2014 New Year's Resolutions Recap

I decided to telework today since there weren't going to be that many people at the office anyway.  Reggie sent out an email saying that there was not going to be a movie playing today and he gave me a hush-hush tip that said that the big boss was letting us go at 2 PM today.  Whoo hoo!

That gave me time to go to the post office to mail off my last Etsy order for the year (after not having a sale in about 2 months, this was a welcomed surprise!) and Target to get some last minute things for when Robyn and Julie came over for dinner and watching the ball drop: cheese, crackers, Christmas candy on clearance, sparkling grape juice (I think they ran out of sparkling cider because I couldn't find any) and chapstick on clearance.  This was my best find because when I went the day after Christmas to look for this, I couldn't find it.  This wasn't even in the chapstick section of Target.  Original price: $4.99 and it was reduced to $1.49.  There was a limited edition cake batter one that I'm sure smells delicious, but I thought 1 chapstick purchase would be enough.

Robyn and Julie came over around 7 and I got pizza (spinach/sausage and ham/pineapple).  We watched Captain America: The Winter Soldier and watched the ball drop.  Wheee.

Let's recap to see how I did in 2014.

2014 Resolutions to complete by January 1, 2015...

• I feel like my recent resolutions have had something to do with my house.  This year, I want to do at least one of the following:
• Get my windows replaced as I find them to not be very energy efficient.
• Get my shower door replaced with a shower curtain.  The door is so hard to clean!
• Get my closet doors replaced.  I think the metal ones that I have now are functional but I don't find them to be particularly attractive.  FAIL...House stuff was not a priority because money this year was spent on travel and RJ medical costs.
• Read at least 15 books.  I'm hoping to curve my NCIS, Law and Order: SVU, and Real Housewives addiction.  SUCCESS, especially with my new author find (Jill Shalvis).  I basically binged read several series written by her during the past month. 
• Utilize the gym more often other than going to spin class.  I'm paying for the membership, I might as well go!  Maybe this is where I can watch my reality television, tee hee.  SUCCESS.  I did more running at the gym this year.
• Limit new make-up, clothing, and craft supplies.  I have enough of all three categories.  SUCCESS/FAIL.  I did really well with limiting new craft supply purchases, but not so much with the make-up (I don't even want to go here...I will be depressed) and clothing (I got a few new dresses from JCPenney and some clothes from Old Navy).
• Branch out a little more when it comes to make-up.  Rock a more colorful lip or a more dramatic eye every so often.  SUCCESS.  I've gotten really good with my gel liner/winged liner. Scotch tape is the key to getting a clean line, a la Casey Holmes.
• Do at least 10 volunteer events.  I did a lot of donating last year in terms of clothes and some craft supplies, but I want to do more and focus on donating my time this year.  SUCCESS.  This is what I'm most proud of this year.  The volunteer events I did were either race or food-related.
• Try at least 10 new recipes (baked goodies/desserts do not count).  I have my eye on this Taiwanese sesame oil chicken recipe and was inspired when I ate it at my parents' house recently.  FAIL, although I did make the sesame oil chicken recipe that I mentioned.  I made it to 5 new recipes this year, but really it's 4 because 1 of them was banana pudding which is obviously a dessert. :P
• Get to at least 900 Etsy sales.  I'm currently at 824 sales.  FAIL, but I came close with 895 sales.

Things that I accomplished but were not on the list:

• I traveled to new cities for work: Anaheim, Little Rock
• I learned some new hairstyles. 5 strand Dutch braid, halo braid, two strand braid with a bun, rolling my hair in a headband, and curling my hair with a curling wand.  
• I went on vacation with Julie (Vancouver and Boston) and Robyn (Tahoe).

I'm still compiling a list of New Years Resolutions, so stay tuned.

Movies at the Office, Day 2

This morning I saw the IT guys in the conference room working on the DVD player and when it was time to watch a movie, the Skyfall DVD that was not working yesterday worked. Yay!  Apparently they had to download some new software onto the computer. I will be teleworking tomorrow so I'm not sure what they're going to watch but I did leave behind two of my DVDs for them to choose from.  One of the ladies from Accounting learned that I had to Skyfall DVD so she asked if she could borrow it so her son could watch it tonight.

Sadira and I gave each other bags of chocolate for the holidays.  Yum!

Movies at the Office, Day 1

In true holiday tradition the big boss is letting us watch movies in the conference room at lunch time on the days we are at the office between Christmas and New Year's. Today's movie with Mean Girls. It was supposed to be Skyfall but the technology in the conference room was being difficult. By the time the IT department figured out how to play a movie in the conference room, an hour had already gone by and they just played whatever was in the computer, which happened to be Mean Girls.

Reggie bought for big containers of popcorn (the kind with the cheese, butter and caramel popcorn) so that we have snacks during movie time. :)

Dinner with the Newlyweds

I didn't make it to either spin class this morning, but I did muster up the energy to go to another gym location to run on the treadmill.  2.17 miles in 30 minutes.  Meh, at least it's something.

I'm glad that I got some exercise in today because tonight, my family and I went to a dinner last night to honor the newlyweds whose wedding I went to in Tahoe back in September. My friend and her husband are visiting family on the east coast so her parents wanted to have a big dinner and invite folks that didn't go to the wedding. Julie and I sat at the kids table...with all the other 20-something/30-something "kids".  I saw a bunch of people from my old Taiwanese school that I hadn't seen in probably 10-15 years, so it was a nice reunion of sorts. 

Lipstick and Book Purge

I was looking at a collection of lipsticks that I had in my closet.  I don't know why I was holding onto them for so long.  The finish or color or both were just not for me.  I guess I felt guilty because they are higher end (Estee Lauder) or were given to me as a gift (one of those free gift with purchase...my mom or aunt would buy skin care and I'd get the free lipstick).  Who wears frost finish lipsticks anymore?  Yikes.  I'm thinking about doing a makeup inventory between now and the end of the year, as inspired by PinkSoFoxy on YouTube.  I was really impressed by how much her makeup collection has whittled away in the past few years.

I also dug around my closet to see what else I could get rid of.  I decided to box up some chemistry books for recycling.  I had to get real with myself.  I hadn't cracked them open since 2005 when I graduated college. It's all a bunch of mumbo-jumbo to me now anyway. I would sell them, but it's just not worth the hassle for a few bucks.

After Christmas Sales

I had major plans for after Christmas shopping, but then when I actually got to the mall, I had feelings of "But I don't really need this."  I ran into Mom at Target and she asked what I was buying.

Christmas candy. (2 things of Lindt truffles, 1 thing of Reese's peanut butter trees, and 1 family pack of Rolos)

Ok, I do need some reduced priced chocolate.  Especially Rolos, in case I want to make a batch of them to take to the office for Movie Days.  I went to Bath and Body Works, who was advertising their semi-annual sale.  While 75% off, I couldn't justify buying a $3 bottle of lotion.  I found some booties from DSW at 40% off clearance, but I'll sit on that for a few more days to see if the feeling goes away.

I do have self control, who knew?

Merry Christmas!

I went over to my parents' house after breakfast this morning.  Julie and I did 2 laps around the neighborhood to get some steps in (approximately 9,000).  The last time that I hit 10,000 steps was last Thursday, so I thought I needed to get my butt back in gear.  Productivity took a nose drive afterwards, but I got my steps in.  

Mom was nice enough to wash the set of flannel sheets that she got me for Christmas.  I had a set of ice skating polar bears, but they are back at the house since they are twin size.  When I got home from my long walk with Julie, I replaced my sheets on the bed and took a celebratory nap. :)  Merry Christmas!