It's that time again, where I take a look at how I did with my 2015 resolutions and make some goals for 2016. 

2015 Resolutions

1. Finish Four More Writing Classes Through UCLA Extension - I completed seven!

2. Send out my short stories (Fiction and Non-Fiction) to a minimum of fifteen publications/contests. - I failed this and only sent out five. Four of them within this month.

3. Finish the first half of my novel. - Although it's hard to tell if I've reached the exact half-way point, I'm either there or very close. 

4.  Blog a minimum of three times a week. Keep consistent with publishing blog content on a regular basis, rather than in large clumps, when I'm on class breaks. - I've really succeeded here, with posting every-other day for the entire year. The consistency has paid off with a upswing in readers. 

5. Start or join a writing group - Semi-successful. I did start an online group with a few fellow students over the summer, but it fizzled. 

6. Read a minimum of fifty books- 65 read!

7. Starting Jan 5th until June Cruise - no alcohol/sweets/ fried food ( only exception is Jeep Jamboree or other special occasion)- I did this and lost a ton of weight, but after the cruise I went back to my old habits. I guess technically I met this resolution, but I wish that I had continued it after the cruise. 

8. Log food and exercise in daily notebook.- I did this consistently until our cruise in late June. Tracking really is a key to success with healthy eating and weight loss.

9. Starting Jan 5th, attend regular exercise sessions with trainer. Make working out a priority in 2015. - Nailed this. With the exception of vacations, I worked out three days a week with my trainer for the entire year. 

10. Travel to a new state or country ( hopefully both and several)- No new states, but several new countries- France, Spain, Gibraltar, Netherlands and Belgium

11. Scan and organize 1/4 of family photographs. Print and frame family photographs to hang in both homes.- My big resolution fail, none of this was done. 

2016 RESOLUTIONS- Many of which will be similar or the same as last year, but I find publicly declaring and evaluating the list to be a huge motivator. 

1. Finish UCLA Extension Fiction Writing Program

2. Finish the 1st Draft and 1st complete revision of my novel.

3. Attend two or more writer's conferences

4. Start or join a writer's group

5. Submit my work to a minimum of fifteen publications/contests

6. Create/stick to, a regular writing schedule-find my optimum writing time

7. Read a minimum of 60 Books

8. Travel to a new state or country

9. Keep a food/exercise journal- exception is the family vacation

10. Starting January 4th- cut sugar, alcohol, fried food from diet- except on vacation or very special occasions ( Days ending in Y are not always special), but continue after vacations 

11. Scan and Organize 1/4 of family photos.

12. Organize and maintain paperwork/filing cabinet.