My own personal handbasket to who-knows-where.

We’ve talked about things accomplished in 2011. Let’s take a moment to reflect on lessons learned.

1. Control top pantyhose/tights/Spanx/shapewear are a 30-something gal’s best friend.
2. There is such a thing as “too much of a good thing.”
3. Stress can still make your skin break out, even this far post-adolescence.
4. Good books are actually pretty hard to come by. When you find a great one, treasure it.
5. It is totally worth it to hand write notes.
6. Some things are worth the extra cash: the good tights, the real leather shoes, the better sheets. It all comes down to fabric and craftsmanship.
7. Reaching a goal and refusing to reward oneself defeats the point.
8.  Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize.
9. Laughter really is the best medicine.
10.  Call your mom/best friend/doctor. It always makes things better.
11. Dentistry should be used as a preventative measure.
12. It is worth it to take ten more minutes in the morning to look your best.
13. Small extravagances, like driving to work, can make all the difference.
14. Don’t buy a piece of clothing unless it fits perfectly.
15.  Use the good stuff on a daily basis. You never know when you’ll break it. Once you do, you’ll wish you’d enjoyed it more.
16. If something really doesn’t feel like the right thing, speak up.
17. “Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.” Spoken by William Morris, these words are very helpful in creating a home that you love.
18.  If you’re at the good restaurant, order the thing you really want. Even if the other person orders it, too. You’ll regret it later if you don’t, and you probably won’t have the cash to go back any time soon.
19. Plane tickets make good presents.
20.  Pay attention to what’s happening around you. It will increase your enjoyment of life, help you avoid mishaps, and probably give you a few great stories to tell.

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Blogdom, I hope you had a really wonderful Christmas, if Christmas is your thing. We’ve been hunkering down at home, getting over colds and contracting new ones, and preparing for the World’s Busiest Next Two Months. I go back to work tomorrow, and I’m sad to bid farewell to this vacation.

I was going to wait to do my 2011 wrap-up until the 31st, but looking at my recent track record, I think I’d better just do it while I’m thinking of it. Obviously, it’s been a pretty unbelievable year. I accomplished most of my 2011 goals, though a few are “in process,” and a few remain undone. That’s OK. Just to check in with them:

1. Get married. - CHECK. If you’d like to read about our wedding, click here.
2. Rock the socks off my gala on March 3. - CHECK. Our goal was to net $150,000, and we net $400,000. It was awesome. Aaaaand I have another one on February 16. Dot. Dot. Dot.
3. Buy a bike, and use it to commute to work. – I didn’t do this. I still want a bike, but I haven’t pulled the trigger. One day…
4. Solve my skin issues. - This has had its ups and downs. My skin is finally almost back to normal after a TERRIBLE three-month breakout. I think this is going back on my list for 2012.
5. Find a new dentist, and make an appointment. And then! Go to the appointment! - CHECK!
6. Get a killer post-wedding hair cut. - CHECK!
7. Plant an herb garden on our fire escape. – Nope. Sigh.
8. Pay off my car. - CHECK!
9. Achieve ZERO DOLLARS OWED TO CREDIT CARDS. – CHECK!
10-a. Make my bedroom a more peaceful and pleasant place to be. – In process, but so much better than it was a year ago!
10-b. Organize my jewelry and clothing, so that I can find things. - Jewelry – CHECK! Clothes, not so much.
11. Assemble a local group of friends. – This will be an ongoing thing for me, but I am starting to realize that a “group” of friends might not actually be what I want. I have amazing friends, many of whom don’t know one another, and that’s OK.

So. Let’s talk about the other things that happened.

1. I got a promotion.
2. The Horse Whisperer also got a promotion. I haven’t talked about that here yet, and it’s coming. His promotion has been a pretty big deal for us in a lot of ways, and I’m not quite sure how to discuss it yet.
3. I reached a place where I’m professionally comfortable in my own skin. Part of it is probably the title change, which reflects much more clearly how I see myself. But I think it’s also a shift inside myself. Suddenly, I am comfortable telling people, “no, I don’t play that much anymore.” I’m OK with that. That’s been huge for me.
4.  We went on some fantastic trips.
5. I dealt with some personal drama that’s been lingering for a looong time.
6. I fell short at something, and I didn’t let it wreck my psyche.

2011 has been really kind to us, and I hope 2012 keeps the party going. There’s been a lot to be grateful for this year! This year, more than any other, I feel like I hit my stride. It’s been a year of being more who I want to be, a year of feeling hopeful, a year of hard work paying off. So, adios 2011. Thanks for all the good memories!

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