New Year's Resolution Equivalent

Yes, I'm already thinking about this sort of thing. Around Thanksgiving, I start taking stock of the year and "cleaning house". I think it helps to spend the holiday season thinking about change -- I use it as a period of adjustment.

So here are some new goals for 2012:

Read 100 books in 2012.
The reading isn't the challenge so much as finding new titles, recording my progress, and reviewing each book. I'll be keeping up some lists with LibraryThing.

Exercise for 90 minutes per week.
Step away from the computer! Strength training, stretching, and cardio apply.

Get rid of (sell, donate, recycle) 80 items from the house by the end of the year.
Some people have enough stuff that they do a 365 challenge. I think I'm pretty light on stuff already, but my wardrobe could use some thinning.

Write 70 posts for this blog in 2012.
I'm going to be more active over here!

Volunteer 60 hours in 2012.
With work, school, and church, I don't have a lot of free time. But I can take an afternoon a month to help out.

Save or donate 50 percent of my take-home income.
Between emergency savings, our wedding, a house fund, Xmas club, grad school, 401(k), church pledge, and assorted charitable giving throughout the year, I'm already pretty close on this one. Two goals are to be able to pay off all school loans during the 6-month interest-free period after graduation and to have a debt-free wedding, so any payments to the school or for the wedding/honeymoon count even if I don't have the cash on hand at the end of the year.

Distribute 40 business cards by the end of the year.
Most of my networking is done online (especially through LinkedIn), so this will encourage me to get out and meet people in real life -- perhaps at SJSU events. Business cards will be ordered soon.

Spend 30 minutes per day in meditation.
Life is busy! I need to remember to sit back and contemplate things quietly.

Be able to do 20 pushups at once by the end of the year.
When I was working with a personal trainer last week, I think I got up to a dozen. I'm thinking of doing the one hundred pushups plan.

Write 10 recommendations on LinkedIn in 2012.
People have been very generous with me! I hope I'll be able to pass the favor on to fellow students and coworkers.

Have a lovely Thanksgiving, everyone -- and a break from homework if you're in school. See you next week!