You might remember from previous years that I don’t “do” New Year’s resolutions. I just don’t think depriving yourself of something or promising massive changes should be done suddenly at the beginning of a year. If I believe or don’t believe in something, the action I take a result should be natural, and often gradual, rather than sudden and drastic. In my experience, drastic changes often don’t stick. Also, I kind of see the whole year as a continuing process of evolution and growing, so I don’t see any point in making major resolutions on January 1.

However, I do like Jennie from She Likes Purple‘s idea of a 2011 To Do List. I was thinking about this already before I found out that she does it every year – good idea!

Here are my current “to do”‘s for 2011. I don’t have as many as Jennie does, but we are also having another baby, possibly moving again, and possibly facing career changes, so I don’t want to over-commit.

2011 To Do List

• Complete redesign of this blog (already in the works), including logo and business cards. I am basing the design on the work of an awesome sculptor who has graciously given me his permission to use his work as inspiration for a graphic designer to build on. I can’t wait for you all to see it! Not sure yet if I’ll have to convert to WordPress…
• Get all the cross-stitch pieces people have given me re-framed into corresponding/compatible frames that also mesh with our modern-ish decor, giving them the ability to be displayed in main rooms of the house rather than stored away somewhere.
• Rebuild my wardrobe once I return to my pre-pregnancy size. I’ve been pregnant or post-pregnant for over 2 years straight now, so I own hardly any non-maternity clothing – and what I have is 2 years behind. Time to start from scratch!
• Keep growing out my hair. Nobody let me cut it all off again, I don’t care what I say!!! What was I thinking??
• Continue blog posting and Twittering regularly, despite whatever life changes we are going through. Long silences are bad for traffic! Plus, having this non-mommy blog forces me to think about non-mommy things when the mommy-ing gets overwhelming.
• Keep myself open to alternative part-time career opportunities that do NOT involve sales. Maybe social media? Maybe an off-shoot of something blogging related? I am open to ideas and suggestions!
• Consider entering into sponsorship partnerships with companies I love, to further the blogging thing. I don’t know much about this stuff. I am not promising anything.
• Figure out how to babyproof our cabinets which have no handles.
• Turn all my blog posts on the family blog from 2009 and 2010 into physical books using Blog2Print.com – this is the only way our family will ever own a “scrapbook” and it’s so much easier because I’ve already done the work!

When I get the blog redone, hopefully there will be a place on the sidebar or sub-pages where I can post this list for easy visibility. I reserve the right to add, delete, or revise items on this list as well, but I’ll notate that in the list itself.

Happy New Year!!