You know how at the end of the year everyone gets all gushy about what happened in the past twelve months, and all hopeful for what will come in the next? Yeah, I do that too—I’m not unique. 

What I won’t do is draw out the gushyness, because really, this blog covers most of 2011 and all of its joys.

Highlights from 2011

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[column width=”75%” padding=”0″]5. Ran my first 5k (wearing Vibram FiveFingers). It was easy-peasy: ran a 33 minute time. Not too shabby for my first race, especially considering I don’t run regulary!
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[column width=”75%” padding=”0″]4. Solo-sailing the S/V Libby

• Went to Seattle on a gorgeous day, a good friend along for the ride in his own boat.
• Saw tall ships!
• Went on a buddy-boat overnight trip to Blake Island and lived to tell about it.

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[column width=”75%” padding=”0″]3. Got a call from a friend sometime in the spring. The first part of the conversation went like this:

Me: “Hey you!”
Krystal: “Hi, how are you?”
Me: “I’m fine, how are you?”
Krystal: “Pregnant.”
Me: “Oh my gosh! CONGRATULATIONS!”

Gushing, cooing, and laughing ensued.
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[column width=”75%” padding=”0″]2. Bought my first home: a 30 foot Islander yacht, which I christened Libby after a character in my novel.
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[column width=”75%” padding=”0″]1. Reached a life goal, hit a huge achievement, and became something I’ve always wanted to be: a novelist. Jaden Baker was published on March 15th after seven years of work (six years of planning, a few months of marathon writing, and months of rough editing [fine editing still happening. Wow, there’s so much to refine!]).
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Goals for 2012

1. Look amazing. I want to look more like a lady and less like a slob. This will be challenging as I’m generally pretty lazy about my appearance and I have a love affair with my sweatpants. But when I see other girls who look great, I envy them and I’m inspired by their sense of femininity and grace. My plan is to enroll the help of Krystal (the pregnant friend from above, who will hopefully deliver her baby girl any day now!) to get me dressed up in style.
2. Make money. 2011, amazing as it was in so many respects, was a life filled with poverty. Being poor isn’t romantic—it’s stressful, worrisome, and not fun at all. I hope to make 2012 a little more cashy green, by doing what I love: writing.
3. Cross-train and cut. One of the gifts I was given for Christmas was a membership to our very cool YMCA, which among other things has a pool. My goal is to kick box three days a week and swim three days a week. None of that will matter, though, if I don’t cut out some bad eating habits. So, just like most of the population, in 2012 I hope to eat a little better.
4. Sail to the San Juan Islands, and maybe get up to Canada!
5. Start a new chapter in life: I want to be somewhat vague about this one, but my close friends and family will know what I mean. What God has planned, I cannot ever be sure. But I really do feel like, for the first time ever, I’m ready to enter a new chapter of life.

Inspiring Shots

What about you?

What were some of your highlights for 2011? What will 2012 bring for you?