i'm a couple weeks early on this, but i was in the mood to look at the list after pretty close to a year later. although i've written about what i've accomplished throughout the year, i wanted to go through all of it. also, i made some of the more vague items more specific. so, here goes:
1. write list. obviously that one is finished. i think it took 2 days.
2. exerbycle 2-3x/week. well, yeah. i've been REALLY bad about that over the last year. my only saving grace is that i have been fairly diligent about water aerobics instead. but, i have the bike and i really should get on it more often.
3. swim a couple times/month. i'm at the pool twice a week and try to spend a little extra time swimming around before class. this one was easier when water aerobics started at 6 and we had time to stay in the pool afterward.
4. put together DJ/band?crafty bazaar. emily and i talked about doing this a few years ago and i'd still like to try. maybe late fall/early winter, before the holidays?
5. lose 10 lbs and keep it off. i ALWAYS lose 10 lbs. i NEVER keep it off. i go through phases every year where i'm careful about what i eat and then i go through phases where i don't think twice. i'm currently coming to the end of a "don't think twice" phase, so we'll see. also, there's green mountain, but i'll talk about that when i get to it.
6. the lose 10-40 more lbs. again, green mountain.
7. renew passport. still haven't done it.
8. write in journal at least 4x/week. this is one that i made mopre specific. before it was just "write more". i'm not sure if i want to write fiction or prose or essays. so far, just writing every week has been good.
9. take a food road trip. i definitely want to do this. i may try to do a mini one in july.
10. write about that. perhaps i will, in my journal :)
11. go to montreal. this one had been to visit A.C. in montreal, but since she's back in chicago, i'll just make it a goal to go. and i'll get a drink with mark jones. maybe it can be the end point for the food road trip.
12. go to austin. there is talk of me and richard doing this in summer. there will be wrestling involved. hopefully not with chad, haha.
13. cook at home 3x/week. this was also changed from "cook more things, more often". that was WAY too vague. at the moment, i'm hoping to start cooking things to bring to work for lunches. frozen stuff is getting me way down.
14. finally have people over for moussaka and not default to ordering pizza. yay, i did this one. i had therese, dan, val, hannah, and lorna over. it was a hit. i had also made moussaka for the work holiday party and was pleased that the ladies loved it. also, moussaka goes well with rice-a-roni.
15. get the ball rolling on scott's care that hopefully can start before our parents are unable to care for him. well, i have some names of lawyers and want to start calling for consultations soon. that part will be easy; the rest, i'm not so sure.
16. discuss that with said parents. i've already told my dad that i'm planning to do this. he seemed happy about it. again, that part was easy. when i come to them with all that they (we) have to do, i'm not so sure.
17. get 7-8 hours of sllep at least 5x/week. i've accomplished this too and i really do feel better. i'd still rather not have to get up early, but it's gotten better.
18. walk 15-20 4x/week. although i don't set out to just take a walk, especially in winter, i realized that between walking from wherever i'm parked to work and then walking around work, i almost always accomplish this goal. in spring and summer, i will return to walking a lap around the building on lunch or a break.
19. put of a one off cover band, ala covers for cover. if i had known that there would be a covers for cover in 09 earlier, i would've tried to be a part of it. alas. if it happens again this year, with the help of lorna and shelley and whomever else, i would like to front a cheap trick cover band. oh yes.
20. go to cardiologist. this is something i need to do yearly. i went in april 09 and have an appointment in april 10.
21. go to pulmonologist. ditto.
22. save $10-20/paycheck. yeah, that hasn't happened yet. pretty much every time i get to the point of being able to save, something dumb happens like i end up in the hospital with vertigo and don't get paid for a week. i am trying.
23. set up payment plans for medical bills. i've got one down and now i need to make a few more calls for the others.
24. start paying student loan again. i really wonder how many times one can use forebearance. i've done it at least 5 times already. my next payment is due on 4/15 and i want to start paying it off finally.
25. get new tires. i did, in august.
26. frame more paper to decorate with. i have a sheet at home waiting to be framed. i haven't put a lot up since i moved. the collage wall kinda took over my decorating time. hey, that's also decorating with paper!
27. go to the haskell free library and opera house in vermont-quebec. i'm hoping to do this when i'm at green mountain.
28. pay off law suit. i don't even want to talk about this one.
29. do more painting. although this one was vague, i actually did do quite a bit. i have a few more painting projects in the works after i'm done with the collage wall and getting the rest of my pictures up around the apartment.
30. clean and organize spare room/assess and organize craft stuff. i did this and it was great. i think it took me a whole weekend, but i got it done and threw a lot of stuff away. i had no idea at the time that i'd be moving anytime soon, but i'm glad i got that out of the way before packing started.
31. pay off credit card. it's a stupid $300 credit card too.
32. move to a more accessible apartment. i did! and just in time for winter too. with the exception of having to take my laundry to be done, this move has made my life at least 187% better. no stairs to deal with, i can access my closets so my clothes actually get hung up, a much more acccessible bathroom, including a grab bar next to the toilet, and a bedroom that fits more than just my bed.
33. be more proactive at work. this one was vague too, but i don't have specific goals, really. i like my job, so getting out isn't a thing. i think i'd just like to continue to make contributions when i can, like help solve problems and suggest priojects (damn OCLC book). i think maybe helping there be more follow-through sometimes would be a good goal. we have lots of good ideas and projects that fall to the wayside, so staying on top of those might be good.
34. be on time more often than not. much like wating well, this goes in phases. i am trying to be on time always and hit the mark, oh, 75% of the time.
35. read 10 books/year. last year, i read 4. that's just pathetic. i miss it and i'm not sure why, especially considering where i work, that i haven't made it a priority. i have overdues, but i should take care of those and get some books!
36. start a blog about something. well, this counts. i'm also considering starting one for a year that details the inappropriate questions i get asked by random strangers. i think i would be interesting to have a record of that.
37. get liver enzymes and cholesterol checked yearly. i got this done in 2009 and for the first time in a decade, my enzymes were normal. take that!
38. go to gyno yearly. yep, went in feb 09 and was fine. also had my first mammogram. all good.
39. buy a tricycle and ride as weather allows. part of why i haven't done this already is because in my old apartment, i had no easy way to store one. now, i have a shed outside my back door that involves no stairs! i'm gonna price them as soon as i'm done with this!
40. get handicap signs for street parking. i put this on off too and i'm glad, sicne i moved. the parking at my new place is so much easier, but i think i may still do it. there are a couple spots that have walk ways from the side walk and if i alwasy got to park at one of those, my life would be again, 187% easier.
41. change sheets more often. basic, but i had to remind myself.
42. try to establish a realistic budget each month and stick to it. i've done well and poorly with this. it's a stumbling block and i'm trying to get better.
43. see 3-5 plays/year. thanks to dave awl mostly, i accomplished 3 in 2009. let's see what i can do in 2010. i'd actually like to go see a broadway production at one of the big theaters.
44. attend 2-3 art exhibits. i should've done better last year, but i don't think i even went to one. for shame.
45. go to pla in portland march 2010. other more important uses of money came up for this year, so sadly, pla got downgraded to failed. it's ok pla, it's ok.
46. visit tom j. in seattle. this was going to be done in conjunction with pla. alas. i will do this eventually. i've never gone to seattle with seattle as the main intention and i think it deserves a looksee.
47. buy $300 dream shoes. in the next month, i can feel it.
48. buy new boots. this one's a lot harder than it sounds. i bought a great pair of motorcycle boots, that ultimately didn't work out for me. i wanted to buy the exact same pair of gripfast boots i have now, but my size alludes me. i'm keeping my eye out, but also thinking i'll get these boots i have now re-soled after winter is over.
49. buy new non-boots. i did that. got a new pair of earth solars in plum.
50. look into taking a rowing class. over the summer, i did find a class, but the cost, the time it was offered, and the accessibility were issues. i tried to find an indoor class using machines and found that they don't exist in chicago. i also looked into buying my own machine and that is where i'm headed. but, it's kind of on the back burner.
51. take more advantage of physical therapy. i think i did. i finally stopped going in august and replaced it with an extra day of water aerobics. it was really good, but started to feel routine and not as helpful. i very rarely do the exercises at home.
52. grow hair out just to see. yeah, no. never again.
ok, i'm getting typing cramps, so i will finish this next time. well start with green mountain...
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
massaged, waxed, pedicured, whirlpooled, steam roomed, and full of filet mignon or day 341
yay #89! i took a serious spa weekend! emily and her friend rehka invited me to go with on their trip and since it was on the list and my tax return was on the way, i said, "indeed"! we went to heidel house resort and evensong spa in green lake, wi. it's about 180 miles away and about a 3 1/2 hour drive. here's how i'll break it down:
the setting
it really was kinda in the middle of nowhere. once off the highway, we took county roads that were only named by letters to get to the hotel. once there and after some bad, not terribly accessible directions to my room, i settled in to decompress after the drive while emily and rehka went to k-mart. this resulted in a video of a billy bass singing the filet-o-fish song and 3 jars of pantene pomade for $10!
the room
aside from being kind of a pain in the ass to get to, it was pretty damn good. it was almost a suite, with a sitting room and a balcony that overlooked a lake. the lake was, of course, frozen and snow covered, but that was still kinda pretty, and despite being about 20 degrees out, i did stand on the balcony for a few minutes each day. it was oddly comforting. the bed was king size and had something like 6 pillows and a bolster. there was also a duvet that weight roughly as much as me. that had to go (along with 4 of the pillows) right away. i had a tv that was about the size of my car with cable (alas, no porn). i had a whirlpool tub in my bathroom and although i was too afraid to get in for fear of not being able to get out without assistance, i did fill it up and take a shower with the water whirling around my legs. also, the toiletries were fantastic. and there was room service!
the amenities
i never made it to the arcade, which bums me out, but we did go to the pool and whirlpool after fish fry. there was much debate on the way back to our rooms about how we would dress to walk to the pool, which included me considering putting my pj bottoms on under the skirt of my bathing suit. once all was said and done though, i remembered that i'm not that modest, that i used to take my clothes off on stage in front of people, and i walked down in the suit alone.
the spa day
again, not the most accessible in that it is across the street from the hotel (and in this case, across the street is about 1/2 mile), but once i was inside, so lovely. it is definitely the nicest spa i've been to. my massage was perfect. the oil she used was almost sandalwoody, but milder. she massaged my face, which i love and it rarely happens. i should've gotten the head massage add on. next time for sure.
after my massage, i had lunch in the cafe in my pjs. because i was in wisconsin, i made sure everything i ate involved cheese. in this case, it was a dill havarti quesadilla with roasted veggies. there was also a chai smoothie.
then i waited in the relaxation room for my next appointment, which was an eyebrow wax. the room looked out onto the forest. it was a sunny day and the snow made it really quite beautiful. unfortunately, all of the chairs and chaises in there were really low to the ground. so, i opted to sit on the arm of one of the chairs while i waited. i had made the eyebrow appointment that day and wasn't sure what time it was scheduled. after i had sat on the arm for about 20 minutes, my ass started to fall asleep, so i decided to get up to get my carmex (which i had forgotten to bring with me, if you can believe that). in doing so, my bare feet, which were freshly oiled from my massage, slipped on the floor and i ended up falling off the chair instead. and, because i was in a room full of people who were serenely laid back after massages, i didn't fall gracefully and noiselessly as i usually do. oh no, i hit the chair, which then knocked into the table, which made the framed menu of services fly off and into the wall. right on. but, i was next to a low ottoman, so i was able to recover quickly and not 20 seconds after i did, the girl come out to get me for my waxing.
after that, i went straight to my pedicure. there were massage chairs that tilt and lower for you to get into, plus they could be adjusted forward and back. i got the deluxe pedicure, which included a milk bath soak, brown sugar scrub, and a pepperminty clay mask. i had it finished off with "bold & beautiful" polish (blood red). i also read about carnie wilson in people magazine.
my spa day was coming to an end, so i decided to sit in the steam room for a few minutes. dear me, i love a steam room.
the food
on friday night, emily was hellbent on finding a fish fry and on the way back from k-mart, she found one across the street. it was this funny, northwoodsy lodge, in which we were the youngest patrons by at least 20 years. the fish was ok. the chocolate mousse cake was spectacular. as was my sip of emily's pink squirrel, which was totally my grandma olga's drink.
saturday morning before i went to the spa, i ordered room service. nice french toast and eggs. i just love ordering room service, really.
saturday night we went to the fancy-ish restaurant at the hotel, called grey rock. they were a bit overwhelmed since it was valentine's day weekend and usually things are pretty dead at this time of the year. i had french onion soup with gruyere, filet mignon with mashed potatoes, and aspargus, and chocolate lave cake. the bread selection came with 3 spreads, a garlic butter, olive tapanade, and a cucumber dill yogurty thing. all delish. we attempted to have breakfast at the hotel before we left, but there was a buffet and it was really crowded. since we were in 2 cars, emily and rehka ended up at mcdonald's and i ended up at arby's. i love arby's, especially on a road trip.
so, there you have it. #89. this actually also helps my goal of getting massages seasonly, so i can cross winter off the list.
i just checked and saw that my new earth maryjanes should be waiting for me at home, so that's #47, i think.
the $300 dream shoes will have to wait along with the windshield. i opted to pay parking tickets first and that was a decent chunk.
the setting
it really was kinda in the middle of nowhere. once off the highway, we took county roads that were only named by letters to get to the hotel. once there and after some bad, not terribly accessible directions to my room, i settled in to decompress after the drive while emily and rehka went to k-mart. this resulted in a video of a billy bass singing the filet-o-fish song and 3 jars of pantene pomade for $10!
the room
aside from being kind of a pain in the ass to get to, it was pretty damn good. it was almost a suite, with a sitting room and a balcony that overlooked a lake. the lake was, of course, frozen and snow covered, but that was still kinda pretty, and despite being about 20 degrees out, i did stand on the balcony for a few minutes each day. it was oddly comforting. the bed was king size and had something like 6 pillows and a bolster. there was also a duvet that weight roughly as much as me. that had to go (along with 4 of the pillows) right away. i had a tv that was about the size of my car with cable (alas, no porn). i had a whirlpool tub in my bathroom and although i was too afraid to get in for fear of not being able to get out without assistance, i did fill it up and take a shower with the water whirling around my legs. also, the toiletries were fantastic. and there was room service!
the amenities
i never made it to the arcade, which bums me out, but we did go to the pool and whirlpool after fish fry. there was much debate on the way back to our rooms about how we would dress to walk to the pool, which included me considering putting my pj bottoms on under the skirt of my bathing suit. once all was said and done though, i remembered that i'm not that modest, that i used to take my clothes off on stage in front of people, and i walked down in the suit alone.
the spa day
again, not the most accessible in that it is across the street from the hotel (and in this case, across the street is about 1/2 mile), but once i was inside, so lovely. it is definitely the nicest spa i've been to. my massage was perfect. the oil she used was almost sandalwoody, but milder. she massaged my face, which i love and it rarely happens. i should've gotten the head massage add on. next time for sure.
after my massage, i had lunch in the cafe in my pjs. because i was in wisconsin, i made sure everything i ate involved cheese. in this case, it was a dill havarti quesadilla with roasted veggies. there was also a chai smoothie.
then i waited in the relaxation room for my next appointment, which was an eyebrow wax. the room looked out onto the forest. it was a sunny day and the snow made it really quite beautiful. unfortunately, all of the chairs and chaises in there were really low to the ground. so, i opted to sit on the arm of one of the chairs while i waited. i had made the eyebrow appointment that day and wasn't sure what time it was scheduled. after i had sat on the arm for about 20 minutes, my ass started to fall asleep, so i decided to get up to get my carmex (which i had forgotten to bring with me, if you can believe that). in doing so, my bare feet, which were freshly oiled from my massage, slipped on the floor and i ended up falling off the chair instead. and, because i was in a room full of people who were serenely laid back after massages, i didn't fall gracefully and noiselessly as i usually do. oh no, i hit the chair, which then knocked into the table, which made the framed menu of services fly off and into the wall. right on. but, i was next to a low ottoman, so i was able to recover quickly and not 20 seconds after i did, the girl come out to get me for my waxing.
after that, i went straight to my pedicure. there were massage chairs that tilt and lower for you to get into, plus they could be adjusted forward and back. i got the deluxe pedicure, which included a milk bath soak, brown sugar scrub, and a pepperminty clay mask. i had it finished off with "bold & beautiful" polish (blood red). i also read about carnie wilson in people magazine.
my spa day was coming to an end, so i decided to sit in the steam room for a few minutes. dear me, i love a steam room.
the food
on friday night, emily was hellbent on finding a fish fry and on the way back from k-mart, she found one across the street. it was this funny, northwoodsy lodge, in which we were the youngest patrons by at least 20 years. the fish was ok. the chocolate mousse cake was spectacular. as was my sip of emily's pink squirrel, which was totally my grandma olga's drink.
saturday morning before i went to the spa, i ordered room service. nice french toast and eggs. i just love ordering room service, really.
saturday night we went to the fancy-ish restaurant at the hotel, called grey rock. they were a bit overwhelmed since it was valentine's day weekend and usually things are pretty dead at this time of the year. i had french onion soup with gruyere, filet mignon with mashed potatoes, and aspargus, and chocolate lave cake. the bread selection came with 3 spreads, a garlic butter, olive tapanade, and a cucumber dill yogurty thing. all delish. we attempted to have breakfast at the hotel before we left, but there was a buffet and it was really crowded. since we were in 2 cars, emily and rehka ended up at mcdonald's and i ended up at arby's. i love arby's, especially on a road trip.
so, there you have it. #89. this actually also helps my goal of getting massages seasonly, so i can cross winter off the list.
i just checked and saw that my new earth maryjanes should be waiting for me at home, so that's #47, i think.
the $300 dream shoes will have to wait along with the windshield. i opted to pay parking tickets first and that was a decent chunk.
Friday, February 5, 2010
tax return! or day 329
here are the list items i'm hoping to accomplish this month with the help of my tax return check:
#47 to buy $300 dream shoes. yes, they are in my sight. and in yours too:
#48 was to buy new boots and although i technically did that already, those boots were kind of a fail. so i will buy a new pair of my old boots:
and #49 was to buy new non-boots. this will come in the form of the solar maryjane by earth:
#84 was to go on a serious spa weekend. said weekend had been booked! i'm going to evensong spa in green lake, wi with emily and i'm going to have a lovely aromatherapy swedich massage and then some crazy pedicure that involves more massage, a foot mask, and other things which sound fantastic. i will report back on that next time.
also, #64 which was to pay my library overdues (i know! i know!) and #95, replace my windshield. yay!
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