2011 Goals

Resolutions? I make none, but goals, goals I can aspire to. With a new baby due in May, 2011 is bound to be both an exciting and challenging year, so I don't want to box myself in with goals that are too far-reaching. But, I've been thinking about what I want to accomplish in 2011, and I've come up with a few things to strive for:

Personally

• Enjoy the remainder of this pregnancy. With Norah, I was so excited and eager to have her born, I feel as though I willed that pregnancy to just be done with, and it wasn't until she was born, that I realized how special pregnancy is. This time around, I'm trying to appreciate it.
• Make more time for dates with Jerry. As parents, it's easy to lose track of time, and at the end of the week, it's often just easiest to order Chinese, rent a movie On Demand, and call that a date. But as nice as nights like that are, I need to make the time and effort to get a babysitter and actually go sit across a table from Jerry and eat real food and have real conversations.
• Read more books. I got a Nook for Christmas this year, and I'm eager to give e-reading a go! Plus, several friends got Nooks, so hopefully, we can take advantage of the lend option and save ourselves some book buying.
• Financially, I want to pay off our car loan.

Professionally

• Serve on two committees, either departmental or college-wide.
• Put real effort into applying for either a Classroom Reasearch Award or the Endowed Teaching Chair. Both of these options offer professional recoginition and cash awards.
• Publish another short story.

Running

• Run consistently for as long as I'm able during this pregnancy.
• Run some preggo races.
• Run a fall or early winter HM.

So, there ya go. 2011, here I come!