Resolution Tracking: March 2009

 Resolutions  No Responses »
Mar 012009
 

It’s officially March.  Who knew?  In Seattle, that means that we are now running on six months of continuously gray skies, and the suicide rate begins to peak for the year.  Now let’s see how the resolutions are going:

 

1. Graduate with a 4.0 GPA.

So far, so good. I just finished my first class of the new year today, and at current rate, I’m sitting at a 99.3% in the class. Assuming I don’t bomb last week’s work or this week’s work (neither week has been graded yet), I should be just fine to continue my 4.0.

2. Make it through the Hal Leonard Guitar Method Books 1-3. 

Well, February saw me purchase guitar #2.  An acoustic beauty this time.  So, I’m even more dedicated to learning to play this instrument than I was before.  I still practice at least 30 minutes almost every day…which is better than I ever did with voice or piano.  So who knows, I may actually get good.  I completed my trip through book 2 last week, so I’m on to book 3.  I also purchased three other books to fill up my time when I’m done with the ones I’m working on now.

3. Buy a pair of 32-waist jeans and be able to button them

Haven’t tried.  I’m down 13 pounds since the beginning of the year, and my pants are starting to get a little loose…at least my size 34 jeans are.  I’m going to go one more month trimming the fat, and then I’m going to try purchasing a size 32 again.

4.  Spend less than an average of $50/month on dining out

I have decided to officially close this resolution.  Not because I couldn’t do it, but because I don’t want to do it.  I love eating out, trying different types of food, and visiting new restaurants.  I need to have some fun in my life, so I’m going to eat out.  Plus, I got a raise a couple of weeks ago, and I just refinanced my car, and I just downsized to an apartment that is $400 a month cheaper, so I think I deserve a little treat.  Consider this resolution dead.

5.  Cut grocery budget from $400/month to $300/month

January I spent about $250.  February I spend less than $100.  Of course, I ate out nearly every meal for two weeks in the month of February so that’s not a huge surprise.  But in any case, I’m still doing well on this resolution.

6. Find a new job

Working on it.  Starting a new business, taking over a new position at work (unofficially), and that may become more official in the not-to-distant future.

7.  Make it through the whole year without buying another computer

Again, so far so good.  In fact, aside from the electric guitar, I haven’t bought any electronics at all this year. 

8. Pay off all my credit cards…again.

Not so great.  Still working on it though.  But the budgetary adjustments should help.  I’m hoping to increase payments significantly with the extra cash I will have available.

9. Built a 3-month rainy day fun

Really not so great.  I spent the rainy day fund I had built up on things for the move: extra rent payments, hiring the movers, getting the always-necessary items for the new apartment.  (Bookshelves, area rugs, lighting fixtures, etc.)  But I’ll keep working on it.

10. Write a novel.

This one is on hold until November.

 Posted by at 10:43 pm

Resolutions

 Food, Health, Money, Music, Ramblings, Resolutions, School  No Responses »
Jan 092009
 

I’ve got nothing to hide.  I’m an open book.  And I’m okay with that. 

So here they are: the top ten reasons why 2009 will probably be a year of fail as much as was 2008.  That’s right!  My resolutions!  Rather that be vague, grandiose life-changing resolutions, I’m going a bit more granular this year.  Some of these are nearly done, so they’re almost already wins.  Others are actual, quantifiable goals.  Come December 30, 2009, we’ll see if that’s a better approach.

1. Graduate with a 4.0 GPA.

On June 23rd, I will be turning in my final exam/thesis/program project for my final class of a nearly two-year long MBA program.  (It’s so close I can almost taste it!)  Thus far, I have maintained a perfect 4.0 GPA through my schooling–something I wasn’t able to do in high school or college.  Not that I tried that hard.  Like that one time where I couldn’t find the classroom, so instead of asking someone, I just went back to my dorm and dropped the class.  That was awesome.  I didn’t really want to take Physical Science that semester anyway.  So, anyway, I want to do this for two reasons.  First, it’s just a personal goal thing.  I want to prove that I can do it.  Secondly, my dad, in his MBA program from the same school, got a perfect 4.0 in his program except for one class in which he got a B+.  I MUST beat him.

2. Make it through the Hal Leonard Guitar Method Books 1-3. 

Yes, I got a guitar, but that won’t do me any good unless I actually learn how to play it.  So, this year, I want to make it through the entire series of guitar method books that I’m working on now.  I think this one will be a pretty easy goal as long as I can keep with it.  Thus far, I’ve practiced at least 30 minutes every single day since I’ve gotten the guitar.  Yay me!

3. Buy a pair of 32-waist jeans and be able to button them

Ever since I was in Jr. High, I have worn size 32/32 jeans.  In the early part of last year, I purchased a pair of size 33/32 jeans.  Then, in the summer, I purchased two pairs of 34/32 jeans and donated my 32/32 jeans to Goodwill.  Before the end of the year, I will fit into a size 32/32 jean once again. 

4.  Spend less than an average of $50/month on dining out

I live alone.  I like to cook, but I hate to do dishes.  I work 50 hours a week and spend 20 on school.  So I eat out.  A LOT.  It doesn’t help that there are lots of good chain restaurants, local joints, and even decent fast food at hand.  Panera, Acapulco Grill, Jade Dragon, Panda Express, Dairy Queen (mmmm…blizzards), Quzinos, Pizza Hut (one of my guilty pleasures), Taco Time, Acacia Teryaki, What the Pho (pronounced "What the Fuh"–best restaurant name ever), Whole Foods, Starbucks, even the occasional McDonalds breakfast sandwich.  Last year, I estimate I spent about $2,000 on eating out. 

5.  Cut grocery budget from $400/month to $300/month

This shouldn’t be too hard.  I throw away so much food it should be criminal.  I try to shop for two weeks of eating at home, but I end up throwing out most of it after a week because I don’t get to it fast enough.  So, I’m going to shop more often, but buy less.  Also, in order to reach resolution #3, the $25/month ice cream budget will be excised, so that will help immensely.

6. Find a new job

I like my job.  And lately, I’ve been liking it more and more.  But with my new degree, it will likely be time for me to start looking for work once again.  I’ve decided I’m really open to relocating, too.  As long as I don’t have to move back to either Michigan or Utah (*shudder*), I’ll be fine.  I have though about looking in the Georgia/Carolina areas for work.  Somewhere a little warmer, but still green and close to the water.  Or maybe Portland.  Who knows.  I would be happy to stay here and get a full-time gig at Microsoft.  But, as I have said often, I didn’t go back to school to get my degree just so I could keep doing what I was doing before I went back to school to get my degree.

7.  Make it through the whole year without buying another computer

I DON’T NEED ANY MORE COMPUTERS.  I have enough.  The only exception to this rule I will make is if I accomplish #6 and get a new job that requires me to provide my own laptop.  Other than that, no computers.

8. Pay off all my credit cards…again.

Every time I get close to finally paying off all my credit cards, something happens, and I end up filling them back up again.  I go to the dentist and walk away with a $3,000 bill.  I have to get new tires for my car.  My dog needs special medication for his skin allergies.  I buy another computer because I "need" it.  I want to get them totally and completely paid off.

9. Built a 3-month rainy day fun

As I’ve mentioned before, I’m terrible with saving money (see above).  Due to these troubled economic times (drink!), however, I’m worried.  There are rumors of over 15,000 layoffs coming at Microsoft next week, and I realized that if I got laid off, I’d be SOL so quickly it would be tragic.  I don’t have a single month’s worth of rent saved up in case I got laid off.  I would have to immediately abandon most of my possessions and move down to live with my parents, because I couldn’t afford to stay here and look for a new job.  And since I don’t have any friends here, I don’t even have someone I could stay with while I looked for a new job.  Not a good situation.  So, using the remnants of my unused student loans and savings from reducing my ludicrous spending, I want to build at least three months of savings in case I lose my job at some point.  Plus, if I have savings, it will prevent me from having to use my credit card when something comes up.

10. Write a novel.

I’ve blogged about it here.  November 2009 is the year that I write a novel during the National Novel Writing Month event.  I’ve already got a rough story outline, and will be working on the character profiles during the year.  But this year, I want to write a novel.  I’m sure it will be garbage, but I don’t care.  I just want to be able to say I’ve done it.

So there they are: my 2009 resolutions.  None of this "be a better person," "touch more lives," "change the world," or "discover a way to control nuclear fusion" garbage that I usually resolve.  This year, it’s just a little more realistic.  Should be interesting to see if I do any better.

Happy 2009!

 Posted by at 10:27 pm

2008: The Year of FAIL

 Ramblings, Resolutions  1 Response »
Dec 302008
 

So, regular readers may remember that in December of 2007, I made a series of ten resolutions that I wanted to work on in 2008.  Well, now that 2008 is nearly over, it’s time for me to “return and report.”  Let’s just say this:  FAIL!

1.  Go to the gym at least twice a week – FAIL

I got a gym membership in January.  By the end of February, I had stopped going.  Between work and school, I don’t have enough time to clean my apartment, let alone work out on a regular basis.  This resolution has been put on hold until at least June 23, 2009, at which point I will be finished with my MBA, and I may have enough time to work out now and again.  Until then, walking the dog will have to count.

2. Stop spending so much money – EPIC FAIL

In addition to the list of things I purchased last year, we can add Surround Sound System, Digital SLR Camera, Playstation 3, Wii, Dell Desktop Computer, Sofa, Chaise Lounge, a bunch of clothes, a vacation to California (although that wasn’t too expensive), an iPhone, Two Zunes, and so much more!  I have contributed to my 401k all year, although with the desperate economy, it’s looking more like a 201k these days.  I have not saved much more than that.  Bad Matt.

3. Get health insurance – WIN

This is one of the few areas that I did actually succeed.  I have insurance.  I even used it for the first time in 2008 when I had to have my ingrown toe nail cut out.

4. Eat more healthily – FAIL

I’m blaming this one on two things: my sugar addiction, and school.  I don’t have time to cook as much as I’d like, nor do I have time to clean up after myself.  So I’ve been eating out a lot, and the guy at the cubicle next to me at work ALWAYS has candy out on his desk.  After Christmas, I decided to try and start another attempt to break my sugar habit, and I’m doing pretty well, but I’m only on Day 2.  This year, I’ve come dangerously close to tipping the scales at 200 lbs, something I promised myself I would never do.  So, I stopped weighing myself about three weeks ago.  I figure if I don’t have confirmation that I have gone over 200 pounds, then I haven’t.  Flawless logic, eh?

5. Break down the walls – FAIL

My walls and I are closer than ever.  Next year, we’re going to visit every Major League Baseball Park.

6. Judge not – MEH

I’m somewhat less judgmental than I used to be before I moved here.  Getting out of Utah will do that to a person.  But, I’m also much more solitary than I used to be, so that helps.  I’m calling this one a draw.

7. Make a new friend – MEH

I made a new friend.  But then that friend moved to New York.  I have a few more pseudo-friends in my apartment complex and from work, but we don’t hang out–which suits me just fine.  I’m enjoying being alone much more this year.  Another draw.

8. Stop complaining – EPIC, GARGANTUAN, BEHEMOTH FAIL

Enough said.

9. Serve more – FAIL

I’ve been putting me at the very top of the importance ladder this last year.  Some of that has been good, some of it?  Well, not so much.  I did buy a bunch of toys for the Giving Tree at work this year, but that’s not really “service.”  I did it because it gave me another chance to shop, which I love, and because I had the money.  There was very little in the way of sacrifice involved.

10. Work harder in school – EPIC WIN

Of all the resolutions, this is the one I’ve done the best on.  I’ve worked my tail off.  I’m still sitting on a 4.0 GPA.  I learned both accounting and finance on my own, which is no mean feat.  I’m only six months away from achieving my degree, and then I’ll be free.  But until then, I’m going to do this right.  I want to graduate with a full 4.0.

So, that was 2008.  3 out of 10, if you count the draws as half a point each.  Reminds me of my quiz scores in Mrs. Farley’s math classes in high school.  I’ve not decided if I’m going to even bother with resolutions for 2009.  Maybe I need to resolve not to be so apathetic.  :)

 Posted by at 10:22 pm
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