Grading 2011's Resolutions

Sometime later today or tomorrow night I will post a blog entry with 2012's resolutions. I heard on the radio or tv that it's good to share resolutions with other people to help hold yourself accountable. I shared my 2011 resolutions on here, but did it help hold me accountable? I set 5 main goals, and a bunch of smaller ones. We'll grade the 5 main ones with letter grades, and the rest as pass/fail. Let's grade them, with tonight's comments in italics.

1- I am going to update the blog more. A+. I wrote more blog entries this year than ever before.

2- I am going to get in shape. A-. I promise I won't give myself all A's, but I actually followed through on this, with the marathon, eating healthier, and trying to work out more. I give it the minus, because during marathon training, I didn't keep up with lifting.

3- Run more road races. C-. I think I set the goal of running 5 road races, which I didn't do. Maybe 3? Maybe I can do a few more 5k's this year.

4- Be more focused on work while at work, and more focused on my personal life outside of work. B. Definitely feel like I did better with this in 2011, but still room to improve.

5- Have a super-healthy January. No idea. I didn't even remember setting this goal. Maybe I did it? Who knows.

Alright those were the biggies. Time for the quick hit pass/fails.

- Read two books a month.Epic fail. That didn't seem too unrealistic, but I couldn't name 5 books I finished all year.
- Go skiing for the first time ever. Pass. And I had a blast, after taking 3 hours to get off the bunny hill.
- Take a trip to the Jersey Shore for my 30th birthday. Pass. Great time. Shaved my head after a few 7-Ups.
- Take at least one weekend trip to Mackinac Island, Traverse City and Chicago. Fail. Only because we never made it to Mackinac.
- Go to a baseball game in a stadium I’ve never been to. Fail. Though I did go to a football game in a baseball stadium I had never been to. (Rutgers at Yankee Stadium yesterday)
- Attend my first ever Red Wings game. Fail. Still can't get into hockey.
- Remember my one-year anniversary, instead of just being excited that Halloween is coming. Pass! Though the plans I had for it to get away for a weekend got cancelled due to an October blizzard.
- Remember all my family’s birthdays before they happen. Remember? Pass. Recognize? Fail.
- Volunteer more. Hmmm... Don't remember how much I did in 2010, so not sure if 2011 was more or not.
- Do another new Smitty fundraiser, and help start a new scholarship. Fail. Did the same old ones, but nothing new.
- Save to buy a house, new car, or child. (have a child in a few years, not buy a child) Fail. This is demoralizing to go and look back at all these!
- Be a good husband and surprise Kalee with ‘just because’ gifts. Hmmmm... I think I did a decent job with this early on, then tailed off. I'll go with pass though because too many fails are adding up.
- Go to church more often. If not every week, at least twice per month. FAIL>
- Remember to read my devotional book every day. Not every day, but most days. We'll give it a PAS. I don't get both s's, but it's better than a Fail.
- Call and/or email my mom at least twice a week. Fail. Why did I write so many resolutions? I did better with this, but not up to the goal.
- Stay in better touch with family/friends in NJ. Pass. I moved back, so that helps.
- Play basketball at least once a week. Fail.
- Figure out what is the next step in my career/ where we want to live. Pass.
- Get another dog? Fail but I'm ok with that.
- Have better posture so my back doesn’t always hurt. Hmmm... pass?
- Play an IM sport I haven’t played before. Scratching my head on this one here... I played Rowan CoRec flag football for the first time, does that count?
- Be less judgmental of others. Pass, but still need work.
- Don’t use the Lord’s name in vein, or use the words gay or retarded inappropriately. Pass.
- Try new foods. Pass.
- Learn how to cook more. Fail.
- Care more about current events. Fail.
- Just try and be a better person. Pass.

Alright, that wasn't fun, but maybe it will motivate me to do better in 2012. Or at least to set fewer goals!

Be back soon with some Life is Good resolutions. Until then, here is a Mumford song that's supposed to be on their new album, coming out sometime this year.



Slainte,
Gary