***Non official reflections on 2017 ***

I started 2017 with a long list of goals, precise and dry, resembling a shopping list more than a beautifully worded list of resolutions.

The Universe though always has its way to stir up things without warning, and so it did this time. After some brief eye blinking and face palming, I realized that the two major goals I had for 2017 that involved cooperation/help from other people would need to be pushed back. Until the time I figure out a way to do this on my own, or get help from my Fairy Godmother (the former is more likely). But yep, losing to myself, falling behind on what matters to me now - still sucks and is hard to accept 😃

As to what depended on me to the most part - I've spent a great first year at a new workplace, survived a full-time tax season with topping off my billable hours at night and daily 2 hour commute. Maintaining a schedule of constant pick ups and drop offs (kids - to and from daycare, myself - to and from work 😃, groceries, library books, kids' toothpaste) was easy but left little room for errors/delays. Besides, being grounded in the triangle of home-work-daycare for months is irritating.

At the same time, I did not give up on level of life for our family (priorities....), so no man of our family (regardless of age) has to dig into the laundry basket for a "relatively fresh" shirt when he runs out of shirts, the walls of our house are not covered in mold and our fridge does not echo. I call it success.

I do know now that in the remaining time I can listen to complete works of Shakespeare, although I did have a good start here. In addition to Faust, and going through audio courses of Slovenian and some Latin. Yep, that has a lot to do with my commute time.
I now know that my brain absolutely refuses to follow by ear and memorize Latin declensions and conjugations.

I do know that I can get back to good physical shape within a few months (it only requires to prioritize work outs to sleep during, say, tax season).

I pulled my bottom to Taekwondo, and it loves it I love it. I could not come to classes as often as I wanted to, hence - I did not get the belt I was aiming for, but plan to fix it next year.
I've never been involved into a physical activity that required - actually - learning control over my body (as in professional sports or dancing), so this is completely new experience to me. And the circumstances where I can't get by with just good memory and quick thinking, but have to MOVE and DO stuff. I'm intrigued.

I somehow managed to illustrate the short story for my Chinchillas I wrote last year, and on some drawings you can even tell a moose from a raven. At least by colour.

I'm genuinely happy with all the things that happened this year. Some of them were due to be completed or started a while ago, others were unpleasant, unexpected and probably unnecessary - but pointed at my personal security breaches as well as weaknesses.

For 2018 I'm planning to boil down all my moves, thoughts and ideas to 3 areas only. And while I'll be working on bringing them to life, Dear Universe, please be on my side!