Category: Resolutions

January 17th: Read One Book Every Month this Year

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I feel like I have already jumped in to quite a few of the longer term goals I have on the list, which I typically try to hold onto a few for later in the year, but because this is a year long one, I suppose it’s time to jump into this one.

I bought this book today- Im Thinking of Ending Things– never heard of it but it said it was an international best seller, Netflix series and Reader’s Guide Book Club Choice – so it sounds promising.

If anyone out there has any suggestions for books later in the year, I would greatly appreciate it!

January 14th: Try a Traditional Bahn Mi Sandwich

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I returned to what might be my new favorite spot today, Vinh Xuong Bakery. I might slightly be in love with Vietnamese coffee. Which is crazy because I have never really been a coffee drinker.

Today in addition to the coffee I tried a Bahn Mi Sandwich. There were lots of choices, as you can see on this menu board:

I did not expect that. I thought it was one specific type. But I decided to go with the combination, which seemed like the most traditional one. And man, I was not disappointed.

This thing was huge! They offered chili oil and jalapeños with it, which, of course I took.

And the iced coffee went really well with it. Not disappointed at all!

This year is really shaping up. I’m loving the new adventures, new foods and attempts to venture out from my norm. Hope I can keep it up.

January 10th: Try Vietnamese Coffee

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Sometimes it is funny how things happen. Over a year ago I was updating my list of 365 things and was having a hard time thinking of new things. A good friend of mine, who is a fantastic chef in Denver, was sitting with me and recommended some new foods/drinks to try. One of her recommendations was try Vietnamese coffee and a traditional Bahn Mi Sandwich.

Yesterday I was out driving doe Postmates and I got a delivery for both items from a little place near my house called Vinh Xuong Bakery in Zepplin Station, which is a really cool shared market/workspace.

So today I revisited the place to get a Vietnamese coffee.

I am not a huge coffee drinker. But wow!

This coffee is delicious. It is very sweet. Very much like a treat. I might be addicted.

Next week I am going back to try a Bahn Mi Sandwich!

January 6th: Eat Breakfast Every Morning for a Week

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I know it is something most people do on a regular basis but being a bartender often tends to lead to late nights and late mornings.

The new pup in the house is changing up the daily routine. I am waking up earlier so we can go on walks. I thought this was a perfect time to check this one off the list and hopefully start a new trend to last the year.

I made an egg sandwich this morning.

Fast and delicious. I probably need to go out and buy some other breakfast foods though.

I think, however, this will lead to more afternoon naps. But I’m ok with that because Bella is ready for naps too.

Best of luck to all of you out there still working on resolutions.

January 5th: Go Home Directly After Clocking Out for a Month

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Yesterday was a big day! I checked off a major thing- I got a dog! A puppy to be completely accurate. She’s doing great. The next few months will be challenging as she accumulates to the house, understands my other dog Mia and learns all her training.

I’m excited for the adventure and decided this is a perfect item to kick off today.

I am a bartender so there are many days when I get off and sit down to have a drink with friends after shift. With a new pup in the house I know how important it is to be home with her as much as possible.

So, even though I am off work today, I will kick this off starting today and leave work directly after clocking out until February 5th… and of course I will try and continue that into the year… but baby steps!

Plus, it will give me extra time to start on that reading list I created on the 1st.

P.S. I used the cute picture of my sweet new pup, Bella, just to draw you in.

January 2nd: Get a New Plant

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Three years ago I started this idea that I could try new things all year. One for everyday. It is harder than you might think. Some things simple, some things hard.

It’s hard to believe that in 2017 I was 32 years old and had never had a live plant in my apartment or house. So on my list was “Buy a Houseplant”. Three years later this little guy lives in my office:

Since then I have added SIX more lovely plants to my household. Today I added this lovely little lady to the mix:

It says she loves sunlight and water so she will sit in my office basking in the sun!

It’s amazing how much a little plant can brighten your day. Sometimes it can be hard… this plant saw better days:

But I recently pruned it and moved it to a different location in the house. I was excited on New Year’s Day to see the new leaf, caught in the sun in this photo, sprout!

Since I got a new plant today I also thought I should give my other ones some room to grow so I put these smaller plants in bigger pots with fresh soil!

Hope they will continue to thrive like these two which I can barely keep from getting bigger and bigger.

The only one I am having problems with is this guy. It has new growth but all the existing, longer stems keep dying. Just can’t figure out what she wants? If anyone knows how to care for this plant suggestions would be welcomed and appreciated:

Overall, just having one plant in the house brightens my day. If I keep going at this pace my house will soon be a greenhouse and I’ll have to buy a place for me and my dogs to live to give the plants some room… 😂❤️🌱

This is 2020! January 1st: Get Book Recommendations

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Here we go! Excited to kick off 2020 and make a solid attempt to complete my list. Since 2017 I’ve made a list and attempted to complete as many of the 365 things. Once completed I cross them off. As the new year approaches I add new things so my list is full. Sometimes I add back in things I completed because of the way it enriched my life. This being one of them. I love asking for book recommendations and try hard to read at least some of them. So here’s ten that I got today!

  • 48 Laws of Power
  • Talking to Strangers
  • The Rituals
  • Love is a Mixtape
  • Black Hearts
  • The Subtle Art of Not Giving a Fck
  • The Girl Who Drank the Moon
  • Flowers in the Attic Series
  • The Hearts Invisible Furies
  • Where the Crawdads Sing

I already ordered “The Girl Who Drank the Moon” and “The Rituals”! Excited to get them and begin this adventure!

January 14th: Train for Sprint Triathlon

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Let’s do this!

I did a Sprint Tri a couple years ago during a time I was really into races. I completed a a bunch of 5ks, a half marathon and a sprint triathlon. Since that Sprint I have not completed a single race and have gained quite a bit of weight.

I just agreed with my friend, Beth, who I did the first Sprint with that we are going to do another one this coming September!

So here we go. I am going to start this 8 Week Sprint Triathlon Training Plan today! Best part is… Monday, the 1st Day is Rest Day, so I already did it… 😂 But tomorrow we go full force!

I plan on doing the 8 week training plan three times before race day. First time: easy and just biking endurance. Second time: increase speed. Third time: get ready for race!

Any suggestions, tips or motivations will be greatly appreciated!

January 5th: Build Shelves in my Kitchen

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I love DIY projects, especially since I bought my house. Many blah posts over the last couple years often show that.

When I first moved in I knew I would be making a lot of changes. The kitchen at the front of my mind.

This is what it looked like when I first moved in.

I quickly moved my refrigerator, took down some of the cabinets and painted the remaining ones. This quickly showed that I needed some more storage areas.

I found these shelves on Etsy

But all the ones I found were either too small or far too expensive.

So I decided I could make them myself!

I contacted a friend who I Jew had an abundance of reclaimed wood, found piping online at Essential Hardware and went to work.

This is what the kitchen has become. It is amazing how some colorful paint and a cheap DIY project can transform a space.

I am pleased with it. But will always continue changing things up. I already have changed how the shelves are organized to make them look a little more decorative.

I have a few more to put on another wall but am having problems attaching them because of the type of material the wall is made out of. Hopefully a project for another day.

January 4th: Treat Yourself to Lunch

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I started this journey two years ago on January 1st of 2017. The December coming up to that new year I compiled a list of 365 things that I had either never done, goals I wanted to accomplish or resolutions I wanted to set for the year. In that first year I accomplished just over 200 of them. It was hard some days… other days it was super easy.

Coming up onto 2018 I realized I was never going to cross them all off. So I added new ones and in some cases repeated ones that I wanted to make sure to repeat. 2018 was hectic. After crossing off “Buy a House” in 2017, 2018 became a lot about renovating and costly expenses, particularly mortgage costs. Through the year I only crossed off 60 things.

Now that 2019 is here I am restarting the list and hoping to spend the year concentrating on positive reinforcement things and goals. Continuing DIY projects for my house, garden and property will be a major part but I will also concentrate improving myself through month long resolutions, like purging one item a day for a month that I started on the first. But I also want to make sure to think about things I can do for myself that positively reinforce life. I do not want everyday to be about what I can do to improve or “fix” myself. I think it is also important at to do things that make me feel good or give me a sense of positivity.

So, really, that long wonder blog for the day just boils down to my thing for today- “Treat Yourself to Lunch”. I went out this afternoon and had a nice lunch at Buchi Cuban Cafe. Nothing fancy, nothing expensive- but a nice change up from either not even eating lunch or something thrown together at home. I went and had a delicious lunch by myself. I just set out from my house with no known destination and as I drive by Buchi’s (which I had been to before) I remember how much I enjoyed the establishment. It is owned by a Floridian and kind of reminds me home.

Nice how such a simple thing for the day gave me a positive feeling and put me in a good mood about having to go to work tonight.

January 1st: Purge One Item Everyday for a Month

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Here we go again. Last year was not as good as I would hope but I’m going for… I only marked 60 things off my life… but I’m going for it again. This year I am kicking it off with purging items to declutter my life.

On the 1st I threw away some old boots that I have been holding onto for far too long.

Throughout the month I will continue to throw things out in hopes to clean up my house. They say decluttering brings a sense of peace.