12 in 2012

I'm stealing this idea from a friend of mine. I don't typically set resolutions, but here goes (some may be things I have to do rather than resolutions):

1. Apply for grad school for the fall of 2013.
This will require me to finish my statement of intent and get everything together. I'm hoping to get it all ready to send out with applications by the end of September since mid-September is when schools usually start accepting applications.

2. Minimalize my belongings.
I know I've said before that I want to be a bit more minimalistic, and I still do. I've made plans to pare down the things that I own. I try to rarely buy things that I don't need or really want, but I have fallen victim to the impulse buy before. I still move every year or two (either from one apt to another in the same town, or across country, as the case may be) so having less crap would be soooo helpful. I also need to mail my mom my old sorority shirts so that she can put them with my other ones for a tshirt quilt.

3. Move.
Due to a few circumstances beyond my control, I cannot stay in my apartment for a second year. This means that I will have to move again. Not a huge fan of that.

4. Organize my living situation.
I'm always neater and more organized when I live with others, so living on my own for the last few months has caused me to get a little messy. Most of it is like taking off my shoes near the front door and not putting them away, so they tend to pile up there. Or needing to file bills and such rather than just letting them pile up. I found one of those things that's supposed to help you clean and organize a little at a time; I'm hoping it helps with that as well as #2.

5. Go on an archaeological dig.
I want to use my vacation time to go on a two week dig this summer.

6. Go to the gym regularly.
People see me and the first thing that they say when I mention the gym is "you don't need to lose weight!" That is true. I am very petite, and losing weight is one of the last things I need. I do, however, need to get, and stay, in shape. Multiple medical problems plague my family and I would prefer to not be in my 60s and 70s having to have multiple by-pass surgery or dying during the middle of my third heart attack in front of my spouse and kids (both things have happened in my family). I have accepted that I will most likely have some type of cancer at some point in my life due to genetics and my job, but I don't have to accept heart disease or diabetes. At least not now. I can work to keep those (and other issues) at bay.

7. Publish a paper.
My boss and I are working on a paper for publication. I need to get to working on it more so that we can get it done.

8. Read my Bible and pray regularly.
This is something that I definitely need to work on.

9. Send more mail.
I like snail mail. Other people like snail mail. If I send snail mail, maybe I'll get some back! Letter writing it a dying art. My friends and I used to LOVE it during college. We would keep up with each other during the summers by writing to each other. We should do that more.

10. Keep up with school work.
I say that every semester, but I have a hard time doing it. It hasn't affected my grades here yet, but it's probably going to soon.

11. Read more.
I used to read all of the time. Now I don't feel like I can read for fun because if I can read for fun, then I should be reading for class. But really, I should read for fun more.

12. Enjoy time with myself and with others.
Sometimes I feel that work just takes over my life mentally, physically, and emotionally. I need to learn to leave it at work more and just enjoy the time that I have with myself and with the people in my life.

If you have any suggestions for things that I should add to this list, please leave them in the comments. I would love to know!