2013: Goals and Plans

Two days later and I'm still hobbling around. My legs hurt so badly...it hurts to walk, hurts to touch them. I have no idea what I did. Not exactly the best way to start the year, especially when one of your goals is to run a half marathon. Speaking of goals, here are a few:

1. Run a half marathon. This was also my goal last year, but I didn't quite make it. There's one in March that I really want to do though, so hopefully whatever is going on with my legs will quit soon (and the weather will warm up a little) and I can start training.

2. Buy a guitar and learn how to play it. This has also been a goal of mine for quite a while. Thanks to being poor most of last year, I couldn't afford to buy one. Hopefully this year will be better financially and I can afford to buy myself a guitar and teach myself how to play at least one song before the end of the year.

3. Be financially stable. I can't remember the last time I didn't have to worry about money or how I'm going to get my bills paid, etc. It would be really nice to not have to worry about those things and actually be able to start saving a little money this year. Of course, I'm not counting my student loans. I'll be paying those off for the majority of my adult life after I'm done with school, so whatever. But I do plan on paying off my credit cards in the next few months (two will be paid off before the end of February for sure). And I'd really just like to see more than $20 in my savings account.

4. Get my puppy TRAINED. This will happen. One way or another. She's a little terror right now and we're not getting much sleep. When I came home yesterday there was poo on the bathroom walls, the back of the bathroom door, and on the edge of the tub. She didn't do so well being at home all day by herself. Hopefully this gradually gets better and she learns to at least pee and poo on the training pads and not step in it and get it everywhere. Also she's chewing up everything. We've officially lost three phone chargers in less than a week because she's chewed them all in half. :(

5. Eat healthy. I guess I should say continue to eat healthy because I already eat relatively healthy, but it doesn't hurt add more to it.

6. Declutter my life. Currently my house is a mess. We took home some more dishes and whatnot from my parents' house the other day and we have yet to put them away. It's driving me nuts, but I don't have the energy to do anything about it. So I want to keep my house as clutter-free as possible throughout the year. Other things I want to declutter this year: my car, my email, paperwork/bills at home, social networks/media, and whatever else I can come up with.

7. Get A's in my next two semesters of grad school. I probably forgot to mention this, but I officially got As in both of my classes this past semester! And I'd like to continue that next year. Next semester will be difficult, but I think I can do it.

8. Exercise on a regular basis. This will be a lot easier once the weather is nicer and it stays daylight longer and once Copper is big enough to go on extended walks and such. I think starting next week-ish I'm going to try exercising on my lunch break and see how I like it. That way I don't have to worry about trying to work out once I'm home and exhausted after work/class. We'll see how it goes.

9. Read more. I haven't gotten nearly as much reading done over break as I had hoped I would. So I'd like to get some more books read this year. I started The Hunger Games yesterday, so that's the first book of the year!

I think that's enough goals for now. Here's what I have to look forward to in 2013:

1. My lease is up in February at my old apartment. Thus I will only be paying rent at one place (well, splitting it with Chris actually). And hopefully I'll get my deposit back too. It'd be nice to have that money.

2. My one-year anniversary at my job is in February. I can't believe it's almost been a year already. So much has happened, so much has changed.

3. My sister turns 21 in March. Actually, her 21st is the same day of the half marathon I want to run. But the race is early in the morning so I'd have plenty of time for both. And we'll be going to Fast Eddie's and I'm sure you all know by now how much I love that place.

4. In May, I'll be finished with my first year of grad school. I can't wait to be able to say I've finished my first year. And I really just can't wait to get this semester over with. It's gonna be tough.

5. There is a Cardinals game on my birthday this year--and I'm going! My birthday is July 11 and that's usually when the All-Star break falls, so there's rarely a game on my birthday. This year, there is a game, and it's in Chicago against the Cubs! So Chris and I will be going and I'm so excited!!

6. All the trips that may or may not happen with my cousins. When we had our cousin's night a couple weeks ago, we threw around ideas of going on a float trip, and going to Vegas (there was another one I think, but I can't remember it). I have come to learn that my cousins are my some of my best friends. Spending time with them always puts me in a better mood and I'm so thankful for all of them and I really hope we can make at least one of those trips happen this year, because we'd have a blast.

7. My dad turns 50 in August. And it's gonna be one hell of a party. :)

8. My fall semester next year will be awesome. I'll be taking Advanced Publishing. I took it as an undergrad and I loved it, so I'm excited to take it again. And my boss said there's a possibility that we'll be doing a short class with one of her former students on making book covers. I have no idea what the other class is that I'll be taking but it can't be worse than the research class I have to take next semester :(

I think that's about all I've got so far. I don't really have any "plans" or anything for the fall--not yet at least. But spring and summer are going to be pretty fantastic.

What are your goals and plans for 2013?