Mid-Year Resolutions Check

Since we're halfway through 2012 (!!!!! wtf guys when did this happen.), I'm taking a look back at how I'm doing with my New Year's Resolutions. Yeah. Remember those? (insert subliminal guilt-trip as you sit reading this and eating pop-tarts or something. ahem).

To make you feel better, let's recap how my resolutions are going!

1. Find an agent.

To be honest, I have not been querying nearly as much as I should be. But that's also because I realized my memoir-project is Not Ready. So maybe it's a good thing I was lax about the querying. And then a project I thought was dead made it to the semifinals in Amazon after some heavy revisions, so who knows!

2. Finish next novel.

hahahahahahha. HOW OPTIMISTIC JANUARY ELLEN WAS. No, actually I did finish a draft of that novel. And then edited about half of it. And then today on my walk to work while I was having an imaginary conversation with myself (don't lie, you totally do this too!), I had a sudden epiphany. Like, OMG WHAT IF I CHANGE.... a plot point that would involve rewriting the whole &@*$^* thing. So. Again with the who knows. But it's okay. I am a leaf on the wind.* Of life.

3. Join a gym.

Okay. This time I have a real excuse. NO SRSLY GUISE. I joined the gym downstairs, and I was going diligently 4-5 times a week (stop rolling your eyes, people). But then an unfortunate being-bad-at-proper-posture-in-weight-machines incident happened, and now I've been in physical therapy for almost 2 months for some kind of lower back sprain/muscle spasm that no one can really diagnose. WOO.

Though technically they make me work out in PT. So that's kind of like going to the gym, right?

Alright, so far the universe hates me.

4. Try new things.

This one I've actually accomplished though! Just a sample of some new things I've tried:

- visited a Russian bath house (it's very sweaty in there. and I swear that one "Russian room" is literally a re-purposed oven. Brick walls, giant oven-like opening, people turning red everywhere...)
- cooked on a slightly more regular basis, and not only pasta (this is new for me, okay?)
- took kickboxing classes (so good for stress relief)
- got a full-body massage (mmmm)
- got a facial (kind of ouchie?)
- finally got around to reading Mists of Avalon (and just took a break from reading YA in general. not that I don't <3 the YA, but sometimes you need a little epic adult fantasy in your life!)
- went to Italy (F-YEAH! best new thing ever)
- attempted to socialize with other writers (SCBWI meet-ups, Young-to-Publishing Group Happy Hours, New York Writer's Coalition, these are all events I'd normally be afraid to go to by myself. But when all my writerly and publishing friends were otherwise occupied, I decided, why the heck not just go alone? And you know, I've met quite a few srsly awesome people the last couple of months doing that. So w00t!)
- took tango lessons (well, alright, technically I'm starting them tomorrow night. But it counts!)
- drew more (after one of those SCBWI meet-ups at the gorgeous Society of Illustrators house in NYC, I went back the next week for a Sketch Night. So fun. It's good to be creative in a non-writerly way sometimes)
- made stuff (jean cut-off shorts, skeleton-back tank tops, boat-neck T-shirts, etc. I haven't gotten down with my crafty self since high school. I missed it!)
- attended a "water concert" in Dumbo (which apparently means, "musicians standing in kiddie pools blowing on half-full bottles." definitely a new experience though...)

Anyway, you get the picture. Basically life is weird. But good. And that's all you can ask for in the end, right?

Now for my new resolution: Eat healthier. ... Right after I finish this pop-tart.

* three guesses what show I've been rewatching lately.