In short, I'm a big failure.
-The big one, exercise twice a week, was more often once a week in reality. Once late April hit, it was more than a month of zero exercise. Well, there was certainly a ton of walking in Europe, but no gym for weeks. I was working every day and took several work trips in addition the vacation trip. Since mid-June I've been better, but still averaging once a week.
-I wanted to bike 100 miles. It wouldn't be tough, either--ten trips of about ten miles each. Easy peasy. But again, the busy and then the pregnant. And now the ridiculous heat, sheesh. So that one's gone for the year. I'll look forward to re-discovering biking in Portland next spring and see if we can get some baby seats for some family rides (I am really excited about that, actually).
-I wanted to fully fund a Roth IRA contribution. After the new year, having a real salary, I did several large and small contributions but to both tax years. I think combining the two I was pretty close to $5,000, which Mister M says still counts.
-I wanted to drink more water (at least 16 oz a day). I did pretty well, and have been trying to drink more than that. It was a little easier at work, with the water cooler. And now that I'm once again obsessed with lemon water (I like a tablespoon of lemon juice to ten ounces of water), plain water is so boring but I keep running out of lemons.
(PS, do you ever catch yourself realizing what you're complaining about? "Ugh, all this clean water that I get for free from inside my own kitchen is so BORING." "Dude, I'm eating so many lemons that I can't buy them fast enough with all this money I have, from these many grocer establishments in my immediate area!" "It sucks that the clean water I turn on in my shower is so cold at first! I have to let it run unused down the drain so long for it to be warm and comfortable for my precious skin!" First world problems, oh my!)
-I made a reading goal of eighty books and four classics. I'll shatter the first one; I'm already at 65 for the year. And! I've read three classics too so far. First was Peter Pan, for one of my book clubs. It was...kind of weird, but still had the same charm as the Disney cartoon and Hook. Then I found a book that included Call of the Wild and White Fang and devoured those in a few days. I loved them! I'm not sure why, but I really enjoyed reading about the exploits of the wolves/dogs and the wild white north. I was, and still am, kind of bummed that the books are over. I watched the White Fang movie (with the baby-faced Ethan Hawke), and I keep meaning to start re-watching Due South because of the husky.
-Donate blood--nope. My OB took about five vials of it for the first round of testing though, does that count?
-I wanted to visit my grandma once more. Mister M and I went out there just after we got married, two summers ago. She's now 95, and since we (read: I) were already planning to move, it wouldn't be as easy to hop over to Illinois. I just went last week and it was good timing, because a couple months ago she had a bad fall and her health/mental acuity has been deteriorating. So I'm really glad that I made it out there to see her and some other family that I don't see much.
-I wanted to snack smarter and eat at least one piece of fruit a day. That one has only been so-so. I got tired of apples months ago, but have been eating bananas, lots of blueberries and strawberries, and of course, all that fresh lemon juice-yum yum. However...currently there are two packages of cookies in the kitchen. (This is a major anomaly though!!) And I was thinking about making nacho tots for dinner...
-Organization! I have made a few small strides in that lately (recent bathroom closet clean-out), and I weeded out some clothes and books a couple times this year, but now it's ramped up with the packing process. That's a definite upside to getting ready to move--perfect opportunity to get rid of excess stuff and make sure you keep what's actually important. For example, I gave away the two and a half years' worth of National Geographic and Smithsonian that I'd been saving. Remember that I agonized over getting rid of the first couple years' worth and wanting them to be used for the right reason. Now, obviously, I realize that it is utterly ridiculous to move a big stack of heavy magazines that honestly I never look at after I read them, interesting though they are. So in a way I'm even organizing and decluttering my mind! :)
(Oh, and I've linked to it on Facebook a couple times, but just in case, if you are motivated or want to be about cleaning/decluttering, you should read Unf*ck your Habitat. Big inspiration! Unclutterer is another good one, with a more mature/less cursing kind of feel.)
Well, I guess that overall I haven't failed too badly at most of these things. I really am counting on this pregnant thing to be a valid excuse for some of it, and now losing my job for some others.
Showing posts with label goals. Show all posts
Showing posts with label goals. Show all posts
Friday, July 27, 2012
Wednesday, January 04, 2012
2012, let's do this
(Isn't it interesting that "twenty-twelve" flows so smoothly off the tongue, while "twenty-eleven" feels so unwieldy?)
The theme for my goals this year all seem to fit in the category of "Get Off My Ass/Get My Shit Together." With that in mind, here goes (organized roughly by topic):
Our couple goals, which are very similar to 2011, and obviously there's some overlap to my list:
The theme for my goals this year all seem to fit in the category of "Get Off My Ass/Get My Shit Together." With that in mind, here goes (organized roughly by topic):
- Drink at least 16oz of water a day (so far 4 for 4!)
- Eat at least one piece of fruit a day (totally ridiculous, but there you go)
- Snack smarter
- Work out at least twice a week
- Bike a total of 100 miles
- Go for a walk (as a habit, not as a single event)
- Aim for 8 hours of sleep a night (so far 1 for 4, but I am going to bed a little earlier)
- Donate blood
- Donate clothes/goods at least twice
- Volunteer at least twice
- Knit a vest (since I already crocheted one, and a sweater is scary--sleeves!)
- Do more writing, as opposed to listing (oops)
- Fully fund a year's contribution of Roth IRA (has yet to happen since 2003)
- Do five ideas from my photography idea list
- Read 4 "classics" (clearly numbers are not a problem for me, so I'm aiming for more Real Literature)
- Organize/declutter my "hotspots"
- Visit my Grandma
- Go somewhere new in the US
- Go to Europe
- MOVE
- Be more present and appreciative
- Get all the business stuff together (which is a whole separate list, as I mentioned)
Our couple goals, which are very similar to 2011, and obviously there's some overlap to my list:
- Eat at one new restaurant per month
- 6 live culture events
- Go to a Yankees game (we went to a Mets game a couple years ago)
- Go to at least one UCB show
- Visit 5 new museums (we have 5 in mind already)
- Cook together once a month
- Date night twice a month (can be going to a restaurant or cooking at home, but at a real table)
- Do household laundry the first weekend of every month
- Frame the things that need to be framed, and put them up
- Paint the shoe shelf thing (we got the paint the same time we got the shelf...it's sitting on another shelf)
- Replace our mattress
- Clean every week (which we've been doing since the fall)
- Continue our monthly couple portrait
Friday, December 23, 2011
another goal--check!
This week I did something I have been meaning to do for some time: I used my AmeriCorps voucher to sign up for a class!
A few years ago I realized that I should probably learn Spanish (I have an unofficial minor in French). I never got around to it, it wasn't a priority, etc. However, my education award expires in June, which is a good motivator to use at least a little. So I registered for a short Spanish course at a CUNY school's continuing education program!
It's kind of a test to start with. Both to see if I like the class and can learn, and also if I can handle working with a twice-weekly evening class.
It's not a huge commitment, only a month or so, and it's not like I have high expectations. But it's exciting to have the prospect of working on a new skill, especially one that will be so useful in the real world.
If it goes well, there are more sessions in the semester that I'll take, as well as some kind of accounting short course for a possible photo business future.
This was on my list of goals for 2011, and one that I wasn't sure I'd follow through on. So I am proud of myself and excited for a new challenge!
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
the state of my (online) library
Today I completed one of my big 2011 goals!
I completed my 100th book of the year. Goodreads happened to offer a challenge that would track everything for you, which was a big help so I didn't have to count up my written list all the time.
I chose Charlotte's Web for book #100. Somehow I made it through childhood without ever reading it. It was at the top of the 100 Best Children's Books the other year, and I figured it would be an appropriate book for this special position on the list. It did not disappoint. What a wonderful book! The writing is clear and clever, and even educational (I love the vocabulary that kids can learn from reading this!), and the characters really come to life. It is so sweet and I can just imagine how enchanted a child would be reading this. If I ever have kids, I will surely read this one aloud to him or her.
Other notables from my year's reading:
I read eleven nonfiction books this year, and eight of them were first-person memoirs.
- My favorite by far was Bossypants, in audio, by Tina Fey. She is awesome but also hilarious. I want to be like her when I grow up. (I look forward to listening to Mindy Kaling's new book; I have a feeling I also want to be her when I grow up.)
- Also very interesting was The Lost City of Z: A Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon, by David Grann. That book is about what happens when explorers stop being polite and start getting real--with plants, animals, and people that want to kill you.
I read a few grown-up literature books this year, including:
- Pamie's third book, Going in Circles.
- My favorite discovery was the Thursday Next series by Jasper Fforde (the first of which is The Eyre Affair). Fun adventures and clever wordplay? Yes please! I've read five of the books this year; the sixth just came out this spring.
Most of what I read was/is young adult literature. Don't scoff; some of it is amazing! (And some of it is stupid [I have never read Twilight, I don't intend to, and its very existence makes me angry].) I've read both types this year, some for the two YA book clubs I joined. Some of the ones I liked most were:
- the Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan: Greek myths come to life, fast-paced adventures for middle-grade girls and boys alike. There are five books; I can't wait to read the last one!
- Beauty Queens by Libba Bray: a fun satire of modern pop culture mixed with a girl version of Lord of the Flies. Fun for any high schooler.
- Mostly Good Girls by Leila Sales: The perfect girl becomes not-so-perfect. Excellent for teen girls feeling a lot of pressure to do everything and do it right.
Forge by Laurie Halse Anderson (sequel to Chains): A must-read by one of the best historical-fiction writers for young adults. Get an up close look at slavery and the Revolutionary War in the New York area.
- Al Capone Does My Shirts and Al Capone Shines My Shoes by Gennifer Choldenko: You simply have to read these. Life on Alcatraz is fascinating enough, but the characters seem so real, and the plots are alternately touching and adventurous. Fantastic reads for boys and girls (and their parents!).
Other outstanding YA books that you should absolutely read no matter how old you are:
Sunday, November 13, 2011
the state of my bum
On Friday, I did something very exciting. I came home from the gym and did this:
I have a little calender where I give myself a sticker every time I work out or am active. (Like on Saturday, where we walked probably three miles around town, even though it wasn't taxing.) That visual reward seems to work fairly well for me.
Though I'd been faithful about going to the gym once a week since we joined last September, in April I realized that it wasn't making much of a difference. I told myself I needed to go twice a week. And except for a really busy end of August, I have kept up with that.
So even though it doesn't mean anything numbers-wise, it's kind of exciting to finish off a whole sheet of stickers and know that it represents me working out or at least working on a goal of being more active!
What about results? Yeah...I don't know about that. I take a phone shot of the scale after my workout (at the gym; we don't have one at home), so that I could see/track any changes. I haven't been scientific about it, but recently I saw one from last October, and I was around 143. Now I'm around 148. And for a few weeks I was just over 150! That is the very highest range for me, and it's a little depressing to know that I've gained weight over the last year, while working out.
I am in my thirties now (I'm 32! What the heck!), and I've started to see the truth in the metabolism slow-down that happens. I'd hoped that by kicking up the workouts a bit, that would help. I guess not so much. Though I do use weights and when I was young I felt pretty muscular. In my head I'm still like that; the mirror sometimes tells me a different story. (But some days, like Friday, I was feeling kind of good about the reflection. But maybe that's just the flattering workout clothes. In my pj's I promise I look and feel fatter.)
Which brings me to another goal for 2011: track everything I eat for a week. Just because.
I searched on my iPhone for an app and the first one I saw was SparkPeople. It's a whole diet and fitness tracker, which is way more than I was looking for. (I hate the word diet and I've never been on one, and I don't ever plan to start.) But I was game for the challenge and gave it a go.
I actually kept it up for two or three weeks. The food tracking was kind of fun, in a sorting kind of way. And it was interesting to know how many calories were in the things that I eat. (I was impressed every time I ate a banana or apple or salad how few calories are in Real Food.) It took me a week to realize that my daily calorie goal was 1570-1920 and how low that is! That's not a lot of food. (Again, Real Food helps. So does water. [Oh my goodness, two weeks ago I suddenly tried water with half a fresh squeezed lemon--so delicious!]) But it makes sense, since that's a diet program, that you have to cut down on calories, or at least manage them.
I found two things, neither of which are surprising:
1. A few times I decided not to eat a snack or extra nibble because I knew I had to keep track of it.
2. There were plenty of times that I was full or at least not hungry, and therefore didn't need to eat. Some days I was a little surprised at how few items were on my list of meals/snacks.
And a third duh one: Going out to eat really screws you up! There were a couple times that we went out and my calories were over 3,000 for the day!
Baking doesn't help either. Or parties. Last week at our party I had lots of nachos and two pieces of that delicious Costco cake. This past week I've had more cake, plus cookies and brownies. My tummy thanks me but my thighs won't!
The fitness tracker was also fun; I liked burning more than the "daily goal" in my trip to the gym. (Though I was irritated that you only get credit for calories in cardio and not for strength as well; that's not fair.) They give you suggested exercises and you can watch demos too. I sometimes feel at a loss with free weights and abs (because I do the same few things every time), so I was glad to have some new suggestions. I started tracking some more things with the GPS on RunKeeper and found that I do a fair amount of walking in general, just to the train and around to errands and things. I should get a pedometer; that would help motivate me to keep moving.
This past week I petered out on the whole thing. I didn't exactly have a goal when I started; I was curious about my eating habits. I'm not sure that I want to or need to continue tracking (that's a lot of effort for not dieting).
I do have some takeaways that I need to be better about focusing on:
1. I would like to get back to 145 at the highest, closer to 140 if possible.
2. To do that, I need to be active three times a week.
3. I need to be better about eating fruit and veggies.
4. I'm a grazer; sometimes I feel like I eat all day long. I need to temper that with more water and healthier snacks. (Nuts are great, but man, they will eat up your calories!)
5. I also need to eat less often and pay attention to the times that I am or am not hungry.
I have a little calender where I give myself a sticker every time I work out or am active. (Like on Saturday, where we walked probably three miles around town, even though it wasn't taxing.) That visual reward seems to work fairly well for me.
Though I'd been faithful about going to the gym once a week since we joined last September, in April I realized that it wasn't making much of a difference. I told myself I needed to go twice a week. And except for a really busy end of August, I have kept up with that.
So even though it doesn't mean anything numbers-wise, it's kind of exciting to finish off a whole sheet of stickers and know that it represents me working out or at least working on a goal of being more active!
What about results? Yeah...I don't know about that. I take a phone shot of the scale after my workout (at the gym; we don't have one at home), so that I could see/track any changes. I haven't been scientific about it, but recently I saw one from last October, and I was around 143. Now I'm around 148. And for a few weeks I was just over 150! That is the very highest range for me, and it's a little depressing to know that I've gained weight over the last year, while working out.
I am in my thirties now (I'm 32! What the heck!), and I've started to see the truth in the metabolism slow-down that happens. I'd hoped that by kicking up the workouts a bit, that would help. I guess not so much. Though I do use weights and when I was young I felt pretty muscular. In my head I'm still like that; the mirror sometimes tells me a different story. (But some days, like Friday, I was feeling kind of good about the reflection. But maybe that's just the flattering workout clothes. In my pj's I promise I look and feel fatter.)
Which brings me to another goal for 2011: track everything I eat for a week. Just because.
I searched on my iPhone for an app and the first one I saw was SparkPeople. It's a whole diet and fitness tracker, which is way more than I was looking for. (I hate the word diet and I've never been on one, and I don't ever plan to start.) But I was game for the challenge and gave it a go.
I actually kept it up for two or three weeks. The food tracking was kind of fun, in a sorting kind of way. And it was interesting to know how many calories were in the things that I eat. (I was impressed every time I ate a banana or apple or salad how few calories are in Real Food.) It took me a week to realize that my daily calorie goal was 1570-1920 and how low that is! That's not a lot of food. (Again, Real Food helps. So does water. [Oh my goodness, two weeks ago I suddenly tried water with half a fresh squeezed lemon--so delicious!]) But it makes sense, since that's a diet program, that you have to cut down on calories, or at least manage them.
I found two things, neither of which are surprising:
1. A few times I decided not to eat a snack or extra nibble because I knew I had to keep track of it.
2. There were plenty of times that I was full or at least not hungry, and therefore didn't need to eat. Some days I was a little surprised at how few items were on my list of meals/snacks.
And a third duh one: Going out to eat really screws you up! There were a couple times that we went out and my calories were over 3,000 for the day!
Baking doesn't help either. Or parties. Last week at our party I had lots of nachos and two pieces of that delicious Costco cake. This past week I've had more cake, plus cookies and brownies. My tummy thanks me but my thighs won't!
The fitness tracker was also fun; I liked burning more than the "daily goal" in my trip to the gym. (Though I was irritated that you only get credit for calories in cardio and not for strength as well; that's not fair.) They give you suggested exercises and you can watch demos too. I sometimes feel at a loss with free weights and abs (because I do the same few things every time), so I was glad to have some new suggestions. I started tracking some more things with the GPS on RunKeeper and found that I do a fair amount of walking in general, just to the train and around to errands and things. I should get a pedometer; that would help motivate me to keep moving.
This past week I petered out on the whole thing. I didn't exactly have a goal when I started; I was curious about my eating habits. I'm not sure that I want to or need to continue tracking (that's a lot of effort for not dieting).
I do have some takeaways that I need to be better about focusing on:
1. I would like to get back to 145 at the highest, closer to 140 if possible.
2. To do that, I need to be active three times a week.
3. I need to be better about eating fruit and veggies.
4. I'm a grazer; sometimes I feel like I eat all day long. I need to temper that with more water and healthier snacks. (Nuts are great, but man, they will eat up your calories!)
5. I also need to eat less often and pay attention to the times that I am or am not hungry.
Tuesday, June 07, 2011
Personal Goal #1!
Knit or crochet a garment!
I did a few rows of the back the day before we left for Greece, and I finished the pieces while we were in Paros, the second or third to last day of our honeymoon. (I did a lot of crocheting either on the long ferry rides or while half-watching cheesy American movies subtitled in Greek.)
Well after we got home, like a couple weeks later, I 'tried' it 'on'. I'd made the smallest size because I didn't want it to be baggy. Even though the sizes go by bust size and the smallest was definitely too small for me. So when I sort of draped the pieces over me, of course they were too small. But I'd figured this might happen, and I had a plan: I crocheted three rows of sc on both edges of both pieces. It definitely changes the look, but it's not terribly unnatural, I feel. (Originally I thought about doing a contrast color, like black! and doing a border along the bottom. Some friends said no way jose. :D)
This weekend, after all my progress with organizing and decluttering, I was kind of bored and there's nothing on tv lately, so I finally picked up my pieces and started sewing them together.
(Note: I am pretty bad at this. I should go into a LYS for some help on my next project.)
But, I figure I'm the only one seeing it up close, and who knows how much I'll actually wear it, so really, who cares.
I'm still wearing it now, and it's surprisingly warm, without a lot of bulk! I've never been much of a vest person, but come fall, maybe I will be! :)
Most importantly, this was my gateway garment--I proved to myself (with the simplest possible pattern, naturally) that I could make one. So now I am super excited about the prospect of making another, more fitted one! I can do it!
And if you know of any cute patterns, let me know! :)
I did a few rows of the back the day before we left for Greece, and I finished the pieces while we were in Paros, the second or third to last day of our honeymoon. (I did a lot of crocheting either on the long ferry rides or while half-watching cheesy American movies subtitled in Greek.)
Well after we got home, like a couple weeks later, I 'tried' it 'on'. I'd made the smallest size because I didn't want it to be baggy. Even though the sizes go by bust size and the smallest was definitely too small for me. So when I sort of draped the pieces over me, of course they were too small. But I'd figured this might happen, and I had a plan: I crocheted three rows of sc on both edges of both pieces. It definitely changes the look, but it's not terribly unnatural, I feel. (Originally I thought about doing a contrast color, like black! and doing a border along the bottom. Some friends said no way jose. :D)
This weekend, after all my progress with organizing and decluttering, I was kind of bored and there's nothing on tv lately, so I finally picked up my pieces and started sewing them together.
(Note: I am pretty bad at this. I should go into a LYS for some help on my next project.)
But, I figure I'm the only one seeing it up close, and who knows how much I'll actually wear it, so really, who cares.
I'm still wearing it now, and it's surprisingly warm, without a lot of bulk! I've never been much of a vest person, but come fall, maybe I will be! :)
Most importantly, this was my gateway garment--I proved to myself (with the simplest possible pattern, naturally) that I could make one. So now I am super excited about the prospect of making another, more fitted one! I can do it!
And if you know of any cute patterns, let me know! :)
Tuesday, March 08, 2011
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Personal Goals #14, 15, 16, 17, Couple goals #5, 7
14: Exercise at least once a week. (stickers)
Success! For eight weeks! And really that was a continuation from December. Overall last fall I did a pretty good job of going once a week too (though there were several times when I got too busy or sick or hurt-y though).
Speaking of hurt-y, my knees are once again acting up. A few weeks ago they started aching a lot again, out of the blue. A little over a week ago, they started just plain hurting, pretty bad. This week I wasn't sure if I would be able to do much or if I should. But I ended up doing 20 minutes on the elliptical after all. (With some definite hurt/ache after I got home.)
15: Blog once a week. ("B")
I haven't necessarily had much to say, or anything at all (photo post), but I've been trying to stay in the habit of posting regardless. I actually have several things I've been wanting to post for awhile, I just haven't gotten around to it. Someday I might! :)
16. Post on photo blog more than once a month. ("P")
Last week I shot my first maternity session, which was fun! I just posted a 'sneak peek' shot and will do more next week. Another goal which I apparently forgot to write down was to do a photoshoot once a month. I was unable to do one in January because of the weather. There are three people I've been in contact with, trying to arrange shoots. Without a studio though, I'm at the mercy of Mother Nature.
I am SO THRILLED that the weather is definitely getting milder. I can't wait to see signs of spring, and get out there and shoot!
17. Return Netflix after three weeks no matter what.
Started out with a fail on this one, as I had the same three movies for most of January. But this month I've been better. I just have to be honest with myself about what I will actually watch--those Serious Dramas and/or Thrillers are just going to sit there, so I may as well not even pretend, and just leave them out of my queue to begin with. If it's a movie that I'd wanted to see in theaters, or a silly rom-com that I would have been embarrassed to see in the theaters, then that's what I'll actually watch. :)
5. Try one new restaurant a month.
Success!
In January we tried an Italian place in our neighborhood. It had tasty food and this very yummy chocolate cake.
In February we tried a diner, also in our neighborhood. (One always needs to know good diners!) This one was only ok.
7. Live entertainment/culture activity every two months.
On Valentine's Day weekend, we did a Watson Adventure scavenger hunt, about chocolate in Soho. We saw some new places (including the real, original Ray's Pizza) and learned some interesting things about NYC. We had to buy treats at a certain number of places along the way; We only had a few bits of things on the way, and ended completely stuffed. This is what we took home:
On Valentine's Day proper, we saw a show at Upright Citizen's Brigade. Next month, we have tickets to Pete Yorn concert, and a Mike Birbiglia comedy show. We're also hoping to see another Baby Wants Candy show (improvised musical! those people are brilliant!) soon.
Sunday, February 06, 2011
Couple Goal #9
(I made a lot of goals for myself, but also convinced husband that we should have some goals to work on together.)
Goal #9--Clean every two weeks
We're not slobs, but things like vacuuming tend to fall by the wayside. And cleaning every week, while surely sanitary and ideal, just would not happen. So, as a compromise, I decided on two weeks. (And he agreed.)
So far we've been successful! It's been three times, though we had to push one back when I was out of town. We split the chores and got them done fairly easily.
As I'm sure I've said before, having a goal to be accountable for is a great motivator for me. Especially this early in the year--copping out on something basic like cleaning would be silly!
I even put it in my desk calendar so I know it's coming, and that helps too, because I/we know to plan for that time. And really, especially when we're both doing the chores at the same time, it's not a lot of time.
All of this cuts down on the whining (internal or out loud) and it's really nice to see clean spaces more often!
...now for that small pile of clothes I've been meaning to put away....
Goal #9--Clean every two weeks
We're not slobs, but things like vacuuming tend to fall by the wayside. And cleaning every week, while surely sanitary and ideal, just would not happen. So, as a compromise, I decided on two weeks. (And he agreed.)
So far we've been successful! It's been three times, though we had to push one back when I was out of town. We split the chores and got them done fairly easily.
As I'm sure I've said before, having a goal to be accountable for is a great motivator for me. Especially this early in the year--copping out on something basic like cleaning would be silly!
I even put it in my desk calendar so I know it's coming, and that helps too, because I/we know to plan for that time. And really, especially when we're both doing the chores at the same time, it's not a lot of time.
All of this cuts down on the whining (internal or out loud) and it's really nice to see clean spaces more often!
...now for that small pile of clothes I've been meaning to put away....
Monday, January 31, 2011
Whew.
It's only Monday, but it's already a long week. Isn't it annoying when that happens? Even more so when we're looking at two days of nasty snow, rain, sleet and other blah? I have only one pair of boots (I didn't buy them until my third year in New York! I only bought them because I was going to Prague, where it was cold. Yeah, I don't know.), they're black suede, and all stained with salt. At least they're warm? I keep meaning to look into new boots that are more water resistant, but this freaking snow just won't quit.
--
In happier? sadder? news, today was Grandpa's funeral. The rest of the extended family returned to Seattle, except for me obviously. My mom said the funeral/memorial was wonderful and perfect, and they even had a blue sky. I'm so glad it all went well and that family and friends had such a good celebration together to honor Grandpa.
--
In other, more unimportant news, I finished my eleventh book so far this month/year. One of my goals (I know, I haven't posted them yet; I know you're all on tenterhooks! ha!) was to read 100 books this year. So eleven in January is a pretty good start. Full disclosure--number eleven was read pretty much just today (I had a long subway ride and it was a YA novel). However! In the past two weeks I blazed through The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo series, which is almost EIGHTEEN HUNDRED pages. Pretty proud of that. :)
--
In happier? sadder? news, today was Grandpa's funeral. The rest of the extended family returned to Seattle, except for me obviously. My mom said the funeral/memorial was wonderful and perfect, and they even had a blue sky. I'm so glad it all went well and that family and friends had such a good celebration together to honor Grandpa.
--
In other, more unimportant news, I finished my eleventh book so far this month/year. One of my goals (I know, I haven't posted them yet; I know you're all on tenterhooks! ha!) was to read 100 books this year. So eleven in January is a pretty good start. Full disclosure--number eleven was read pretty much just today (I had a long subway ride and it was a YA novel). However! In the past two weeks I blazed through The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo series, which is almost EIGHTEEN HUNDRED pages. Pretty proud of that. :)
Friday, January 07, 2011
Goals: New in 2011
Since I was quite successful accomplishing many of my goals in 2010, I was eager to map out new goals for this year. I might have gone a little crazy; there must be thirty or more goals I wrote down just for me, along with a dozen or more for husband and me to do/accomplish together.One of the goals is to post here once a week, and as I was pretending to sleep just now I suddenly realized that since I've procrastinated putting the goals post up here, it's been a week already! (I also mentally wrote some book reviews and then suddenly tried to remember the first name of the CTT teacher that I worked with my first year. I've racked my brain and even looked at a list of names that start with S and I still can't remember! It's killing me.)
So. I'm not ready with the big post about goals and reasoning and such just yet, but the photo is a beginning. Last year, in addition to finishing a third year of self-portraits every day, I also did a full Year In Photos of the calendar year. I'm doing it again this year, and so I thought it fitting that my first YIP would represent some of my goals for the year.
I'll be back soon with more exciting* details!
*Yes, that's sarcasm.
Saturday, November 27, 2010
A Life List
At the end of AmeriCorps, the big push was to think about "Life After NCCC." We were encouraged to think about what kind of life we wanted, what kind of jobs we were interested in, what paths we might take. I learned about the book The Back Door Guide to Short-Term Adventures, which unfortunately I never used (maybe someday I will). It felt like anything was possible, which was exciting as well as unnerving and scary. I was inspired to make a list--a life list, a list of things to do, to accomplish, to work towards, to wish for.
Here is the list all typed out and the 'verdict' on what I've done in the past eight years.
1. TRAVEL (in progress, but satisfactory so far!)
2. Mentor
3. Be an actor
4. Burn CDs
5. Get a master’s degree
6. Pay off my car
7. Dance! (I just saw Burlesque; it made me want to take dance classes. Too bad they're expensive.)
8. Collect maps
9. Write songs
10. Learn/study photography
11. Learn Latin (hahaha)
12. Design clothes
13. Work in film
14. Write a stage production (Oh! I totally did this for my students last year! Does that count?)
15. Buy a print/scan/copy/fax flatbed unit (I bought a scanner after AmeriCorps and a printer when I moved to NYC, but I've never had the thrill of an all-in-one unit.)
16. Learn Italian
17. Buy a new car
18. Own a zoom APS camera (Dated list :D)
19. Volunteer more
20. Find a job I love that lets me live well and travel (Teaching actually worked for the last two parts)
21. Work at a camp
22. Always learn new skills
23. Join a choir
24. Be an NCCC team leader in CA or MD (I applied but never heard back. It was the same time I applied to NYCTF, and after I'd applied to both I felt over NYC and was really excited about TL. Oh well.)
25. Always vote (I've always voted in the presidential elections, but this was my first midterm voting)
26. Donate blood (Total fail. Occasionally there's a trailer on a busy road near me, but I always see it when I'm either on my way somewhere or have time but haven't eaten anything. I always vow to come back and actually do it. But in the eight years since making this I have never donated. I will someday, though!)
27. Play ultimate a lot
28. Visit Alaska
29. Take a bike road trip
30. Get a tattoo (eeesh)
31. Make a movie (Does a stopmotion count?)
32. Visit Africa
33. Own TiVo
34. Be a writer
35. Learn auto maintenance
36. Live in Greece
37. Buy a diamond ring (Note "buy" not "get from a man"; I wanted to get one for myself just because.)
38. Start my own charity
39. Take a cross-country road trip
40. Learn calculus (hahaha)
41. Hike around Europe
42. Live simply
43. Grow roses and herbs
44. Never be complacent
45. Work for a non-profit (Teaching should really count for this...)
46. Lead a Girl Scout troop
47. Support causes I believe in
48. Take voice lessons
49. Buy a new computer
50. Write my life story
51. Buy books!
52. Open my own business
53. Learn HTML
54. Relearn piano
55. Sing on a published CD
56. Tour nation as a speaker
57. Publish a book
58. Live in Los Angeles (Good lord why?)
59. Live in New York City
60. Buy a big new stereo
61. Be a comedian
62. Find a place of my own
63. Study math, music, drama, art history, accounting, writing, poetry, language, drawing
64. Make new friends and visit old ones
65. Be strong
66. Join a softball league
67. Read 50+ books a year
68. Make a scrapbook with homemade paper
69. Hike at least a third of the Appalachian Trail (My knees wince at the mere thought.)
70. Go bungee-jumping (I've been ziplining twice! Much more compatible with my discomfort at freefalling.)
71. Work abroad
72. See one Broadway show a year
73. Write to my congresspeople
74. Work at a national park/reserve
75. Expand personal library of books, CDs, DVDs, videos
76. Find independence!
77. Own DVD/VHS combo
78. Work in community health/public health
79. Endorse a charity—libraries, environment
80. Live in Paris
81. Play the cello again
82. Teach (Wow.)
83. Buy a digital camera (Remember that in 2002, almost no one had digital cameras and they were super expensive.) (Done one, two, three, four, FIVE times. Holy cow.)
Saturday, November 13, 2010
2010 Goals Update
1. Go to the dentist twice.
I forgot to sign up in time for dental last year, so I didn't have insurance til September (and Husband added me to his insurance). The other day I finally printed a list of dentists in our neighborhood, so I'm sure I'll get in at least one visit this year, which is a step in the right direction...
2. Buy at least one new lens.
Done! Got the 85mm f/1.8 (used). I also want to get my Tamron 28-75 f/2.8 fixed. I really do need another, wider lens--the Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8 would be a great one. Next year, I hope.
3. Save up for a D300.
Done! I made my goal in the summer and bought the camera and a lens in early August. I love it.
4. Travel to a new country.
Done! We went to Costa Rica in the spring and had a great time. Oh, and we got engaged. :) We are now making plans for another big trip next spring too!
5. Do a paid photo shoot.
Done! I shot a portrait session in August.
6. Write on blog at least once a week.
Total fail. But this project is an attempt to get over that failure and get back into the habit.
7. Update photo blog at least once a month.
Done so far! I will actually share the link here soon.
8. Exercise at least once a week, at home or at the gym.
Well, I went weeks at a time without working out during the school year. I'm lazy and also I was pretty exhausted.
9. Get a new job. (Not teaching.)
Done! At least temporarily and part-time. Which counts because, as I mentioned the other day, I'm over the hurdle of finding that first job out of teaching. Things are starting to pick up in my main job, which is exciting! I hope I do well.
10. Attend 3 Meetups (for any group).
Not done at all. I signed up for several but either couldn't go, couldn't afford it, or just wasn't interested. But the point was to be more social and meet new people, which I'm partly doing successfully.
11. Shoot a wedding (as first or second shooter).
Done! Second shot a wedding in July! Really want to do lots more!
12. Take a class (photography, Spanish, etc).
Done! I took a street photography class and then a portrait photography class through the Education Alliance.
13. Visit my Grandma.
Done! We visited her and some other family in the Chicago area, after the wedding.
14. Attend graduations.
Done! I had a great time that weekend, celebrating with my younger siblings and catching up with family.
15. Write a real letter at least once a month.
Total fail. I think I wrote one letter to my Grandma in February.
16. Decorate bedroom.
Done! We got a new mattress and bed frame, and I finally got my lovely van Gogh poster (that sat in its holder for three years) in a (cheapy Ikea) frame. We also got all new bedding. We still want to paint.
17. Donate clothes/books once per season.
Semi-successful. Donated in January and this past weekend. I had a big bag of clothes that were too big or that I wasn't wearing, a bag of shoes, plus our two old computers and my old printer!
18. Buy a new computer.
Done! Except even better, a friend gave me an extra one for free. This computer pretty much changed my life! It is SO fast. My old one was over four years old and didn't have much memory. Now I can have internet, itunes, lightroom, photoshop, whatever else all open at the same time and everything still works normally!
19. Knit or crochet a garment.
Hmm. I made a cowl, as well as several scarves, hats, dishcloths. Those don't really count as 'garments' though. I still want to make a vest or skirt, so this is a no. However, I'll give myself a 'pass' if I get through my holiday craft list. Then next year I'll work on a real garment.
20. Some kind of financial goal.
Yeah, no way. I contributed to my Roth IRA every month while I was working, but obviously since the summer I've been trying not to spend or put away money.
21. More freelance photography.
Done! I've done three full portrait sessions! I really want to do more. If you live in the NYC area, I'd love to shoot you (with my camera!)!
22. Do not leave any dishes out or in the sink; wash everything before going to bed.
I have definitely missed stretches out of laziness. :) But I try to be good!
23. See friends once a month.
I added this one later because as noted above, I wanted to be more social. This has been indeed successful! Starting in late spring I met a couple new friends through a couple other friends and I see them sometimes once a week. It's a lot of fun to have people to hang out with. :) We're looking forward to the Thanksgiving gathering this year! And though Ms. M won't be with us in person this time, we plan to see her online. :)
So overall, wow, it's been a successful year! I am happy that so many things have gone well, even through a tough teaching year and crazy transition out of teaching. Not to mention getting engaged and married! I have a lot to celebrate about the past eleven months. This is hard to remember sometimes, with the teaching craziness and then unemployment stress.
There are a number of goals that I will extend or re-do for next year. I'm also working on a "life list," which is another post I'm planning for the month. But I do like having a sort of guide for the things I want to work on--I definitely feel more inspired to work toward them.
I forgot to sign up in time for dental last year, so I didn't have insurance til September (and Husband added me to his insurance). The other day I finally printed a list of dentists in our neighborhood, so I'm sure I'll get in at least one visit this year, which is a step in the right direction...
2. Buy at least one new lens.
Done! Got the 85mm f/1.8 (used). I also want to get my Tamron 28-75 f/2.8 fixed. I really do need another, wider lens--the Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8 would be a great one. Next year, I hope.
3. Save up for a D300.
Done! I made my goal in the summer and bought the camera and a lens in early August. I love it.
4. Travel to a new country.
Done! We went to Costa Rica in the spring and had a great time. Oh, and we got engaged. :) We are now making plans for another big trip next spring too!
5. Do a paid photo shoot.
Done! I shot a portrait session in August.
6. Write on blog at least once a week.
Total fail. But this project is an attempt to get over that failure and get back into the habit.
7. Update photo blog at least once a month.
Done so far! I will actually share the link here soon.
8. Exercise at least once a week, at home or at the gym.
Well, I went weeks at a time without working out during the school year. I'm lazy and also I was pretty exhausted.
9. Get a new job. (Not teaching.)
Done! At least temporarily and part-time. Which counts because, as I mentioned the other day, I'm over the hurdle of finding that first job out of teaching. Things are starting to pick up in my main job, which is exciting! I hope I do well.
10. Attend 3 Meetups (for any group).
Not done at all. I signed up for several but either couldn't go, couldn't afford it, or just wasn't interested. But the point was to be more social and meet new people, which I'm partly doing successfully.
11. Shoot a wedding (as first or second shooter).
Done! Second shot a wedding in July! Really want to do lots more!
12. Take a class (photography, Spanish, etc).
Done! I took a street photography class and then a portrait photography class through the Education Alliance.
13. Visit my Grandma.
Done! We visited her and some other family in the Chicago area, after the wedding.
14. Attend graduations.
Done! I had a great time that weekend, celebrating with my younger siblings and catching up with family.
15. Write a real letter at least once a month.
Total fail. I think I wrote one letter to my Grandma in February.
16. Decorate bedroom.
Done! We got a new mattress and bed frame, and I finally got my lovely van Gogh poster (that sat in its holder for three years) in a (cheapy Ikea) frame. We also got all new bedding. We still want to paint.
17. Donate clothes/books once per season.
Semi-successful. Donated in January and this past weekend. I had a big bag of clothes that were too big or that I wasn't wearing, a bag of shoes, plus our two old computers and my old printer!
18. Buy a new computer.
Done! Except even better, a friend gave me an extra one for free. This computer pretty much changed my life! It is SO fast. My old one was over four years old and didn't have much memory. Now I can have internet, itunes, lightroom, photoshop, whatever else all open at the same time and everything still works normally!
19. Knit or crochet a garment.
Hmm. I made a cowl, as well as several scarves, hats, dishcloths. Those don't really count as 'garments' though. I still want to make a vest or skirt, so this is a no. However, I'll give myself a 'pass' if I get through my holiday craft list. Then next year I'll work on a real garment.
20. Some kind of financial goal.
Yeah, no way. I contributed to my Roth IRA every month while I was working, but obviously since the summer I've been trying not to spend or put away money.
21. More freelance photography.
Done! I've done three full portrait sessions! I really want to do more. If you live in the NYC area, I'd love to shoot you (with my camera!)!
22. Do not leave any dishes out or in the sink; wash everything before going to bed.
I have definitely missed stretches out of laziness. :) But I try to be good!
23. See friends once a month.
I added this one later because as noted above, I wanted to be more social. This has been indeed successful! Starting in late spring I met a couple new friends through a couple other friends and I see them sometimes once a week. It's a lot of fun to have people to hang out with. :) We're looking forward to the Thanksgiving gathering this year! And though Ms. M won't be with us in person this time, we plan to see her online. :)
So overall, wow, it's been a successful year! I am happy that so many things have gone well, even through a tough teaching year and crazy transition out of teaching. Not to mention getting engaged and married! I have a lot to celebrate about the past eleven months. This is hard to remember sometimes, with the teaching craziness and then unemployment stress.
There are a number of goals that I will extend or re-do for next year. I'm also working on a "life list," which is another post I'm planning for the month. But I do like having a sort of guide for the things I want to work on--I definitely feel more inspired to work toward them.
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Goal updates
There are definitely some things I could actually write about, but I'm too tired for that. Instead, I will share updates on my year goals. They've been
First, the positives:
-I have successfully posted here once a week. I think.
-I posted a couple times on my photo blog already this month.
-I have worked out at least once for four weeks of the five (counting this morning for this week).
-I have been making small granny squares to eventually make a blanket (?). So far I've got sixteen.
-I've been keeping my eye out and sending emails about photo opportunities.
-I opened a new savings account specifically for the new camera. (Since a new lens costs about half as much as the D300, I figured it would make more sense to just save for the camera.)
-I signed up for a photography class! It starts this week!
Not so positive:
-I have not been so great about doing my dishes. It's been about half and half, maybe, that I clear everything away.
-I haven't written a letter yet. There are a couple I have in mind to write, but of course I have been too lazy thus far. I still have a week or so for that 'deadline.' Also, I owe some family some presents, that I have completely not gotten or even thought about. Very bad job.
-No progress on the home decor.
-I need to work on my finance stuff and roll over previous retirement accounts. I've put that off for months already.
I'm glad that I recorded these goals. I have them in a little notebook so that I can jot down notes and thoughts and updates. I find they're a lot more real this way and I want to be more successful seeing them written down. Of course, it hasn't even been a month yet, so it's all still pretty fresh. The test will come farther down the road to see if I'm still thinking about them.
First, the positives:
-I have successfully posted here once a week. I think.
-I posted a couple times on my photo blog already this month.
-I have worked out at least once for four weeks of the five (counting this morning for this week).
-I have been making small granny squares to eventually make a blanket (?). So far I've got sixteen.
-I've been keeping my eye out and sending emails about photo opportunities.
-I opened a new savings account specifically for the new camera. (Since a new lens costs about half as much as the D300, I figured it would make more sense to just save for the camera.)
-I signed up for a photography class! It starts this week!
Not so positive:
-I have not been so great about doing my dishes. It's been about half and half, maybe, that I clear everything away.
-I haven't written a letter yet. There are a couple I have in mind to write, but of course I have been too lazy thus far. I still have a week or so for that 'deadline.' Also, I owe some family some presents, that I have completely not gotten or even thought about. Very bad job.
-No progress on the home decor.
-I need to work on my finance stuff and roll over previous retirement accounts. I've put that off for months already.
I'm glad that I recorded these goals. I have them in a little notebook so that I can jot down notes and thoughts and updates. I find they're a lot more real this way and I want to be more successful seeing them written down. Of course, it hasn't even been a month yet, so it's all still pretty fresh. The test will come farther down the road to see if I'm still thinking about them.
Sunday, January 03, 2010
Goals for the Year
I've never been one for Making New Year's Resolutions. For one, I don't have any vices that I need to quit, and for two, I'm not the type who wants to make sweeping changes, because inevitably it won't work.
Last year, I was asked to come up with three resolutions for a school thing. I came up with: take a photography class; travel to a new country; and knit something new (like a new garment that I hadn't tried before). Of course, two of those require money, and since I spent more than half the year either unemployed or underemployed, they didn't happen. As for the knitting thing, I was lazy. I'm one of the crafty-in-spurts types, so whatever.
One year in high school, I made myself a list of goals for the gymnastics season. After each meet, I would check off what I accomplished. By the end of the season, I had accomplished almost all of the goals! I felt that I had worked hard and focused, and I was proud.
So I am in favor of goals.
Then, last week, I ended up trolling some amazing photography blogs, and I was inspired but also bummed that I don't have that much photography work. One of them had a list of "100 things in 1001 days." That was really inspiring and interesting to read.
After that crazy shit of this past year, I decided that there are some things I want to work on in 2010. I wrote down a list in a cute little pocket notebook to help me keep notes and thoughts. Here they are!
1. Go to the dentist twice. (I haven't been in three years. So as soon as I get my insurance info, I will make an appointment. )
2. Buy at least one new lens. (I have some money to help from Christmas. I think I will go for the 10-20mm wide angle!)
3. Save up for a D300. (I know. Lots of money. I bought the D80 in December 2008, so I figure two years is a good time to spend with it before upgrading. And maybe closer to the end of the year, the price will go down a teeny bit more. Even used it's a little more than $1,000!)
4. Travel to a new country. (Check! Last week we bought tickets for Costa Rica for spring break!!!!! WOOOOOO!!!! Also, my brand new passport arrived, fresh for another decade of country hopping!)
5. Do a paid photo shoot. (I would love to do some engagement sessions.)
6. Write on blog at least once a week. (There's always so much in my head, but I'm usually so tired and lazy at the end of the day.)
7. Update photo blog at least once a month. (I would love to post the link here, but I'm a fan of Anonymity. Send your email address if you'd like to see my work!)
8. Exercise at least once a week, at home or at the gym. (That's a pretty easy goal. One I've already exceeded for now--I went twice last week and this morning too!)
9. Get a new job. (Not teaching. Yeah.)
10. Attend 3 Meetups (for any group). (I would like to be more social and make more friends. Also this would help improve the work/life balance the right direction.)
11. Shoot a wedding (as first or second shooter). (I want to get better and take more photos!)
12. Take a class (photography, Spanish, etc). (Time is a problem here, with my stupid late hours at school. But I really want to do this.)
13. Visit my Grandma. (Haven't seen her in a few years.)
14. Attend graduations. (Check! Bought tickets home for June! Yay!)
15. Write a real letter at least once a month.
16. Decorate bedroom (frame van Gogh print, new dresser, paint?).
17. Donate clothes/books once per season. (On New Year's Day, I finally donated the FOUR large bags of clothes that have been cluttering my closet and car for the last five months.)
18. Buy a new computer. (I bought this one in the spring of 2006, and the memory is crap. I upgraded it once, but not much compared to today's standards, and I have a second hard drive that's more than half full with tens of thousands of photos and music files. I don't think it's exaggeration to say that I will need a new one.)
19. Knit or crochet a garment. I have been completely obsessed with crochet for the past month. I've made three hats this week. Last night I started a granny square. I want to buy some yarn specifically to make a vest as a start, since it's only two sides.
20. Some kind of financial goal. (I wasn't able to save any money for most of 2009, as I didn't have a real income. I would love to max out my Roth IRA contribution, but $5,000 is a lot in one year. I was thinking about getting my savings account up, with a goal of $10,000. I have about half that now, so it would be a two-year goal at best. I already bumped up my monthly contributions to both savings and IRA. We'll see how the job thing develops.)
21. More freelance photography. (That's not exactly up to me, but I have so enjoyed going out to shoot new things and then seeing my work published in a real newspaper! I will contact the staff there and let them know I'm more available. I can definitely do a shoot every other weekend or so.)
22. Do not leave any dishes out or in the sink; wash everything before going to bed. (I get lazy and feel bad about being a bad roommate; the boy never leaves dishes out.)
I hope to revisit these occasionally and evaluate my progress. It's my hope that making them public will help hold me accountable, so think good thoughts for me. :)
Last year, I was asked to come up with three resolutions for a school thing. I came up with: take a photography class; travel to a new country; and knit something new (like a new garment that I hadn't tried before). Of course, two of those require money, and since I spent more than half the year either unemployed or underemployed, they didn't happen. As for the knitting thing, I was lazy. I'm one of the crafty-in-spurts types, so whatever.
One year in high school, I made myself a list of goals for the gymnastics season. After each meet, I would check off what I accomplished. By the end of the season, I had accomplished almost all of the goals! I felt that I had worked hard and focused, and I was proud.
So I am in favor of goals.
Then, last week, I ended up trolling some amazing photography blogs, and I was inspired but also bummed that I don't have that much photography work. One of them had a list of "100 things in 1001 days." That was really inspiring and interesting to read.
After that crazy shit of this past year, I decided that there are some things I want to work on in 2010. I wrote down a list in a cute little pocket notebook to help me keep notes and thoughts. Here they are!
1. Go to the dentist twice. (I haven't been in three years. So as soon as I get my insurance info, I will make an appointment. )
2. Buy at least one new lens. (I have some money to help from Christmas. I think I will go for the 10-20mm wide angle!)
3. Save up for a D300. (I know. Lots of money. I bought the D80 in December 2008, so I figure two years is a good time to spend with it before upgrading. And maybe closer to the end of the year, the price will go down a teeny bit more. Even used it's a little more than $1,000!)
4. Travel to a new country. (Check! Last week we bought tickets for Costa Rica for spring break!!!!! WOOOOOO!!!! Also, my brand new passport arrived, fresh for another decade of country hopping!)
5. Do a paid photo shoot. (I would love to do some engagement sessions.)
6. Write on blog at least once a week. (There's always so much in my head, but I'm usually so tired and lazy at the end of the day.)
7. Update photo blog at least once a month. (I would love to post the link here, but I'm a fan of Anonymity. Send your email address if you'd like to see my work!)
8. Exercise at least once a week, at home or at the gym. (That's a pretty easy goal. One I've already exceeded for now--I went twice last week and this morning too!)
9. Get a new job. (Not teaching. Yeah.)
10. Attend 3 Meetups (for any group). (I would like to be more social and make more friends. Also this would help improve the work/life balance the right direction.)
11. Shoot a wedding (as first or second shooter). (I want to get better and take more photos!)
12. Take a class (photography, Spanish, etc). (Time is a problem here, with my stupid late hours at school. But I really want to do this.)
13. Visit my Grandma. (Haven't seen her in a few years.)
14. Attend graduations. (Check! Bought tickets home for June! Yay!)
15. Write a real letter at least once a month.
16. Decorate bedroom (frame van Gogh print, new dresser, paint?).
17. Donate clothes/books once per season. (On New Year's Day, I finally donated the FOUR large bags of clothes that have been cluttering my closet and car for the last five months.)
18. Buy a new computer. (I bought this one in the spring of 2006, and the memory is crap. I upgraded it once, but not much compared to today's standards, and I have a second hard drive that's more than half full with tens of thousands of photos and music files. I don't think it's exaggeration to say that I will need a new one.)
19. Knit or crochet a garment. I have been completely obsessed with crochet for the past month. I've made three hats this week. Last night I started a granny square. I want to buy some yarn specifically to make a vest as a start, since it's only two sides.
20. Some kind of financial goal. (I wasn't able to save any money for most of 2009, as I didn't have a real income. I would love to max out my Roth IRA contribution, but $5,000 is a lot in one year. I was thinking about getting my savings account up, with a goal of $10,000. I have about half that now, so it would be a two-year goal at best. I already bumped up my monthly contributions to both savings and IRA. We'll see how the job thing develops.)
21. More freelance photography. (That's not exactly up to me, but I have so enjoyed going out to shoot new things and then seeing my work published in a real newspaper! I will contact the staff there and let them know I'm more available. I can definitely do a shoot every other weekend or so.)
22. Do not leave any dishes out or in the sink; wash everything before going to bed. (I get lazy and feel bad about being a bad roommate; the boy never leaves dishes out.)
I hope to revisit these occasionally and evaluate my progress. It's my hope that making them public will help hold me accountable, so think good thoughts for me. :)
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