Happy 2012 Everyone!

Its a new year and with that come new hopes and dreams.  I usually don’t make many resolutions, if at all, but this year, 2012, there are several things that I want to accomplish so I want to write them all down as a sort of accountability for these resolutions.  Call them goals if you don’t like the word resolution, but here are my “resolutions” for 2012.

1. Take the next step in my Photography.  Sometime I feel I take good photos simply as a result of traveling to great locations and I certainly don’t need any new camera gear.  I feel right now that for me to get better, I just need to practice at taking photos more.  Just like practice in sports or music or other activities make you better, practicing photography will make you better.  As a result, I have decided that my photo goal for 2012 is to take at least one photo every day. The photo may not be taken with my digital SLR in RAW format, it may just be taken with my smartphone camera, but I had been thinking of this goal for a while now, and I believe this is the year to accomplish this. I will probably not post the photos daily, but I have initially planned to post weekly one photo from each day of the previous week.

2. Save Money.  I am very fortunate in that I have a stable job, make good money, and have money in my savings accounts.  But I have never really been the best steward of my money.  I tend to spend impulsively, buying a lot of things that I use or wear only a few times before it ends up in the Good Will tub.  Or I overspend at the grocery store, buying to much food and a week or two later have to throw some of this food out due to spoilage. I just want to be better and have even more money saved up at the end of the year. The goal is on several fronts. a) Work on eating my way through the food I currently have in the pantry and freezer.  b) Never go to the grocery store without a specific list of items to buy. c) Before buying clothes or items for the home, check alternative sources for the same or similar items like ebay, overstock.com, or even repairable items from Good Will stores. d) Pay off my Jeep this year.  This will open up more money to go into the savings account. e) Look into good investments for the money I do have saved, but is only collecting small interest in my savings account.

3. Get Healthy. This is more than loosing weight, which I do plan on accomplishing.  This is eating better and healthier, working out more, and taking care of body. Again, this goal has several parts. a) Eat more fresh and organic meals. Cut out processed foods and fatty & sugary foods and drinks. b) Beat my addiction to Coca-Cola. This is a big challenge, but I know soda is not good for me and I need to cut this from my diet if I really want to get healthy and loose some significant weight. c) Work out 3-4 times a week.  Whether its swimming, cross fit, strength training, or an hour on the elliptical machine, I need to make the time for myself to hit the gym/pool several times a week. d) Keep up the walking. After 3 months in Japan and a week in Orlando, I have developed some good endurance for walking.  I want to keep that up this year, walking at lunch or after work on days I don’t go to the gym. e) Go to my doctors a bit more regularly or when needed.  I tend to ignore my doctors when they say come back every 3 months, thinking every 6 months is ok.  And walking on a sore heel for 9 months instead of just making an appointment to see a podiatrist is not the wisest move health-wise.  I need to get better at this, so this year, I will be seeing a podiatrist and dentist at the start of the year.  Scheduling my mammogram & gynecologist for 1st quarter and seeing my rhuematologist a bit more regularly.

4. Get Out More.  I know this may seem that I do this one pretty good already due to all my travels, but I am focusing this goal more for when I am home in Seattle.  When I am in Seattle and working a normal schedule, I tend to be a bit of a hermit, enjoying just sitting at home watching TV or on the computer. I want to get out an explore more of Seattle & Washington state, walking around some neighborhoods or camping around Washington’s many parks and natural areas.

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