The Good, The Bad, The Goals - 2014 - Happy New Quarter!
Almost exactly a year ago, I made this post, summing up 2012 and it made me feel good, going into the new year, looking at things objectively and knowing that the good things outnumbered the bad. It was better than the year before. Really, 2009 was so awful that every year since couldn't have helped but be better. But 2011 was better than 2010. 12 was better than 11. Let's see how 13 stacked up...
The Good things in 2013 that stand out:
1. Gigging was good - felt quite busy all year and picked up standing restaurant gig at Holiday Inn's restaurant, also a new senior home
2. Promo was good - On Laguna's radio station four times, written up in 3 articles, did a nice podcast interview
3. Finally made a Christmas CD
4. Finally finished Almost Series
5. Visited PA twice, one of which was a truly awesome birthday trip
6. Uncle Mike is doing well, also our relationship has improved
7. Have kept a clean and well-organized place most of this year
The Bad things that stand out:
1. Am still a smoker and didn't meet most resolutions
2, Did not make much time to hang out socially
3, Uncle Mike and Joy are always at odds and complaining to me about each other
4. Family back east is always at odds about Kevin
5. Bobby had personal drama. Not my problem specifically, but it did cause some unrest
Looking at it, it doesn't seem like that good a year. But my general vibe this year was calmer. Maybe too calm. I might need to get out more. It's just that, with the singing and all the parties involved with that, I'm using all my social, mingling type energy there and feel like I never want to go out. Then I kind of look up and realize, most of the friends I made out here have moved away and, though I love Bobby, he always seems to be in trouble and needing help. I kind of wish I was more outgoing about making friends. I do have my girls at the shops in Laguna, but they're more like coworkers. Patrice is the only one I've hung out with outside of Laguna, and even that was only twice this year.
Still, it was a building year. I made some more contacts, I worked a lot and I have felt less stressed about money. Now, let's see how the goals went. What I said I'd do:
1. Attack creditors, knocking off at least half (it's not that much, but I let them slide just to survive and make the student loan payments)
Didn't do it. I think a a lot of the extra money that should have gone to that ended up going to my two trips to PA and covering bills with the time off. Still, I don't regret it as I want to see my family twice a year. This year, I will just have to try to work harder and squeeze in both. I can start with the little ones and work my way up.
2. Lose 35 pounds
The only thing I can say about that is I didn't gain weight this year. I truly don't think my diet is horrendous and I've changed a lot of the ways I interact with food. But I think actually losing that 35 and getting back to where I'm comfortable is all down to moving more. I stand still singing, I drive places, I sit down to write. My life is fairly sedentary, so I know that has to change.
3. Cut smoking by half again or quit altogether (I think the first is more likely)
That I did. Most days, I am down to 5 smokes a day. If I could just get that down to zero...
4. Buy a treadmill
Darn it, gotta do that ASAP. I can't help but think it's the one exercise I'll be able to keep up with as it requires the least self-motivation. It moves, I move with it. I must have it!
5. Learn five more songs in French Well... I learned 2 more. But I did learn three new Spanish ones that were requested, so that kind of took over.
6. Complete Abby Wheeler leg work and self publish two romance novels (one before summer, the other by the end of the year)
7. Complete all started fanfic, then 3 more promised fics
These two were related in my mind as I can't commit to the novel finish until I have the fic off my plate. I did finish the Almost Series at last, but I'd have liked to have finished at least one other fic. Well, I'm making strides in my free time now. So we'll see.
8. Busk somewhere besides Laguna Beach at least twice - Did it once. Hated it. Laguna is just my town, I guess. I feel awkward other places.
9. Join a dating service and commit to go on five dates. It's just time - I just... I didn't wanna!!!!
10. Take one long visit to Pennsylvania - Hey! Something I did! I took two trips! Yay!
Hmm, looking it over, I've made a kind of pathetic showing in 2013. The sad part is that all this could have been doable. I think it went down like this -- I kept thinking that I had till the end of the year to accomplish these things. I am nothing if not a procrastinator. Maybe I should switch it up a little and, rather than spread a lot over a year, spread a little over a quarter.
BY GOLLY, I WILL!
My Quarterly Resolution (to be completed by the end of March):
1. Complete Restless Nights and Subtraction Time, leaving only 2 charity fics unfinished.
2. Get a treadmill (I have a gig at the end of the month I can earmark for just that) and start using it
3. Find a last reader (Brianna never came through) and finish final draft of novel
4. Invent at least 2 healthy dishes (I have some favorites I've been wanting to try and make healthier versions of)
5. Buy a good electronic cigarette for use on the computer so I stop mindlessly reaching for my smokes when wriitng
6. Get credit report and assess, pay off 2 creditors
You know what? I think these are all doable in the first quarter. In fact, I'll put a little time on Restless Nights now, see if I can get chapter 15 out by the end of this day!
And here's something I did well this last year that I didn't list. I've been managing to keep up on you guys and comment on most of your entries (when I have anything good to add, at least). I'll go off and do that again right now!
The Good things in 2013 that stand out:
1. Gigging was good - felt quite busy all year and picked up standing restaurant gig at Holiday Inn's restaurant, also a new senior home
2. Promo was good - On Laguna's radio station four times, written up in 3 articles, did a nice podcast interview
3. Finally made a Christmas CD
4. Finally finished Almost Series
5. Visited PA twice, one of which was a truly awesome birthday trip
6. Uncle Mike is doing well, also our relationship has improved
7. Have kept a clean and well-organized place most of this year
The Bad things that stand out:
1. Am still a smoker and didn't meet most resolutions
2, Did not make much time to hang out socially
3, Uncle Mike and Joy are always at odds and complaining to me about each other
4. Family back east is always at odds about Kevin
5. Bobby had personal drama. Not my problem specifically, but it did cause some unrest
Looking at it, it doesn't seem like that good a year. But my general vibe this year was calmer. Maybe too calm. I might need to get out more. It's just that, with the singing and all the parties involved with that, I'm using all my social, mingling type energy there and feel like I never want to go out. Then I kind of look up and realize, most of the friends I made out here have moved away and, though I love Bobby, he always seems to be in trouble and needing help. I kind of wish I was more outgoing about making friends. I do have my girls at the shops in Laguna, but they're more like coworkers. Patrice is the only one I've hung out with outside of Laguna, and even that was only twice this year.
Still, it was a building year. I made some more contacts, I worked a lot and I have felt less stressed about money. Now, let's see how the goals went. What I said I'd do:
1. Attack creditors, knocking off at least half (it's not that much, but I let them slide just to survive and make the student loan payments)
Didn't do it. I think a a lot of the extra money that should have gone to that ended up going to my two trips to PA and covering bills with the time off. Still, I don't regret it as I want to see my family twice a year. This year, I will just have to try to work harder and squeeze in both. I can start with the little ones and work my way up.
2. Lose 35 pounds
The only thing I can say about that is I didn't gain weight this year. I truly don't think my diet is horrendous and I've changed a lot of the ways I interact with food. But I think actually losing that 35 and getting back to where I'm comfortable is all down to moving more. I stand still singing, I drive places, I sit down to write. My life is fairly sedentary, so I know that has to change.
3. Cut smoking by half again or quit altogether (I think the first is more likely)
That I did. Most days, I am down to 5 smokes a day. If I could just get that down to zero...
4. Buy a treadmill
Darn it, gotta do that ASAP. I can't help but think it's the one exercise I'll be able to keep up with as it requires the least self-motivation. It moves, I move with it. I must have it!
5. Learn five more songs in French Well... I learned 2 more. But I did learn three new Spanish ones that were requested, so that kind of took over.
6. Complete Abby Wheeler leg work and self publish two romance novels (one before summer, the other by the end of the year)
7. Complete all started fanfic, then 3 more promised fics
These two were related in my mind as I can't commit to the novel finish until I have the fic off my plate. I did finish the Almost Series at last, but I'd have liked to have finished at least one other fic. Well, I'm making strides in my free time now. So we'll see.
8. Busk somewhere besides Laguna Beach at least twice - Did it once. Hated it. Laguna is just my town, I guess. I feel awkward other places.
9. Join a dating service and commit to go on five dates. It's just time - I just... I didn't wanna!!!!
10. Take one long visit to Pennsylvania - Hey! Something I did! I took two trips! Yay!
Hmm, looking it over, I've made a kind of pathetic showing in 2013. The sad part is that all this could have been doable. I think it went down like this -- I kept thinking that I had till the end of the year to accomplish these things. I am nothing if not a procrastinator. Maybe I should switch it up a little and, rather than spread a lot over a year, spread a little over a quarter.
BY GOLLY, I WILL!
My Quarterly Resolution (to be completed by the end of March):
1. Complete Restless Nights and Subtraction Time, leaving only 2 charity fics unfinished.
2. Get a treadmill (I have a gig at the end of the month I can earmark for just that) and start using it
3. Find a last reader (Brianna never came through) and finish final draft of novel
4. Invent at least 2 healthy dishes (I have some favorites I've been wanting to try and make healthier versions of)
5. Buy a good electronic cigarette for use on the computer so I stop mindlessly reaching for my smokes when wriitng
6. Get credit report and assess, pay off 2 creditors
You know what? I think these are all doable in the first quarter. In fact, I'll put a little time on Restless Nights now, see if I can get chapter 15 out by the end of this day!
And here's something I did well this last year that I didn't list. I've been managing to keep up on you guys and comment on most of your entries (when I have anything good to add, at least). I'll go off and do that again right now!