2011 was a pretty fantastic year, on just about every front. Mike passed his final actuarial exam, Ellie arrived, and we bought a new house. I think it’s pretty clear that 2012 isn’t likely to be nearly as awesome (although, as my sister-in-law commented, it isn’t too late to have another baby in 2012, to which both Mike and I say HAHAHAHAHAHA) but Ellie slept in until 7:30 this morning and then I drank a large iced coffee, so it is off to a good start, at least, if only in terms of restedness and/or caffeination.

Anyway, I made some New Years Resolutions, because I love making lists and also throwing myself headlong into projects I will eventually abandon. They are as follows:

  • Read more books. I’m ashamed to say that in 2011 I only read 5 books that weren’t about babies. If we add in the baby books, we’re still probably only looking at about 8 or 9. I … don’t even know why. Please don’t tell anyone, or they may come revoke my English degree. Actually, feel free to spread it around, because they give English degrees out like samples at Costco so I can probably get another one if I’m willing to brave the post-Christmas crowds.
  • Put some change into the little change-collecting boxes at cash registers. You know the ones so kids can go to camp or diabetes can be cured? Those ones. Every time. This might prove to be a bit of a challenge, because I don’t often carry cash with me, and when I do I tend to spend it on iced coffee.
  • Wear more hats.
  • Submit to being photographed more often, and then try not to make a big fuss when I don’t like the photo. (Related: learn to accept the fact that I have a double chin. I am an Anderson; it is pretty much an inevitability. In fact, Ellie is already working on hers. She is apparently a Butler in name only.)
  • You know when someone on the internet makes a deliberately vague reference to something that you know is going to be unsettling/gross/spidery and there’s a link and you click that link even though you know you shouldn’t click it and then you wonder why you clicked it? I’m going to stop clicking those links.
  • If I have time left over, I’m also going to try to make some more madly misshapen curtains with my sewing machine. And say thank you more often and to more people, because people like to be thanked. At least, I do, so I assume it’s pretty universal.

Anyway, thanks for hanging out here last year. My site stats say I have many more readers than I can account for simply by listing my family and close personal friends. They’re required by law to read whatever I post here, but you’re not, and even though I don’t have any idea who you are, I think you’re pretty awesome.