2024 in Review

Five stars. (★★★★★)

Happy New Year! The accountability to last year's resolutions is dawning on me.

Disclaimer: The five-star rating reflects my gratitude for life, health, loved ones and the natural world. I know I'm fortunate, and all is not well in the world.

2024 Highlights:

• I started the year with a birthday trip to Montana. I saw the first full moon of the year, went snowshoeing with Dad, and enjoyed decadent chocolate cake from Raquel. It was a memorable trip and a nice birthday.
  

• Personal travel took me to Montana twice (January and September); Colorado three times (February, July, November); Yosemite once (October); a lovely cottage getaway in the redwoods near La Honda (September); and a perfect winter wonderland in South Tahoe over Halloween weekend. I'm perfecting the solo weekend getaway and I love it so much - as well as the trips to Montana and Colorado for friends and family.
  

• Work went OK; I was promoted to director early in the year and the newer team members are hitting their stride. I hope 2025 will be the year I can finally reach a manageable, stable state after years of chaos and overwhelm. Work travel was manageable, with a few trips to NYC and one trip to London.
  

• My friends moved in 2024, Susan to Alaska and Elizabeth to Seattle. Usually I'm the one who picks up and moves! While I miss visiting Susan in Minnesota and having Elizabeth local, I'm happy for their new phases and new places to visit.
  

• Fitbit stats are doing OK; I've started wearing the watch overnight for sleep and other measurements that require continuous wear; next year I'll have more to compare.

  2023: Walked and ran 2,445 miles (avg. 6.7 miles per day), +220 miles vs 2022. Gained 3.3 pounds and 2.9% body fat vs. 2022.

  2024: Walked and ran 2,547 miles (avg. 6.9 miles per day), +102 miles vs. 2022. Gained 4.9 pounds and 1.1% body fat vs. 2023. Half of that weight gain happened in the last couple of weeks, what the heck is happening? My average resting heart rate is 52 BPM, which is pretty good I think.

  
  

• I significantly reduced sugar intake, by way of a weird journey with a Continuous Glucose Monitor. It helped enforce some positive changes, but I'm also realizing glucose is not that important for healthy people. A diet of mostly cashews and almonds to keep steady glucose is probably not a good direction.
  

• I learned to look forward and back. Through books, podcasts and meditation - and this blog! - I revisited memories with more focus and detail, and visited my "future self" a few times. As a focus-on-the-immediate type of person, I had not realized how much these exercises can promote happiness and better decisions.

  
  

• I ended the year with Christmas in Wisconsin with my siblings and their spouses, followed by a restorative staycation at home to catch up on personal to-dos and refill my introvert cup. I spent a good amount of time migrating and rebuilding this dang blog.

  
  

Grading Last Year's Resolutions:

1. See every full moon. 100% - Nailed it!
   

2. Unplug on the weekend. 80% - Getting there. Friday nights are still challenging.
   

3. Take a real vacation. 80% - Technically no, but I had some great getaways and no regrets.
   

4. Get tattooed. 0% - Changed my mind, so not a fail.
   

5. Do better at preventative health care. 20% - Fail. I went to the doctor once, after an xx gap and the dentist once after an xx gap. Still haven't scheduled that mammogram.
   

6. Do better at financial planning. 0% - Fail. No comment.
   

7. Make an advance directive. 0% - Fail. Sigh.
   

8. Be a kinder and more generous human. Hm, I'd say I'm flat year-over-year.

2025 Resolutions:

1. See every full moon, again. This is a beautiful practice and helps me appreciate time.
   

2. Protect and value personal time.  Conquer the Friday evening challenge and reclaim weeknights.
   

3. Build a strength training practice and consistent yoga. I can run seven miles with no problem, but my arms are limp noodles.
   

4. Build a meditation practice. I dabbled in 2024; I think more consistency would help with everything else on this list.
   

5. Take at least as many R&R trips as 2024. Tahoe, Yosemite, Colorado, etc. Including at least one new experience.
   

6. Do better at preventative health care.  This year I will be better. Doctor and dentist.
   

7. Do better at financial planning. Just thinking about it is exhausting, but the situation is starting to feel irresponsible.
   

8. Make an advance directive. Yes, yes.
   

9. Find a stable living situation for Mom. Less of a resolution and more of an inevitable challenge that lies ahead for me and my siblings.

Hello 2025!