Resolution Check-In, 2024

Every year, I make 10 resolutions for the upcoming year, and then never look at them again. Then I check in to see if I've naturally done any of the things I wrote down. I have an acquaintance who is into vision boarding. Think of this as the opposite of that.

Here's what I thought I could pull off last year:

Resolution time for the new year. 10 for me, 5 for the kids. Let's do it.

10. Read 12 books.

I read 10. Not bad, but not the goal. 0

9. Fix three things about the house.

I fixed two things. I redid the bathroom and put screens up on all the windows. 0

8. Make more money at one job.

I'm only making a little more that they gave me through annual raises. Still dropping money. I can't move jobs until the girls are in college though. For sure. 0

7. Figure my shit out.

Doing way way way better with this. In a much better spot. Still doing the work. Counting this. 1

6. Go out with a friend twice a month.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. Okay, sure. 0

5. Get the house clean.

Half. I deep cleaned half the house. Yes, it took all year. 0

4. Gym 4 times a week.

I mostly did this. I'm counting it. 1

3. Give every interaction the honesty and brevity it deserves.

I forgot about this one! I worked hard on it and came a really long way. Giving it to me. 1

2. Better outer self care: hydration, skin care, nails, hair. Look put-together.

I mean, I guess. I cut off my hair that was annoying me. I think I look put together. Actual care, not so much, but good enough. 1

1. Do one thing that makes me happy every day. 

LOL OKAY. 0

TOTAL: 4/10

Kids:

5. Help each one further their interest: acting for Dulce, working out for Natalina.

I absolutely did this. Natalina has a gym membership and does pilates and rock climbing. Dulce has been in two plays and a musical, two student films which made it into festivals, and she made the state competition for this year. She's also set up on Backstage and works on sending in sides. 1

4. Save $10,000 more for them each.

Didn't make this, this year. I'm making less than I was, and everything costs more. Just coasted on what they had. I did finish paying off their college, though. (Those 529 plans or whatever). 0

3. Help them navigate life and be as happy as possible for the long term.

I'm giving myself this one. We had a VERY HARD year. But I worked and worked to keep them and their future selves safe and happy as possible. 1

2. Guide them through their learner's permits.

Done. Dulce is set to get her license in January, if she passes the test. Nat needs more practice driving, but she doesn't test until May, so we have time. 1

1. Increase their responsibilities. Help them be more ready for independence.

I'm going to go half on this. I did NOT increase their responsibilities at home. But Nat has a job, Dulce gets odd jobs when she has time, Nat is completing a lot of community service for school, both are looking to duel enroll next year. And starting January, we are going to increase responsibilities (and monetary compensation) and see how that goes. .5

TOTAL: 3.5/5

Resolutions - 2024

Resolution time for the new year. 10 for me, 5 for the kids. Let's do it.

10. Read 12 books.

I got 11 last year, plus two half read each. I think I can do this.

9. Fix three things about the house.

I'm thinking the bathroom, a door, and one other thing, undetermined as of yet.

8. Make more money at one job.

This past year I dropped a lot of money because the rate I was working was not sustainable. I work 2 full time jobs and 2 part time jobs currently, to make the salary of what I believe 1 full time job should pay me. So, I'd like to do that. Be it a promotion or a new job, idk.

7. Figure my shit out.

I'm in the middle of some hefty inner work, It sucks a lot. I've made really big strides since I started in March of last year, but they've been deconstruction. I'd like to move to reconstruction. But I've a while to go yet.

6. Go out with a friend twice a month.

I didn't do this last year, and I really think it would do me good.

5. Get the house clean.

This is a lot harder than it appears. The house is big, we have a lot of stuff. At this point, I haven't dusted in years. More clean, less clutter. 

4. Gym 4 times a week.

This does take a lot of my time, but I'd like to keep it up.

3. Give every interaction the honesty and brevity it deserves.

I'd like my communications to be clearer, and I'd like to take up just a little more space for myself. Not automatically take on the blame for problems or the weight of mishaps, particularly the 95 percent of the time I have nothing to do with them. I don't need extra explanations or context.

2. Better outer self care: hydration, skin care, nails, hair. Look put-together.

I do some of this. I try to drink enough water, I would like to at least use lotion (the rest of skin care is beyond me), keep my nails good, maybe better than they are now, keep up with my hair routine.

1. Do one thing that makes me happy every day. 

I'll have to try to keep up with this, marking it down, day by day.

Kids:

5. Help each one further their interest: acting for Dulce, working out for Natalina.

4. Save $10,000 more for them each.

3. Help them navigate life and be as happy as possible for the long term.

2. Guide them through their learner's permits.

1. Increase their responsibilities. Help them be more ready for independence.

Resolution Check-in - 2023

Every year I do 10 resolutions for myself and 5 for my kids, and then don't look at them until the next year when I see if I actually did any of these things. Here's what I wanted to do in 2023. And what I actually did.

10) Get my hydration levels to over 50 percent.

0. I stuck at 48 percent at the highest

9) Exercise consistently 4 times a week.

1. Done.

8) Keep my nails nice.

1. Done

7) See two friends a month, and do two family activities a month.

.5 we did two family activities a month, but I don't think I saw two friends a month in a concentrated way.

6) Fix three things about the house

0. I looked into fixing the doors, too expensive. I looked into fixing the windows. I cannot. They don't sell window panes separately, and the whole windows would need double panes to keep up with new regulations. I set up to redo the girls bathroom, but that will happen in January. I DID get a landscaper to fix up the yard. Looks good.

5) Make $120,000.

0. I made $25,000 LESS than I made last year. A high-paying freelance client fell off. But working two full time jobs and two part time jobs plus doing all the family stuff still exhausted me.

4) Achieve something notable at work.

1. Huh. I forgot about this one. I got one of my staff a promotion and a fairly hefty raise to go with the title. (Still garbage, but that's corporate America for you).

3) Read 12 books

1. Okay, so technically I finished 11 books, but I'm halfway through two more, so I'm counting this. 12 books is a LOT for me.

2) Get this house clean

0. Nope.

1) Fix all landscaping and back deck.

.5 I did the landscaping, not the deck.

TOTAL: 5/10




For my kids and I, I resolve the following:

5) Help them navigate tween-teen years, be someone they can trust and love.

1. Doing the best I can. I think they know they can trust me.

4) Get them involved in more household duties.

0. They are still doing the same household chores, but at least they are doing that.

3) Save $10,000 more each for them.

1. Done.

2) Pay full attention to them when they ask me for something, but don't make them think the sun and moon both revolve around them.

.5 I have done a pretty good job with this.

1) Help them get involved in sports, extracurricular activities or something else they like and can consistently contribute to.

1. Dulce is in the school play, and Natalina is regularly going to the gym.

3.5/5

Resolutions -- 2018

In keeping with tradition, I will make 10 resolutions for myself and 5 with regard to my children and never look at them again until nearly 2019. Here goes nothing. I have a lot of big changes coming this year, so, unsure as to what this will look like.

10) Drink 4 glasses of water a day.

Same as last year, only one glass less. I have to drink more. I was really bad with this this year. Luckily, as last night was New Year's Eve, I've already drunk my 4 glasses today, lol, and I'll still need more.

9) Go to the gym and/or run consistently 3-4 times a week.

I want to keep this one too. I need to keep doing this.

8) Stop biting my nails

Keeping it.

7) Actively work on local and state campaigns in swing states for the interim election.

2018 is a big year, politically. I want to make sure I help.

6) Buy that house and decorate it and keep it up as if it is my home.

I'm not great at interior design and I'm not great at cleaning. We are trying to get our own place and I have done most of the heavy lifting there which has been really hard. I have to finish that task, get the place, fix it up, move, and then decorate it and keep it clean like it is a real home that I love and live in because that's what it will be.

5) Make $75,000 and/or get a full-time position somewhere.

This is a huge stretch. HUGE. I'd be happy with $65K again. I'd be over the moon with $70. I'd also be happy if I could grab a full-time job at a place.

4) Publish 50 pieces and teach a full course load all year.

I want to keep up with writing at least a little and not let go of my teaching either.

3) Get my passport and Portuguese citizenship (if not for me, at least for the girls).

Ugh, grown up paperwork, blah. Too hard. Must do.

2) Get through my medical stuff and come out the other side just fine.

I have a lot of crap I don't want to do this year that I have to do. It's going to take a while, some back and forths from the hospital, a long recovery and subsequent procedures and it's all very glamorous and awesome. So, I have to get through that.

1) Plan and execute this vow renewal for our 10-year anniversary.

So we kind of sort of got married in five minutes while our preemie twins were in the NICU. We had meant to do a nice shotgun wedding before their birth, but they came early. Even without that complication, I was never going to have a real wedding or wear a dress or have a party. And I want one, kind of. And we have made it 10 years, through twins and the financial and housing crash and through all the things. Of course, on top of buying a house and going down in medical flames, it is a bit much this year, but I think we can do it!



For my kids and I, I resolve the following:

5) Get them to stop fighting all the time.

Lol. Every year we try.

4) Homework and studies every day, even in summer and on weekends.

When we do this, it's great, but when we have all the time in the world (ie: vacation), we slack off because it's just easier for me not to make them do it. If I were consistent, it would be easier.

3) Save $10,000 each for them.

Since I totally took the money I've saved for them thus far and put it into the house. I figure it is also for them, right? But I need to get that egg back.

2) Play a game with them every day.

I can do better with this. I can try harder. It's just five minutes. SAME I WILL DO THIS THIS YEAR.

1) Have them do chores every day.

Chores every day, because people do chores. This is going to be hard to start back up because I had them doing them and then I stopped and now they'll be like RWAR NO, so I really have to work at it.

Resolution Check In - 2017

Each year, I check back on the resolutions I made the previous year to see how well I've done. I only look at these things twice a year. Once when I make them, and once when I check them, 12 months later. It's interesting to see what my goals were and whether or not I made it.

10) Drink 5 glasses of water a day.

0. This year I felt like fuck water, I guess. I'll try again, but I think I'll go back down to 4 glasses a day. That's more reasonable for me.

9) Go to the gym and/or run consistently 3-4 times a week.

1. I actually did do this enough to count it. There were weeks when I did nothing, sure, but also weeks where I ran, biked or went to the gym every darn day. It would average out to 3-4 times a week, I'm sure of it.

8) Stop biting my nails

0. I mean. I just can never do this apparently.

7) Do something actionable and politically motivated every single week.

1. I did a lot of activism this year. A LOT. But there were weeks and even months where I did nothing. I just couldn't. Then again, there were weeks and months where I did something every day. I feel like averaging again, I'd come out with at least a thing per week. I put a lot of effort into this one, so I'm counting it as done.

6) Read 15 books. Journal 250 times.

0. I read like 4 books MAYBE, and I didn't journal at all because LiveJournal was eaten by Russia.

5) Make $55,000-$60,000.

This is a stretch for sure. I'd be happy with $50,000. <-- I said that when making the resolution.

1. I made $66,000 this year.

4) Publish 100 pieces.

0. I only published 40 pieces this year. I decided to teach instead.

3) Teach at least six classes this year.

1. I taught 10 classes this year, and I developed two more.

2) Publish my thesis.

0. LOLOLOL I really REALLY do not want to do this. Like at all. And I really REALLY should.

1) Save another $5,000 for each of my kids for their college education.

1. I saved $7,000 each for them this year.



Wow, 5 out of 10. That might actually be a record. I hardly ever keep resolutions! Also, I feel like I deserve a bonus point because even though it wasn't on my resolutions list, this is the year I for real quit smoking. Seven months and counting, anyway. That sucked and it was hard.


For my kids and I, I resolve the following:

5) Get them to stop fighting all the time.

0. Fighting is one of their favorite games.

4) Make them do math and reading every day for at least a short while.

.5. I did pretty well with this, though I did let vacations and weekends slide sometimes.

3) Get them into an activity other than Capoeira to expand their horizons a bit.

1. Um, they are in after-school instead, which isn't necessarily expanding their horizons, but we did a billion different summer camps this year, from museums, to engineering, to gymnastics, and a whole bunch more. We're trying.

2) Play a game with them every day.

0. I want to try this again. I really want to do this, but time keeps slipping away!

1) Have them do chores every day.

.5. Chores were mostly used in terms of discipline this year, though they did do A LOT of them. I want them to get used to having to do something small every day just because we are people and that is what we have to do.


Hmm, 2 out of 5. That's not super great, but at least it's something. I have a feeling a lot of my resolutions this year will be repeats, lol.

Resolutions 2017

In keeping with tradition, I will make 10 resolutions for myself and 5 with regard to my children and never look at them again until nearly 2018. Here goes nothing.

10) Drink 5 glasses of water a day.

Upping it from 4 even though I've really stopped drinking at all again. This is important. I do this weird thing where I withhold water from myself if I'm feeling like I'm not worthy of it. I need to fight that mentality more than I need the water, but drinking the water will fight that mentality.

9) Go to the gym and/or run consistently 3-4 times a week.

Exercising every day is too big of a goal for me, especially because my brain tells me that doing ten push ups at home most certainly doesn't count, so I don't do it. I also gained about 10 pounds this year because I couldn't exercise because of a neck injury, and I eat like a garbage can, for real.

8) Stop biting my nails

This is like the 4930276849 time I'll be trying this one.

7) Do something actionable and politically motivated every single week.

During 2017, fervor about the state of our country will die down and normalize. You can already see it happening as the activists collectively take a break and a breath for the holiday season. The point is to get back on the horse. To not forget. To prepare for the vote in 2018. That is the goal. 2018 is not long away when you consider that we have to get an entire new system going for the Democrats and figure our shit out while fighting the legislation coming down from this administration tooth and nail.

6) Read 15 books. Journal 250 times.

I managed 11 this year, but the one I'm on now, I've been on since August. When I don't like a book, I draggggg it out. Journaling, too, comes in waves.

5) Make $55,000-$60,000.

This is a stretch for sure. I'd be happy with $50,000.

4) Publish 100 pieces.

I am flagging in terms of writing. I have the assignments, I'm just sitting on them. I have to get back into the groove and do this thing. This will be harder because it appears my best client (after a shift in personnel) may not be using my services as much as they were if at all.

3) Teach at least six classes this year.

I have to not allow my teaching to drop off as I try to increase my writing. I must maintain connections with different colleges and departments at UF and look to other places as well.

2) Publish my thesis.

I've been putting this off and the embargo is up. I really don't want to do this, but I really, really should.

1) Save another $5,000 for each of my kids for their college education.

If my income stays where it is, I can do this. Of course, freelancing is forever a rocky road full of hustle.



For my kids and I, I resolve the following:

5) Get them to stop fighting all the time.

Like, they are stubborn with this. They love to fight with each other and try to get each other in trouble, as if one is vindicated and good if the other one is getting punished. Stop it.

4) Make them do math and reading every day for at least a short while.

When we do this, it's great, but when we have all the time in the world (ie: vacation), we slack off because it's just easier for me not to make them do it. If I were consistent, it would be easier.

3) Get them into an activity other than Capoeira to expand their horizons a bit.

2) Play a game with them every day.

I can do better with this. I can try harder. It's just five minutes.

1) Have them do chores every day.

I slacked with this because it's just easier for me to do them, but the girls get really entitled about it and don't help at all and give attitude when asked to help if I let it go too long.

Resolution Check-In: 2016

Each year, I check back on the resolutions I made the previous year to see how well I've done. I only look at these things twice a year. Once when I make them, and once when I check them, 12 months later. It's interesting to see what my goals were and whether or not I made it.



10) Drink four glasses of water a day.

I mostly did this, but slacked off during October and November as the entire world went to shit.

.5

9) Do some form of exercise every day.

I was doing really well with this until summer when I got more work, and then the election happened, and I'm only just now getting back on the train, and it's not everyday, for sure.

0

8) Read and journal every day.

I was rocking this, truly. Then October and November happened. I didn't journal once then, and I didn't read any books. But, the year total is 212 journal entries and 11 books read. That's more than half.

.5

7) Take care of myself in some way every day.

HAHAHAHA

0

6) Stop smoking.

.5

5) Stop biting my nails.

0

4) Make $40,000 this year.

I made $48,000 this year.

1

3) Publish 100 pieces.

Only 65. I slacked because I wasn't prepared for how much work creating online lectures and teaching online and in-person would be.

0

2) Get some sort of big project off the ground.

So, I'm going to give this a point. I'm not sure if I did this right or made any difference, but the push of this resolution was to be open about it, and do something big somehow that moved me out of my comfort zone.

I honestly think the activism I started on November 9th could count here. I'm putting all my resources into it, and trying to bring others along. I'm showing up in person to events and planning meetings. I'm doing more than writing about it. I'm writing to people, calling them, giving all my extra money to it. I think this counts. I know I've certainly never done it before, and God do I wish I had.

1

1) Save $5,000 for each of my kids to start the college fund.

DONE. Amazingly. And I had totally forgotten I'd made this resolution, lol.

1


TOTAL: 4.5 out of 10. Better than usual, actually.




And I make five resolutions specifically with regard to my children each year. This year, I resolve the following:

5) To keep with the scheduling and strike system.

I did a pretty good job with this. We fell out of it sometimes, when we got super busy, but on the whole, we were consistent. I also started us in play therapy to help me more than them so that I didn't get so overwhelmed and we didn't get into a negative attention feedback loop. Things are going pretty strongly here.

1

4) Help them study.

I tried really hard on this. Carlos started helping, too, because it turns out I am just a HORRIBLE elementary school teacher. I make them do homework every day, I sit with them and answer the questions, I give them pep talks and guide them through the work when they're being stubborn. It's been hard, and will continue to be hard.

1

3) Have them read every day.

I did not make them read on the weekends, and I only make them read sporadically on vacation, but every school day, they've been reading. And that's HARD for all of us, actually.

.5

2) Get them to stop competing and fighting so viciously.

Fail. But I have faith for this year.

0

1) Play a game with them every day.

I tried hard on this one, too, but I got busy and playing with them is difficult sometimes because they compete for attention. Still, I managed a more than 50 percent ratio, so I'll give it a .5

.5


3 out of 5. Better than last year, anyway.

Resolutions 2016

In 2016, my largest goal is to regain control of my life. I do a lot of things, and in doing those things, I'm almost always frazzled, forgetting something, stressed out, late, not finishing what I need to finish because I overbooked, etc.

I have no sense of calm.

None.

That's the main goal this year. Get it together, me. Be that whole, calm, successful, ambitious person you want to be. Happy and hardworking, but not scattered, rushing around putting out fires I started with disorganization and too much on my plate.


With that in mind, my ten resolutions for this year:

10) Drink four glasses of water a day.

I get headaches frequently, and am often tired and just not feeling well. It's because I do not drink any water at all. I sometimes actually feel like I don't deserve water. That ends this year.

9) Do some form of exercise every day.

Things happen and I won't be able to make it to the gym every day or even three times a week, I'm sure. I won't always have a kid-free 45 minutes to run. So, even if I get in ten sit-ups or push-ups a day, or stretching for a half hour before bed, that will be enough. Just some form of extra exercise (meaning I can't count my walk to school with the kids) each day.

8) Read and journal every day.

Same goes for this as exercise. Even if I read one sentence and write one sentence in my journal, that will count. Just do it. And no internet reading. Book reading. I can find time for a sentence. And hopefully time for more than that.

7) Take care of myself in some way every day.

As with the water, I often skip meals, or showers, or allow my nails to get gnarly. I'll be too tired to even brush my teeth, and this morning was the first time I'd washed my face in I don't want to tell you how long. This year, I still may not shower every day (who has the time?!), but I will perform basic upkeep to ensure my body is being taken care of to at least its basic necessary level.

6) Stop smoking.

I have to really do this.

5) Stop biting my nails.

Same. Enough is enough.

4) Make $40,000 this year.

I don't care how this happens. If I cobble it together with my freelancing, or manage a book thingie, or through teaching jobs, or if I get a full-time thing. Just, do this.

3) Publish 100 pieces.

I made it to 80 this year. I can do 100.

2) Get some sort of big project off the ground.

Could it be the stalled book? One of the novels I have kicking around in my head? Another big thing I've not thought of? Something big and different. Something I have to allow myself to be open to in order to achieve it. Something outside of my comfort zone.

1) Save $5,000 for each of my kids to start the college fund.

I don't know if that is possible. Let's try.




And I make five resolutions specifically with regard to my children each year. This year, I resolve the following:

5) To keep with the scheduling and strike system.

This is a system that helps me keep my emotions out of parenting. It works on a set of strikes and stars and seems to work, when I can put the time in and follow through.

4) Help them study.

I have trouble keeping up with what they are being tested on, and they don't really tell me all that well. Sometimes, as a result, they'll bring home Cs instead of As because we didn't know there was a test. I don't want them to get used to that.

3) Have them read every day.

This year, including weekends.

2) Get them to stop competing and fighting so viciously.

I have no idea how to achieve this, but it is my biggest battle each day.

1) Play a game with them every day.

Some days this will have to be I-spy in the car as we shuttle from activity to activity. But some days, let's really try for board games, puzzles or imagination games at home. We can do this.

2015 Resolution check

So, before I set new resolutions, I have to see whether or not I actually did anything I was supposed to in 2015. Probably not. That's usually how I roll.

Let's see.




10) Stop smoking
NO.
0 pts.

9) Stop biting my nails (for real, this is ridiculous)
NO.
0 pts

8) Go to the gym 3 times a week
Mehhh, no.
0 pts.

7) Eat three meals a day and drink at least 4 glasses of water a day (I need to start feeling better).
Nope. I mean, I kept this up for like 4 months, but not enough.
0 pts.

6) Publish 100 pieces.
Nope.
80.
0 pts.

5) Graduate grad school
FINALLY I DID ONE. Damn.
1 pt.

4) Make $350 a week
Yes. ~$500
1 pt.

3) Get a book deal off proposal
Hmm, nah. But things happened and such. This isn't dead, just paused.
0 pts.

2) After school, get a job or increase earnings to $600 a week
Well, like, I just graduated, so...I mean, I got a teaching job? I'm going to give me this one.
1 pt.

1) Finish one of the many books I have floating around that are started and left for dead.
NO.
0 pts.

Three out of ten.
Fail.
Let's do better next year, eh?




FOR KIDS:


5) Keep them at being nice human beings 75 percent of the time (this is too new for me to trust it).
NO. We had like a major slide. They're just coming around again, but they dropped to like, 25 percent for MONTHS. It was bad. Like really hard.
0 pts.

4) Get them up and ready in the morning quickly and quietly.
Nope. But with my husband's help, this will be achievable this year.
0 pts.

3) Make them do chores every single day. Remember to pick chores back up after sickness
Hmm, yeah, I'll give me this one.
1 pt.

2) Have them read every day.
Yes. But not counting weekends.
1 pt.

1) Get them over this intense competition.
NO.
0 pts.


Two out of five.

So, like, not the best year for resolutions. But you know what? It was a really great year, so I don't know what these resolutions are talking about.

2015 resolutions

Okay, so I need 10 resolutions for me and 5 for me and the kids. This year, I feel like my life has a bit more of a direction, which is definitely what I was searching for last year. The resolutions should be easier to make and mean more. Here we go:


10) Stop smoking

9) Stop biting my nails (for real, this is ridiculous)

8) Go to the gym 3 times a week

7) Eat three meals a day and drink at least 4 glasses of water a day (I need to start feeling better).

6) Publish 100 pieces

5) Graduate grad school

4) Make $350 a week

3) Get a book deal off proposal

2) After school, get a job or increase earnings to $600 a week

1) Finish one of the many books I have floating around that are started and left for dead.




FOR KIDS:


5) Keep them at being nice human beings 75 percent of the time (this is too new for me to trust it).

4) Get them up and ready in the morning quickly and quietly.

3) Make them do chores every single day. Remember to pick chores back up after sickness

2) Have them read every day.

1) Get them over this intense competition.



Okay, 2015. Let's do this.

2014 Resolution check-in

Every year I do a bunch of resolutions. I write out a nice long list, then never look at it again. Not because I don't want to do the things I set out to do, but because the resolutions are more of a general guideline of where I'd like my life to go in the next year, and I like to forget entirely about what I promised myself, then check back in the next year, and see what I had thought I would do versus what I actually did do.

Usually, I do this a little more privately, but this year I figured what the heck? May as well do it here.

So, here were my resolutions from last year. Below each resolution is how I did. I'm leaving in last year's introduction in because reasons.


DECEMBER THIRTIETH, TWO THOUSAND THIRTEEN

This year, I need to be more focused. I need to concentrate on myself (ack, I hate even typing that...you'll see what I mean.) I need to stop wasting time on a bunch of little things, and tackle and complete a few big ones. We shall see.

I'm nervous because 32 is supposed to be my best year. (When I was 16, I decided that 32 would be my best year, and 26 would be my second best year. 26 was the best and the worst year of my life so far. That's the year I had the babies. ... Of course, when I was 16, I also decided I'd die in a car crash at 31. And, so far so good?) CHECK. NO DEATH.

ANYWAY

10) Quit smoking.

Nope. I mean, I kind of tried a few times. But definitely didn't quit. 0 points

9) Finish Holy Seed

This is a book I'd started a while back. I didn't even look at it this year. 0 points

8) Write parenting book

Nope. 0 points

7) Get 10 pieces published (not counting Huffington Post or Buzzfeed).

Killed it. I got 57 pieces published in 21 publications, not counting Huffpo or Buzzfeed. 2 points (extra point, because come ON. I killed it).

6) Do well in school

Done. All As. 1 point

5) Live healthier (go to the gym more, and eat better. Stop drinking so much wine, stop eating anything after dinner).

Nope. I got so sick and injured this year that I had to stop going to the gym. I just started going back two weeks ago. And I still eat like shit. And stop drinking so much wine? What was I thinking? 0 points.

4) Read 12 books. (try to read every gd day).

Nope. I still can't get through The Adventures of Kavalier and Clay. I've been not-reading it allllll year. 0 points

3) Go to bed by midnight every night, 11:30 p.m. on nights the babies have school.

Done. Being sick and injured all year helped. 1 point

2) Publish REDACTED (again), and write one more novel.

Done kind of. I was able to resell that book, but I only got 8,000 words into the next novel under my pen name before that essay kind of changed my path. .5 points

1) Improve my platforms.

Done. I increased Twitter and Facebook followings by a fair amount and my blog got a lot of hits. 1 point

**Extra** make $100 a week.

Done. Starting in July, I began making money from writing for the first time. In those six months, I made enough money that it comes out to more than $100 a week for the year.

1 point.

So, out of 10 points for the year, I got 6.5. That's a decent haul.


FOR KIDS:

5) Get them to be nice human beings 75 percent of the time (stuck at 40 percent)

Amazingly...DONE. Up until October they were still pretty much horror shows, but after making a lot of big changes in how I parent, I've got well-behaved children right now, and have for two months. What even? 1 point

4) Stop yelling at them. (OMG OMG PLEASE STOP YELLING AT THEM).

Done! One of the huge changes I made in my parenting in October was to stop yelling at them. And I was actually able to do it. 1 point

3) Read to them every day.

I'm going to count this as done. They read themselves now, so I don't have to do this. 1 point

2) Have them do chores every day.

Half done. When they are sick, I stop making them do chores and then I forget to make them start doing them again for a few weeks by accident. But they do them when I tell them to. .5 points

1) Get them to accept that they are different girls and can do different things.

Done...mostly. We still have random freak-outs where one won't eat something because the other doesn't want a snack, or something equally baffling, but compared to last year? So. Much. Better. .5 points.

So, out of five kid-points, I got four. Damn good, I'd say.

Stay tuned for this year's goal list.