't wait to get a Chariot carrier to pull Conrad behind us on our bikes. With biking, we're going to kill two birds with one stone: get fitter and explore the area.
4. Make new friends
Have you noticed that it gets harder to make friends the older you get? "Meeting people" doesn't just happen anymore unless you make an effort. I'm channeling my efforts towards the knitting crowd and daycare parents.
5. Make a decision
A career decision, that is. Tenure-track jobs are hard to come by these days, no matter where you live and what your field is, and I don't know for how long I want to be "adjuncting," always in the hope that something more will become of it, but without any job security (or much of a salary). So, I'm considering leaving academia. In order to go back to school. Ugh.
6. Knit more. Read more. Spend less
I have enough yarn and patterns to make twenty-six sweaters and a number of socks and accessories. I have enough books to keep me reading for a decade. I swim in yarn and books. I do not swim in money. It's time for some financial conservatism. We have everything we need (once we have that bike carrier)--so why buy more?
7. Spend the summer at home
No European travels this year, for the first time since I've moved to the US. We'll be either here or at the other gorges place. I look forward to a very relaxed summer.
8. Become multilingual
We speak English and German at home, and we want to add a third language to the mix. We have grand plans to learn a bunch of different languages (certainly French and Latin, which we both had in school), but currently I'm in love with the idea of learning Swedish (or Norwegian, which would allow me to get around all of Scandinavia, or so I'm told).
9. Share cooking duties
DH likes to cook but doesn't have much time, I have more time but don't like to cook. In the past it was either DH cooking or ready-to-eat soup from Whole Foods. Since we want to lose weight and save money, I volunteered to cook three times a week. DH will cover three nights, and on Saturdays we cook together. Oh dear oh dear. I got the Crock Pot out; I'm confident that I can master chopping and throwing things together and turning on a switch... :)
10. Have fun
Blog! Sew! Go to knit night! Do yoga again!
The Bean says Happy New Year!
Happy new year. These goals are good and I think they apply to most of us. Good luck with it :)
ReplyDeleteGreat goals and what a cutle little Bean! The Wasatch Range is in my state, too so I am assuming we are neighbors :-)
ReplyDeleteHey, Cutie Bean!!
ReplyDeleteI can certainly relate to your goals! My DH went back to school and just finished his MBA. It was hard, but definitely worthwhile. We are also working on making more friends (necessary for us academics who are "stranded" far from our families). I started yoga 1-2 times per week, and I am loving it!
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