Monday, February 28, 2011
Friday, February 4, 2011
UPDATED: 2011 Resolutions and Goals list.....
UPDATE: 2/3/2011
In order to keep track of my goals and progress I'm going to update them monthly and talk about where I am at.......
2011 Resolutions and Goals list.....
1. Get in better shape!
Well the holidays are officially over and I’m slowly getting back into the routine of going to the gym and refocusing my diet to include better foods and beverages. I joined a Biggest Loser competition but am doing more for the self motivation than anything else. So far I’m down only a few pounds. That is however, due to my inability to control my eating habits and the portions of food that I do eat. For me it’s easy to fall into the lazy mode and cook something less healthy but more convenient and the second part is that my lunch this school year is at 10-1030am, so when I get out of school at 2pm and head home I’m hungry. I’m going to have to incorporate a healthy snack then or switch my gym routing back to stopping on the way home instead of late at night to counter act the hunger. All in all I’m fairly confident that once the spring gets here and I can be active outdoors more, that I will be able to shed some more pounds and get closer to my target goal.
2. Begin a detailed family tree.
This is going to begin at some point during a school break when I can sit down with my parents and get a lot of information from them. I have already begun to reach out to family members via facebook and will share this plan with them soon.
3. Begin the process of purchasing a home.
I have made some great strides in the area. I have spoken with 2 good friends in real estate and have done a lot of research. I will be set up with a good buying agent at the referral of my friend Mandy and will begin actively shopping sometime around April 1st. I have reviewed all my finances and have that in order but my major hurdle now is that I am locked into a lease with my roommate currently till Sept. 1st. The lease could possibly be broken earlier but that would take him finding a place to live with his fiancé as well as I can’t leave him hanging. So I am currently stuck in this window of being ready to buy and finding something I really want but about 3 months too early.
4. Better fiscal responsibility
I have taken a long look at my finances both long term and short term savings as well as long and short term debt. I decided to pay off my car in full, mainly because it will help in the home loan process when I’m ready to buy. I have also cut 80% of my CC debt away too.
5. Write more
Well with the start of this blog, my beginning and increased use of Twitter and Facebook, I am definitely writing more. The blog will be my main outlet and the other 2 just to share the blog and random thoughts with whoever is listening.
6. Travel more
this is a tough one. I had planned to travel for both my February & April breaks from school. One for personal reasons and one for the wedding of 2 good friends. Sadly I had to cancel both. Financially I couldn’t swing either and have to save as much as I can for the first half of the year so that I can comfortably move into my own place. I am however planning on travelling locally to see some friends and maybe a concert or two provided the cost is minimal but cannot afford to travel abroad for the first half of 2011 :( By August I should have a more clear understanding of what I can do for the second half of 2011. Ireland is still tops on the list, followed by a long weekend in New Orleans......
7. Eat healthier & cook more
While I have been eating somewhat healthier, as I mentioned earlier, I am still taking the easy way out and not cooking for myself enough. More Vegetables! More Salad!
8. Learn something new every day
As much as I want this one to happen, it doesn’t happen every day. More effort needed. I need to start with a good book and/or reading the paper.....
9. Volunteer
I know WHAT I want to do, I just need to get off my lazy ass and find the right opportunity. I plan on volunteering an hour or two on the weekends at a local soup kitchen to help feed the homeless and less fortunate.
10. be more positive!
I am failing hard on this one. I am going to blame this long and miserable winter we are having! must.get.better.
11. Use a reusable water bottle rather than plastic bottles
this one seems easy so far, I just keep forgetting my reusable bottle at home! But I am done with plastic bottles for the most part.
12. Take more pictures!
Another miserable fail here. Had several opportunities at some gatherings to bring my new camera which I got for Christmas but alas I forgot :(
13. Take a photography class
this too is a fail and I’m considering removing it only because if I can’t remember to take pictures at gatherings and on random treks I will surely not build enough interest to effort taking a full course.
In order to keep track of my goals and progress I'm going to update them monthly and talk about where I am at.......
2011 Resolutions and Goals list.....
1. Get in better shape!
Well the holidays are officially over and I’m slowly getting back into the routine of going to the gym and refocusing my diet to include better foods and beverages. I joined a Biggest Loser competition but am doing more for the self motivation than anything else. So far I’m down only a few pounds. That is however, due to my inability to control my eating habits and the portions of food that I do eat. For me it’s easy to fall into the lazy mode and cook something less healthy but more convenient and the second part is that my lunch this school year is at 10-1030am, so when I get out of school at 2pm and head home I’m hungry. I’m going to have to incorporate a healthy snack then or switch my gym routing back to stopping on the way home instead of late at night to counter act the hunger. All in all I’m fairly confident that once the spring gets here and I can be active outdoors more, that I will be able to shed some more pounds and get closer to my target goal.
2. Begin a detailed family tree.
This is going to begin at some point during a school break when I can sit down with my parents and get a lot of information from them. I have already begun to reach out to family members via facebook and will share this plan with them soon.
3. Begin the process of purchasing a home.
I have made some great strides in the area. I have spoken with 2 good friends in real estate and have done a lot of research. I will be set up with a good buying agent at the referral of my friend Mandy and will begin actively shopping sometime around April 1st. I have reviewed all my finances and have that in order but my major hurdle now is that I am locked into a lease with my roommate currently till Sept. 1st. The lease could possibly be broken earlier but that would take him finding a place to live with his fiancé as well as I can’t leave him hanging. So I am currently stuck in this window of being ready to buy and finding something I really want but about 3 months too early.
4. Better fiscal responsibility
I have taken a long look at my finances both long term and short term savings as well as long and short term debt. I decided to pay off my car in full, mainly because it will help in the home loan process when I’m ready to buy. I have also cut 80% of my CC debt away too.
5. Write more
Well with the start of this blog, my beginning and increased use of Twitter and Facebook, I am definitely writing more. The blog will be my main outlet and the other 2 just to share the blog and random thoughts with whoever is listening.
6. Travel more
this is a tough one. I had planned to travel for both my February & April breaks from school. One for personal reasons and one for the wedding of 2 good friends. Sadly I had to cancel both. Financially I couldn’t swing either and have to save as much as I can for the first half of the year so that I can comfortably move into my own place. I am however planning on travelling locally to see some friends and maybe a concert or two provided the cost is minimal but cannot afford to travel abroad for the first half of 2011 :( By August I should have a more clear understanding of what I can do for the second half of 2011. Ireland is still tops on the list, followed by a long weekend in New Orleans......
7. Eat healthier & cook more
While I have been eating somewhat healthier, as I mentioned earlier, I am still taking the easy way out and not cooking for myself enough. More Vegetables! More Salad!
8. Learn something new every day
As much as I want this one to happen, it doesn’t happen every day. More effort needed. I need to start with a good book and/or reading the paper.....
9. Volunteer
I know WHAT I want to do, I just need to get off my lazy ass and find the right opportunity. I plan on volunteering an hour or two on the weekends at a local soup kitchen to help feed the homeless and less fortunate.
10. be more positive!
I am failing hard on this one. I am going to blame this long and miserable winter we are having! must.get.better.
11. Use a reusable water bottle rather than plastic bottles
this one seems easy so far, I just keep forgetting my reusable bottle at home! But I am done with plastic bottles for the most part.
12. Take more pictures!
Another miserable fail here. Had several opportunities at some gatherings to bring my new camera which I got for Christmas but alas I forgot :(
13. Take a photography class
this too is a fail and I’m considering removing it only because if I can’t remember to take pictures at gatherings and on random treks I will surely not build enough interest to effort taking a full course.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
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