November Stats

All right, let's look back at November and the random goals I gave myself this past month. Here goes.

Books read: 0.75 (darn you, Wuthering Heights!)
Morning workouts completed: 8 (runs and Hot Iron class)
Kilos of turkey roasted (to perfection): 8.8 + 3 extra legs
Vacation days enjoyed: 2
Kilometers traveled: 1216
Babies cuddled: 4
Trips to Ikea: 3
Cars flooded (by leaving the sunroof open overnight while it rained): 1
Coffee tables purchased: 0 *womp womp* 

{1} Finish my Christmas shopping and shipping // Well... I’m giving myself a break on this one mainly because we’ve opted for a different kind of Christmas gift for sister this year (that I think she’ll be mighty pleased with). And I'm primarily letting good old Amazon do all the hard shopping and shipping work for me these holidays. So all in all, I'm just going to make things simple and say I did ok on this goal.

{2} Work out in the mornings // I’ve still been doing pretty darn good with this (except this snowy week) and am rather pleased with myself. To further spur me on, I read this post yesterday about how to train yourself to get up in the morning and now am seriously considering putting it to the test. The only question is if I have the willpower to start during the holiday season...

November according to Instagram

{3} Read one classic book for every "normal" book // Check! I mean, I’m still reading Wuthering Heights. And still hating it (my teenage self was right for not finishing it after all!). So far, there is not a single character that has invoked my sympathy - in fact I pretty much can’t stand any of  them - and I only have 40 pages left to go. I don’t get it! But anywho, next on my list is The Ask and the Answer followed by The Pillars of the Earth (which Micha is kind of forcing me to read, but I trust his literary judgment), so the pattern continues.

{4} Put pictures in all frames that are lying around the apartment // Darnit! I was thisclose to getting this done before Thanksgiving but then the terrible-yet-fabulous neverending project took over my life and I stopped. And then I bought even more frames at Ikea thanks to Kerstin, my enabler (she totally gets full blame :). So I can’t check this one off quite yet, though I did manage to frame the third of four giant posters from fab.de (woohoo!).

{5} Get crafty at least once a week // Oh, I got crafty all right. Again, I spent most of my time on one project, but I cut, folded, and hot-glued up a storm in November. One day I’ll actually even blog about it...

Other random accomplishments: Got a new, giant passport (with 52 pages!); purchased some exciting plane tickets; visited Rheinland-Pfalz for the first time; joined my company’s small caroling group (to perform, somewhat terribly, at our holiday party tomorrow); didn't break a single glass, plate, or bowl.

I think I’m now finally ready for December!

October Stats / November Goals

// October Stats //

(1) Check - Oh did I watch horror movies last month! Amazing how simply writing it here totally motivated me to do so and made me follow through. (Now if I only I could do that with something actually productive, like half-marathon training or writing regular letters to my Gramma...) Here's my rundown:

     - Snakes on a Plane (I'm counting this for the cheesy factor alone)
     - Paranormal Activity (when it's on tv, I don't say no)
     - The Unborn (another one that was on tv and was so bad but I couldn't resist. Apparently, putting twins and Nazis in a movie makes for a good plot. I beg to differ.)
     - Paranormal Activity 4 (the only we saw in the theatre this month and not really worth it)
     - Night of the Living Dead (not nearly as scary as I remember, sadly)

(2) Check - Fall Day of Fun complete!

(3) Well... I sent out our Turkey Day save-the-date. So not too bad. And I blame not planning any further on the fact that my partner in crime, Emily, was on vacation for the end of the month, and I can't possibly plan our annual Thanksgiving party without her.

(4) Check - Despite a sickness that set my training off a couple weeks, I'm back to a regular running schedule (building up to a speedier 10k) and I'm not even hating it. I know, I know, who am I?

(5) Well crap. We definitely have not yet agreed on a new coffee table. Can't win 'em all, I suppose (but I have not given up!).

It's true, I do. via blunt cards

// November Goals //

{1} Finish my Christmas shopping and shipping. I'd like sister to actually receive her Advent package before the new year this time. And I'd love to spend my December drinking absurd amounts of glühwein at Christmas markets instead of shopping.

{2} Work out in the mornings. I'm not at all a morning person - in sharp contrast to our singing-when-she-wakes-up mother - but when it comes to working out, I'm determined to become one. Or at least to pretend to be one so I can get my workouts done before I get tired or cranky or make other plans, or or or...

{3} Read one classic book for every "normal" book I read. I tend to stick with the same types of books all the time - good crime novels (particularly of the Inspector Rebus variety), dystopian YA novels, or anything proposed by the Real Simple No-Obligation Book Club. Starting this month, I've decided to go back and read some of those classics that I pretended I read in high school when really, I just had Natalie give me summaries so I could pass the essays (and spend my time reading books I actually liked instead). First up is Wuthering Heights, which I am 100 pages into and enjoying - and understanding - a heck of a lot more than I did when I was 15!

{4} Put pictures in all frames that are lying around the apartment all empty and sad or just get rid of the frame if I can't make it work. We have the wall space. We have the pictures and posters. And if I'm being honest, I have the frickin' time. So I need to make this happen. Preferably before Thanksgiving so I can show off all my work when everyone comes over. :)

{5} Get crafty at least once a week. I need to give myself a weekly challenge, so I'd like to be able to proudly post an Inspiration to Action post once a week instead of just pinning like a madwoman.