Well, it’s been a year. In some ways it was one of the best, and in others not so much. But that means there’s room for improvement, and I’m determined to make 2013 a great one all around.
Tonight, I’m hosting a little New Year’s Eve soirée at my place. I hope you’ve all had a fabulous year, and I hope you have a fabulous night tonight!
Without further ado, here’s how I did on my resolutions in 2012.
People to see:
Visit Nicole in Texas – Fail.
Visit Joelle in California – Fail.
Visit Stephen in Pensacola – Visited Stephen in Pensacola, August 16-19.
Visit Grace in New Hampshire – Never made it, but I did see Grace a few times in New Jersey…almost?
Visit Andrea in Roanoke – Fail.
Visit as many people as possible in New Jersey – Visited my parents in New Jersey, July 21-25. Caught up with lots of people at Kristy’s annual party, including Kristy, Frank, Sadie, Gabby, Meghan M., Russell and his girlfriend, Kristy’s dad and a bunch of other friends I used to work with and that I met through Kristy and Frank’s wedding a few years ago. Had dinner with my parents and some of their friends (the Bartsches, the Hines, and Kathy Dweck) at 9th Ave Pier in Belmar. Had lunch with Ed and Jane at Connolly Station. I even met some new people at the Jersey Shore this year! I met Allyson — who I previously only knew through Twitter (@locallylove) — for drinks one night at Watermark in Asbury Park. I met local artist Brenda Baron (of Baran Art and Design) at 9th Ave Pier after I complimented her on the amazing sunglasses she was wearing. And of course, I met Taryn — my best friend’s adorable little girl who was born this spring. Visited my parents and my grandparents in NJ, August 2-5.Thanksgiving weekend in New Jersey, November 21-25: my parents, my grandparents, Aunt Kim, Uncle Franky, Kristin, Courtney, Samantha, Franky, Aunt Angel, Uncle Cricket, Cricky, Uncle Johnny, my mom’s friend Elizabeth, Brian, Grace, and a whole bunch of other people on my dad’s side of the family, too (but that was at the end of the night, and I can’t remember everyone else who was there.) 🙂 Saw my parents, my brother, my grandparents, my aunts and uncles and a bunch of my cousins, my friend Regina, Kristy, Sadie, Taryn, and a whole bunch of people on my dad’s side of the family when I was home at Christmas, December 21-26.
Places to go:
Soak up some rays at the Margaritaville Beach Hotel in Pensacola – Spent a weekend relaxing on the beach at the Margaritaville Beach Hotel, August 17-19.
Gamble at the Margaritaville Casino in Las Vegas – Played craps and blackjack in the Margaritaville Casino, October 20.
Dance the night away at a bachelorette party in Atlantic City – Bachelorette weekend in AC, March 9-11. Danced the night away at mur.mur and The Pool…right after I won $600 in a slot machine.
Take a long walk through Central Park – Took a walk across Central Park with my mom (and stopped to enjoy a delicious hot dog), July 23.
Go shopping in Chicago – Fail. Must do this next year.
Ride bikes at Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge – Rode bikes at Back Bay and False Cape State Park, April 7.
Take pictures of the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse – Fail. Hurricane Sandy closed the road, and I never made it down.
Taste wine in Napa Valley – Tasted wine in Napa Valley, November 5-6.
Ride roller coasters at Busch Gardens – Fail. This one should have been easy. Next year.
Spend a weekend in at least one other Northeast and/or Southeast city (Charleston, SC; Savannah, GA; Newport, RI…) – Fail.
Things to do:
Attend a few good concerts – Attended A Tribute to Clarence Clemons at the Attucks Theater in Norfolk, January 6. Attended “Celtic Woman” at Chrysler Hall, February 29. Attended “On the High Seas: A Musical Voyage” performed by the Virginia Symphony Orchestra at Chrysler Hall, June 6. Saw Reel Big Fish and Goldfinger at the Norva, July 1. Jimmy Buffett at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, August 4. O.A.R. and The Wailers on the beach and The Family Stone @ 31st Street, August 31. Jimmy Buffett at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, October 20.
See a few good plays – Fail. But I’ve already got tickets to two for next year. =)
Teach Diesel more tricks – J taught Diesel to find all of his toys by name in February. We taught Diesel “stay” in March. Taught Diesel to “throw” some of his toys in May. Taught Diesel how to run next to my beach cruiser in June. Diesel learned how to “high five” in July. Diesel almost has “play dead” down in November.
Set up a photography website/portfolio – Photo website up and running, April 22.
Volunteer for something – Volunteered to take photos for the United Way of South Hampton Roads Women’s Leadership Council’s “Stone Soup” event, February 11.
Join a gym – Fail, fail, fail, fail, fail.
Keep up my monthly facials – Accomplished! Been getting facials just about every six weeks all year.
Host a dinner party – Hosted this impromptu dinner party, June 3.
Get contacts – Fail, but I really haven’t minded wearing my glasses. Must make eye doctor appointment soon.
Read at least 10 good books – Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson, Memoirs of a Bad Girl by Michelle Ferreira, I’m Gonna Live My Life Like a Jimmy Buffett Song by Anthony Bjorklund, Sparkle by Cara Alwill Leyba, Gossip Girl by Cecily von Ziegesar, and I’ve read half of This Side of Paradise by F. Scott Fitzgerald. That’s five and a half good books. (I’ve read a few bad ones, too — Fifty Shades of Grey was really, really stupid.) So, FAIL.
Fit back into my Diesel jeans (again) – I bought a new pair of Diesel jeans that actually fit me, November 22. Does this count? No. Fail.
Frame some of my photos to hang up at my house – Framed a few, and they’re displayed in various places.
Learn something new every month and write about it – Fail. I learned plenty of new things, but I didn’t get around to writing about any of them.
Old hobbies to keep up with:
Go horseback riding – Fail.
Go ice skating – Went ice skating at MacArthur Center, December 19.
Go surfing – Went stand-up paddleboarding in Pensacola, August 18, and I’m counting it because it was similar enough for me. =)
Go snowboarding – Fail.
Run in a race – Fail.
Draw a picture – Drew a few pictures in the Paper app on my new iPad, December 23.
Write poem – Fail.
Do yoga – Fail. Perhaps this is why I had a more stressful year?
Wish list:
Get a white 16GB iPhone – White 16GB iPhone acquired, January 10.
Replace my favorite Ugg boots – Bought a new pair, December 26, but haven’t decided if I really need to keep them yet.
Replace my favorite Tory Burch Reva flats – I bought a comfy pair of Cole Haan flats in October that have become a new staple. They weren’t really meant to replace the Revas (because they’re red, and the Revas are black), but they kind of did anyway.
Acquire a bounce flash for my camera – Fail.
Pick out a longer lens for my camera – Fail…but I didn’t really end up needing one. I got a portrait lens and a fisheye lens instead.
Get a pretty camera bag – Got a pretty Ona bag for my birthday, April 10.
And a functional camera bag – My Ona camera bag insert makes any bag a functional camera bag. Love that thing. =)
Get a monogram necklace – My back-ordered, lost-in-the-mail Christmas gift from J finally arrived February 1, and it was the monogram necklace I’d been wanting!
Own a pair of diamond earrings – Fail.
Financial goals:
Plan out a budget for the year – Accomplished. I planned it…
Stick to the budget using weekly and monthly cash allowances – But I didn’t stick to it. So, fail.
Up my monthly TD Ameritrade transfer to $225 in January and $250 in July – Upped my monthly transfer to $225, January 1.Upped my monthly transfer to $250, July 1.
Open a Roth IRA – Fail.
Get a raise – Fail.
Start a business – Started Lisa DeNoia Photography LLC, January 24.
Monthly resolutions:
January – One month, no new clothes. ACCOMPLISHED.
February – Go running before work at least five times. FAILED — I only went before work twice.
March – New tires, new laptop, new camera lens, bachelorette parties and bridal showers…I just want to make it though the month with some money left in my savings account. ACCOMPLISHED — I made it through the month with more than I started with.
April – Get beach cruiser #1 tuned up for summer. ACCOMPLISHED — Beach cruiser #1 tuned up for summer, April 7.
May – Book October’s trip to Vegas. FAILED — I had to pay for my cat to have surgery instead. I’ll book it soon.
June – Shoot my first engagement session. FAILED — We haven’t scheduled the shoot yet — it will probably be in July or August.(Shot my first engagement session on July 26.)
July – Shoot my first family session. ACCOMPLISHED — Shot my first family session on July 9 in the Outer Banks.
August – Put together some samples for my photography business (I’m thinking an album, a Christmas card or two, and some save-the-date ideass) – FAILED, but I did finally book October’s trip to Vegas, which knocks out May’s resolution.
September – Well, now that someone backed into my car and dented it, I guess my September resolution is to get it repaired. FAILED. Didn’t have time.
October – Figure out how to start enjoying my time at work again. FAILED.
November –Influence at least one person that wasn’t planning to vote to vote. I don’t care who you vote for, just vote. ACCOMPLISHED? I don’t know. No one told me.
December – Renew passport. FAILED. But I’m going to do it this week. I swear.
And that’s it. A year’s worth of goals. It’s funny how when I make these lists each year, some of them seem like they’ll be so easy to accomplish, and some seem like total pipe dreams. And yet, at the end of each year, I’m always surprised by some of the ones I did vs. didn’t accomplish. I think I did really, really good this year…especially on the travel-related ones!
I’d love to know…did you have any resolutions in 2012? Did you keep them? Will you be making any in 2013?
Stay tuned tomorrow (or maybe the next day) for my 2013 list! Happy New Year!
XOXO,
Lisa
