here's looking at you, 2011!

{inkandiron}

a new year is here! in fact, we're four days in so i've had plenty of time to mull over some resolutions. while i've never been a hardcore resolution type of gal, i do like to think of a few. i like goals, structure and having something to work towards. while i continually set goals for myself (which i've shared here and here), resolutions feel more like something to work towards, not necessarily something i can check off a list. that being said, this year i am going with three themes: save more, waste less and be timely. 

save more. mainly, money. over the last year i worked hard at actually creating a savings that contained more than the minimum balance to gain interest. this year i want it to be an actual pot of money that grows with each paycheck. for future needs (like a new car, wedding, down payment on a house), vacations and emergencies. i'd also like to make smarter purchases, because even though i'm trying to be on a saving kick, i know there are tons of purchases i'll still want to make. with an automatic deposit into my saving and a financially savvy boyfriend, i think this resolution is doable, although it's going to take some work. 

waste less. food, paper and time are the things that come to mind, although i know there are other areas i can cut back. before we left for CO i cleaned out the fridge and was sad with how much i was throwing away. on the plane ride i read this fascinating article in Sunset magazine about a zero waste family. it really inspired me to think of the ways i can cut back or use less.  with organization, planning and a few people i already know that are good at this i am hopeful to get better at this! 

timeliness. sigh. sadly, i am that person that is usually 3 minutes late. i have the best of intention to be timely and then when i'm not i get disappointed in myself. considering that, i wanted to pick a few things i could work on this year to feel better about my timeliness. they are: be on time to work, respond to emails within 24 hours and get things in the mail so they arrive in time for birthdays. easy enough, right? so far i've made it to work before 9am this week. my goal is 8:30am. yep, i've got work to do!

speaking of goals and birthdays...HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Kaci!!! read her 2011 resolutions here, and while you're there give her some birthday love!

Run Happy

i made a goal in november to sign up and train for a half marathon. i'm happy to write that i've been logging several miles lately, working towards my goal. my friend debbie made me a handy half marathon training schedule that hangs right next to my computer. it serves as a reminder to run and a reward to mark off the completed runs! i've also successfully recruited my friend and workout buddy, heather (aka frans), to run the half as well. it's been nice to have someone to do those long runs with, especially because she's a GREAT story teller!

last friday we did an eight mile run up into the hills of piedmont. i felt great while running and didn't necessarily want to keep running, but if i had to run five more miles i could have mustered up the endurance (especially if frans had more stories). at that point i realized, i can do this. i'm ready. bring it on golden gate park! while i still have more pavement to chase to be physically ready, mentally i'm set!

one other important detail i completed this weekend was purchasing some new shoes. i've been very loyal to asics but after a thorough shoe fitting, test run through the store, and side-by-side analysis, i chose brooks. while they are not nearly as cute as the pink and silver asics, they are very comfortable and felt like they offered the best foot support. function over fashion? i know, i was shocked too! i even told the friendly shoe fitter that this was BIG for me :) final tipping point on the decision was the brooks were on sale!

as i carried my new shoes out of the store, i noticed the shoe box said 'Run Happy' which made me smile. i am happy with my shoe purchase. i'm also happy to have stuck with my goal to train for this half marathon. as i finish up my training in preparation for february 7, i will remind myself to run happy because that's what these shoes were made to do.

i'm sure you're dying to see the brooks, aren't you?

from my view, they're cute in their own way.

 

besides, this is all anyone will really see...

Goals are Good

I'm following in the foot steps of my bestie who inspired me by setting monthly goals on her blog. I always have a running list of goals in my head for the day, week and month. Most of the time the daily and weekly goals are accomplished. Monthly goals, not as easily. Since I've been in a bit of a blogging slump, this feels like a good step to getting back into it. Hoping this will help me be accountable to these goals since, you know, it's out here in the blogosphere :)

Here goes, November Goals:

1. Be a bargain hunter - Research and find a good deal on: holiday plan ticket, new tires for car and ski helmets. I'm cheating a tiny bit on this first one because its almost complete. But we are 8 days into the month so maybe I'm right on target. Phew! However, being the start of the holiday season I'm continuing to remind myself to search for a bargain, not just make impulse purchases.

2. Run Like a Girl - Sign-up for a half marathon and begin training. It's been a while since I've trained for something. I miss it, a lot. Since moving to CA I've run a few 5Ks, even a few all by myself. I'm dedicated to working out at the gym. Well, it's time to set the bar higher. Every Super Bowl Sunday Kaiser holds the KP Half Marathon and 5K. What a perfect way to spend a Sunday - run 13.1 miles and then celebrate with food, drink and fun commercials. I'm one week into "training" and so far, so good. My long term goal is to run the San Francisco Nike Women's Half Marathon. Their theme is "Run Like a Girl." I can soo do that!

3. Be professional - update resume and LinkedIn profile. Ok, so I am totally professional. However, I recently took a look at my resume and found it was in desperate need of updating and revamping. Never know when a great opportunity could come my way. I'd hate to be stressed about updating my resume AND crafting the perfect cover letter.
I've heard from reputable sources (friends who work for Career Builder ) that LinkedIn is the latest and greatest in professional networking. My profile leaves a lot to be desired. Like a photo for starters and also my professional experience, education and all that jazz.

4. Floss - Everyday for one month. I'm reminded of this every time I visit the dentist. It's been noted. On my bathroom mirror to be exact. Hoping that one month straight will get me in the habit of doing it on a regular basis throughout the year.