I’m sitting here in my office area (which is a long room with a couch and lots of windows) and it’s lightly snowing outside. Could this be any better?

I thought I’d do a quick year end recap and tell you some of my fun goals for next year. I got into some planning podcasts this year and one of the things they do is NOT make resolutions per se, but set goals instead, and goals are great!

2023 in review:

The big thing is we bought a new house and moved in! This took up a lot of the beginning of the year, and I couldn’t be happier with it. We closed in mid-January, and then spent some time fixing up the walls (lots of cracked plaster) and getting fresh paint everywhere. We also had the floors waxed (old floors, can’t be refinished). We got lots of rugs, some new couches and a few other furniture pieces, and then moved in in mid-March.

Work: It was a busy year for work. I ended the year with 10 students at Wash U, which is a record, and I had a full private student as well. I performed over 90 different concerts, weddings, funerals, or other events. I judged students for Illinois Solo and Ensemble and for the Missouri Music Club Federation Spring Festival. I worked with students at a Composer’s Camp over the summer. I played solos with two different orchestras, a guitar orchestra, and an ad hoc orchestra put together by a local composer. I really upped my viola skills and even performed as principal violist for a chamber orchestra concert.

Personal: I continued my duolingo streak (I’m learning Norwegian) and just finished 500 days. I flossed daily–this is a habit I didn’t get into until my 40’s and I finally accepted that I need to use those flossing sticks. I read a fair amount, and I started running again. I went to a lot of concerts and events, many with Louie, Jazz shows, Symphony Concerts, Opera Theater, things at Wash U, various performances my friends played on, shows at Joe’s Cafe, the Amazing Acrocats, Circus Flora, Ben Folds, and probably a few more. I hosted a cookie exchange party and we hosted an after concert party for a small chamber orchestra. We also hosted a graduation party and several small dinner gatherings, and we attended a variety of neighborhood events.

Travel: Louie and I took two big trips together: one a road trip to Colorado and New Mexico, and another a road trip to Chautauqua New York and then to Niagara Falls and other places in Ontario. We also visited Urbana for a weekend to see our friends Michael and Heather and see a variety of concerts at a Guitar Festival. We also had a lot of people travel to us! My sisters visited, my parents came a few times, Louie’s dad and brother visited for his graduation, and more! It was nice to use our new guest rooms and show off our house and our new neighborhood.

This is not to say that all of 2023 was good, because there were definitely some not great things that happened. Some lowlights included: Louie getting COVID over Thanksgiving, hurting my knee in May and having to do PT, having a squirrel infestation of sorts and having to deal with that. and of course some illnesses and such with people we know that I won’t go into on the blog.

So! Plans for 2024: I won’t tell you everything because some is more personal, but here’s some of the main points:

Work: Do a bit less. One thing I ran into was taking some jobs that had rehearsals that interfered with teaching, and then turning down other jobs for the same performance date that wouldn’t have had a rehearsal! So maybe I need to consider that other stuff may come up, but I should be more mindful of what I’m doing. I need to get out of the scarcity mindset: it’s so hard to do!

I also want to continue to stay organized and communicate well, stay on top of my schedule and my email inbox, and show up to work prepared.

Personal/Self: I want to keep up my duolingo and flossing, read even more books (I didn’t read as much as I felt like I did and I want to read ALL THE BOOKS)–sometimes that simply means put down the phone, pick up the kindle! I also want to make some marmalade and stay on top of my baking skills. I have the thought of getting back into needlepoint some as I have a few unfinished projects. I want to run or workout 3 times a week during the school year and 5 when school is out.

Relationships/Social: I made a separate category here. One thing I really want to strive for this year is doing more things with friends: making new friends and strengthening my current friendships. I want to attend the neighborhood Book Club when possible, and the same with the Film Club (but also with Louie!). I want to go on at least one hike a month with Louie (not sure what category this should actually be in) and host 6 small dinner parties. I want to have lunches/coffee with two friends a month (anybody reading this, reach out!). I feel like I ended up taking so many gigs just to see people, but there are other ways to see people as well!

Travel: We are brainstorming some summer travel ideas: though it may seem early for some, I am getting queries about summer dates (I have started using the word query in my own life, and I love it) and therefore need to block out some plans. We aren’t sure if Louie will have any work travel opportunities this summer but I think we can work around that anyway. We are looking at a trip to California to his family’s cabin, and maybe a road trip to Yellowstone/Grand Teton/Rocky Mountain, but we aren’t sure if this is the best year for that or waiting until the following.

House: there are a few larger projects we want to do and I’d like to tackle one of them this year: my closet needs an upgrade, the sunroom needs work, and we want to put a bathroom on the third floor. I think we can definitely do one of them. I also want to finish putting our existing paintings and framed pictures on the wall and figure out how to decorate the stairwell.

Do you make resolutions or lists of goals? How was your 2023? Are you glad to see it behind you or sad to say goodbye?