New Year. New Resolutions. 2013

I didn't accomplish a single resolution that I made for 2012...

I memorized about two weeks of memory verses.
I ran every day for 45 days.
I read 41 books.

This year, I want to try again but also try something new.

Be Present:
Where ever I am at, I am going to be focused in that moment.

I have found that I much prefer getting to work prior to 7:30 and staying until after 5pm knowing that when I go home, I am not logging back in. But I also need to work on taking time off. Taking vacations and a day off. Not responding to emails when I am away.

With friends and family, I want to be there and be engaged. Instagram won't go anywhere. I don't need to check in on foursquare.

Be Educated:
Once again, I am going for 50 books in 52 weeks. I was so close and yet 9 books is far away.

I also want to be more cognizant of what I am reading. Don't waste energy on fluff (although sometimes a good chick lit is needed).  Invest in reading my bible daily. Read multiple news sources often.

Follow Through:
This was a last minute add... as I talked about all of the resolutions I was thinking through with my roommate, I realized they were a lot of big ideas. It is in my personality to get really excited about something very quickly and then be over it. I want to focus 2013 on still being very excited but then seeing it through to completion.

If I say I am going to try a new recipe every week, you better believe that it is going to happen.

Week 1 | Book 1: Bitter is the New Black

In order to accomplish my resolutions, I have no time to waste. I am now proud to say that so far I am on the right track. I have already finished my first book of 2011 AND I did it an entire day early. 

I wanted to start out easy with this project so I picked more of a light hearted read that has been sitting on my shelf. Although it may be silly, it still had exactly 400 pages to captivate me by.

Bitter Is the New Black by Jen Lancaster 

(2006, New American Literature)

This book was recommended to my by my best friend, Angela and pretty much anything she tells me to do... I do. I even went to a book signing for this author because Angela was dying to go. Over a year later, I'm finally reading the book.

Jen Lancaster has a definite voice and is consistent from the start to finish. I envy her moxie and brazenness when on the job hunt and also her ability to undoubtedly stand up for herself. However, sometimes her snarkiness can become overwhelming and her shopping sprees are ridiculously selfish.

Overall, it is a great book to start this project and I breezed right through it. I doubt I will be following up with her other books but only time will tell!