A year ago I posted a to-do list of five items I wanted to work on in 2011.  They weren’t resolutions, simply some priorities and goals.  52 weeks later, I thought I’d look back and see how I did.

Don’t procrastinate

Fail.  For example, every day I come home and see the peeling paint on my front door.  It’s been on my to-do list for a couple of years.  I didn’t get around to it in 2011.  And that’s just the front door – you should see the rest of the house.

Call a friend at least once a week.

Fail.  I think I might have called a friend once a season (that’s four times, for my arithmetically-challenged readers).  For some reason I can’t seem to find 20 minutes a week to reach out and touch someone.

Write letters and cards.

Fail.  I recall sending one card in 2011 (not including the 250-ish Christmas cards I sent for work).  Definitely some room for improvement.

Try one new recipe a week.

Fail.  I think I averaged a recipe a month.  I can’t remember a single one that stood out and has become part of my regular rotation.  Sigh.

Read at least one book a month.

Close, but still a fail.  I almost squeaked by on this one.  Last year’s reading list consisted of:

52 Loaves: One Man’s Relentless Pursuit of Truth, Meaning, and a Perfect Crust (William Alexander)

War (Sebastian Junger)

The Toughest Show on Earth.  My Rise and Reign at the Metropolitan Opera (Joseph Volpe)

Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers (Mary Roach)

Packing for Mars: The Curious Science of Life in the Void (Mary Roach)

The Best Laid Plans (Terry Fallis)

A Game of Thrones (George R.R. Martin)

A Clash of Kings (George R.R. Martin)

A Storm of Swords (George R.R. Martin)

A Feast for Crows (George R.R. Martin)

In my defence, those Game of Thrones books are long – each one is like reading three normal books. If I had chosen to read something more concise and less maddeningly expansive, I would have easily reached one of my five goals for the year.

On the plus side, my failure to achieve any of my goals for 2011 means I don’t have to waste much time coming up with new goals for 2012.  I’m simply going to recycle last year’s list and see if I can improve on my dismal performance.

There is one new goal to add to the list.  This is the year I turn 40.  When I turned 39, I decided I should greet the next decade in the best shape of my life.  I figured this shouldn’t be that hard, as I’ve never really been in shape to begin with.  Of course, nearly five months have gone by and I’ve ridden the exercise bike a total of three times, so I’m off to a good start.