State of the resolution -- 2006

These were my New Year's resolutions from last year. On this, the last day of 2006, it seems only appropriate to take a look and see how I did.

1) Take lessons and learn to play the guitar.
Umm ... well, after a good bit of hunting, I have finally found a place that will do lessons during the day. I plan on starting once things get settled with a new house. Both are part of 2007's resolutions (coming soon).

2) Learn some Spanish (and maybe refresh a little on my French) -- do this using my Spanish phrase-a-day calendar and Spanish language tapes.
Never touched the Spanish language tapes, but I did use the calendar. The only word that seems to have really stuck in my memory is la bufanda, which means scarf. Not exactly useful, but it is fun to say. And I've gotten a lot better at pronouncing Spanish that I read. So that's something.

3) Be better about keeping in touch with people -- don't let any e-mails go unanswered for more than a week (maybe two). And if it's been a couple of months since I've heard from a friend, drop them a note.
Uh, yeah, I still have about a bazillion e-mails piled up and am not so great about this one.

4) Blog more often. It doesn't always have to be about some big event or something funny (although it doesn't hurt).
According to my archives, I blogged 105 times (this will be 106) in 2006, compared with 120 in 2005. So I guess that didn't work out too well.

5) Get back to going to the gym 5 days a week. If for some reason, I can't make it to the gym, stretch and jump rope.
Ahh ... the start of 2006 ... back when I was so idealistic and full of crazy dreams.

6) Start practicing tai chi again on a regular basis.
Tried one place to do this, but didn't like it; I have yet to try the class at the Y.

7) Floss at least every other day.
I'm pretty sure it happened more often, but it's still not the good habit it should be.

8) Cook more.
For a good chunk of the year, I'd say I did this, but cooking in the past few months has fallen off sharply.

9) Eat healthier -- keep track of what I eat everyday on www.mypyramid.gov/index.html to keep myself accountable.
I think I stopped doing this sometime in the spring; not really sure why.

10) Start the process for buying a house so that I can do that by the time my lease ends in February 2007.
YES. I have done this one. Finally.

11) Do more hiking, biking and other outdoor activities.
I did some outdoor activities, but not as often as I would have liked.

12) Get my Christmas cards from 2005 out. :-)
I haven't sent out this year's yet, but yes, I did send out last year's ... by mid-January. And compared to this year, that might be pretty early.

So overall, I think I did OK, but I'm not sure I'd say good. I had way too many freakin' resolutions to start with. And the unexpected craziness of work the past several months has not helped any of my personal life endeavors. All the same, I have to say 2006 was a pretty darned excellent year. I expect a lot of good things from 2007.

Happy New Year's, everyone!