Last Year's Birthday List

Last year before my birthday, I made a list of all of the things I wanted to do in my 26th year of life. Here's the rundown of how I did:


1. Try a new recipe once a month - Maybe I didn't do this EVERY month, but I tried a few new things.


2. Make cupcakes from something other than cake mix and decorate them in unique ways - I made cupcakes from scratch once or twice, and I definitely decorated many more batches than that in crazy ways.


3. Join a gym and go at least once a week for yoga class - I joined and I went at least once a week. I did yoga for six months and got sick of it and starting going to use the machines. Still going.


4. Take in another litter of newborns or another pregnant mom cat - I did this twice. The second group is still with me.


5. I taught myself a few key traveling phrases in Italian and Greek. Learn similar phrases in French, Hindi, and Japanese (maybe brush up on my Spanish while I'm at it). - Didn't do this at all.


6. Send more letters in the mail to friends and family - I didn't send MORE, but I sent the usual amount I do in a given year.


7. Paintball - I did paintball, and I learned that it's better to go in the late fall than summer.


8. Go to a concert or two - Saw Rancid, Radiohead, and I feel like I'm forgetting one...


9. Wear sunscreen every day - Pfft. I more sunscreen more often, but not daily.


10. Travel to at least one other country - I don't think Greece counts since I went before I created this list. Mexico fell through because of swine flu, but I did go to Canada for two days.


11. Make a new friend (this one is hard for me) - Don't think I accomplished this. I turned some acquaintances into friends, but didn't make any brand new friends.


12. Attend another Book Club meeting at library - It seems like yesterday that I wrote this list. I remember adding this one on. I can't believe I never did it and a whole year has gone by.


13. Turn my cat blog into a book of short stories - I've been working on it.


14. Conquer my shoulder pain - Been working on this too. I've got a good handle on controlling it to some extent.


15. Go to Cape Cod - Bummer! I thought this one would be easy. Didn't do it.


16. Start using my video camera again - Pretty hard to do when my digital camera is so much more convenient.


17. Get promoted at work (not necessarily up to me, but I'll push for it) - Woo! Did it.


18. Buy a house - Still working on it.


19. Go to Niagara Falls - Made it by the skin of my teeth thanks to a surprise trip that Mike planned.


20. Make the mermaid sculpture I've been planning for a year - Fail.


21. Plant pumpkins - I planted them and the vine grew but never produced any pumpkins.

22. Save money/Buy less crap - I made a budget that allowed for one frivolous purchase a month if it was less than $50. I stuck to it pretty well.

23. Get all of my high school friends together - Accomplished in Vermont. This was a gimmee.

24. Be more honest about how I feel - Can always improve it but I didn't do so bad.

25. Plan a bachelorette party for Kelly - Jess and I planned a bridal shower that went very well. But then we didn't attend her wedding because of swine flu and she hates us now. Very sad.

26. Learn a new craft (making soap? sewing with a machine? knitting? blowing glass?) - Didn't learn a new craft, but learned new cat-care skills. Does that count?