So this is the new year

The new year doesn't necessarily mean anything besides a change in the date, but 2011 really is a new year for me. In the past week, I moved into a new apartment AND started a new job. It feels good to finally be in the places personally and professionally where I have long wanted to be. I've come a long way from a year ago, when I was in the dark nadir of a three+ year rut. The summer saw me take the courage to make one key change for the better, which set off a domino effect of good things coming my way in the months since.

I already made resolutions of sorts when I posted my list of 25 (actually 26) things to do before turning 26 in November. I'm not making new resolutions now, but have revisited the list and will continue to work my way through these goals and others as they come.

More importantly, a recent sad event served as a reminder that tomorrow isn't promised today. It forced me to reflect and realize I'm doubly glad that my life is on the right path now, because as cheesy as it sounds, life is too precious to let it pass by. It was a reminder to do the things that make us happy, and to not just think about them, but to make them happen. So that is my real new years resolution: to keep making the good things happen.

1. Visit Gina in Colorado. 11/4-11/8 recap pending

2. Visit little miss homebuyer Caitlin's new house upstate. 8/21 a night at her lakeview bungalow with a fire pit!

3. Visit the Jersey shore with my family. last weekend of August

4. Have a dance party in an apartment. 7/24 one of Jamie's infamous dance parties until the sun came up.

5. Go to a dance party at a bar. 10/30 Halloween party at Union Hall and others since.

6. Stay up until sunrise. see #4

7. Throw a party. 9/24 party with cupcakes

8. Host Thanksgiving. FAIL in 2010. cooked all the side dishes for Thanksgiving 2011.

9. Attend more concerts. have been good about going to about 4 shows a month.

10. Get a tattoo, or think about getting one. decided not to get one because i am worried about putting toxic inks into my body.

11. Bike to work. have been bike commuting 20-40 miles a week since march

12. Do the New York Century bike ride. 9/12 recap here

13. Attend a Transportation Alternatives meeting. got involved with the Bushwick Food Coop instead.

14. Go no 'poo (no shampoo that is). have been shampoo free since 3/5

15. Make homemade deodorant and other body products. made deodorant in October 2011; need to blog about this

16. Trim my hair. 12/25/2011
17. Write something every day. started a journal to write at least a sentence or more about each day.

18. Write a new song. 9/9/10 done, several written since then.

19. Play a show at Rockwood Music Hall. it's harder to get a show at Rockwood then I thought. played four shows in 2011.

20. Collaborate with musical friends. joined the band Sexy Neighbors

21. Play in the folk jam at Sunny's in Red Hook.

22. Audition for a choir. 8/15/10 waitlisted. not currently interested in joining a choir again. 

23. Fit into my skinny pants. decided i don't care as long as i know i'm getting my exercises in by bike commuting and feel healthy

24. Model in a shoot for my photographer friend. she shot my band photos but still no solo promo photos.

25. Knit a scarf. 10/19/10 birthday gift for a friend. March 2011 knit a scarf for myself as well.

26. Get a new job. 9/9/10 new position at same organization....1/4/11 new job at new organization!!