1) See more friends in person, rather than simply on-line. I'd like to start with friends such as Darla, Jean, Tracey, and Heidi who have moved in the past few years, but the whole family has yet to see their new homes (I saw Darla's house, but Don and Ashley were not with me).
2) Host an Open House party so I can see more friends. Realize this goal overwhelms me as I get very hung up on who to invite, what to make, how to clean up the clutter, how to entertain everyone, and when to have it, that I end up pushing this goal off "for another time."
3) Build my freelance business so it is an actual company. This includes publishing a book in the next year. Last month I started writing "Andy's Story," a memoir of a WWII vet named Andy who suffers from short-term memory loss, which is growing to longer-term memory loss, too. It is a slow-moving project, but one that is rewarding on both personal and financial levels.
4) Continue to focus my volunteering to places without a paid staff. I started this goal in the fall of 2012 and found it works for me on a couple of levels. First, without a paid staff I can do more professional level work -- such as writing grants for Somerset Valley Players (my first grant yielded $3000, and I was able to track down money promised to SVP earlier in the year -- a real coup). Second, there is no chance of them hiring me so I won't get disappointed when I apply for a job, do not get it, but am told "we love your volunteering and hope you continue."
5) Go someplace new for vacation. Our plan is to go to Tokyo as a way to celebrate our 20th wedding anniversary. This also helps me meet my first goal as we'll see Masumi while in her country.
6) Running goals: half marathons at Disney World and DisneyLand (for the Coast to Coast Challenge). Possibly also running in the Princeton and Trenton Half Marathons, if they offer the "Mercer County Marathon" medal this year (they were slated to be a week apart last year, before Super Storm Sandy hit). I find I need the goal of a race to get me outside. Between the bad weather, Christmas break, and life, I haven't run in nearly two weeks. I need to change that on Wednesday.
7) Continue to write (on average) a Pillsbury Press blog post a week. As I see only a dozen people read this blog, I write it now for myself and not for others. This frees me up from obsessing over spelling, grammar and the "right" way to convey my thoughts. You can see by the list that some months I wrote a lot, and months (such as February) we didn't write a thing. I neglected to blog about our quick weekend trip to Florida to see friends, and our Disney Cruise to nowhere. Instead I wrote about every day things such as pets and de-cluttering our home. In theory the blog replaced our annual Christmas newsletter (which no one seemed to miss), however I found I cover different topics in the electronic format. Either way, I enjoy writing and will continue to write.
8) ADDING House goal: painting the upstairs bathroom, kitchen, family room (and with Dad's help) the front porch. Dream for the year: replacing the carpeting with hardwood flooring.
That sounds like a good and realistic start for me. What are your goals for 2013?
We are 1/12th of the way through 2013 already. Sounds so depressing when I put it that way. How are you doing with your resolutions? I'm pleased with the progress I am making with mine.
ReplyDelete1) We visiting the Kutchers and Darla. Sill have 11 more months to see more friends.
2) Aiming for a small party with a screening of "Lion, Witch, and the Wardrobe" small because our viewing area is small, we can have multiple parties. Might aim around Easter to tie it in with the story.
3) My war vet died, but the book deal is (in theory) still a go. In the meantime, I took on a "ghost blogging" opportunity, which I hope to expand.
4) Learned how to run the box office at SVP, returned to the WINK planning committee. So fifty-fifty on that goal.
5) Still trying to book airfare to Tokyo. So far the only new place we've been in 2013 was Newark, DE.
6) Signed up for two races in Anaheim (they sold out in less than a day). Deciding on a late Spring half marathon.
7) Keeping that one with 7 blog posts, and less than that number of weeks.
8) Painting the upstairs hall bathroom. Still trying to agree on paint colors for the kitchen and family room.
Hope you are doing well with your goals, or at least starting 2013 off on the right foot.
February update:
ReplyDelete1) Saw the Larkins in Florida
2) Did not do any entertaining. Loaned out our copy of LWW and still waiting for its return.
3) The war vet story is still on hold. Struggling with the right time to bill the client for my work to date. Had a second stab at ghost blogging. Made some unsuccessful stabs at expanding that business. Need to develop better strategies for March.
4) Busy working to plan the Living Local Expo with Sustainable Lawrence, wrote a grant for SL.
5) Booked airfare for Tokyo. Only new destination this month was Tampa, and that was only for 12 hours.
6) Ran the Princess Half Marathon -- halfway to the Coast to Coast challenge. Trying to decide on next half-marathon and next smaller race.
7) Still keeping on top of that one with 15 posts so far in about 8 1/2 weeks. Enjoying this goal the most.
8) Finished painting the upstairs hall bathroom (with Don's help). Closer to choosing a color for downstairs. Need to call contractor to get on his list.
Hope your 2013 goals are moving along swimmingly.
A quarter of the year has passed. How is that possible?
ReplyDeleteMarch updates:
1) Did not see anyone new all month, unless they were involved with a show (Kate).
2) Still no entertaining. Maybe once the weather gets warmer? The LWW is again out on loan.
3) Finished Andy's Story, took on creating a website for a client. Nice to have some steady business.
4) Wrote another grant for Sustainable Lawrence, worked the Expo, took pictures for the school play, went to another half-marathon planning meeting.
5) All we've done towards our Tokyo trip is book a hotel for Tokyo Disney. Waiting for our friend to make the next moves. No new destinations this month, other than HHS auditorium.
6) Slacking off on running this month (and next). Hoping to split a half marathon with Don in May. D3 training starts on May 5.
7) Only had two blog posts this month.
8) No house projects. Hung a couple of pictures in the bathrooms. Had contractor over for a quote on the floors. Looked at flooring. Most of that project on hold until the summer.
Love that this keeps me pushing along.
A third of the year over already?
ReplyDeleteApril updates:
1) Need to work on this goal! At this rate, though, maybe July?
2) See #1 -- will be celebrating Ashley's birthday in May. LWW DVD is back.
3) Wrote an advertorial for West Windsor Plainsboro news. Hoping that spreads. Sent out PR for the bakery client.
4) More volunteering for SL, cut back on other areas due to being busy with clients.
5) Tokyo planning is still moving along slowly. Thinking about a long weekend in Canada this summer.
6) Training kicked into gear -- Week 3, Day 1 towards the D3. Signed up for a couple of more fall races. At the last minute, I registered for the Rutgers 8K and loved it.
7) 15 blog posts this month -- a new record. Many were about running.
8) No house projects. Probably not working on this goal again until the summer.
May updates:
ReplyDelete1) Still need to work on this goal. We did have family and Ashley's friends over for her birthday. The house is clean. We really should take advantage of a clean house and invite people over.
2) See #1. LOL
3) Writing adverts for US1 now, too. Ended the work with the baker.
4) Cut back on volunteering when a grant I wrote was approved and someone else took credit for it. Yes, it was a combined effort, but a thank you would have been nice. Did some stuff for school.
5) Tokyo is coming up soon! Went to the Fat Tire festival on June 1, but I guess that counts towards June's goal.
6) Training is beating me up! I ran in two races -- Big Red 5K Race and half of the SuperHero half marathon. Runs are preparing me for California.
7) 7 more blog posts. I'm enjoying this goal the most.
8) Other than cleaning, nothing got done around the house. I really need to buy some paint and start those projects.
Stay cool!
June updates (a bit late):
ReplyDelete1) Saw Masumi, Hiroko and Ayako in their home country. :)
2) Hasn't happened yet.
3) First half of the month was busy writing adverts for US1. Need to decide if I'm coasting for the summer or tracking down more new business.
4) Taking a volunteering break for the summer. Though WINK, Sustainable Lawrence and Princeton Half Marathon keep inviting me to meetings.
5) Tokyo and Tour de Fat (DC) covered this goal nicely.
6) No races this month. Took 2 1/2 weeks off from training for Japan. Watched a race in Osaka.
7) More blog posts than imaginable.
8) Now that we are home, we need to start painting.
JULY: bought new sneakers
July
ReplyDelete1) Saw a lot of friends. The Kappa Ladies met for brunch. We finally saw the Kubats in their new home. Had a late night dinner / gab fest with Laura and Nancy. It was a very social night. Pool party at Karen and Sam's new place.
2) Still has not happened.
3) Adverts started coming in again. Need to get some approved so I can get paid. Devising a plan to find people to write memoirs.
4) Went to the WINK and PHM meetings. SL was canceled, but I did some editing for them. Need to work on a grant update form for SVP by the middle of the month.
5) No new places, other than the Kubats and Sam and Karen's new homes and surrounding neighborhoods.
6) No races this month. Training intensified. Bought new sneakers. Next race is a month away!
7) Still a good number of blog posts. More than one a week, though some were still catch up from Japan.
8) Still need to start painting.
August updates:
ReplyDelete1) Kappa party at Trish's house, trip to Canada to see Chris and Marlene meant we saw a lot of people.
2) Still has not happened.
3) By the end of the month I was hired as a one-month sub at a local elementary school.
4) I really cut back on volunteering this summer.
5) Upper Canada Village was our big new place for the month. Ashley went to Michigan alone.
6) First half of Dumbo Double Dare -- the 10K
7) Still a decent number of blog posts.
8) Still need to start painting.
September was a whirlwind month for us in so many ways.
ReplyDelete1) I don't feel like I saw anyone all month.We did go to the art reception for Don's friend Kate. Celebrated Sukkos with the Ballards and their friends.
2) Still has not happened.
3) I worked as a one-month sub at Princeton elementary school. Seems most months I've had a new employer. Wonder if I can keep up that trend?
4) Too overwhelmed with subbing to volunteer. Subbing (at the rate they were giving me) felt more like volunteering than work.
5) We did go to the La Brea Tar pits at the end of August.
6) Second half of Dumbo Double Dare -- the half marathon.
7) Slacked off on blogging.
8) Alex replaced the kitchen and family room floors. We painted the kitchen and family room. Still working on getting those rooms back in order.
October Update .. on time for once
ReplyDelete1) Catching up on life since the September sub job ended. Saw Laura and Carin at Grounds for sculpture. Running with Sharon. September saw the California cousins in Cali. August saw our Disneyland friends in California.
2) Maybe in December.
3) Started a one day a week job with Karen at Open Door Publications. Still defining the job, but learning a lot.
4) Volunteering picked up again. Stuffed packets for the Princeton Half Marathon. sold books at the school book fair, took pictures at school, writing a grant for SVP.
5) Ashley went for a flight over Hopewell. I can't picture us going anywhere new this month.
6) Ran the Perfect 10-Miler at Mercer County Park with Michelle. Working on speed, hills and consistency in anticipation of November's races.
7) Caught up on blogging, well almost. Still working on at least one more for California.
8) Finished painting. Don installed a new fireplace. Comcast repaired our cable today. Still need to finish putting it all away. *so close*
November update (a bit late):
ReplyDelete1) Enjoyed Kev's annual party. Lunch with Debbi. Two different Thanksgivings -- one with Pillsburys, one with Koettings. Lunch with Sharon and Sandy. Breakfast with Nancy and Laura. Ran B&B with Diadra. Had lunch with Diadra and Bill to celebrate race.
2) The goal that has yet to happen, though we did have a friend sleep over and hosted lit group for Ashley.
3) Was hired for a job as a librarian in Roosevelt, but declined it. Took up more work for US 1, this time with Joe assigning articles. Lost a client when she decided to close her business.
4) Volunteering slacked off, though I did take lots of pictures at the school play.
5) The school play kept us busy, and at home.
6) Ran the Princeton Half Marathon, Beauty and the Beach (with Diadra) and the Trenton Half Marathon (with Michelle).
7) Caught up on blogging. Looking for some more topics to finish out the year way ahead of schedule.
8) Happy with how the house looks, other than its constant need to be cleaned. Finished the "so close" parts.
December updates:
ReplyDelete1) Great trip out to Ohio to see Heidi and the Smiths, holiday party with Debbi and Mike, Christmas Eve at our house with the Pillsburys, my first "office" party with Community News.
2) My big failure for the year. Might carry it over to 2014. Did host Christmas Eve dinner -- first major holiday we have hosted in years.
3) Took over social media for Open Door Publications. Learning how to post tweets and pins. Still feels like a foreign concept to me.
4) One planning meeting for WiNK. Took more pictures at school. Signed up to run the school newspaper.
5) Cleveland, I suppose, was my only new place. Don and I went to Cleveland over 10 years ago, but this time we were downtown for the race.
6) Christmas Story 10K. Slacking off since the weather turned colder, snowier and icier.
7) More than caught up with blogging. Still blogging at least once a week even though I made my goal of 52 for the year months ago.
8) Still happy with the house. Not ready to start any new projects, though we did decorate for Christmas, which feels like a project.