O Hai, 2013!

I think this is a lovely first word of the year.

And so it is, another year has come.  As of 12 a.m., "yesterday" is now "last year."  Weird, isn't it?

Last year on this day, I wrote down some resolutions I hoped to keep/do in 2012.  Let's get a tally there...

1. Pray more.  This past year, I got back into a praying routine, something I hadn't done a whole lot since college.  I hope to continue that more this year.
2. Finish scanning pictures from the red binder and give it back to Connie.  Some months ago, probably even a year, I borrowed this red binder from Justin's mom that had all of his baby pictures in it with the intention of scanning the pictures so we could have them.  I still haven't done this, and intend on completing this task this year.
3. Read and write more.  I made this resolution last year, and although I did read more than in 2010, I didn't write hardly at all.  I kept my blogs updated pretty regularly, but didn't partake in any recreational writing, which I something I really want to get into the groove of!  I also really want to finish up my backlog of books to read.  This time last year, I read two books in the time span of one week.  I was so proud of myself.  And then it took me almost six months to read the third book, and it's been an uphill battle since.
4. Worry less.  I've realized this a is a huge problem of mine.  I wasn't really aware of how much I worried until this year and I'd really like to worry less.  To say not to worry at all is just unrealistic, but I'd sure like to worry and stress out a LOT less than I do.
5. Be a more proactive housewife.  In other words, get shit done.  I got real slack this year.  This time one year ago, I had been married all of a month and a half and was getting increasingly cozy with being a lazy housewife.  This trend continued for most of the year and I don't want a repeat.  I want to be more proactive, and clean when things are dirty and put things up when they're clean.  I need to be more on it with my chores.

(Oh, and just for the record, I'm not on the Mayan bandwagon.  I think it's a load of crap.)

I'm especially proud of that last sentence, haha. :)

1. I'm proud to say that I made good for #1, I do pray everyday.  I'm really happy about that.  As mentioned above, it wasn't something I had done a lot since college, but I feel better now that I pray on a regular basis.
2. I did not scan any of those pictures in the red binder.  Renewing that one for this year!
3. I read a lot this year.  A lot to me, anyway.  After looking through a few different documents of read books, the total is somewhere between 8 and 10.  I attempted to start writing at the start of last year, but couldn't stick with it and eventually lost interest.  A resolution for this year is NaNoWriMo.
4. Absolutely not.  I worried so much this year.  Perhaps a better idea is to find a good outlet, or a way of releasing my stress, instead of just trying to not have it at all.
5. I think I did a little better at keeping a clean house this year.  I say that, of course, sitting in the midst of Christmas leftover-clutter and clothes that need folding, but I think that over the course of last year I can say I did better than the year before.

Now for this year!  What do I want to make good on for 2013, the lucky year?

First, before we get to the list of resolutions I want to make, I'd like to set up a mantra for 2013.  In 2012, I decided my mantra was, "Whatever Happens, Happens."  I sort of took that to mean, "Let the chips fall where they may," and then that escalated into, "I'll let (blank) come to me."  Basically, I just sat back and expected good things to fall in my lap.  I'm a Christian, and I'd heard so many times to just "hand it over to God."  But I think it'd be better if I met God halfway.  So this year, the mantra is, "Try Harder, Do Better."  I want to give a better effort to things, and physically do more.  So there's that.

Onto the resolutions.

I think I will make a list of 5 again.  That number seemed to do well, easily remembered, easily recounted, etc.

1. Do more.  This one means many things.  Do more for others, do more for God, do more reading, do more writing, do more cleaning, and do more good.  1a.  Do less.  Less whining, less complaining, less stressing, less lashing out, and less bad.
2. Lose more weight/run more.  This year, for the first in my life (seriously), I finally lost some weight.  It was a great feeling - I'd love to continue that this year.  In addition, I'd like to keep running.  I feel some shame that I haven't hit pavement since November 20, but I can fix that.  And I intend to!  2a.  Participate in another 5K.
3. Take more pictures.  I tried to do this with the 31-Day challenge back in October, but I'm not trying to photograph more simply for blog purposes, I want to generally photograph life more.
4. Red Binder.  Dude, I need to get on that.
5. Find a job.  After working three different jobs this year, and not having any of them turn out to be regular, lucrative, or good for my well-being, I'm on a mission this year to find a real job.  I'm tired of being a sell-out and a joke to everyone who looks at me and sees and unemployed job-seeker.  If it comes down to an unemployment agency, then so be it.

Some of my resolutions this year mirror those I made back in 2011 (that feels like SO long ago!).  It's funny sometimes to go back in time like that, to see what mattered so much back then and to see what matters now.  That's one reason why I keep this blog.  I like having a time capsule of myself, and a record of things I did and loved and ate and read.  That's important to me.

Anyway, I hope everyone had a fun, safe NYE, and I wish a good and prosperous 2013 to all.