The turn of a new year gets many people thinking about goals, progress, where they are and where they want to be. I am one of those people. A listmaker extraordinaire, I see the new year as the perfect time to make the List of Lists for the year and try to stick to it as best I can.

I didn’t write any of my goals down last year (or at least, I can’t find any record of them – this is what happens when you’re both a listmaker extraordinaire and a packrat). I vaguely remember something about writing a book before I turned 25. Exercising a few times a week. And, of course, moving back to Pittsburgh. Beyond that, I’ve no idea.

Well, I wrote a book last year, but I haven’t even glanced at it since August, when I finished what Anne Lamott affectionately calls the “shitty first draft.” Exercising three times a week, don’t make me laugh. I did find my way back to Pittsburgh, as you all know, and managed to do a few other things too, like buy a house and get married.

This year, I’m being a bit smarter about my goals. I’ve compiled them in one place and created a spreadsheet to track my progress. (I love you, Google Docs.) I’ve made them achievable and measurable. One of them is to post on this blog three times per week. Another is to work really hard at revising my book so I can send it out to agents by September. Others are financial or related to work we want to do on the house. All of them are doable.

Let’s just see where this year takes us, shall we?