A questionable year.

 writing  2 Responses »
Dec 312011
 

1. What did you do in 2011 that you’d never done before?
I ran my first 5k. I also got my first full time writing job.

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I did my best at the beginning of the year (just like everyone else) but fell short on most of my resolutions. I made some for 2012 but included achievable tasks so that I’ll be more likely to get them accomplished. I also didn’t resolve to do something like ‘keep the house clean’ because I don’t give a shit about that. At the end of the year I don’t want to look back and say, “Man, I really kept a clean house.” That’s not worth my time.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

Nope. No babies in 2011 but there will be at the beginning of 2012. I can’t wait to smell some new baby heads.

4. Did anyone close to you die?
Thankfully, no.

5. What countries did you visit?
Just the one in which I live.

6. What would you like to have in 2012 that you lacked in 2011?
Financial stability. A defined waistline.

7. What dates from 2011 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
This year was pretty uneventful (in a good way). I do remember my first day at my new job was February 28th. It was the first time I’d be going to work full time since having Avery. It was harder on me than her.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
My job! I complain about my job a lot (not on my blog or Twitter, of course. I have class.) but it really has been a great opportunity for me and my family.

9. What was your biggest failure?
Not sticking with my weight loss and running programs once I got a job. I will, of course, be getting back on track soon.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
I had several bladder and intestinal-related issues. It was quite a bizarre year for my lower half.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
My cell phone, an HTC Inspire. It’s my first smart phone and I feel like it has changed my life. It’s also a big distraction.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Hubby’s. Jacob is the most stable, level-headed, calm person I’ve ever met. When he is faced with challenges he doesn’t act like a pussy about it. He is a problem solver and one who rolls with the punches. He didn’t get the promotion we were so sure he was going to get a couple of months ago but he dusted himself off and got over it. I was more hurt by him not getting it than he was!

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
I’m not here to put anyone on blast. He/She knows what he/she did.

14. Where did most of your money go?
Down the fucking drain. We have got to get a grip on our spending.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Going on vacation back in August with my hubby. Five days alone in Austin with the love of my life? WIN!

16. What song will always remind you of 2011?
“Born This Way,” Lady Gaga. And I love that song too.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) Happier or sadder? Same. Happy in a different way. Fulfilled in a different way than last year.
b) Thinner or fatter? Thinner. But not by much.
c) Richer or poorer? Richer, yet we still don’t have any money.

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Sleep. Spend more quality time with Avery. Write more for myself (not for work).

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Gossip.

20. How did you spend Christmas?
With puffy eyes and a sad heart. Thankfully, my in-laws cheered me up with baking, laughter, and great food. I went to a snack-filled awkward evening at my step-sister’s house Christmas night, then hosted a brunch at my house the morning of December 26th with my mom and step-dad.

21. Did you fall in love in 2011?
Absolutely. My husband and daughter make me fall for them more and more every year.

22. What was your favorite TV program?
We canceled our cable over the summer and don’t even have a receiver for basic channels so I haven’t watched much TV this year. I used to watch Glee and The Office but now I don’t watch much of anything.

23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
I don’t hate anyone but I am very disappointed in some people.

24. What was the best book you read?
Sadly, I didn’t read much this year even though I intended to. I read the Hunger Games series and it was very good.

25. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Maroon 5. They’re not new but I didn’t really get into them until this year.

26. What did you want and get?
A week of vacation with my hubby.

27. What did you want and not get?
A new e-reader.

28. What was your favorite film of this year?
I didn’t see many movies this year. The final Harry Potter movie was amazing.

29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned 28 this year and I had hibachi with my family.

30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
It would have helped to have more money. I feel like hubby is always stressed out because of money. I wish we had more just so that he’d relax.

31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2011?
When I got my job I had to figure out how to dress up for work. I started wearing more dresses and skirts because they’re really fucking comfortable. I have spent this year trying to figure out my own personal style. I really have no idea what it is just yet but I’m getting there.

32. What kept you sane?
Jacob and Avery are the best at keeping me from losing my shit.

33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Adam Levine. Just… unh.

34. What political issue stirred you the most?
I was relieved that Don’t Ask Don’t Tell was repealed.

35. Who did you miss?
No one. Everyone I need are close by.

36. Who was the best new person you met?
OMG my entire team at work. Those four ladies are fucking hilarious. They make my hard days easier to handle.

37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2011.
If you put good things into the universe then the universe will give you good things in return. In turn, if you put bad things into the universe you will get it right back.

38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
“My heart’s a stereo, it beats for you so listen close- hear my thoughts in every note.”

How did I do?

 Uncategorized  2 Responses »
Dec 272011
 

Each year I like to look back at my resolutions from the beginning of the year and see if I completed them or not. I will now share the horror and disappointment (okay, not really) with you:

 

1. Get organized: I want to clean my house and keep it clean (for the most part). Everything will have its own place and I will have not a single junk drawer in my kitchen. My closet floor will not be littered with clean clothes that I end up stepping on thus making them dirty.
Half-check. Sort of. I would have been a champ at this had I not started working out of the home full-time back in February. The house never got scary messy.

2. Keep up with the laundry. I mean it this time.
NOPE. Still a fucking mess.

3. Read more. I don’t want to say that I’ll read a new book every week but I think that I should make the attempt to set aside time every day to read books. Not blogs, books.
Nope. I read a little bit but again, finding time to do it was a challenge.

4. Write more. Like, a lot more. I would like to participate in projects with other bloggers and spread my name and talent far across the blogosphere.
Nope. I abadoned my blog for months at a time. I switched from Mommy Is Rock ‘n Roll to LaurenACarlton.com and basically lost my momentum. I did participate in NaBloPoMo in November.

5. Get a writing job that doesn’t pay pennies per page view. While I like the flexibility of freelance writing (ya know, when I actually get an offer) it would be amazing if I could land a gig that would give me a consistent paycheck.
CHECK! I work full time with an online auction company writing creative copy for the jewelry category. I have a desk! In an office! With coworkers! Also, in October I scored a freelance gig with CBS that, so far, sends me work every month.

6. Spend more time outside and around the house: Rather than walking around the mall and taking Avery to the play area at the mall I want to try to take her to the park on our block and play in the backyard. We don’t live near anything so staying closer to home would keep gas costs down and hey, sunlight FTW!
Check. Once I started working this was easier to do. After work I pick Avery up from the sitter’s and take her to the park. We play at home a lot more now.

7. Grow a kickass garden. Last year was alright for our first attempt but I think that we can rock it this year. I want fresh organic produce in my own backyard. Maybe this year my squash won’t look as weird.
Half-check. We did grow some produce but it wasn’t as plentiful as the previous year. I need to figure out how to maximize our space without overcrowding the crops.

8. Eat more whole foods: I’m no longer vegan (still vegetarian) but I need to to cut way back on the breads and dairy.
Half-check. For the first half of the year I did really well but I have slipped and it shows.

9. Learn to bake. I want to master at least one recipe. I want to be the mom who bakes her children’s birthday cakes and I’d like to give homemade goodies as gifts but I’m too embarrassed by my shitty abilities to do it.
Half-check. This December I made melt-in-your-mouth banana bread. I also baked cookies that were a total failure. It’s a work in progress. However, I have gotten a lot better at preparing and cooking meals.

10. Lose weight. There. I said it.
Half-check. I lost some weight at the beginning of the year but didn’t maintain my healthy new lifestyle so while I haven’t gained it all back I’m definitely going to have to start over.

 

Not terrible, right? I mean, I DID land a full time writing job as well as a freelance one! That’s HUGE! So, ya know, kudos to me on that one. However, nailing that one resolution set in motion my almost total failure to complete the other ones. But that’s okay. That’s life, right?

Stay tuned, I will be posting my goals/resolutions for 2012 on Sunday. Tell me yours! I need some ideas to help make next year kick so much f’ing ass!