Be Prepared and Let it Roll Off Your Back...

 are the mottos I am trying to implement in my life. I want to be prepared for what comes my way, but I also want to make sure I'm not so uptight that I can't let things just roll off my back. Anyways, I guess I'm falling into the trap of writing a wrap up of the year on my blog...Oh well.

2011 was a pretty good year! I'm going to sum it up with some bullet points.

• I moved out of the condo that my parents own and into my own apartment. I'm paying my own way on almost EVERYTHING (except my cell phone) and it's the most freeing/grownup/awesome/lame/stressful feelings ever. 
• I live in a city that I LOVE. I'm close to family and friends and close to at least one of my works.
• I started two new jobs. One that I LOVE and the other one not so much. The job that I love has opened my eyes to a different sort of librarianship that I might be interested in pursuing and the other job is an open door that will hopefully allow me to grow in that organization. Fingers crossed.
• Even though I'm working like crazy I spent more time trying to say "yes" this year. When and if people asked me to go out I really tried to say "yes" and follow through. It allowed me to be more social and I'm really grateful for that. 
• I read 61 books. That's more than a book a week. I didn't hit my goal but there is always next year. 
• I spent more time with my family this year than I have a in a while. My sister, my brothers, my cousin!,  my nieces and nephews, my parents... I love them all so SO much and I am so grateful that I live closer to everyone now and can see them more often.

Things that I want to accomplish in 2012

• I want to cook more. Actually I want to learn to cook, I'm not very good at it and would like to cook at least 3 nights a week. 
• I want to learn to play the banjo. 
• I want to travel somewhere.
• I want to make sure that I am prepared for an emergency. This includes making up kits for both my house and car and making sure that my parents are also prepared. :) 
• I want to pay down my credit cards. I have 3 major cards that I have debt on and I  would like to pay down at least one this year. 
• I want to build up my savings to have at least 3 months worth of expenses put away (I know they say more, but this is what I can afford). 
• I want to take a summer class.
• I want to become financially set to take more than one class in the Fall. 

This entry is mostly for my own records, but I really like that I'm becoming more focused and aware of my finances. I feel so grown up!

I hope everyone has a happy, safe, and fun new years eve!

Happy New Year!!!