I’ll be honest, 2021 was a blur…So much happened, so much changed. I moved to Olean for three months for a clinical experience for school, I stayed between two airbnbs by myself for the first time, I joined a jujitsu class, I explored the squirrels of Olean, I interviewed for a volunteer position and an employment position and started counseling. Came home three months later, joined Crisis Services as a volunteer hospital victim advocate and began working as a classroom aide at a school for kids with disabilities. Four of my friends got married, three friends announced they are pregnant, I found an amazing tribe of women I can call my friends, I lead a song at Zumba. I did not find a boyfriend, I didn’t get married, and I didn’t get pregnant, I came to some disheartening realizations, and as I look back at the progress made for my 2021 intentions, I realize I made small steps in so many of the intentions, lost interest in others, didn’t start many and even forgot about a couple, but that is why I call them intentions rather than resolutions. Resolution: A firm decision to do or not do something (Oxford Dictionaries) Intention: A thing intended; an aim or plan (Oxford Dictionaries)   So without further ado, here’s how my 2021 intentions went:

  1. I want to stop biting my nails: I tried but this was unsuccessful, but I’m not giving up. 

2. Complete a 30 day fast of sweets and also fast foods in January: Super proud that I did okay with the fast, fasts usually backfire terribly for me, but I have eaten minimal fast food this year and have gotten a really good control over my sweet intake! This has taken years to get a control of, but I finallly feel like I’m in control of my eating. 

  3. I want to learn to make my own bubble bath 

4. I am trying to go more eco friendly/sustainable, so I would love to adopt/ try 10 new switches this year:: Bamboo hairbrush, silicone baking mats instead of parchment paper, I eat/store food in glass containers, the last swab, reusing/upcycling more products, recycled my electronics (Buffalo Computer Recycling on Clinton/Best buy/TV recycling event), found a place (green bins around buffalo) that accepts articles of clothing to be recycled, used household objects to make activities/games for the kids at my fieldwork site that can be used over and over: I am sure there are others I did, but I can only think of these eight

5. I want to get caught up on nieces scrapbooks: I finished one nieces scrapbook pages, and working on the others, just need to decorate/write on them. 

6. Delete any old, unneeded pictures from my phone: I had 5.5k photos on my phone and went through and deleted a bunch, and periodically throughout year went in and deleted unneeded newer photos, but now I am up to 6.4k. 

7. Transfer 203 phone notes into journals: I about a 1/4 of these in the first half of the year, especially throughout my free time during fieldwork months 

8. I want to finish cleaning out/organizing my basement: Between the massive hauls I took to the thrift store, scrapyard, electronic recycling event, donated to Aroma’s thrift event,  posted for free on my Facebook page, the stuff ruined by the “flood” our basement sustained, and the buckets I organized with things from my childhood, the basement is pretty good. But there is always more to get done! 

  9. I want to try 12 completely new recipes: Thank you to my friend Kelsey who sent me so many recipes, but I honestly stuck to making the same foods I eat, but I did have all intentions of trying new recipes! 

10. Learn how to check my own oil in my car: I am reluctant to put this in green, as I am not 100%, but I did learn to check to see how much oil is on the dipstick when I pull it out, and to wipe it off on a napkin to see color

  11. Learn how to break out of zip ties and duct tape: Zip ties have been in my Amazon cart for the last year, maybe next year I will actually purchase and practice! 

12. Learn to write with my left hand and use my left hand to complete tasks: I have improved, not consistent in writing/using left hand, but I am so much more conscious of using left hand to complete some tasks! 

  13. Learn how to braid hair: Next year!

  14. I want to learn how to curl my own hair: Hopefully this year!

15. Learn how to use fire extinguisher: Funny part is that I watched a demonstration this past Fall, but still not 100% sure

16. I made purses and bags filled with hygiene items and little items to give to homeless men and women, I would like to give out 4-5 of these this year: I updated the bags and added more items and organized them in my car, but haven’t given any out. 

17. Volunteer at 5 different organizations: Gerard Place (this was part of school but still counts to me, more of the experience part I am looking at), Crisis Services, Summer lunch program on East side, 

  18. Make a plarn (plastic yarn) mat to give to someone who needs it: I have the bags within a large garbage bag ready to use

19. Visit Walter Reed: I am really going to try to go in 2022

  20. Go to football game and actually understand football better: Definitely 2022

  21. I want to try a ropes course in the actual trees: Definitely 2022 

  22. Take pic in front of “Buffalo: An all America city” sign on the thruway: Needs to be done in the summer of 2022

23.Go to a llama/alpaca farm: I went twice and it was absolutely magical! 

  24. Try goat yoga: 2022 for sure 

  25. Have a winter photoshoot: We haven’t had much of a winter as of yet, so hopefully beginning of 2022, I did have a couple summer fun photoshoots!

26. Learn to land on my feet to do a front flip (on trampoline): I practiced but wasn’t able to land on my feet

27. Learn how to do back flip, first back bend: Yeah…let’s forget this one 

28. Be caught up on connected life podcast: I would listen to these on the way to and from Buffalo/Olean 

29. Meet with (probably over zoom) at least 10 new people or people who I don’t really know: All were in person! Thanks to OAH (Outside Aroma Hangouts), I had 5 ladies I got to meet with, one each month from June-October, plus I have grown closer with four incredible women from Zumba and created friendships with them, and then I met and hung out with Sarah who I met while I was staying in Olean! 

30. Watch all the classic Disney movies: This was a 2020 goal, and I think I lost interest in reaching this goal, I will watch them as I see them! 

31. Watch all the classic Christmas movies

32. Get to know myself by trying completely new thing and take myself out on “dates”: When you live alone in a new town, you take yourself on a lot of “dates” 

33. Finish 3000 questions about me by end of January 2021: This takes ALOT of time! These questions are amazing but take some thought! 

34. Learn to tie knots, like boy scout type of knots: Kinda forgot this was a goal 

35. Have a penpal, still thinking/figuring out the logistics of it:  I kinda lost interest in pursuing this in 2021.

36. Learn to make yarn blanket (those big, soft ones): I didn’t realize how much yarn this would take! 

37. Physically build something: I found some pallets a business was getting rid of and loaded them in my car, had my dad saw them down to smaller pieces, but then left them in the basement which they eventually got ruined by my basement flooding. 

38. Make a TikTok video: I made two, technically four, but I took two down because I didn’t upload them right 

39. I want/need to become desensitized to stitches: 2022 will determine how well I am desensitized…I’ll be in outpatient rehab so maybe be seeing these 

40. Complete 4 bible studies/devotionals: I completed one (I do boundaries), and started but did not finish two others 

41. I really want to improve my prayer life, so I would like to spend at least 5 uninterrupted minutes praying each day: Started off strong 

42. Read at least 7 different books: I read  one book and then started another, but stopped because I didn’t like it , and just started another 

43. Learn ASL, at least a beginner level: 

44. Learn Italian, at least basic conversational level 

45. Sign a song in ASL 

46. Do 3 pull ups at the Marine booth at the fair: at least do 3, I would even be happy with 1, but the realistic goal is 3: HAHAHA…yeahhh nope 

47. Beat my 20 push up record at the Army booth at the fair: I DID THIS ONE! 

48. Since my gym is closed due to covid, I miss my kickboxing and Krav Maga classes so I have been wanting to (but putting off) buying a boxing bag

49. I want to really work on strengthening my hands through using theraputty and strengthening tools: I have putty and a hand grip in my living room I use periodically when watching TV 

50. Develop better core strength: Joined a jujitsu class during my three month fieldwork and we did a lot of core strengthening exercises and then came back to SPAR for Krav Maga/boxing classes 

   51.  Give one or more platelet donations: I gave three platelet and 18 plasma donations in 2021           

52. Volunteer at least 5 organizations (changed this to trip outside WNY in my six month progress post)