2012 Resolutions and Goals

Folks, I was just looking over my list of resolutions from 2011, and let me tell you - pretty bad. 

Well, not exactly.  There were a number of goals that were easily achievable (most notably the transition to 28 years old) but many of them were strewn by the wayside of the year for various reasons, either because I completely forgot about them (i.e. reading a paper a day) and/or they just weren't possible (getting enough results to publish).  Others were sidelined because of injury (running two marathons and an ultra) or because of poor planning (saving money/winning my race circuit).  The good news is that I managed to hit some new highs (placing in the Clydesdale division at Allerton, presenting my research at the APSA conference) and maintain a healthy lifestyle, to the point where I am in about as good physical condition (was, anyway) as I've been since training for my first marathon back in 2005.

In reflecting on last year's goals and ambitious they were, I've got two possible options - tone it down to feel better about myself, or keep it up so that I can achieve more and feel better about myself.  I was initially going to go with the former, but now that I think about it, why shouldn't I strive to achieve more?  That's been the goal all along, hasn't it? 

Rather than a discrete list, this is going to be a little more... free flowing.  Here we go.

The main thing that I want to do is maintain the healthy, active lifestyle that I am trying to lead.  This will help me in a number of ways, including the obligatory "make it to my next birthday", as well as the goal of running two marathons this year.  With more careful attention to training, gear, and making sure I get rest when needed, I shouldn't have any problem running (and possibly racing) those marathons.  While it would be nice to run an ultra, I think my most recent excursions with running shorter distances have taught me that it takes less time to run shorter distances, so I will not go beyond 26.2.  Instead, let's see if I can't win a few more age group/division trophies. 

As far as lab work goes, the main goal will be to be, well, in lab.  More often.  Past 5 pm.  And putting in a full(ish) day on Saturday.  The whole "time goal" thing has to be thrown out the window at this point, instead focusing on accomplishments - getting data, compiling data, analyzing data, etc.  In the end, this will lead to two things - publications and a thesis defense, which by their very nature have to happen this year.  There's really no other option available.  I would like to take the time at the beginning and end of the day for reading and writing, both as an academic, and just for fun (writing here, reading Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters, among other things). 

In short, the main goal this year is to finish my PhD, get going in med school, and be happy and healthy while doing it. 

And maybe an Alaska trip in there would be nice. 

Hope this year brings you great things!