together we'll bring in the new year

I'm very grateful that 2010 is over, because frankly, it was quite lame. it wasn't horrible - I didn't endure any intense hardships, but it wasn't fantastic either. in fact, I felt quite distant during 2010. I'm not even sure what all happened in 2010. I just feel like I was constantly hit by wave after wave and I spent most of the year struggling to keep afloat. 2010 definitely was a year of being smacked in the face by reality and nostalgic memories and yearnings for of my simple childhood.

even though 2010 wasn't the best year for me, the last week has been amazing. and it only brings me hope that it is an early start to a wonderful new year.

my family has finally gotten my tata's ashes back - after 2 years of him collecting dust at the evil step-nana. that lady has brought our family so much drama it's good to have him back and to be able to move on - even though we won't have all his artwork and possessions we were promised.

my dad got a job!!! it's been a long almost decade of him being unemployed and my mom trying to make ends meet, but he's finally done it! and not just any job, and amazing job at intel! I'm so excited for all the things my parents can do now with the extra (more than I make) income! I'm so proud of him and I know they will both have the best new year ever!

I've never been good at making resolutions. not only because I never follow through with them, but mainly because I forget what they are. but here's a list of my main goals for the year

1. get some results on my iron-transfer project at work - I put it off for quite some time and then when I felt confident enough to get started I got slammed with spreadsheets and data analysis. so I'm hoping I can get something accomplished this new year.
2. cook more. and not just the usuals (tuna casserole and edamame lo mien, although they are both delicious). I want to get so used to cooking that I can experiment with recipes and ingredients. I want to make scrumptious meals for guests and be able to make something new and exciting for chris & I.
3. donate more to organizations and charities that do good, like the arizona humane society and such. and not just money, but also my time. I used to volunteer all the time in high school, so I would like to start that again.
4. get healthy. I don't really need to lose weight, in fact, I should probably gain some weight - get some muscles at least. and then I just want to be healthy and active like I used to be. go hiking more. take the dogs for more walks. dance more often. eat more fruits and veggies.
5. no more french fries. this goes along with #4 of course. I'm a HUGE french fry fanatic. I almost eat some every day - or at least 3-4 times a week. they're not healthy for me (but they're soooo goooood). but I won't be able to cut back on them (because I'll have the power to decide how much is cutting back) so I need to cut them out of my diet completely. I'm pretty sure this is impossible for me to do, but if I do happen to achieve it, I'll feel pretty awesome. 
6. get back on track when it comes to my relationship with chris. whether it be stay together and be happy, or move on, I need to make a decision and stop putting myself through so much pain and heartache. 
7. take more time for myself. I spend a lot of time trying to please everyone around me that I get overwhelmed with responsibilities and fall apart. I need to take more time to relax, do things I enjoy, and breathe.
8. be more welcoming/friendly to strangers. I'm not a mean person, but I think if I do something simple like smile or say "hello" to a stranger, it would really make their day. and I would feel awesome for making someone's day.
9. be more adventurous. I want to do some traveling and random road trips. I want to do things I normally wouldn't do, like go dancing or driving to the mountains. life is short and I spend waaay too much time of it being bored and sad.
10. stop being so sad/depressed. it's seriously not fun.

hopefully by this time next year I'll have accomplished most of these. I'm gonna make 2011 my year.