- Actually really seriously paint the kitchen - for real this time. - Done with just a few days to spare. I ended up hiring someone to do this, but I went a little above and beyond my original plans. I stained my cabinets (by myself, right in the middle of wedding season) and got new countertops in addition to painting. All we have left is the backsplash and the whole room already looks so much better. I'll do a before/after post when it's done!
- Set up guestroom - did this. It's a little half-hearted, but I don't want to spend money on painting and flooring. The important thing is that there's a bed in there and it looks like a real room, not a storage closet.
- Shoot 20 weddings - Unbelievably, I ended up with over 25 weddings. This year was insane for my business, and I am still pinching myself. I am beyond thankful for my clients and all the people who have been supporting me.
- Get the front flower beds under control - I had more in mind, but all I ended up doing was killing weeds and using pine needles to cover the bed. It looks decent, and the pine needles are free from my back yard! Maybe flowers can be planted this year.
- Organize vintage inventory - I did this out of necessity when I moved to a desktop computer. I now have a nice workspace upstairs, and all the vintage stuff is organized in boxes. I'm still not doing anything with it, but at least it's not still strewn all over the place.
- Deep clean the house and minimize possessions - the only thing I did was bleach and scrub the tile in my bathroom. Everything else I cleaned was stuff just to get by without living in utter filth. I just hate cleaning y'all. I hate it.
- Break 24 minutes in the 5K - Unfortunately I haven't recovered from the plantar fasciitis that I got while training for my marathon in 2014. I've completely stopped running for now to try and get past that. It was hard to let this goal get away since I had gotten somewhat close.
- Reach $10,000 in savings - I am so proud of myself for reaching this goal! I still treat non-essential purchases as treats, which helps me not spend too much extra money. Now if only I could get my grocery spending in check...
- Do at least 5 personal projects - eh, I kind of decided I didn't care about personal projects anymore. I shoot full time at work plus weddings, so in my personal time, I just like to do other things.
- Read a book a month - I don't have trouble with this anymore, but I keep it as a goal because it keeps me from slacking off. I read some GREAT books this year. I discovered a new favorite author, Christopher Buckley, and I'm currently reading his newest, The Relic Master. I also read through the Harry Potter books again.
- Walk Chipper 5 days a week - I did well with this on and off, but I've certainly been off since the time changed. I know it's not a good excuse, but it's hard to make myself walk him in the dark.
Overall, I think 2015 was good! I had such a baller year with my business, and I feel like I got some things in my house under control right at the end of the year. My mood is a ton better when I come home to a kitchen with a pleasant atmosphere, as dumb as that sounds. It really makes a difference!
Now for 2016... let's see what I came up with.
- Watch 20 books in my "1001 Movies to See Before You Die" book - I slacked on this in 2015, but I want to get back on the wagon this year. I enjoy watching the older films in the book (it was published in 2008 I think) even though not all of them are to my taste. I suppose it makes me more well-rounded.
- Nail down "family formal" lighting - I've needed to work on this for a while. I need to figure out flash power, position and camera settings to get what I want every single time.
- Write stuff down - I tried this last year with no success. Writing things down helps me work through them, and I have neglected doing that in the last several years. I need to get over my fear that people will read it, because honestly no one else would even want to.
- Let feet heal, and run again - I've given myself until May before I try and run again. So far, I still have the plantar fasciitis (haven't run since early Dec), but it's not as severe. Crossing fingers!
- Go to church consistently - I started this in December, but I want to go every Sunday unless I'm out of town. No excuses. I used my "I'm tired from shooting all day Saturday" excuse far too much this year. Guess what? Everyone else is tired too...get over it.
- Replace main camera - would have done this in 2015 if Canon would get their crap together. I'm just waiting for the successor to my currently camera to be released (or even announced! Get it together, Canon!)
- Put $5000 toward Rhett's school loans - He has a long way to go on those loans, and I've been trying to help. Since I was so successful with saving last year, I'm hoping I can be disciplined enough to make this happen.
- Clean out garage - It's a wreck. It's got to be done.
- Read a book a month
- Get bushes removed in the backyard - We have some inexplicably placed bushes in the backyard that I can't get out without machinery. Hoping to hire someone to do this in 2016. I'd like to eventually replace my deck with a smaller covered deck and a patio, so I need the space where the bushes are.
Well that's it! I know these are boring, but I like to set attainable and measurable goals for myself. I find that goals, instead of resolutions, keep me motivated throughout the year.
Here's to a maybe slightly productive 2016!
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