SO it's time to ask myself how I'm doing on those goals I set at the beginning of the year! It would be petty to go through each of them and say "yes" or "no" for completion so I've made 2 lists: improvements I've made since the beginning of the year, and areas for development (AFDs) that I need to focus on more in my daily life:

Improvements!

• Using my free BookHolders water bottle for easy water refills while being more environmentally conscious.
• Going to the gym at least 2 times a week.
• Being more focused at work (less email checking, etc.)

AFDs

• Technical skills for work.
• Running (need to find a better way of training to run...)
• Socializing.

My last AFD is something I've realized lately, which is most weekends I stay home and do pretty much nothing, and of course during the week I'm absorbed in work and working out after work, and by the time I get home it's already pretty late. I've realized that I haven't been hanging out or really communicating with the people that I want to hang out with. I'm also not great at planning get-togethers because damn it everything costs money and my house is far away / too small (<- don't even get me started on that).

I EFFIN MISS COLLEGE.

(yea the direction of this post did not go as planned T-T)

"Another year over... a new one just begun!"

It's going to be hard to not segment my life based on the school calendar, but overall, 2011 was a kick-ass year! I graduated college, went on a dream trip with some close friends, started my job, and lastly started paying for AND going to a gym regularly :P! There were many imperfect things as well of course, but I can't remember anything particularly bad that would overshadow any of the awesome stuff! 2012 has big shoes to fill :)

I noticed that I didn't even write in my Xanga last January so I can't really reflect on how I did on my resolutions, though judging myself they most likely had to do with not procrastinating and being more organized :P. This year I'm going to make them more concrete! As I mentioned in my last entry, I just finished reading this book called The Power of Less by Leo Babauta, about simplifying your life and overall making it more worthwhile. I want this New Year's resolutions list to be less hastily thrown together and more thorough than any of my past ones, but it is by no means exhaustive. One's goals should be firm but if they require "stepping stone" goals along the way then they must be accomplished as well! So, in no particular order, I present:

Maria's 2012 New Year's Resolutions

Drink more water.
Learn how to use a telescope properly.
Improve presentation skills.
Communicate better.
Appreciate everything and everyone more. 
Be able to run 10 miles without stopping.
Lead a project at work.
Be able to match my friends and coworkers shot for shot ;)
Organize the house.
Spend less time doing things that distract me from accomplishing these resolutions.

I hope everyone had a fun and safe new year's celebration, and here's to an even better year ahead !

This is my favorite musical of all time for the main reason that it truly touches my heart every time I hear a song or watch a performance. Though I have not read the book by Victor Hugo or have actually seen in live, I listen to the tracks and concerts on YouTube often and hope that I can one day attend a performance! I think it's a great story, and with the right performers it's an awesome show. Here's a performance that always gives me chills, and the part when Cosette sings "Papa you're going to live" and Jean Valjean "Yes Cosette forbid me now to die... I'll obey, I will try" brings tears to my eyes every single time.