obligatory resolution post.

if one was to judge my new years resolutions based solely on how often, or how not often, i've posted on this blog lately one would assume i've made no resolutions at all; which would unfortunately be true. so that's what i'm attempting to do right now.

it's taken me an extra week longer than everyone else to finally sit down and write resolutions because life has been intense lately. this is my second to last night here in logan and i'm still stressing over selling my contract, getting my visa and signing up for classes for this semester. kids, life is crazy. even though i'm nearly 99% sure i'm not going to remember that i've made these resolutions by the end of the month, let alone the end of the year, i'm still going to make them (if i seem to be talking myself in circles it's because i just woke up from a 2 1/2 hour nap and talladega nights is on tv, and while i'm not very fond of this show it's still substantially distracting.)

i haven't really spent much time thinking of resolutions for this year. i'm doing so many things so soon that are so out of my comfort zone that i know personal growth is inevitable.
anyway, let the resolutions begin:

• exercise/health. last semester i was lucky enough to have a schedule that automatically made me walk daily due to how insanely far my classes were from the shuttle stop. that distance was intensified because of my affinity for the snooze button and my ever astounding ability to be late for everything. i don't know how daily life is going to be once i'm in austria but hopefully there is an adequate amount of walking involved. i also want to start eating more a more healthy and well balanced diet. over all i would really like to lose another 15 lbs, but if i manage to maintain the weight i am now i'll be happy.
• money. as my money situation currently stands i am going to be completely broke after my little study abroad expedition. i want to somehow save up enough money so i don't have to rely on loans to get back up here to usu in the fall. 
• photography. i feel like my project 365 did me a lot of good last year but i don't feel as though i'll benefit from it as much this year. therefore, my new goal is to focus more on taking pictures for other people, getting sessions, and growing in the business aspect of things. working for kiddie kandids helped me be more sure of myself when it comes to portraits and i want to continue growing in that direction. i also have a few photoshoots and photo techniques in mind that i want to try my hand at: such as levitating and using a flash ring. overall i want to still take at least 30 flickr worthy pictures every month, which is essentially the same as my project 365, but with less emphasis on daily photo taking.
• reading. i really slacked off reading in 2011 and i want to get back into that. i would love to take the 50 book challenge this year but i feel like with all the traveling i'm going to be doing, that would be a stiflingly ambitious so instead i'm going to say i want to read at least 25 books this year, with at least 5 of those books being classics. 
• writing. two years ago i bought the most beautiful journal for my pending study abroad adventures. my goal is to have that journal completely full by the end of this year. i guess i should stick a resolution about blogging in here as well. although i loved blogging every day in august 2011, i'm mostly concerned about my private writings this year so making a goal to blog everyday or even 5 times a week would be out of reach. therefore i want to blog around 4-5 times a month. i'm sure i'll have enough pictures or stories to tell you guys about my travels that this will be a piece of cake.  i also want to get myself writing poetry again. it's been far too long since i wrote anything worth being proud of.
• traveling. this one is probably going to be the easiest to accomplish. i want to become extremely familiar with europe. while i realize it's probably unrealistic to think i'll be able to travel everywhere that i want to before i leave, i want to at least make sure i end up in ireland. i've felt a strange compulsion to visit there for years now and it's time to figure out why that is.
• friends. i feel like i've met more good people and established more solid friendships this year than i have since i was in elementary school when becoming best friends with people was easy. i really hope to continue that trend this year. maaaybe even establish some relationships outside the realm of "just friends" as well, if you know what i mean. 
• sleep. i just want at least get myself to the point where my sleep schedule is at least semi close to the time zone that i actually live in and not off in new zeland where it is right now. 
• creativity. this year i'm going to learn to paint with water colors. i really just want to draw more, get to know myself and what i really am capable of artistically and creatively.
• schooling. school kind of took a back seat this year to important things... such as playing... and sleeping, but next year i want to take it a little bit more seriously. i want to apply and get accepted into the art and graphic design program here, getting at least a 3.75 every semester. i want to stop procrastinating assignments and to ultimately be able to look at each project i compete and be able to honestly say it was my best work. 

so far 2011 has been one of my favorite years and i can't help but think 2012 is going to be even better, and if things to the way they already have been it definitely will be. 

our attempt to write 2012! in sparklers. it was.... semi successful?

in unrelated news: want to hear one of my favorite songs as of late? ok!

i can't decide if i like the original better or this cover by ingrid michaelson.