2025 goals recap

 Is it too late to say Happy New Year? Probably. We are deep into February after all. But I did have someone at work say happy new year to me in their email yesterday So maybe there are no rules.

Last year in January, I made a list of things I wanted to do in 2025. Some of them could be called goals, I guess, but it was more just intentional things to keep track of.

Here's the list and the commentary

1. Go to the Drexel and Gateway theatres: We did this pretty immediately in 2025. We did, however, get memberships to the Gateway theatre, which we don't really take enough advantage of, but it is still fun to go see movies for "free." 

2. Try Cazuelas food truck across the street: This one didn't happen mostly because the food truck moved locations pretty immediately in 2025. 

3. Make eggrolls: This one kind of counts. I did, in fact, make eggrolls, but they weren't very good and we ended up throwing most of them away. Bummer. 

4. Try making laminated dough: This is a cold weather activity and last winter I made cardamon morning buns. And I am pleased to say that they turned out wonderfully! I was so proud!

5. Eat more salads: I didn't have a way to quantify this goal, but it felt like we did eat more salads this year based on how sick of salad we got. So I say, goal accomplished.

6. Paint once a month: This one was hard to motivate myself to do, but I did it! I painted at least once a month. Most of the paintings were small ones I could finish in one sitting. But I did it! 

7. Go to bakeries on my list: This one counts even though I only went to one new bakery: Dan the Baker, which is a James Beard award winning bakery in Columbus. And it's probably the best on in the city. 

8. Keep building friendships: Again, hard to quantify this one. But I did have coffees with a number of people and am still trying my best to have friends in Columbus. It's hard work, but I am trying.

9. Go on a trip with Levent: We kind of did this one. Levent and I both went down to the Asheville area, but I hung out with my sister and Levent hung out with his bestie Jason. So not quite the trip I had in mind for us, but still fun nevertheless. 

10. Finish recipe book project (at least 1): Yes! I finally finished one of my cookbook projects I've been working on for awhile. I've been taking family recipes, making them, taking photos of them with my DSLR camera and making a book. In 2025, I finished the one from my childhood. I still am working on one for each of my Grandma's recipes.

11. Try a cycling class at the JCC: I did this too! I was initially really intimated by going to a cycling class, but, of course, it ended up being not that big of deal. Turns out, I love cycling classes. I did a lot of them in 2025. Unfortunately, due to lack of a second vehicle and the timing of the classes, I cancelled my gym membership this year. But I am hoping to be back some day. 

12. Read 90 books: I crushed this goal. I actually read/listened to 124 books! I know! I have never read that many books in one year ever. I am not really sure how I accomplished it, but it was a lot of fun. 

13. Go camping: Nope, we did not do this. Depression makes planning things seem really hard

14. Go to the conservatory: I actually ended up going twice! Once with Mom, Dad and Levent in February and then once with Leah when she was here in the fall. It's a beautiful place. 

15. Visit metro parks with Tito and Levent: Turns out, dogs aren't allowed on a lot of the trails at the metro parks. So Tito didn't get to go, but Levent and I did go to Highbanks metro park together and went on a hike/walk back in June.

Overall, I don't think I did too bad. It was fun to keep track of these goals/intentions throughout the year. I am not doing it this year, but maybe I will again sometime.