2014 Year in Review

2014 was going to be all about the moments.

It wasn't particularly momentous but sometimes that's how life is. It's not always going to be a big year but the little things that happen along the way make up for a lot.

Here's a look back:

Healthy moments- When you’re taking care of yourself so you can have many more moments to enjoy in the future.

Year-End Thoughts: I managed to not eat fast food for a whole year but I didn't feel particularly healthier. I still ate a gross amount of food. And I ended up spending more money eating out too much at restaurants. I did walk more over the summer- mostly to and from work and I can't wait for nicer weather again!

Writerly moments- Hopefully I’ll have these kinds soon and plenty of them!

Bookish moments- When you’re taking time to enjoy a good book.

Year-End Thoughts: I'll share my writerly and bookish moments on my other blog. But for April I did write a poem a day.

Learning moments- Can refer to professional and personal development or from life experiences.

Year-End Thoughts: I'm carrying "Learn Spanish" and "Learn Sign Language" over to 2015! How many years is that now?

Productive moments- When you’re just getting things done.

Celebratory moments- When you accomplish what you set out to do. Celebrate big and small victories!

Year-End Thoughts: I got to spend time with family and friends during my annual trip to Las Vegas. I also managed to visit San Francisco which was a highlight of the year.

Festive moments- Times you’re just happy because you’re with people you love and doing things you’re passionate about.

Year-End Thoughts: I finally got to see The Nutcracker this Christmas. I also went to a Christmas Eve Christmas Carol before the vigil. I continued a couple of my holiday traditions: giving books out on Halloween and volunteering during Christmas Day.

Kinder moments- Not just kind, but kinder as in “be kinder than necessary.”

Year-End Thoughts: To be kinder is something I want to carry over to the new year as well. I volunteered about 160 hours. I donated blood 3 times. In November, I posted something I was grateful for everyday.

Other moments- I went to a Blazers game. I got really sick for the first time 16 years. I moved to a new place. I had jury duty service. I also started to let things go. As I wrote on Facebook, "It's actually more positive than it sounds. When you let go, you create more space for the people and things that make you happy. When you let go, you give others the opportunity to be happy. When you let go, make sure you do it out of love."

How was your 2014? What moments did you enjoy?

Moments

2014 is all about moments.

Healthy moments- When you’re taking care of yourself so you can have many more moments to enjoy in the future.

-No fast food. No food court. No TV dinners.

-More Vegetarian Days. Eat less meat, only 3 times a week.

-Drink more water.

Festive moments- Times you’re just happy because you’re with people you love and doing things you’re passionate about.

Writerly moments- Hopefully I’ll have these kinds soon and plenty of them!

Bookish moments- When you’re taking time to enjoy a good book.

-Visit North Plains and Banks Public Libraries to complete my Washington County Library Hop.

- I shared other writerly and bookish moments I want to happen on my other blog.

Learning moments- Can refer to professional and personal development or from life experiences.

-Be a better bookseller. Remember regular customers’ names and their reading preferences to give them better recommendation.

-Learn Spanish.

-Learn Sign Language.

Productive moments- When you’re just getting things done.

Celebratory moments- When you accomplish what you set out to do. Celebrate big and small victories!

Kinder moments- Not just kind, but kinder as in “be kinder than necessary.”

-Donate blood quarterly.

-Look into volunteering with an LGBT non-profit.

-Add one hour to my regular volunteer commitments for every day I complain about TriMet’s service.

Creative moments- When you can express yourself through art or music or dance.

-Do some sort of craft project monthly.

Another thing that’s going to happen this year is me moving out. My housemates are nice but I want somewhere closer to where things are happening.

I’m excited about what the future holds for me. I love envisioning what waits for me there- and figuring out the way to that life.

What moments are you looking forward to?

2013 Year in Review

I started 2013 claiming it would be TRIUMPHANT. So, was it?

Let’s pull up what I wrote in the beginning of the year and see if I accomplished them or not.

-Remember people’s names- I still need to work on this. I figure I can focus on some of our regular customers and get to know what they like.

-Be nicer to baristas- I’m always nice to people who do their job properly.

-Be less gossipy- I quit reading all those websites and magazines earlier this year because they were usually so full of hate, lies and negativity. And the people that were getting the most space were the worst examples of human beings ever.

X- Lose 10 pounds- This definitely did not happen but neither did I gain 10 pounds so I consider that an accomplishment!

-Exercise more- I’ve walked more often than not, making it part of my daily routine when the weather and time allows for it.

-Eat less fast food- I’m definitely more conscious about what I eat. I really do think all the processed food we’re eating is causing us to be unhealthier and affecting us earlier on affecting our way of life in the future.

X- Build my savings back up

X- No more lending money

Finances are tricky.

-Read more local and new authors- This wasn’t really worded well but I did read a lot of local and new authors this year.

X- Complete my Agatha Christie collection- I will most likely do this by 2014.

X- Buy from a local bookstore once a month- This didn’t happen.

-Read at least 60 books that aren’t picture or board books- Completed

X- Read the books in my bookshelf- Ongoing

-Finish my A to Z Picture Book Series Reading Challenge- Completed

-Read all of Eric Carle books- Completed

For more on my literary write up check out this post: http://thechroniclesofachildrensbookwriter.wordpress.com/2013/12/31/celebrate-this-year-2013/

-Learn how to cook- Not only did I cook Filipino once, I did it again. I’ve also baked and made dinner for people on several occasions. I’ve definitely been experimenting more with what ingredients I already have and what I can make out of them. Sometimes, it tastes fine. Sometimes, it tastes like failure.

X- Watch the Star Wars and Brat Pack movies- I really don’t have time to watch movies but I’ll keep trying with those Star Wars movies.

X- Monthly write

-Go to Vegas for my 30^th birthday in April

X- Send out new Christmas cards- Time and finances were against me on these!

X- Go to San Francisco for Christmas?

X- Save money to go to the Philippines Christmas 2014

As much as I want to be with families, time, finances and sometimes the weather just don’t work for me.

As for going back to school, I did end up taking some non-credit classes online. And I did send for my transcripts and talk to an advisor this summer but once again finances were the hold up. Plus, I have to re-evaluate my plan on becoming a teacher because the idea I have of it is very romanticized.

I learned not to be too hard on myself. I can’t expect things to work out the way I want them to all the time and when I want them. I can only do my best, keep trying, and not give up

Another thing I was working on last year was to DO LESS BUT WITH MORE MEANING. I stuck with the things that made me happy while still exploring other opportunities. I wasn’t trying to fill up my days with things to do just for the sake of it.

While checking off things on this list, in no way were they the only factors in determining whether I had a good year or not.

I’m a lot happier now. I’m excited about what the future holds for me. I love envisioning what waits for me there- and figuring out the way to that life. So, yes, I’ll declare 2013 TRIUMPHANT!