Because we all know how good I am at following through, here’s my list of things I may possibly do next year.

1. Learn how to use my new camera: What new camera, you ask? My pretty Canon Digital Rebel something-something Matt got me for Christmas. While I know the absolute basics of how to use it due to prior experince using his (original model) Rebel, I really don’t know what I’m doing. That being said, I do have the manual and Matt, of course, to help me figure it out. I plan to take lots and lots of photos, not just on special days like vacations but also on normal days and throughout my normal, daily life.

2. Take self-portraits: I know better than to try to do this every day, but I do want to take self-portraits that really show where I am in my life at that particular moment.

3. Graduate: Okay, this isn’t a may do but a WILL do. I have been in college since 2003, it’s about dang time I graduate. Only two courses remaining, the second half of my senior design course (did I mention I got an A in the first half?) and a final course in stochastic modeling. I can’t believe I’m almost, at last, done.

4. Visit more touristy places in DC: Sure, I’ve been to most of the Smithsonians and the National Gallery of Art, but want about the Udvar-Hazy Center, Arlington Cemetary, and the moments (other than the Washington Monument). I live less than 5 miles away from the city, there is really no excuse. Okay, maybe the cold. The cold is a good excuse.

5. Blog more: Partly because I feel better when I write, partly so phone calls to my mom aren’t nearly as necessary. Man, that sounds horrible. I really like talking to her. Really. I just don’t want her to worry that I’m dead. Blogging means she’ll know the important (but not super private) stuff and will only have to fill her in on the important but not blog[able and stupid stuff.

6. Get back into running: Sure, tehre was the whole injury thing which I never followed up on. Then school got busy and now it’s cold. But, really, there is not adequate excuse from now on. I have a great gym on campus with decent treadmills and have both the time and money available to get physical therapy for the injury. And I’m pretty sure I can convince my former running partner, Jen, to keep me focused.

7. Watch what I eat: And not in the “watch as I eat it all” way. I’m not talking a diet, per say but being more mindful of what I’m eating. Again, school was busy last term so it was all about just eating anything that was available. But this next term, I only have two classes and a part-time job. I should have more than enough time to eat healthier.

8. Figure out what I want to do for a career: Although I know what industry and discipline I want to work in, generally, I really need to work on figuring out specifics. Performance? DOORS and other database stuff? Project management? Risk mitigation? Find a manufacturing job? Process improvement? Work on a software-based program? Small program? Big program?

And, just so this isn’t a totally boring post, a random photo I took on our cruise this last week (that I’ll blog about in detail at some point).