Thursday, January 2, 2025

 Personal: 

1. Figure out my eyes :( 

2. At least come up with a plan for the back yard, perhaps execute? 

3. Maintain what was done in the front yard. 

4. Enjoy the heck out of Italy! 

5. Go to NYC at least once. 

6. Figure out our 15 year anniversary celebration. 

7. Clean and organize my office to something more functional. 

8. Work on Lynn Hearn's tape and papers. 

Health/Fitness: 

9. Work through 3 fat loss phases with the nutritionist. (Jan-mid-March, April-May, Sept-Nov)

10. Finish at least 5 Peloton programs.

11. Hit 20K peloton minutes.  

12. Get to a place where we are only going out to eat 3 times a week at maximum. 

13. Work through the food in our freezers! 

14. Go to a class with Anastasia. 

15. Teach Owen to cook. 

16. Figure out what maintenance looks like and live there. 

Professional: 

17. Enjoy my time with NOW. 

18. Exceed all my billable time goals. 

19. Continue to mentor my team even when I am no longer their direct supervisor. 

20. Finish PMP Coursework. 

21. Pass PMP Exam. 

22. Apply for APM in the fall. 

23. If not Seller-Doer, figure out another way to be involved in a T&D Training Program this year.

24. Have a transition plan that makes sense for all parties, i.e. get out unscathed and leave it better than I found it. 

BONUS:

25: Read 5 books. 


2024 Year in Review

 1. What did you do in 2024 that you'd never done before?
Spent time at a Cancer Center, watched a blood transfusion, worked on settling an estate. 

2. Did you keep your new year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year? 
My to do list was a mixed bag but, all in all, I think I did the best I could. 

3. Did anyone close to you give birth? 
Anastasia did but I am sick and haven't gotten to see Lola yet! My boss also had a NYE baby yesterday. 

4. Did anyone close to you die?
Yes. Too much loss, in fact. Adam's grandma in May, my mom in July and my stepmom in December. 

5. What countries did you visit? Canada and France.


6. What would you like to have in 2025 that you didn't have in 2024? 
A little more peace. 2024 felt like we were constantly waiting for the other shoe to drop. I know they say bad things come in threes but it felt like bad things came in units too many to count this year. 

7. What dates from 2024 will be etched upon your memory, and why? 
May 4th - the day that my mom told us she was sick, it completely changed the course of our lives this past summer

8. What was your biggest achievement of this year? 
surviving - truly. There were so many obstacles and tough things to overcome. 

9. What was your biggest failure? 
I gained a ton of weight and did not handle stress in positive ways. 

12. Whose behavior merited celebration? 
Pretty much everyone around me, I can't imagine I was easy to be around for much of the year. 

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? 
This year was challenging at work, for sure. On a positive note, it did give me clarity on next steps for me! 

14. Where did most your money go? 
Travel! 

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? 
The Superbowl was such an unexpected and incredible surprise of the year! 

16. What song will always remind you of 2024? 
The Alchemy

17. Compared to this time last year, are you: a) happier or sadder? b) thinner or fatter? c) richer or poorer?
a) sadder - this year broke a lot of things inside me
b) ugh, so much fatter
c) richer - we have done a really good job setting ourselves up for retirement

18. What do you wish you'd done more of? 
Being present with Owen and Adam

19. What do you wish you'd done less of? 
Crying. Being sad or mad about things I couldn't control. 

20. How did you spend Christmas?
We were in Paris! Walked around for a bit, enjoyed a lovely lunch, went up in the Eiffel Tower all the way to the top and took a boat cruise on the Seine. 

21. Did you fall in love in 2024? 
I felt like the Superbowl was one of the most awesome days of life that I've ever experienced - almost as awesome as getting married. 

22. What was your favorite TV program? 
We pretty much watched all the sports this year, so I'll go with the Olympics since it inspired our trip to Paris. 

23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year? 
Hate is a strong word but I saw true colors of people that I really did not care for. 

24. What was the best book you read? 
As per usual of late, I did not read many books. I think the Elizabeth I book we read as a work book club might have been my favorite. 

25. What was your greatest musical discovery? 
I don't know that I discovered anything new or groundbreaking this year but I continued to love Taylor Swift, Kasey Musgraves, Kelsea Ballerini, Dua Lipa

26. What did you want and get? 
The trip to Paris, being away at Christmas was cathartic

27. What did you want and not get? 
I know that both my mom and stepmom are in a better place but I miss them and wish they were still here and wish they'd had less suffering before they both passed away. 

28. What was your favorite film of 2024? 
As usual, I don't watch many movies but &Juliet and Suffs on Broadway were both moving and incredible. 

29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? 
My birthday was a Thursday, I worked all day from a hotel room in NYC, went to Peloton and rode with Jess King (my wish was granted and it was a holiday ride!) and had dinner with Adam and friends. It was perfect. 

30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? 
Spending less time at hospitals.  

31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept of 2023? 
Nuuly

32. What kept you sane? 
Adam and Owen

33. What political issue stirred you the most? 
Nothing really stirs me all that much, I was so disappointed but not surprised by the election.  

34. Who did you miss? 
my mom the most 

35. Who was the best new person you met? 
moving divisions was such a gift as there are too many new people in my life that have impacted me positively to count.  

36. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2024. 

That I am both stronger and weaker all at the same time. And that both things are ok. 

Saturday, December 28, 2024

24 for 24

 Personal: 

1. Hit state #50, Alaska! DONE but god bless, it almost didn't get done

2. Figure out the yard/landscaping situation. We spent a literal fortune on having a nice front yard, so calling this a win. 

3. Hit the last of the 4 big Hawaiian islands, Kauai. This was horseshit, bad on 2023 me. We did it in January. 

4. Clean out my closet and get rid of items that no longer fit/serve me by August. I did this and then promptly outgrew all the things that fit me ugh. 

5. Go to NYC at least once. Unexpectedly went twice but this is a great goal and considering I am typing this from Paris I think I am team NYC. 

6. Get back into normal shoes - continue to heal my foot. I don't know that I had anything to do with this as opposed to time but BOOM DONE! 

7. Host a party at our house. I think we had a lot of parties at our house of varying sizes and things worked out exactly as they should have. 

8. Jump off the diving board at Brookridge. DONE July 4th! 

Health/Fitness: 

9. Complete two serious cut phases with Bailey and focus on true maintenance. Bailey quit coaching in the spring so that derailed all of that and I had no bandwidth the remainder of 2024. 

10. Finish at least 5 Peloton programs and redo Ben's program in June to track progress. See above, no bandwidth. I may have gotten 5 done but it's not worth even checking. 

11. Hit 18K Peloton minutes in 2024. Not even close.

12. Go to the gym at work at least 24 times over the year. NO. 

13. Work out at least once with Alyssa. No. 

14. Go to a class with Anastasia. No. 

15. Make at least 20 new MFF recipes.  Maybe but counting as a no. 

16. Transfer fully over to Macros First. Nope. Sucked. back to MFF. 

Professional: 

17. Continue mentee relationship with Wendy. YES~ this was a huge win in 2024 

18. Develop relationship with Shannon. See above. HUGE WIN 

19. Find a cool speaker for a Project Services mgmt team meeting. Maybe this is a win? I don't know. But we had a fantastic meeting with Agnes and I got a lot of personal praise out of it and Agnes is incredible so yeah? 

20. Help everyone on my team in some way. I don't know if this happened. It turns out I am not the best people manager ever because I have real high expectations and hold people accountable so I'm not sure my team would have glowing things to say about me. 

21. Be intentional about continuing relationships with Dave, Brenda, Agnes and Audrey. Like all relationships these ebb and flow but I think overall things are good. 

22. Monthly HH with Anastasia, alternating times with Audrey. I think we did these! 

23. Hire intentionally to support NIA. Intentional was my middle name and I want to give a shoutout to 2023 me for seeing what was coming. BOOM! 

24. Figure out a project to work on in T&D and figure out if PMI is my path before my renewal in November. DONE and future path on the way! 

Monday, July 15, 2024

24 for '24 Midyear Update

I didn't have my mom getting diagnosed with Stage 4 Cancer and moving in with us for the summer on my 2024 bingo card so taking where we are with a grain of salt... 


Personal: 

1. Hit state #50, Alaska! Going next week!

2. Figure out the yard/landscaping situation. Paying the deposit this week and work starts next week. This is only for the front yard but getting it going! 

3. Hit the last of the 4 big Hawaiian islands, Kauai. CHECK DONE! 

4. Clean out my closet and get rid of items that no longer fit/serve me by August. This wound up being an exercise in culling my closet for my colors but DONE! 

5. Go to NYC at least once. Not one but two trips booked! 

6. Get back into normal shoes - continue to heal my foot. DONE! 

7. Host a party at our house. DONE! I hosted a party for work people last week. We also had 4th of July brunch :) 

8. Jump off the diving board at Brookridge. DONE! on the 4th of July, not once but twice. 

Health/Fitness: 

9. Complete two serious cut phases with Bailey and focus on true maintenance. Bailey stopped coaching in the spring and things have been a shitshow (putting it nicely). Going to evaluate after the trip if this is something I can do on my own or if I need to find a new coach. 

10. Finish at least 5 Peloton programs and redo Ben's program in June to track progress. Tracking well on this as I just completed one last week and have 2 more going. I've already done Tunde's Arms (which broke me) and I finished Adrian's program in January but I won't count that as I did half of it in December. Reminds me to do another round this year though! 

11. Hit 18K Peloton minutes in 2024. As I'm not even to 8K yet, this one is going to be dicey but I'm going to try! 

12. Go to the gym at work at least 24 times over the year. So far this is an epic fail but I still have time. 

13. Work out at least once with Alyssa. Going to put this on the books for August. 

14. Go to a class with Anastasia. She went and got pregnant so this seems highly unlikely. 

15. Make at least 20 new MFF recipes. Being that I made half of the Chili's month, let me see where we are with this - ONE MORE TO GO! 

  • Cheddar Bay Pot Pie
  • SW Eggrolls
  • Molten Lava Cakes
  • Turkey Frito Pie
  • Chicken Parm Stuffed Shells
  • Crazy Bread
  • Turkey Enchilada Skillet
  • Slow Cooker Chicken & Broocoli
  • 3 Meat Pull Apart Pizza
  • Ravioli Casserole
  • Skillet Queso
  • Philly Cheesesteak Tacos
  • Baked Mozz Sticks
  • Skillet Chicken Fajitas
  • Bacon Rancher Burger
  • Margarita Grilled Chicken
  • Pizza Waffle Sandwiches
  • Mexican Street Corn Chowder
  • Slow Cooker Creamy Chicken Lasagna Soup

16. Transfer fully over to Macros First. Work in progress, I'm there when I track. UGH. 

Professional: 

17. Continue mentee relationship with Wendy. We've met once or twice this year but I've been remiss on anything as I missed a lot of work this summer for chemo treatments. 

18. Develop relationship with Shannon. 100% done! Just got a kick ass pep talk from her last week. 

19. Find a cool speaker for a Project Services mgmt team meeting. This... has not been in my realm, sadly. 

20. Help everyone on my team in some way. I don't love that I made this an ambiguous and weird goal but I think I'm headed down the right path. 

21. Be intentional about continuing relationships with Dave, Brenda, Agnes and Audrey. I'd say this is going well. 

22. Monthly HH with Anastasia, alternating times with Audrey. Def doing this! 

23. Hire intentionally to support NIA. I love that I had the foresight to realize what was coming - I'd say this has been really good so far. 

24. Figure out a project to work on in T&D and figure out if PMI is my path before my renewal in November. This is tough to say but I think I've been doing more than I thought I would. 

Saturday, December 30, 2023

24 for '24


Personal: 

1. Hit state #50, Alaska! 

2. Figure out the yard/landscaping situation. 

3. Hit the last of the 4 big Hawaiian islands, Kauai. 

4. Clean out my closet and get rid of items that no longer fit/serve me by August. 

5. Go to NYC at least once. 

6. Get back into normal shoes - continue to heal my foot. 

7. Host a party at our house. 

8. Jump off the diving board at Brookridge. 

Health/Fitness: 

9. Complete two serious cut phases with Bailey and focus on true maintenance. 

10. Finish at least 5 Peloton programs and redo Ben's program in June to track progress. 

11. Hit 18K Peloton minutes in 2024. 

12. Go to the gym at work at least 24 times over the year. 

13. Work out at least once with Alyssa.

14. Go to a class with Anastasia. 

15. Make at least 20 new MFF recipes.  

16. Transfer fully over to Macros First. 

Professional: 

17. Continue mentee relationship with Wendy.

18. Develop relationship with Shannon. 

19. Find a cool speaker for a Project Services mgmt team meeting.

20. Help everyone on my team in some way. 

21. Be intentional about continuing relationships with Dave, Brenda, Agnes and Audrey.

22. Monthly HH with Anastasia, alternating times with Audrey. 

23. Hire intentionally to support NIA. 

24. Figure out a project to work on in T&D and figure out if PMI is my path before my renewal in November. 


Friday, December 29, 2023

2023 Year in Review

 1. What did you do in 2023 that you'd never done before?
Ripped the roof off the house and added a second story. 

2. Did you keep your new year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year? 
As usual, don't do resolutions. I royally sucked at my to do list. (same answer as last year, LOL)

3. Did anyone close to you give birth? two new babies in our VDN/KC Crew! 


4. Did anyone close to you die? I don't think so this year... that is lucky. 

5. What countries did you visit? Germany, Croatia, Montenegro, Bosnia, France


6. What would you like to have in 2024 that you didn't have in 2023? Similar answer to last year - more consistency. I really found myself this fall and want to keep that going. Keep making the journey in healing my relationship with food. 


7. What dates from 2023 will be etched upon your memory, and why? Adam's 40th birthday in Paris, the day I interviewed for and got a new job, my day at PSNY 

8. What was your biggest achievement of this year? Leap of faith to apply for a new job and got it. Survived the house remodel! 

9. What was your biggest failure? Other than not having my life together for my to do list - I don't think much was a failure. This year was a year of immense personal growth for me. 

12. Whose behavior merited celebration? our family - we had a great year and I think all of us grew in a positive way. 


13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? Same ole same ole, just general work suckiness. I struggle with people who do not get their life together. 


14. Where did most your money go? Paid off the NEW!!! Lexus, Adam golf, the contractor, Drybar

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? Our big trip for Adam's birthday. I wasn't super excited leading up to Hawaii because I was generally stressed but it was such a fantastic trip. 

16. What song will always remind you of 2023? anything Taylor Swift


17. Compared to this time last year, are you: a) happier or sadder? b) thinner or fatter? c) richer or poorer?
a) happier. I love everything in the new house. 
b) def thinner
c) same same, I think although our retirement savings is pretty excellent these days and we drive a way nicer car and have wealth in our house

18. What do you wish you'd done more of? celebrated the small things

19. What do you wish you'd done less of? eating and drinking things that aren't super great for my body (same answer as 2022)


20. How did you spend Christmas? woke up and flew to Vegas and had a fantastic dinner at Mon Ami Gabi then had a top 10 meal of my life at the Bedford on 12/26


21. Did you fall in love in 2023? fell in love is a weird phrase but I definitely had a lot of self growth and did a ton of functional self-care


22. What was your favorite TV program? Emily in Paris


23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year? not really but I definitely found myself disappointed by some people 

24. What was the best book you read? I don't think I finished a single book. Dammit. 


25. What was your greatest musical discovery? Midnights (same answer as 2022)


26. What did you want and get? a new job - recognized for my efforts

27. What did you want and not get? probably nothing, I am spoiled rotten


28. What was your favorite film of 2020? The Taylor Swift Eras movie


29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? My actual birthday was a random Tuesday but I did spend the weekend before in NYC living my best life with Peloton and some really good food. 

30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? fighting various ailments over the course of the year, my heel SUCKED. 


31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept of 2023? getting back into smaller clothes

32. What kept you sane? friends

33. What political issue stirred you the most? Trump. God I don't want him running again. 

34. Who did you miss? all the friends we've met along the way that we don't get to see as much, my family being further away


35. Who was the best new person you met? Audrey, by far. 


36. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2023. 

That my diet does not have to be all or nothing. 

23 for '23 in Review

 1. Track Food (X365) Big time fail but I did get my life together from August-December

2. Peloton every day (X365) Also failed, I think I got sick the first week in January. Lesson learned - every day things are not good goals for me. 

3. 8K Steps (X365) See above but I did increase my step count trends intentionally despite having horrible foot problems for half the year. 

4. Lunch Bunch (X/12) James moving to Florida kind of messed this up but we did pretty darn good! 

5. Sharon Says So Bookclub Shit. Didn't finish a single book. 

6. Phone down at 8:40 pm. CRUD. 

7. Fly with Dave to Cincinnati Ran out of time so moving this one to 2024

8. Get to know 5 new people (work)  (X/5) massively crushed this one - Shannon, Wendy, Audrey, all my new T&D peers and new boss

9. Get to know 5 new people (non-work) (X/5) not so hot here but we did hang out with our neighbors more

10. Survive the reno and move upstairs WOOT WOOT CRUSHIN IT! 

11. Drive to North Dakota nailed it

12. Read 10 books (X/10) epic fail

13. Budget every month (X/12) even more epic fail

14. Try a new recipe every month (X/12) crushed this thanks to Elyse Ellis and MFF 

15. Make sourdough tried and failed :)  

16. New ballpark Dodger Stadium was VERY cool

17. Figure out the yard/landscaping ran out of money but the new dining room is worth it all day every day

18. Be involved in WTS did ok with this

19. Organize new office and work from home more (1-2X/month) (X/20) did great with the office but not so much on WFH but I don't think I want to WFH more

20. Organize craft space in the basement it was so great having an away place to wrap presents this Christmas and I also use it to actually iron my clothes instead of paying a fortune for dry cleaning

21. Go to the library once a month (X/12) we did great until March then train wreck

22. Take a golf lesson did a golf clinic again and decided that maybe this is not a great goal for me, I don't think I care that I don't golf 

23. Do yoga at least 30 min/week (X/52) I think I made it to Feb. ugh. 



As I typed this out (wrote them on 12/31 and just never got them here, already failed at a perfect on a couple, OOOOOPS), I realized that half of these are habits and half are to do and probably 1/3 of them are pretty tough BHAGs for me.