Yearly Recap: 2010

I read this recap on All and Sundry this morning and thought it would be fun to try. As I've been tackling it, I've come to realize that fun was not the right adjective for what has become this project. Overwhelming, eye-opening, timely. Each of these might serve as better descriptors. As I move forward with this reflection of the year, I'm coming to understand how rarely I stop to take it all in. What happened this year? What did I wish to do? What did I do?


Please let the following not be another forgotten goal, another well intentioned start without a finish... I will complete the recap this year as blank as parts of it might be. I will complete it this year with the goal of comparing it to the recap of 2011. I will complete this recap so that next year's will be full in comparison.


1. What did you do in 2010 that you'd never done before?


Started a business. Rode on a water slide.

2. Did you keep your New Year's Resolutions and will you make more this year?


I typically do not make resolutions. I'm a great starter but not such a superb finisher so I tend to avoid resolutions... If I were to make them, I would center them around the following ideas- definitely ideas as they are way too vague to be goals: keep a list of books I've read, write more days than not each week, learn more about how to work my camera, make art books for the kids like Rob's sister does, gain a following on my work blog, create meaningful monthly business goals, cut down on my spending.



3. Did anyone close to you give birth?


I can't think of a single soul although this doesn't seem possible so perhaps I'm forgetting....


4. Did anyone close to you die?


See #4


5. What countries did you visit?


We went to the Bahamas in April for our real love-hate relationship with Atlantis. And Rob and I went to Las Vegas (which felt like it should have been another country) on our first ever trip since Caroline was born. This was for Rob's business... not exactly the location we would have chosen for our first get away but lots of fun none the less...


6. What would you like to have in 2011 that you lacked in 2010?


When I think about the concept of one word resolutions (something that a lot of people are talking about in the blogosphere these days), the word trust pops up again and again so I'm going with that even though I don't know why... That seems to be the point of these one word resolutions. The word should come to mean something over the course of the year.


7. What dates from 2010 will remain etched in your memory and why?

There's that memory thing...I've got nothing.


8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

Starting a business. And as it's hard for to remember too far back, I will focus on a current accomplishment. A few weeks ago I had lunch with my dear friend Donna. She and I set a goal to write daily until we met again a month later. Donna has had a daily writing practice recently and let it go. I haven't written daily in years. I have written consecutively for the past fourteen days (in a notebook, not on the blog) and am so darn proud of myself. It really does help to center me. Here's to fourteen more days.

9. What was your biggest failure?

Getting discouraged when my business did not grow the way I thought it would. I've had so many good ideas that just haven't caught on....I even had a speaker tell me when I told her my idea to present lectures similar to the ones she does for teachers for parents instead that it wouldn't work because parents just don't care. Instead of working harder through these disappointments, I've backed off and done little and I'm not proud of that fact.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?


I bruised my big toe nail last winter and for some reason, just waited for it to get better. Not a good move. I ended up with a podiatrist injecting me with toe Novocain and removing the nail. If you can avoid toe Novocain, do so at all costs. I swear it was more painful than childbirth and I delivered both girls without medication.


11. What was the best thing you bought?


My iPad.


12. Where did most of your money go?

Clothes and books.


13. What did you get really excited about?

My business initially and my writing practice here at the end of the year.

14. What song will always remind you of 2010?

California Gurls. My 'gurls' listen to it again and again. I'm so glad that there are parts of the song where the lyrics are pretty hard to understand... I can hear the questions now...

15. Compared to this time last year are you

happier or sadder: happier

thinner or fatter: thinner

richer or poorer: same

16. What do you wish you'd done more of?

Made more money. Paid more attention. Done more yoga.

17. What do you wish you'd done less of?

Spend money.

18. How did you spend Christmas?

Mom visited. We spent Christmas Eve eating the seven fishes with Rob's family. We opened presents here in the morning and then went to Rob's sisters for the day.

19. What was your favorite tv program?


This one is easy. Modern Family. I also smile a big smile when I realize it's a Wednesday making it Modern Family night.


20. What were your favorite books of the year?


I simply must start writing down the titles of books I've read. I did it sporadically this year and it's so great to look over the list and remember titles I had forgotten. At the moment, the titles that come to mind include Room for the way it made me stop in my tracks and think and The Hunger Games for the way it consumed an entire day because I just had to find out would happen. I know there are so, so many more...


21. What was your favorite music of the year?


I've never been one to follow music so these types of questions are always hard. Thanks to Maren during the time that I was spinning I enjoyed California Gurls, Dynomite and Empire State of Mind. And thanks to Gayle on my favorite radio show I remembered that I really like Josh Groban.


22. What were your favorite films of the year?


Even after all the bad reviews and worse reports from friends, I loved Eat, Pray, Love. Maybe it had to do with the fact that I am also one of the remaining few who still love the book.


23. What did you do on your birthday and how old were you?

Well, here's a reason to pay more attention... I have no idea what I did on my birthday. I even went back and read posts from that time and there is no mention of anything. I do know that I turned 37.

24. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

A better memory and a business that took off magically without much leg work.

25. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2010?

Warm weather: sun dresses
Cold weather: leggings and tunics or jeans and sweaters

26. What kept you sane?

Exercising. The first three quarters of the year were spent spinning and doing pilates with Maren in her basement. I loved Maren, the people I worked out with and the music but I did not love the chunky thighs it gave me. In the fall, I discovered RISE, a cross training class that is harder than anything I've ever done. I love it.

27. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2010?

I learned my lesson while completing this recap: slow down and pay attention!