Last year I wrote about my resolutions (which I usually don’t do but I did 5 out of 8 — not bad). I don’t like writing resolutions because I actually start on them right away than wait. I want to think of them more as goals than ‘changing’ myself completely. The year prior, I did an end of the year wrap up reflecting the months, what happened and what I learned. Overall, this year I’ve grown so much and much of my priorities have changed. I’m actually quite happy about that. If the year passed and I learned nothing I wouldn’t have felt accomplished at all.

So much has happened: This year,  I left my first job out of school, I got a major salary change, I got let go, and I became a freelancer. I also started realizing how important my friends were. A couple years prior I appreciated my family more and I’m first to admit: I had some sort of Holden Caulfield days when I wasn’t very appreciative of what I had (I think that was normal for a teenager though).

Recently, life has been good and I can’t complain. I’m finally content. 2010 was challenging – yes… but having your mind finally expand due to biology and understanding situations better is quite invaluable. 2010 was just quite an odd year. I met some interesting people and learned from them. This helped me compile a list of goals.

These are my “resolutions”:

1. Sleep more (they call it beauty rest for a reason right).
2. Play more video games (jus’ sayin’)
3. Eat healthier
4. Build better friendships and improve on current good ones
5. Focus.
6. Donate more
7. Travel more!
8. Seek more “first” experiences…
9. Write, write, write
10. Date more normal guys (thanks dad — I didn’t want to make this a resolution but my dad told me that I dated weird guys… <3 him — I just had to add that!)

What are your resolutions?

I’d like to share what happened though! This year was an incredible year of firsts for me.

January
I started the year off by heading to the spa (first type I’ve been to like that) and attending church with Johanna who was visiting from Sweden. I wrote very few entries in January because I was focusing on certain goals. I also learned how to replace an iPod Touch Screen (a first).

I also tried Sahaja Yoga (another first) also with Johanna. I also started writing tutorials for cookbooks.adobe.com.

February
I enjoyed Valentines Day but I learned a very important lesson about myself and love. I also left my job (a first) to accept another. I joined Aviary, inc. It was my first experience at a Start-up company — which was the wrong fit but I wouldn’t find that out until later. I also decided to get a REAL smart phone, I removed my old phone (bye bye red).

March
In March, Pari Dukovic was able to do my “25th year photo” which came out amazing!

I got an interview with Dominican Source.

I also learned how to deal with an incredibly difficult client or prevent them.

I attended NYC Twestival as one of my first Twitter-related events. I also tried Netflix for the Wii and loved it.

Did some photo manipulations… and got addicted to the show Keith and the Girl.

April
On April Fool’s Day, I pretended to get married to my friend Marvin who has been an amazing friend since I’ve met him. I tested the iPad at my job at the Start-Up Company. I also decided to start that Design Lady NYC fan page to separate my life from my real facebook page. I also bought a relationship book that made me change my perspective on relationships but in it’s irony, the couple also broke up.

I decided to try something new — something where I tried to be nice daily.

MOMA had a Tim Burton exhibition and I was lucky to have attended:

I also got my very first real professional haircut:

May
I went to the first party from @db — a tweetup where I met @justcreative and @iamkhayyam.

I also lost my job on May 7th. I had so much to say but I was talked into not writing about what happened but I didn’t let that stopped me from telling my employers exactly what I thought it all came from. I learned a huge lesson during that experience. It also taught me an incredibly lesson about kindness of strangers, separation of races, beliefs etc. It was a very trying experience for me and it opened up my eyes about life in just a few days!

My friends helped me get through it…

I through of a list of endless opportunities…

However, I landed an amazing opportunity with an agency that I had interviewed with earlier in the year. I got the chance to work on the interface of all things, the Nook II.

I also realized the value of supporting other creative people.

Pacman was uploaded on my server since Google’s was only there for a couple days…

My friends became more important to me and I learned how to balance my checkbook much more efficiently.

June
I became more aware of the HTML 5 vs. Flash debate.

I got a litl.

I also tried Paintball for the first time:

Hung out with someone who randomly met me through twitter. I also decided to go home to the Virgin Islands.

July
In July, continuing the “firsts” I tried pole dancing classes. Which made me respect what the body can do — but  of course I’d never strip .

I saw Inception — the first screening that I’ve ever done and attended my first block party.

This month, I also tried being a vegetarian for one month and bootcamp training for the first time.

August
Went to my first burlesque show and got my first tattoo. I also dimissed a job that I definitely didn’t like after learning new things about freelancing such as, get to know what net 30 means and not everyone will want to pay you especially if you’re a freelancer.

I tried to reevaluate my life as a single girl. I went on my first hike.

I  valued the friendship of these two girls. I realize that there can be girls who aren’t bitchy and conniving. They are certainly the best of the best. Cole from Bama to Brooklyn and Patrice from Hell and Heartaches.

(photo by @newsychu)

I went to my first poetry reading.

Then, there was a start of my Graphic Novel Project.

September
My website jadersworld.com (my first domain) made 10 years old. I went to my first J’ouvert. I wrote about Attaining Happiness. I also went to my first Fashion Night Out event for some reason I always missed out on it. I also did the annual breast cancer race as usual.

My friend Joe got married — I haven’t been in a wedding in so long that I thought they were extinct — seriously.

I realize how important Klout was on Twitter when I got Lone Star Screening kit. I went to my second hiking trip. I became more aware of the influence of brands.

It became more apparent that health benefits will be difficult to attain as a freelancer.

October
I did my first Improv Everywhere assignment with the MP3 experiment. I alo saw the Social Network Movie which has been drawing a great deal of traffic to this site.

GAP changed it’s logo. I discovered Varsano’s Chocolate.

It became more apparently how much Google is needed in my life.

I attended the NYC Comic Con.

Catfish was a good movie and I went to the Adobe Max Conference again.

November
I made my Halloween costume this year:

iVoted in the Elections. I’m often fascinated by this because I’ve only been a citizen for a few years.

I realized that many people were deactivating their facebook accounts only to sign back on.

I interviewed my parents for the first time for a blog entry.

I also took part of the Great Football Giveaway.

I also went on my first Dessert Crawl and did my very first Android app.

December
I got my first Mac ever…

I realized more and more how awesome twitter is.

I received Google TV from the October Conference we went to.

I came to the conclusion that I really have nothing to complain about.

Learned how to make Butterlane Cupcakes went to the first Klout Party that I’ve been invited to ever and another great party from Damien (@db).

I also did my first Blog off entry and hope to do more very soon.

OH yah, and I realized that I gained alot of weight and this is the heaviest I’ve ever been in my ENTIRE life (I still look kinda’ hot though with curvessssssssss).

I also learned to be closer to my parents. They are incredible people and well, I feel lucky to be their daughter (*tear*).

Also, finished the year off with an Adsense Google Check. Now this blog finally pays for itself. Thanks everyone!

That was my year! If I forget anything it will be in a follow-up post I’m sure — like you care… Anyway, how did yours go?

Happy New Year and best wishes for 2011!

Jerlyn