It’s that time again — Time to say goodbye to 2006 — and hello to the start of a Whole New Year. A New Chance at Greatness!

Last year was one of the best year’s of my life — but — it’s ending on a rather melancholy note. Numerous unfinished projects — both personal and work related. Of course, most year’s end that way - No?
I’d like to start with my resolutions for 2007 — followed by a recap of some of the Best/Worst Moments of 2006.

For me, 2007 will be “The Year of The Project”. I’ve decided on 12 personal projects, each one will start in a specific month — but may take longer than one month to complete.

January: Master My Craft

I’ve learned a lot this past year — but technology changes so rapidly that staying ahead of the curve requires a dedication to learning and mastering new skills. This year, I resolve to improve or master the following: Microformats, Ruby on Rails, CSS (made lots of progress on this in 2006), and Dom Scripting/AJAX (jQuery).

I’d also like to do the following each day — Read (or at least skim) my RSS Feeds, do a new tutorial for Illustrator/Photoshop, and form a better network of experts to consult when I reach a problem

February: Buff It Up!

Time to get focused on health, appearance, & fitness — because “My Body is the shape I live in, and it Shapes the way I Live”. This month I resolve to start the $1/Day dining project, and workout at least 5x/week.

I also resolve to start Bikram Yoga again, start tanning, and find time for facials, manicures, pedicures and other indulgences.

March: Speak Up

Time to get back to one of the things I do best — Public Speaking. It’s been a long time since I actively practiced The Fine Art of Oratory. I resolve to start attending weekly Toastmasters meetings, do more podcasting, present at more events, and maybe even take a couple acting classes or participate in a community theatre production.

April: Finance Matters

Pretty obvious — but an area I struggle with. I love to shop — and I spend money like crazy. And the more I make — the more I spend. So, this year, I resolve to save at least $1000/month in an interest bearing account, donate to charity, invest more in the stock market, and stop wasting money on things I don’t need.

May: Learn The Lingo

Once upon a time, I used to speak pretty passable French. I’d love to start practicing, learning, and speaking French again. I resolve to spend 1 hour/day working on my French for the rest of the year. Kyle - this means you’ve been enlisted as my study buddy

June: Simplify and Organize

We’re at the 6 month mark, and it’s time to get rid of all the clutter I’ve no doubt accumulated over the past months. This means it’s time to toss, to delete, to purge, to clean, to file, to arrange, and to organize. I resolve to start saying “No” to projects I don’t have time to take on, to clean up my act (literally), and to find ways to do more with less. I will organize and simplify my world.

July: Shake A Tailfeather

Time to let loose and dance. This month I resolve to take weekly ballroom dance classes, and maybe even a hip hop class or two.

August: Sail Away

I’ve always dreamed of learning to sail. Well — life is short — and it’s time to stop dreaming, and start living. This month I resolve to take sailing lessons.

September: Bon Appétit

Time to learn to cook more than Hamburger Helper. This month I resolve to take a cooking class each week, trying out exotic cuisines like Indian, Thai, French, and maybe even Cake decorating.

October: Become Well-Read

I’ve always loved snuggling up with a good book. But, it seems that I read for pleasure less and less these days. I resolve, to read great books — and have great discussions. This month I will join my local Great Books chapter — and recapture my love of reading.

November: Write On

Time again for NanoWriMo. This month, I resolve to complete NanoWriMo or donate $200 to Baal Dan. Fourth time is the charm

December: Finish What I Start

Knew this was coming — this is my last chance to do all the things I hoped to do in the prior months. It’s also a chance for me to examine what I am focusing on in my life — and the value I am deriving from those endeavors. I resolve to stop procrastinating — to focus — and to finish what I start.

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