It's New Year's Eve . . .

For as long as I've been writing this blog, I think I share Barry Manilow's song every year at this time.  I've never been much for a big New Year's Eve celebration.  It's not my thing.  What is my thing is thinking on what I have accomplished and experienced in the year gone by, and looking a bit toward the future and what the new year might hold . . .

I managed to get my office cleaned up early on in the year . . . but just like water seeking its own level, my desk is currently a nightmare  :-D

I made it through THREE Polar Vortexes - a term I never even heard before.

I gained a lot of weight again earlier this year . . . the Strict Program for Three Months and being an ovo-pescetarian proved to not be sustainable over the long haul . . . but here is probably the best thing I did for myself this year:  I went back to Weight Watchers on November 1st, and have since dropped more than 20 pounds.  This is a good thing and since I was all about the balance this year, I feel like the pendulum has swung back to a much more reasonable way to live - and eat.

I reconnected with a childhood friend who, once again, lives just down the street from me  :-)

I only made it halfway through the year in my 365 Project.

A Year With My Yarn - well, it was moderately successful.  I did buy a little yarn, but not very much  :-)

I competed for the first time as a solo bagpiper in 2014.  It was, for the most part, a train wreck - at least where the marches were concerned.  I did pretty well with classical pipe music (Piobaireachd). On the whole, though, it wasn't very much fun.  If you're not in a band, you don't really have anyone to hang out with, and my teacher lives in SoCal, so I was pretty much by myself most of the time.  Still, there were some great moments - like medaling in Piobaireachd right out of the box  (second place in my grade at the Springfield, Illinois games) :-)     I'm still trying to make a decision about competing again in 2015. 

I struggled with the same things I have struggled with nearly every year - letting things go, eating less, practicing more, exercising more - plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose  :-)

A few injuries - well, who doesn't have those now and then?  Oh, and I found out that I have sleep apnea - and what a difference it's made to have my dental device and be really sleeping again.  Can't even tell you!

Lots of fiber events - and this looks like it will really change in 2015.  The Midwest Fiber & Folk Art Fair will not happen in 2015, but even more importantly, a number of people/vendors who have been staples at various events are retiring from them and the travel, or retiring altogether.  I think the fiber landscape is going to look a lot different in 2015.  I'm still "limiting my collection" in yarn and fiber, as well as my African violets.

So - I'm not sure I had any focused goals for 2014, but I made it through and I'm looking forward to 2015, but can you ever know what might be headed your way?  I'm not sure you can - I think there are some who are gifted in this way, but for the average bear, I don't think it's something we can know - nor should we really.  I mean, I love talking to the psychic at the Ren Faire when I go most years, but truthfully, I can't really member any predictions coming true from her.  That's OK.

I do have something I would like to accomplish in the beautiful New Year of 2015 . . .

1)  Continue with Weight Watchers and reach my goal weight and reclaim my Lifetime Member at Goal status  :-)

2)  Practice my pipes more.  This is something I have not done very well really all year.  I would play my practice chanter all day long, but you don't compete on a practice chanter, and you don't play at church on a practice chanter.  So, this is the year to get my actual piping up to the same place my practice is.  That means more practice on my pipes.  And it probably means a schedule of practice.  

3)  Get my steps back up to 10,000 or more at least five days a week.  This will take some time, but exercise is definitely on the radar for me in 2015.

I think three things is enough to focus on, don't you?  

Happy New Year's Eve  :-)