A new year always marks a new age for me.  In 5 days, I will be 26. Remember that list I so ambitiously wrote last year?  I began it in September of 2011 in fact.  What was I going to accomplish and experience in my 25th year of life?  The list I mostly tossed out a couple months ago.  Yeah, that list.  I don't believe I ever posted it in entirety for you all.  Well, here it is.  I have 5 days left and I'm wondering how many I could get done before 26 hits me.  At this point, it's like a fun, frantic game.

25 Goals For 25

Go on a date. 

Read 25 books (5 from the Guardian's list)  So far, I've read 13 books.  Next year, I'll account for Beau in my reading goals. 

Buy a camera (Nikon D5100)   John has one... I suddenly had less drive to buy one. 

Pay off the Toddler

Submit a story  

Submit a poem 

Read more current authors

Run a half-marathon  Ha.  Ran a 5K and then fell into the worst shape of my life. I did run the entire 6 blocks to the bus stop this morning.  That count?  Because boy was my chest burning. 

Learn a real piece on the violin  Haven't played since I moved.  :( 

Start a 401K  

Learn 100 Italian verbs + 100 nouns

Move out

Visit a new city

Talk less (listen more)  I still have 5 days to get this one, right? ;) 

Go camping

Visit the Olympic National Park  

Go sailing 

Write one short story a week  I should have 52 stories?  I have 1 unfinished short story from this year. 

Prepare for the day before leaving the house  I think I have done pretty well at this the majority of the year.  And better the last couple months. 

Read through the New Testament  I spent most of the year in the Gospels.  

Get my concealed weapons permit

Ride in a hot air balloon  Dad? 

Learn to golf

Create my website/ online portfolio  Kind of... 

Ride in a train

I began setting 4 year goals a couple months back.  I will be 30 in 4 years and 5 days! (Weird.)  And I think I am going to set quarterly goals for 26.  I have 4 'to-dos' for the first quarter so far.  I think I'll aim for 5 per quarter.  :)  Besides that, this year will be less about "lists" and more about "priorities".  I have been spending the last few days thinking about my current priorities and how they should change or stay the same for this coming year.  I don't yet know... I'm still praying.  But my to-dos for this first quarter reflect my priorities as best I see them so far.

It's hard to plan for a year.  One person could walk in and change it all... and you could be forever grateful.  I'd aimed to go on a date in 2012.  A real date. I did in January. We played trivia at an Irish pub.  There were no sparks.  It was okay.  I marked it off the list.  And then, I was taken on one of the most wonderful dates... without realizing it at the time.  The rest, I hadn't put on my goals list.  But when it came to it, I'd rather listen to his story than read any of my books on the shelf.