2013: Goals, Dreams and Wishes

Hi all,

Those of you who are following me on Instagram likely know that my grandmother (or Bubba, as we called her) passed away yesterday afternoon.  Till the end she was fiercely independent, sharp as a tack, and a staunch supporter of the arts.  I will remember her fondly particularly for that last point.  An avid theatre goer, my Bubba introduced me to many fine Canadian works of performing arts, most notably when she had to give up two tickets to a "puppet show" I wasn't sure I'd actually like.  The show was Ten Days On Earth by Canadian director, designer and master performer Ronnie Burkett; the puppets immaculate marionettes manipulated by Ronnie himself - and only Ronnie.  This performance would and continues to inspire me, sparking my imagination as to the depth and range of feeling and emotion portrayed by the supposedly inanimate.  I never would have had that without the thoughtfulness of my Bubba Eve.

Her funeral is tomorrow, and as such I must head to Toronto after I finish work today.  There will be no Super Brunch Sunday post tomorrow, and indeed I fumbled on properly putting together a post for today as I tried to pack (I seem to have no clothing that's really funeral appropriate right now!), work out travel arrangements, and realize that she is actually gone.  This woman was given 6 months to live nearly a decade ago, and quite honestly I think we thought she would outlive us all, fueled on determination alone. Makes me want to be a little more determined myself.

Thusly, I present to you all, my goals for 2013.  I've never been a resolution maker, but I'm taking a stab at some general lifestyle changes I would like to see in myself in the next 12 months, and some rewards I have honestly earned, but haven't allowed myself to indugle in yet.  life is too short, and if not now, when? 

Okay. Enough seriousness, here we go.

In 2013 I hope to:

• blog 4 times a week
• complete my 365 Days of iPhone Photos project
• complete one photo-an-hour post for each month 
• save my pennies and purchase a new laptop to replace the 8 year old glorified paperweight
• take a trip
• create more, and consume less Netflix (or knit while I watch!)
• read 6 books (this makes me sad.  how did it come to this?!)
• create an online portfolio
• look into continuing education
• take my camera with me more (and invest in a serious camera bag)
• invest more time and effort into friendships, old and new
• send 6 pieces of snail mail
• build a small business
• exercise twice a week
• take life drawing classes
• get a car

Now, most of those goals with a number associated with them is a hopeful minimum.  I'd certainly be happier with going to the gym more than twice a week, but twice is still an improvement (and I pushed myself too hard the one day I managed to go this week, not remembering I've been away for so long! I still can't get my left arm quite straight... hurts so good, haha!).
 
Have you created any goals for this year? Let's all get the most out of 2013 that we can!

--Erin