Obligatory 2019 New Year's Resolutions Post

I know some people think it’s silly, but I love creating a New Year’s Resolution list. This isn’t to say that I don’t start other goals throughout the year, but there is something about the start of a new year that feels like the perfect time to reflect and initiate change.

As usual, I’m going to start by looking back on my 2018 resolutions.

1. Create a writing schedule with a focus on the revisions for my novel. - A big fail. I did write quite a bit in 2018, but I could not figure out a steady schedule. I could not figure out how to organize this aspect of my life.

2. Finish revising my novel and begin sending it out to agents. - I made a lot of progress on my novel and I am pleased with my progress, but the revision process has been much slower than anticipated.

3. Maintain blogging schedule of every other day. This has been my normal schedule for years, but life got in the way this year and I didn't always stick to it. I felt guilty when I didn't. - Epic fail. This was my most inconsistent blogging year to date. I am so back-logged. I feel like I really let myself down with this goal.

4. Read 75 or more books. - Hanging my head in shame. I only read 34 books. This is the least amount of reading that I’ve done in my adult life.

5. Maintain a food log and eliminate soda. - Fail. Although there is hope with this one. I just got a Fitbit and started tracking my food. This was after getting blood work done in December and realizing that I had to make changes.

6. Work on scanning old-family pictures. Try to get 1/4 of pictures scanned. This has been a resolution from years past that I never managed to accomplish. It's a big project. - Fail, no progress.

7. Work on family genealogy project. - Yes! I have been down the rabbit hole of family history quite a bit this year. It’s exciting and informative. I can trace back to the original colonists and I have family members who formed towns in Massachusetts. I also found out that the real life Hester Prynne ( from Nathanial Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter) had some sort of relationship with one of my ancestors and it was a scandal!

8. Super secret podcast idea- put into action! I'm very excited about this one. - I’ve worked on a plan and discussed it with a friend who has a Podcast, but I’ve not moved forward on this. I still feel momentum, but I’m not sure how to work it into my schedule.

9. Visit a new country, state or major city.- I traveled so much in 2018, but primarily to places that I’ve already visited. I did see some new cities in England, like Oxford and Windsor. I had many new experiences in the cities that I had previously visited.

10. Attend a writer's conference. I have my eye on the Las Vegas conference in the spring. - No. I’m kicking myself for this one too, although it simply did not work with our schedule or finances for this to happen in 2018.

2018 was a terrible year for resolutions, yet it was a fabulous year for life in general. I spent a lot of time developing relationships with family and friends. I ended one job and started another. Although my goals that I set at the start of the year fell flat, many new goals and opportunities appeared throughout the year. I don’t look at this list as a fail, but as an indication that things have changed.

Here are some of my wishes for 2019:

1. Creating a writing schedule with a focus on my novel = I’m carrying this over. I feel better about accomplishing this, because the last third of 2018 has seen a shift to a more consistent schedule. I’ve been waking up at 7am and I have a regular work schedule. I now need to fit writing time into that schedule. I need the routine to stick.

2. Attend a Writing Conference = I really want to attend AWP in Portland, but that might be a financial stretch. I still have my eye on Vegas.

3. Maintain a blogging schedule= I am shifting this goal to three days a week, rather than every other day. I need to be consistent about the posting days and times though.

4. Read 60 books or more = Achievable. I need to focus on meeting my book review schedule commitments from publishers and stay on track. I also need to whittle down my massive, over-flowing bookshelf.

5. Track food and get to a healthy weight = I need to lose a few pounds, not a lot, but a bit. The primary goal is to fix some issues from a recent blood test. I would like to focus on diet, rather than have these problems require medication. I will likely eliminate soda and cut back on sugar to reach these goals. I never had trouble losing weight when I am mindful.

6. Track steps and be mindful about exercise - I have a Fitbit and have started becoming more aware of my need to move more, especially when I have been glued to my computer all day. I’d also like to take some pilates classes at a local studio or join a gym.

7. Visit a new country, stare or major city

8. Scan in old-family photos and documents- I will be really disappointed if I don’t make progress towards this goal in 2019. It’s long over-due and I’m worried that something might happen to these precious objects.

9. Continue to work on family Genealogy project = I have an idea of how this might also turn into a novel project. I want to keep exploring and have a more concrete idea about connections

10. Work More, Save More, Spend Less = General mindfulness when it comes to finances. I’ve made progress towards this in the last 3-4 months.

11. Invest in my tutoring job = become certified to teach for language tests or create more teaching tools to have on hand.

When I look at all of these goals, the main theme seems to be mindfulness leading to creating good habits. I’m looking to make long-term changes. I also need to find a way to keep these routines, when life becomes less predictable = holidays, family visits, the unexpected, et… Rather than starting January 1st, my New Year’s reset will begin on January 14th, when I have returned home from a holiday trip to Europe.

2018 Wrap-Up

As I finished writing our annual 2018 Christmas card letter to friends and family, I realized that we had an exceptionally great year. Admittedly, I missed the mark on many of my goals, but the primary reason for failing to reach my targets was unanticipated vacations and days spent with family. I was fortunate in 2018.

We started 2018 with Felix ( my step-son) visiting us from Sweden. It was a very last-minute trip, but wonderful. We took him to Las Vegas and Palm Springs, where we experienced unseasonably warm weather and spent the winter holidays swimming. We rang in the new year with local friends and witnessed the Big Bear torchlight parade, a mountain tradition where skiers come down the mountain with torches. It was beautiful.

Dan had to work in Portland over Valentine’s Day, so I traveled with him to be together for the holiday. We flew back in time to catch a Miranda Lambert concert near the Ontario airport! In March, we took a trip to Washington, as Dan considered a job offer near Seattle. My high school friend Valerie and her family spent the weekend with us. It was wonderful to catch up and to have her young daughters experience snow! At the end of March, I left my marketing position with a local home rental company. It was a good experience and I made several friends at the company, but even with a flexible schedule, I felt tied down. In April, I spent a week in Las Vegas enjoying the pool and visiting with friends, while Dan attended his annual trade show ( where he works very hard!)

At the end of May, we went to England. I stayed with my mother-in-law, while Dan had business meetings all over Europe. I had quality time with family, which is the theme for 2018. I treasure that this was my big take-away from 2018. After a week with my family, I joined Dan in London. Dan had to work the entire time, but I was able to sight-see. I had spread-sheet and walked London until my feet felt like they were going to fall off. London is such an amazing city and even though I’ve been fortunate to visit several times, there is still so much more to experience. On this trip I took in two shows, Young Frankenstein and Killer Joe (starring Orlando Bloom.) I also fulfilled a teenage dream of going on a “Jack the Ripper walking tour.” It was not all that I imagined it to be, but it was a fun night out with my niece Pippa, who was a good-sport for coming along!

A week after returning home from England, we saw that our senior cat, Nicolette, was not doing well. She was a rescue and was at least nineteen years old. We made the very tough decision to have her put down. It was the hardest part of 2018 and her presence is missed every day.

In June, we drove to the Bay Area, so that Dan could attend a NASCAR event for work. I went to a baseball game with my high school friend Bekah and her two kids. I had not seen Bekah in many years, so this was another day to treasure in 2018. Even better, we did not plan it in advance, so it was spontaneous! This was also my first trip back to the bay area since the late 90’s.

Zoe and Felix visited for a month in mid July-August. We had a “stay-cation” with a focus on pool time= three trips to Las Vegas and two to La Quinta. At the La Quinta resort, we were able to get an enormous casita with a backyard and private pool/spa. It was incredible.

In late August, I started working as an online ESL Tutor. This new job is rarely dull. I’ve met people from all around the world ( although mostly from Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Brazil) and it has completely opened up my awareness of different countries and cultures. I’ve met amazing people and have quite a few crazy stories to share. Mostly, I feel inspired by students who are attempting to master a new language and their stories of why they wish to learn English.

My mother-in-law visited us for three weeks in September. It sounds a bit like a broken record, but we also took her to Las Vegas and La Quinta. A funny highlight was taking her on a bizarre walking tour of the Vegas arts district, an “up and coming” area, with an emphasis on “coming.”

In September, I accompanied Dan on a conference in Los Angeles, where we stayed at the Bonaventure Hotel. The Bonaventure has a rotating bar, which I used to frequent with my friend Luke in our early 20’s. I had not been there in years and it was hilarious tor visit it. It so retro 70’s and not in a good way. This trip was a delight for me, as I played a tourist in my hometown. I went on an architecture tour of downtown Los Angeles and I visited both, The Broad and The Grammy Museum. I walked around downtown in a way that I had never quite done before and it gave me a huge appreciation for Los Angeles. I love LA and I miss living near the city. It made me homesick.

On November 2nd, we celebrated our fifth anniversary with a stay at the La Quinta Spa and Resort. If it isn’t already clear, this is our new favorite vacation getaway. It’s a magical place and we always leave feeling refreshed.

In early December, I traveled with Dan to Portland to see friends and have all of our annual doctors appointments. We still don’t know where we will be living long-term and we just love our doctors in Portland.

Christmas has been very exciting this year. We have both Zoe and Felix with us for the holidays. I flew from Las Vegas to London to Stockholm to pick them up, the first time that I’ve made this journey. I spent one night in the airport in Sweden and returned to Vegas with them. It was exhausting, but worth it. In early January, I will repeat the journey, but this time i will spend a few days in England to visit family. We had a spectacular Christmas day, which included snow = my very first white Christmas! It was also the first time that I had Christmas morning with excited children in the house. We woke up early to dive into a giant pile of presents. We have many other fun activities planned, but mostly it is just about enjoying the family time.

If you add up all of the time that was spent with family and friends in 2018, we are very wealthy! I hope this trend continues into 2019.

Ellie Kemper's My Squirrel Days

Thank you to Scribner for providing me with a copy of Ellie Kemper’s memoir, My Squirrel Days, in exchange for an honest review.

PLOT- Comedian Ellie Kemper reflects on her childhood and shares stories from her journey towards success in the entertainment industry.

LIKE- I’m a huge fan of Ellie Kemper and I was happy to see that she is just as charming and funny the page, as she is in her acting roles.

My Squirrel Days strikes a good balance of stories from Kemper’s pre-fame years to tidbits from her professional career. I think this should be required reading for anyone who is interested in getting into the arts, as Kemper shares both rejections and triumphs, but most important she reveals her tenacity. I imagine that most people think that a regular role on a hit show like The Office, might bring instant fame and wealthy, but Kemper ( although not losing sight on her fortune in landing the role) keeps it in check and shows that not everything is as easy or glamorous as it seems. It reminded me of a similar sentiment that Anna Kendrick mentions in her memoir, Scrappy Little Nobody. Wealthy and fame do not always come quickly in the entertainment industry, even when you land a great role in a hit television series or film.

I really enjoyed the chapter on Tina Fey and the behind-the-scenes of Kemper’s show, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. I love this quirky show and I wish that Kemper’s memoir had included even more about Kimmy.

Kemper’s writer’s voice is hilarious. She sets up early on that she was a curious and intense child, a personality trait that carried into her adulthood. She often pokes fun at her own uber-driven behavior. One chapter focuses on her Soul Cycle addiction and how she was very particular about needing a certain bike in the studio. I don’t do Soul Cycle, but as a very particular, routine person, I found myself relating to this chapter.

Her fan-girl love towards David Letterman and excitement over being a guest on his show is a delight to read. Her wacky idea to make him toast is just awesome.

DISLIKE- I hate to say this, but although I enjoyed reading Kemper’s book, I don’t feel that it is a memoir that will make a lasting impression. Even as I am writing this review, about a week after finishing her book, I needed to go back to remember details.

RECOMMEND- Yes, if you’re a fan of Kemper or breaking into the arts and needing to get a little encouragement. My Squirrel Days is a humorous, light-read that will brighten your day. Plus, gotta love anything with a squirrel on the cover!