It's Already November

And I have no clue where this past year went so I think it might be time for me to check in on that list of New Year's Goals I made.  I really wonder how many of them are even relevant now that I am back state side.

1. Branch out and learn to cook new and different things; I have seemed to have gotten stuck in a chili, beef stew, taco, and fajita rut. I need to stop using my lack of kitchen space, spices, and oven as an excuse and instead embrace the small kitchen space I have with the limited spices I have.  
• Being back at home I almost never cook, and when I do it just doesn't seem as fun and challenged as it use to.  Also it never turns out as good as it use to.
2. Get back into a work out routine, maybe not everyday but a few days a week. I use to be in great shape and always hated my workouts however afterwards I was always in a great mood and felt amazing.  
• I have been on and off this one all year.  Going to the gym for days on end then falling off for a day or two and just never getting back into the swing of things.  I am working on this one again as we speak and as always I just need to make up my mind and do it!
3. Read one book a week two books a month. I got an Amazon Kindle from my amazing parents who also love to read and I can barely put it down.
• I have read 34 books already this year.  That is averaging 3 books a month and I have slowed down a lot the past month or so. My goal though is only 36 so no doubt I will be able to read 2 books in the next two months.
4. Read one business book or educational book at month. I use to love my business classes and want to stay current on what is going on in the field. I also want to learn more about life, hobbies, other countries, and history. Just because I'm not a student anymore doesn't mean I can't or shouldn't continue to learn.
• This didn't happen.  I don't think I even read anything even close outside of a Historical Fiction and those are only like half, if even, true.
5. Work on my new soon to be new hobby with mom via email and web chat so we have just one more thing to share and bond about as friends and mother and daughter! I hope to blog about this new hobby soon to fill you all in on it!
• I thought I had time to make jewelry this past year, and well that may of been because Korea has a huge fabric/bead/everything you could ever need for this hobby maybe an hour away from where I lived.  Well I loved going, could never make up my mind on what I wanted and some how ended up getting no where.  I have not given up on this yet....I think I will always have crafting dreams!
6. Take more pictures! I know this one seems crazy however I wont be in Korea for ever and I take some of the sights I see and experiences I get to take part in for granted and I want to be able to share them not only from my memories but also from pictures. As they say a picture can say a thousands word.
• I have taken more photos but well just as far as day to day things go I have kind of stopped now that I am back home.  I mean the states really aren't that cool....or are they?  One day I will want to look back and remember these times....so keep working on the photo thing! Haha you would know about all the photos I have been taking if I blogged more and shared them all!
7. Travel more and take in what I can while I can.
• I didn't do this and it is now driving me crazy.  I thought we were going back, I thought I would have so much more time, I thought I could see it later, or get it later, or try it later and well now later is here and I can't do it because I am back home.  Not that I regret my choice to stay home and find a job one bit, just wish I would of taken in more of Korean when I had the chance.
8. Work on staying on top of my school work, and things around the house so I am not wasting my weekends catching up. Work on trying to make my lesson plans more interactive and challenging for the students.  
• This one I did get much better at!
9. Improve me Korean at least when it comes to understanding what people are saying for now.  
• This one is now null and void but I still wish I could speak Korea
10. Work on my blogs more and keep them up to date and blogging about things sooner rather than later.  
• Do I really need to comment on this one?
11. And maybe the best one of them all: Be happy and worry less! Try to not let others bring me down and to kill people with kindness!
• I think I have gotten better at this.  I still freak out and have meltdowns, worry about things that really won't matter a month down the road, and cry because I feel like things aren't going my way.  However, who doesn't worry or get upset about small things every now and then?  At the moment some of the small things feel HUGE and like I am fighting a losing battle but yet at the same time I won't give up. 
• I have gotten better at taking joy in the small things, and going out of my way to enjoy the simple things in life!

So yea I learned a lot about myself this past year, I am still growing, but now I think I know what I am trying to grow towards, I know what I don't want, and I have gotten some the of the experiences of a life time that I will never forget.  2011 will be hard to beat and I am happy that I still have 2 months left to enjoy it!

Oddly this list and the fact that in just a few days I will be 24 has made me start to think about my "bucket list" or just a list of things I want to do in my life.  I read a few other bloggers list for things to do before they turned 30 or 40 and well I have oddly already done a lot of the things on their list, got to Alaska, life in another country, been to a NFL food ball game, and so on a so forth but yet there are so many little things I haven't done yet.  But anyways I hope to get that list finished and up sometimes this month. 

Anyone have a bucket list? If so what kinds of things do you have on it?