Recap of 2016 Resolutions / Goals

Here is my list of goals for 2016 with notes about how I fared on accomplishing them.  As I searched back to find this list, I came across a February post where I said I was going to do a monthly update assuming I would be more likely to stay the course if I regularly reviewed the goals and progress.  The February update was the last I did until today.  The theory still stands; the execution was a problem.

• Save for retirement: Keep up the 10% of every paycheck and maxing out the Roth IRA.  I hope to increase my percentage contribution next year to 11% and work my way up to contributing the maximum allowed.  More fun things to save/spend money on right now...I'm sure that will change in the future, right?!  Check!  I actually shifted to 15% in my work 401k and discontinued the Roth IRA after a discussion with my accountant (Rebecca Bergner's mom (FWW!), however, I saved the same amount.  A.
• Kitchen and Main Floor remodel.  I think this will take $20K for cabinets, counters, appliances, flooring, and labor.  The fireplace and light fixtures will be extra, but I think starting with the kitchen and flooring throughout is enough for one year.  Ahahaha, so naive on the $20K.  The breakdown was more like: $7K cabinets, $5K counters, $6K appliances, $5K labor, $2K floor for a total of $25K...and that was just for the kitchen (and doesn't include the backsplash which is still outstanding).  I could have done this for $20K, but I did some cabinet upgrades to make it look more custom, and I wanted the new black stainless steel color for appliances which is higher priced since it is a new offering.  B+ for going over budget and not having the backsplash done yet.
• Other house projects: rain barrel for the yard, finish painting doors and trim in basement, and put on new door knobs in the basement.  All of these were done!  The rain barrel was a nice addition and saved me some cash on my water bill while also making me feel good about not wasting resources.  A.
• Real estate and insurance license CE  Done.  A.
• PMP certification: I mildly flirt with the idea of changing careers and thinking having a certification in project management could be helpful.  I registered to take the classes online and will try to get through that this year.  The class I registered for online was a bit of a bust.  The PMP certification requires a certain number of hours to qualify; I thought this test would do that, but it didn't.  I also had some shifting around in duties and teams at work and LOVE my job now and have no interest in changing careers, and therefore needing the PMP.  I'm giving myself an A+ here because the goal was job satisfaction and a healthy path for growth, which I found even if it wasn't in the direction I mapped out in January.
• Read 15 books.  A+, I read 28 books in 2016.  I'll do a separate post on the books I read and which ones I recommend if you are looking for suggestions!
• Donate 4.25% to charity (increasing from 3% last year) and set main charities up as a monthly contribution rather than donating one lump sum.  RAGOM, ASPCA, Second Harvest Heartland, YMCA, BSM, MPR, FMSC, Library, and Adopt a Family.  Leves me with a few hundred throughout the year for events that come up, friends doing walks or other fundraisers, etc.  As of right now, I'm at 4.1% and am $92 short.  I'll make it up in 2017 with a donation today!  B+.
• Apocalypse Survival Skills: this is being generated from reading my current book.  It is a story about 98% of the human race being wiped out by a massive flu.  While reading I realized I know how to do nothing and would not survive very long and would be a liability to anyone I wanted to survive along with.  I did some research online about skills one would need to survive post apocalypse.  The list includes: hunting and processing your kill, food preservation, black-smithing, construction, farming and gathering, emergency and alternative/natural medicine, alternative fuels, masonry, music making, etc.  Basically, I read this list and decided I would rather die than try to survive post the apocalypse.  It just sounds way too hard and a lot of work, expense, or not very interesting to me to even practice some of these things.  I am concerned this says some not very good things about my personality.  I am not Annie Makepeace or Sara Bryan, and I am so thankful we live in a society where some people will think highly of me for being able to admit, accept, and share that I would be a complete disaster and do not deserve to survive an apocalypse.  I'm hoping for some redemption in the form of if I manage to survive this apocalypse (which, to be honest is not likely anyway), I will volunteer myself to be killed and eaten for the survival of my companions--I will be the most tasty and tender of our friends with the extra lbs didn't lose and gained in 2015.  We all win in at scenario.  I considered re-opening this goal after the results of the presidential election, TBD on if it makes the list for 2017.  C.
• Even though survival skills are out for 2016, I am still interested in self improvement and will pick a few things that I would like to be able to say I can do as a well adjusted, successful 34 year old human that lives in a metro area.
• Own a pizza cutter and a meat thermometer.  Apparently these are kitchen staples that I currently lack.  Thanks to Annie and Ann,, I now own TWO pizza cutters.  And my mom bought me a meat thermometer for Christmas.  A.
• Prepare and cook a multi-course, fancy meal--like a Thanksgiving/Christmas meal.  I was planning on trying out the new meat thermometer on a lamb roast for Christmas, but then my parents went to Cali to see baby Harvey and my grandma wanted to get lasagna from Costco.  F.
• Learn how to grill.  D, I didn't learn to grill, but I did learn how to refill a propane tank.  Small steps.
• Pare down my closet to clothes that fit well, I love, and work together -- a capsule wardrobe essentially  Decided to scratch this one as I don't want to allocate money to this venture that would take away from the kitchen remodel and travel this year
• How to apply fake eyelashes.  F, but changing that in 2017 for my 35th birthday beauty day.
• How to make cheese (from one of those little kits).  F.  Totally forgot about this one.
• Cook at home more, eat out less, and not waste food.  D.  I thought I ate out less, but according my spreadsheet I spent just under $2K on eating out in 2015...and just over $3K in 2016.  Oops.  I am questioning how accurate my tracking was in 2015 and also really impressed that the number in either year was that low.  The only reason I get a D instead of F is that I signed up for organics recycling, so I am composting food I don't eat.  
• Lose 10 lbs...will try this one again. Maybe my goal should just be to not gain MORE weight?  Um, I think I get a Z in the letter grading scale on this one.  I am pretty sure if I were to step on a scale I would see I've gained a few precious pounds.  More of me to love?
• Buy an at home spray tan kit and learn how to use it.  Any guinea pigs want to volunteer?  Ugh, I did not do this but still want to!  I did get a number of volunteers when I mentioned this to people.  Brave souls.  F.
• Become a master at Turbo Kick: this is a Chalene Johnson at home workout that I took in person and loved.  It's impossible to find a class in the cities, so I bought the at home DVD. Eventually I'd love to take the class to get certified and maybe teach at my new gym, but I gotta start with doing the DVD routines and getting in better shape.  I have no idea where these DVDs even are, and I definitely haven't touched them since I brought them home from the store.  Probably not surprising given my update on the losing 10 lbs.  F.
• Hike highest peaks in 4 states.  I did 7!  Delaware, Louisiana, Arkansas, Ohio, Indiana, Florida, and Alabama.  A+.
• Arkansas (when I visit Liz!)
• Iowa (just a matter of doing a day trip)
• TBD on the other two.  Will probably try to work something in on a work trip or other venture as things come up during the year.