2012 goals
I say this at the end of the year, every year; where did the time go? How is it already almost (year after current year)? How am I really (current age)? Seriously.
I can’t say I’m sad to see this year end. In all honesty, it hasn’t been a horrible year, but it hasn’t been what I hoped it would be, either. I spent my year holding on and not branching out to new experiences. Sure, I started a new job last January, and I moved to a new apartment, but I still felt like I could be doing more new things.
My goals for 2012 tie into doing new things. I want to be passionate about things again and I hope having set goals will help. Goals, not resolutions.
Figure out this blog.
Honestly, I struggle with blog topics every time I sit down to write. Do I want to write about knitting? Crafts? Vegetarian cooking? (This one makes me sound like a hippie. Rest assured, I am not.) Code? I have many passions, but I want to narrow my focus and write what I’m REALLY passionate about.
Learn how to take better pictures.
Want to know why I don’t write more in my blog? I’m embarrassed about the quality of pictures I take and post. I only own a little point and shoot and don’t really want to invest my money in a DSLR yet, so this year, I want to work with what I have and learn the basics of photography so I love my pictures more. I think I can do this, if I end up writing more often!
Write, write, write!
This is the thing; practice makes perfect with everything in life. If I want to be a better writer, I need to write more often. Not just in my blog, but in my paper journal and other outlets as well. I want to write more blog comments, write reviews on Goodreads, post on Ravelry. Maybe I’ll even give NaNoWriMo a try again in 2012! I may not be the best writer in the world, but I do enjoy it.
Run a 5k.
Look, a goal that doesn’t have to do with my blog! I’ve been talking about running for nearly a year now, and I still haven’t done anything about it. I really have no excuse. I ran a total of one time last year, and I loved how I felt after I finished. I don’t know why I didn’t do it more. This year, however, no more excuses. I will sign up for a 5k in the spring so I have no choice but to train. And I WILL do great.
Attend 5 conferences.
I attended many conferences in 2009 and 2010, but this dropped off in 2011. So far in 2012 I want to attend Drupalcamp Western MA and any other conferences in New England, and I want to go to another Wordcamp as well. I’ll keep my eyes open for other conferences in the area too; I love getting together with like-minded people! (Oh yes. Knitting ‘conferences’, such as Rhinebeck, count here, because I say so.)
Read 25 books.
Here is something many of you might not have known about me; I won a trophy in both 2nd and 3rd grade for reading the most books for the MS Readathon than anyone else in my entire school. I used to LOVE to read and would read anything I got my hands on. I used to read my babysitter’s kids’ Nintendo Power magazines to give them help on how to beat a certain game. I read children’s books and manuals and cookbooks. I read everything.
Then, when I hit middle school, I stopped reading for fun. I didn’t like being taught how to read a certain way in high school, though I know now it taught me critical thinking skills I did not have. Still, I stopped reading as an adult.
This will change this year. For one, Ted has a million books on the bookshelves, so I can possibly complete this without even going to a library or buying a new novel. So for this one, I REALLY have no excuse either! I want to get back into this because I love reading before I go to sleep.
Knit a sweater that fits!
This summer will mark 10 years since I first learned to knit, and I still haven’t mastered the art of knitting myself a sweater that actually fits me and that I’d actually wear out in public. Maybe I will pick up Arisaig again and focus on making it fit correctly this time, so I’m NOT frogging the entire thing all over again. I can do it.
Organize the office… and use it.
We moved into our apartment last March, and one of our rooms is still packed to the brim with stuff we haven’t unpacked. The room contains my crafty things, our books, and our desks, so the room is crammed to begin with. However, we can’t even be in the office together right now because there isn’t room for two people in it. It’s awful and I miss having space to sew or write. I work best at a desk and I hate not even having a computer chair right now. We will change this at the start of the year, doing these basic things:
- Buy a new bookcase. My awesome IKEA bookcase fell apart while moving it last year, so my books have no place to live in the apartment right now. My books currently cover my desk and some of the floor, which makes the floor an absolute obstacle course. Once I get a replacement, my books will be off the floor, making more space in the room!
- Buy a computer chair. I got rid of my old, uncomfortable computer chair when I moved in with Ted about a year ago, and haven’t found another I like. I want to find one soon, as I want to be able to, you know, sit down at my desk when the room is finally organized. I’m looking forward to this.
- Get rid of old computer books. I have a few antiquated computer books I’d like to get rid of to free up space on my new bookshelf. I really don’t need books I’ll never use again, so out with the old and in with the new!
Visit my family more often.
It’s funny; I think I visited my family a grand total of 3 times in 2011, despite them all living only 2 and a half hours away. I need to out there and see them on a more regular basis, especially my cute little niece. I’ll be seeing them in January when I attend Drupalcamp Western MA, and hopefully we will make a few more trips throughout the year.
Save money and keep a budget.
In 2012, I want to make a budget and actually stick with it. I want to save money this year to build up a comfortable amount of savings. This one is pretty straightforward.
Happy 2012, everyone!
