Happy New Year! This is one of my favorite times of the year - I am a SUCKER for resolutions, changes, and new beginnings. My list of resolutions is usually so long and ambitious it borders on ridiculous. 

BUT...

before I write about my resolutions for 2017 I thought I'd recap, review, and grade myself on my resolution performance in 2016.

 The Active Violinist List of Resolutions for 2016.

Personal

• Read 30 books

I completed 31 and was very close to finishing 32. - SUCCESS ✅ 💯

• Write a letter or card to my Nana every time I finish a book

Okay, Okay this didn't quite happen BUT I did write at least one card per month. Incidentally, it spawned a competitive reading challenge with my Nana (which she won) and she tried to up my book reading to 36. I tried but alas, that whole work, practice, research, drive, blah blah blah thing really gets in the way. - Quasi Success ✅

• Be a (better) morning person

This still needs work. This rehearse at night, drive home, eat late thing is really messing with my get up early and conquer the world plans. I will say that I do much less late night Netflix watching (a tiny triumph) - FAIL ❌

• Classy (and Sassy)

This one was all about personal grooming and I improved immensely. I am gradually weeding out the charming yet dated 'I bought this in college and it was cheap and bohemian' pieces and replacing them with more 'timeless and chic' options. Consequently, I take better care of my belongings. I even iron stuff now AND go to the dry cleaner more than once per year. - SUCCESS 💯✅

Professional

• Write More!

Yes, I definitely wrote more! Blog posts, chapters nobody ever read, ideas for projects, emails - but this could always improve. - SUCCESS ✅💯

• Finish Dissertation (and consequentially my D.M.A.)

Well I started writing and even worked up a proposal. This whole process takes more time than I ever imagined. I did not factor in waiting on faculty schedules, or editing (lots and lots of it). - This is a Fail but moving in the right direction ❌ 🔆

• Get a Job

This one is tied to the dissertation. NO APPLYING FOR JOBS UNTIL DOCUMENT IS COMPLETE. It sure is hard to resist the temptation of a good application and hours of time avoiding my dissertation. Ahh the smell of professional procrastination - FAIL❌

• Do Not Neglect the Fundamentals

I do this everyday. My daily practice warm up is ingrained in my morning routine now and I would be lost without my self inflicted hour of scales, double stops, bowing exercises, etudes, arpeggios, etc. I definitely think it is paying off. So far I've taken 3 regional auditions and won every single one of them. I credit the relentless hours of technique. - SUCCESS 💯 ✅

• Learn the Sibelius Concerto and Mozart #5

Mozart - SUCCESS ✅💯 (although I still pick up #4 for auditions)

Sibelius - that sucker is hard! But I have been chipping away at it throughout the year. Would I perform it next week? No, but now I can at least play through it with a little more ease each time. - Quasi Success ✅ 

Health And Wellness

• Ride my Bike More

Yes this happened in that I went from 0 rides to roughly 15 this year. This is improving but still has a ways to go. Ideally I'd like to be on my bike AT LEAST once per week. - Quasi Success ✅

• Afternoon Tea (no, not with cucumber sandwiches. More like instead of coffee.)

I was getting pretty good at this one until gig season hit like a ton of bricks and then I was back to guzzling cappuccinos and coffee at all hours of the day. Still working on it - Quasi Success ✅

• Drink More Water!

I'm trying but OMG my body needs so much water. It is exhausting just trying to squeeze in enough hydration in one not-so-active day let alone when I've actually worked out. - I'm counting this as a FAIL ❌ because I still feel like more often than not, I am not hydrated enough.

• Yoga

I definitely upped my home practice game and I now have nice cork blocks and regularly hit my mat. I found an amazing teacher who I am obsessed with and cannot get enough of his classes...but he's in Minnesota (sob!) William Prottengeier - look him up, he is AMAZING!!

I need to go back to class. I can tell I'm getting kind of lazy and doing the things that are comfortable. I need someone to challenge me and push me. - I'm counting this as a Quasi Success with room for improvement. ✅

How did I do?

Overall I did Okay. I'd give myself a B-. Things were started, or minimally improved but I see room for greater growth and attention. I'm dissapointed in myself on some levels for not completing some of the bigger items on this list more fully, but feel more determined than ever to kick 2017 in the butt and conquer some some resolutions in 2017. 

Stay tuned for 2017 resolutions coming soon!