Celebrating the ‘Top 5’ of 2010

I’m not a resolution maker. My theory is: If you want something, do it. Of course, I love ‘checklists’ and ‘to do’ lists as much as anyone (which my post-it covered writing desk proves). But when even the grocery checkout lady is asking me for my New Year’s resolutions, I’m baffled. The whole tradition of an annual ‘hit list’ is simple enough. But to me, probing friends and family for New Year’s resolutions feels too much like the ‘tell me about your short and long-term goals’ question at a job interview.

Instead, I propose we celebrate our successes of the past year. Make a list of your Top 5 Accomplishments of 2010 (and toast yourself while you’re at it). If you’re like me, the best part of any checklist is marking off tasks when they’re done. It feels great to recognize those successful completions. So, let’s use this energy to propel ourselves into 2011 and make it our best year ever. To help you get started, I’ve listed my own below.

1. Book Project - This year I started writing a novel. It’s something I’ve always wanted to do. Currently, I’m 75% with the first draft. Fortunately, I love every minute and task involved in this project. Once the book is written, there’s lots of research to do to find an Agent and get on the path to being published. For those who are curious about the story, see the book summary below:
   
   MAGGIE LONG is plagued by an anxiety/panic disorder. Each day is a series of careful steps to avoid her stress triggers. A conversation with her sister LUCY leads to a secret about her past, Maggie confronts her parents JIM and RUTH, who reveal the villainous cause of her panic disorder. For Maggie, coping with most everything involves writing and journaling. So after being suddenly downsized from her Technical Writing job, she decides to pen a novel. When her grandmother FANNIE falls ill, she rushes to help. Then, a firm agrees to publish her first novel. Living her dream, she embarks on a book tour. But, as always, the evil panic demon lurks in the shadows. It mars her homecoming by inducing a bad case of writer’s block. Unable to work on her new novel, she must try a new method to drain her stress-filled barrel: running. But will this newfound strength be enough to silence the demon so she can resume her journey as a successful novelist?
    
2. Running for a Healthy Life – This year I started jogging. My sister-in-law inspired me by training for the Des Moines marathon. She wasn’t much of a runner either, so I figured that if she could do 26 miles, I could surely do a 5K (3.1 miles). After a brief set back with an ankle injury in October, I ran my first 4K (2.5 mile) race in November. Now, I’m addicted, but at least this is one habit I won’t have to kick!
   

3. Kindle e-Reader Reignites an Old Flame – I LOVE reading thanks to my mom who’d read me five stories a night as a child. Her efforts were not wasted as I still devour books, especially anything by Stephen King or Dean Koontz. Until I got an e-Reader, I was leery about the technology. Would I like it as much as my beloved paperbacks? All I can say is, OH YEA! If you haven’t seen one, check out the display models at Staples or Best Buy. The screen looks and reads like an actual paperback page (no eyestrain). If you like to dog-ear pages and highlight passages, you’ll love the e-Reader’s automatic bookmarking, full text searching, highlighting, and notes features. One small device holds thousands of books and holds a charge for up to a month (if you disable the Wi-Fi). Those 2-inch thick Stephen King books easily fit in my purse now!
   
4. Capturing Memories – I’m a frugal gal. My sister and I make a game of saving money. For me, the best deal of 2010 began as an experiment. Our oldest son, Sean, needed senior pictures and we dreaded the cost of a professional photographer. Using my shutter skills as an ‘accidental photographer,’ I took tons of outdoor pics (since I’m better with those), knowing I’d get at least a few good shots. After dropping off my digital images at Photo Pro in Cedar Rapids, I was rewarded with amazing, professional-looking images. I got 108 wallets, 14 5x7’s, and 2 8x10’s for $80.00 (that’s with a 20% discount for picking up the order on Friday). I saved money and enjoyed capturing those precious memories myself.
   

5. Letting Things Go – Another addiction of mine is cleaning, a side of me I jokingly call ‘The Clean Queen’. Clutter and chaos are intensely distracting, so I’ve always spent considerable time picking up, organizing and cleaning our house. Of course, writing a book requires a lot of effort and time at the keyboard. The dilemma was getting The Clean Queen to defer her standards for The Writer. After months of adjustment, I’ve finally learned to enjoy the relaxed atmosphere. My family helps more with household chores now too, which is another Hoorah! for this year.