It’s here, the end of the year 2007. I’m sitting here at work, how appropriate!

So, like all bloggers, I must do a year-end wrap up, because that’s really what blogs are for yes?

This year was a doozy, a real doozy, let’s get started. This is in a somewhat chronological order, not as a matter of importance.

1. I started running. I got the treadmill in March and started walking. Slowly but surely I started running one minute, walking four, running one, walking four. As I got better I could run for 10 minutes and then 20 minutes at a time, each of these taking months and months to get to. Mid-summer I started running outside, a mile at a time and then up to two and now my longest run so far has been six miles. I can assure you back in March, I never thought it possible that I would be able to run six miles, no matter how long it took me to get there.

2. Also in March/April I took care of a personal problem I don’t really care to go into here, a financial problem that had me slightly ashamed and scared me late at night and early in the morning. I went and took care of it. I know it’s mysterious, but I have to include it on here because it was something that was literally scaring me for roughly 10 years. And in a matter of a few months, boom, all taken care of.

3. I learned the river tour for the Architecture Foundation. No small feat might I add. This was a damn hard tour to learn, and as with most things, held the biggest payoff. I worked my ass off this spring to learn that tour, went out on cold boats early on Saturday mornings, took countless training tours, went out every day at lunch, came in early in the morning to work on building cards. I’m so freaking glad I did, those tours were highlights of the year for me, and I CANNOT wait to start doing them again.

4. I quit Chicagoist and started writing for Chicagoist again. Love it.

5. I finished the book for work. Whether the book is done is not the point. I FINISHED writing (and producing) a book! Wow.

6. I started the salad blog with John. I love the salad blog. I love it as a project that he and I can do together, I love that other people love it. I love that it’s taken us 6 months and we’re still not done. I love that we’ve made friends at the Mart.

7. I auditioned for and got into Impress These Apes. Wow, another huge thing for me, in so many ways. I loved what I did, I’m so proud of myself. I also want to kick myself for not doing some things differently. I also want to make out with myself for forever having the Jerry McGuire scene with Sabrina, and the music video, and my cheeseburger song. That was huge for me doing that show, and it was huge for me finishing that show. And now I know ... Never. Again. The only place you’ll see me perform is once a month here and there with the all girl improv super group “Bitch Stole My Fish” and on the river. And in my bedroom.

8. I got engaged! Yay! The day after the last Apes show. Man, those were big weeks, big big weeks. Of course 2007 will go down in history for the engagement alone (and the party afterwards, honestly that was the best night of my whole life). And to think, it’s only just the beginning.

9. I quit smoking. Maybe the most important part of 2007. 11/12/07. Today it is 7 weeks. Still hard? YES. Still want one? Sometimes. Getting easier? You bet. Any cheats? NO!

10. I went out of town four times! Two trips to Vegas, one trip to New Orleans and one trip to Los Angeles. Not bad if you ask me. And just to answer the burning questions on all of your minds, yes, I think that I will continue to love Vegas as much as ever, even without smoking. I still have dreams all the time about it. Honestly, just had one the other day.

So that’s 2007 in review. It really was an amazing year, so much fun, I got so much done, I did good things for myself and I grew so much and learned so much and read my new favorite book of all time (The Edge of Sadness).

So, now what? Resolutions for 2008?

2008 is going to be about getting things done, and doing what I’m already doing with a little more seriousness.

2008 is about

1. Getting married. Let’s not fool ourselves, its time to get on the ball and plan a wedding. By this time next year I’m going to have a husband. Gulp.

2. A stronger commitment to running. I’ve been pretty good about running 3 times a week, I’d love to get it to 4 times and to really work on making myself strong. The ankle thing really put the fear of forty into me; I’m not a young woman. I need to keep myself strong so I can keep running! More core work, more protection work, more strength.

3. Eating more healthily. I can do this, I totally can. I would like to educate myself about food more, read about the meat industry, etc. I purposely haven’t done this, because we all know I love love LOVE denial. But its time I started facing up to some personal responsibility.

4. Mental health this year is going to be a doozy too. I think I might get myself a little thing called therapy. Getting married is a big deal, it sets off lots of little questions I need help answering, quitting smoking set off things a lot of things too, I would like to clear my brain a little before I marry John. I’m also looking forward to starting meditation.

5. Most of all, just from looking at this list and thinking about what I want, it seems like 2008 is going to be about growing up.

And about love, and marriage, and partnerships, and family, and health and doggies.

Happy New Year everyone! Yip!