Happy Year!

I didn't make any new year's resolutions this year. I figured that since I do the "26 Things While I'm 26," I have enough goals that will very likely not be reached. Adding New Year's resolutions would just be kicking me while I am down. However, since I never shared my 26 things, I think the beginning of 2013 is a good time to do it:

1) Read 26 books (I've already decided which ones) and

2) Watch 26 movies (again, predetermined) 

3) Increase our savings account

4) Decrease our student loans 

5) Move out of this small town 
It's time for us to start a new life elsewhere...but where, we have yet to decide. It depends on if we are accepted by any PhD programs. Spontaneity: it's not for the neurotic. 

6) Graduate with my Masters

7) Do a pull-up, dadgummit! 
This was one of the failures of my list last year, and I am DETERMINED to make it happen this year. It would be helpful if my arm muscles were larger than a waifish Disney princess, but you have to start somewhere, I suppose. 

8) Stop cursing.
Contrary to what I would like my sweet grandma to believe, I sometimes catch a bad case of sailor mouth; this usually occurs comorbidly with my road rage. Unfortunately, as I will probably be having children sometime in the future, I should probably stop, as I don't want to rub off on them.

9) Blog more. 
Looking back on my past record of blogging, I have already almost accomplished this. Woohoo, productivity!

10) Go skydiving
The hubs won't do this with me. Anybody else up for it?

11) Take a road trip with the hubs
After our European vacation, I feel that we should take it easy for the next year or two, due to the lack of rubber band banks in our pockets. However, I love to travel, so giving it up completely is out of the question! YOLO, right? (Actually, I hate when people say that. You can use that excuse to justify any questionable behavior, like eating chocolate cake for breakfast, cheating on your hubs, or watching The Happening.) 

12) Cut out soda

13) Run a 5K
Another failure from last year. How depressing. Good thing I'm studying psychology! 

14) Complete a Tough Mudder
This one is probably unfortunately going to be downgraded to a Warrior Dash. I'm not pleased about this, but I can't get together a team, and this is an event that requires teamwork. My little brother seemed excited to do it, but you have to be 18. I tried to get the hubs on board, but he was less than enthusiastic. I guess the idea of exposing himself to 10,000 volts of electricity was a little discouraging. What a wuss. :) 

15) Go to Oklahoma
We live less than 100 miles from the Missouri-Oklahoma state line, and it's one of the states I haven't been to yet, so I want to go. I'm not really sure what we'll do there, as Oklahoma is one of the bottom 10 states on my personal "Desirable Locations" list (also making the cut are Mississippi and Idaho...I'm sure these states have some fantastic qualities, but when a state is known for obesity or potatoes, it doesn't seem to have a lot going for it. Granted, I live in Missouri, and I went to school in a town where there were houses with toilets and/or washing machines on the front lawn, so who am I to judge?). 

16) Go to City Museum in St. Louis

17) Complete my thesis (!!!)

18) Throw stuff away
I have a confession: I am a bit of a packrat. I still have all of the cards we were given for our wedding, I have items that I haven't used in years but have kept because it was a gift from someone I cared about, and I have old magazine issues that I have yet to read but believe that someday, it will happen. I also have about 349 Victoria's Secret bags. I have not reached Hoarder levels yet, but I do have a slightly cramped apartment, and my dining room/craft room/office/study is kind of ugly and unorganized. So, I'm going to try to loosen the strings of sentimentality and let some things go. I may have to call for one of those giant dumpsters...

19) Volunteer

20) Perform more random acts of kindness

21) Make a 4 or 5 course dinner
I love to cook, when I have time. On Pinterest, my recipe board is called "More Julie than Julia" because I am not necessarily a fantastic cook, but I try really hard.

22) Make one Pinterest craft per month.
I stole this idea from one of my friend's blogs. I am a little late in the game, because I just added this to my list today, but I figure I have nine months to do nine crafts. I'll try to document my results for my readers' amusement. I try to be crafty, but it ends up more like this:

                                          (Image from craftfail.com)

I think we all know which picture is most representative of me.

23) Learn to drive a stick

24) Do this:  

and

25) Start getting up earlier
I waste so much time sleeping! I hate that.


26) Watch the entire Star Wars saga on blu-ray
We got this set for Christmas, and although I have already seen each one, I haven't watched them subsequently. We just finished Episode II a few nights ago, and I will say that I was pleasantly surprised by Episode I (I actually enjoyed it, for the most part), but Episode II is still as terrible as I always remembered. (Anakin, stop whining, you big lard. Hurry up and convert to the dark side, because I am not a fan of your teen angst and bad acting). 

So, I have 9 months to accomplish this list. Hopefully, my success rate will be higher than last year's sad 52%. Honestly, though, if I can do a real pull-up, I will feel accomplished.