Older'n Dirt

Relationships
0. Get a girlfr-
Ha! kidding.

Experiences
1. Attend a regular season Packer game
I didn't get to achieve my goal last year of going to an NFL game, but I still want to shoot a little higher. Though I'm not always terribly obvious about it, I follow the Packers as religiously as perhaps anyone I know. I just haven't gotten the chance to get to Lambeau to see a real game. I'm hoping that in 2012, with a somewhat favorable schedule of home games against non-marquee teams (Tennessee, Jacksonville, Arizona), I can finally try to network a ticket-holder connection that I've never had, or at least get to a lower-hype game via the resale market. This resolution doesn't preclude me from making it to an away game (road games against the miserable/nearby Rams and Colts are strong possibilities), though getting to the Frozen Tundra is preferred.

2. Drive in two more states in which I have not previously driven
Third straight year for this old resolution theme, but I like that it pushes me a bit more every year. The window of my life where I can freely travel (cheaply) by road without consequence is coming to a close at some point. Most of the states near Wisconsin have been driven in by me, although options with moderate proximity include Indiana, Michigan, Missouri and Nebraska. You know, the best states.

3. Visit Tampa again
I haven't been back for a while, and I just don't shut up about it either! My love for the city might just be due to some positive associations, but let me have it. Some people have "up north" or "Europe" or "Disneyland" (barf), but this is my idyllic escape. I don't know if I'll ever live there again, but after my years at UW I can't imaging flying back into TPA without my heart being warmed (and my rest of me, for that matter).

4. Go to a Tampa Bay Lightning game during the 2012-13 season
I didn't get to go to one this year because they didn't play in Chicago this season, and their one Minnesota game was on a Monday night during school. I'm at the mercy of the NHL schedulers, and I guess, looking back, I was just fortunate enough that they played in St. Paul on a Saturday last season. Hopefully they'll play the Wild on another weekend, or play at Chicago next year, or at least a more reasonably-timed Columbus or St. Louis game (both of them this year conflicted with exams). That having been said, if I achieve resolution #3, #4 is probably coming down with it. I also hope they aren't terrible again next season, but that should be their resolution, not mine. Also, if the NHL misses any games to lockout, I'm giving myself this one automatically, because screw that.

5. Go to MLC call day
I've always been intrigued by MLC's call day process. It seemed like the NFL draft (which I love), with all these young college graduates getting told where they will live for, you know, the start of their adult lives. I can imagine it would be exciting and a little nerve-wracking at the same time. With some of my friends graduating/getting calls in May, and with me no longer graduating the same weekend, this seems like a good year to do it.

Personal Improvement/Achievement
6. Get a worthwhile experiential internship
Now that I'm in a field in which I have a desire to strive toward being one of the best, I'm hoping that will show and I'll have more success when it comes to landing related work than I have in the past (related: I always laugh when I see people complaining online about having applied to 10 jobs and not hearing back...I used to apply for 10 jobs a week, at very least). Hopefully some combination of hard work, age, talent and connections will finally result in scoring some legitimate career-related work experience.

7. Run a little bit!
I've had this as a resolution, or at least something similar, here before. Now that I have a girlfriend who has a history of the dreaded "run for fun" it may be worth it to get a little better at the art of distance running. I've probably been over the fact that a large percentage of my friends always seem to be cross-country runners, and how I almost ran cross-country in high school, but maybe I can challenge myself to at least run a 10k or something.

8. Expand the range of my cooking abilities/go out to eat less
I think these could go hand in hand. I don't go out to eat ALL that often (a few times a week), but it's still more than I think I should be. I'd probably be less apt to go out to eat if I was capable of making a wider range of more satisfying food at home. Part of that has to do with having to share a kitchen with 6 other people and having limited ingredient storage, but I could be making more of an effort than I am. I'm beginning to look forward to having a place more to myself, but that can wait until I'm done with college. I'm fortunate enough just to have my own room at the moment.

9. Finish the year on track to graduate in one more semester
Hopefully I've finally nailed down what will be my final change of academic plans, as I think I'm really going to be ready to be done with college by May of 2013. However, better to have to sit and marinate in school for an extra year than to jump into the work world completely unprepared, armed with only a degree in hand. Hopefully by next year I'll be more confident in my ability to compete in the work force and I'll be looking forward to graduation rather than dreading it. There is much work to be done to get there, but I'm relishing the opportunity.

10. Accomplish at least half of my New Year's Resolutions
Not counting numbers 0 or 10.