2008: The Year in Review

Well, let’s take a look at how I did on my list of 2008 resolutions … I’m sure that it will be interesting. On the surface, I had 23 goals and 19 sub-goals, including 9 ‘stretch’ goals (*). The scorecard:

Accomplished (18)

1. Workout: No, just once. Why start off by lying to myself?
2. Update Fairweather Zealot (this blog – again, finally)
3. Sell a photograph or win a photo contest I won an honorable mention in one contest, and sold a picture to Popular Photography.
4. Read at least half of the 25 books I’ve bought over the last year-plus (but haven’t read)
5. Win more $ than I lose in poker – and as a bonus, I actually won our weekly football poll 3 times
6. Be a better husband
7. Prioritize goals better
8. Limit myself to 10 minute showers every morning
9. Walk instead of driving to the train
10. Use a dish towel instead of paper towels to dry my hands in the kitchen
11. Recycle more
12. Reduce the amount of trash we generate – buy products with less packaging, compost food, reuse more*
13. Throw out less food – do more with leftovers
14. Spend more time on creative stuff (drawing, graphics, etc.)
15. Make sure I get all birthday cards and gifts out in time
16. See a Philly or Penn State championship (and not in fencing)* Go Phillies!!
17. Be better about returning things (too often we let stuff lay around until we can’t return it, sadly)
18. Build and reuse things instead of buying new, when we can*

Mixed Bag (7)

1. Lifelist – Goal animals: birds – Redpoll, Burrowing Owl, N. Saw-whet Owl, any alcid; butterflies – Queen, Painted Lady – Well, I did add that Painted Lady
2. Take a trip to CA, CO, FL or TX – visit relatives, and of course birding. Better yet, take TWO trips* We did get down to Georgia, at least.
3. Read at least half of the 10 work-related books I’ve bought but haven’t read* – I read about half of them, though
4. Eat healthier – more veggies, less junk food and ordering out
5. Buy and use re-usable grocery bags (when I remembered)
6. Keep in touch with friends better – Some yes, some no – Facebook helped.
7. Try to spend less than $10 a week on breakfast and lunch.

Failed (17)

1. Lifelist – Birds: 375 (currently 332)
2. Lifelist – Butterflies: 100 (curr. 76)
3. Lifelist – Dragonflies: 50 (curr. 38)
4. Lifelist – Damselflies: 25 (curr. 18)
5. Sell some of my graphic designs
6. Update martytdx.com (finally)
7. Get my bike out and ride it regularly
8. Attend a UX conference
9. Use 1 paper towel instead of two in the bathroom
10. Home improvements that will decrease our footprint – new windows, use the AC less, etc.)
11. Take my wife dancing and to at least one concert/show
12. Make at least $100 from my CafePress store
13. Keep up with my professional mailing lists (IxDA, PANMA, etc.)*
14. Complete at least a dozen projects around the house*
15. Bring in my lunch most days
16. Order out a lot less
17. Okay, really – lose 10 pounds and be more active. Seriously.*