Wednesday 30 January 2013

2013 Goals: January Update

Well folks, we're all but one month through 2013.  I'd like to say that it's going by too quickly, but the weather in Ontario through January and February is totally miserable, so, can we just skip right ahead to March already? Please?

In the mean time, the nasty weather has kept me indoors more, and I have tried to keep busy and make a little progress on some of my goals.  So let's see how things are shaping up!

  • blog 4 times a week  so far, so good! Steadily writing 4 posts per week!
  • complete my 365 Days of iPhone Photos project Check my updates HERE
  • complete one photo-an-hour post for each month Sunday Jan.27! Will post soon.
  • save my pennies and purchase a new laptop to replace the 8 year old glorified paperweight Okay, Technically I didn't save up in the new year, but finally decided to spend some of the money I already had saved on a new laptop.  BEST DECISION EVER.  Blogging and photo editing is so much easier now! I got a little 13" Macbook Pro, and named him Verne. ♥♥♥
  • take a trip  I've been looking up dream destinations in the USA, but no solid plans yet.  I can't travel till October, so there's no real rush.
  • create more, and consume less Netflix (or knit while I watch!) Verne has made watching some New Girl (I think I finally get that show.  maybe?) while I craft into my evening me-time perfection.  I'm working hard, and have something funny to listen to all the while!
  • read 6 books (this makes me sad.  how did it come to this?!) Only made a 100 page dent into Dune.  I need to dedicate solid blocks of time to reading, instead of just reading before bed for 30 mins or so, on and off.
  • create an online portfolio No progress here, yet!
  • look into continuing education Nor here, either.
  • take my camera with me more (and invest in a serious camera bag) I'm trying, but without the camera bag this is tricky.  I have been using my iphone camera more, of course! Instaspam like whoa...
  • invest more time and effort into friendships, old and new I've made some real efforts here, but I'd like to see myself working at this harder, and dedicating some time every week to Skype dates.  After all, Verne has a webcam (livin' large, folks).
  • send 6 pieces of snail mail 0/6, but getting some goodies together to get started on this...
  • build a small business There may be a big announcement coming... but I can't strike this from the list until then!!! (watch as I try to hide my excitement!!)
  • exercise twice a week  I've been going to the gym 2 or 3 evenings a week.  Ephraim and I both have memberships to the gym near my house, and it's great motivation to be able to go with him when he's in town.
  • take life drawing classes This sort of hinges on the car thing, so that I can get to and from said classes.  So, no drawing naked people this month...
  • get a car Any day now!! My Dad has been teaching me to drive stick shift (I have my full license but have only driven automatic transmission), so once I get my car (My uncle is upgrading and giving me his old car.  How nice is that?!?) I'll still have a couple weeks of slow and steady country driving before I feel comfortable driving to Toronto, but I'm getting there.  I just get nervous too easily about making the next jump in skill level.  Practice, practice, practice! 
I'm really happy with how I've been doing with my goals so far.  Many of these are lifestyle changes, so they'll never really be crossed off the list, but checking in every month or so (I'll likely cut it down once I feel like these new habits have set in) will help keep me on track.  It feels pretty good!

--Erin 

12 comments:

  1. Owh lovely goals . I'm also on for 4 times posting in a week , but I couldn't help myself as being a MIA :)
    Noor @ Noor's Place

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  2. Love all these goals! I love snail mail. Sometimes, I send my boyfriend little love notes in the mail like "I love you" or "hey hot stuff, hope you have a great day!" hahaha.... I'm also learning to drive! I took a driving lesson yesterday and within 10 minutes most of the nervousness was gone! I can't wait to have a car!

    -Cait

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    1. That is SO adorable!!
      I'd love to send my boyfriend little love notes. I'd have to make them really special though, like if the letters were sealed with sealing wax!! He'd totally dig that.
      I'm totally golden when it comes to driving automatic, but the level of activity in driving standard is still intimidating. I'm getting there though! Finally got out of first gear!

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  3. You are doing so well with your goals! I can't wait to hear about your new business, I'm sure it'll be awesome. And congratulations on learning to drive, I'm trying to get ready for my theory exam at the moment and am absolutely terrified by it! I'm totally going to be one of those people who has to take their test about 30 times xo

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    1. I had to take my written test twice, and I waited a whole year between the two! I was so discouraged by my initial failure, but I had been given the hardest test (there are 3 levels of tests in Ontario, given at random) and it was all ridiculous questions I just hadn't thought to study. Like stuff on boat trailers. BTW, you CAN have pets and firearms in a towed trailer, but not people. This has never been useful to me.

      --Erin

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  4. I love that you're actually keeping track! Not a lot of us have that kind of determination. Go get it!

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    1. Thanks! I figure I'd better check in with myself every so often, or I'll forget what I'm really looking to achieve! I figure a little monthly update will keep me right on track :)

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  5. You're killing your goals! That's so awesome. I find by the end of January I usually forget I ever even made goals for the year. I'm trying really hard to stay true to my fun list, as well. So far I'm doing awesome on the reading and creating front... oh and on the watching the entire Seinfeld series from start to finish. I'm killing that goal!

    Good luck learning stick shift. I had to do it just over a year ago and I'm finally feeling super confident. You'll get there. Plus, if I'm being honest, it's actually way more fun to drive a stick than automatic. You feel more involved.... and I always feel a bit like a race car driver!

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  6. Driving in Toronto is totally crazy - I have been here 18 months and still drive way too slowly with horns all around beeping to get me to go faster!

    Kate x
    http://www.kateathome.com/

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  7. You are doing so well! Congrats, friend! :)

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  8. Wow- you are cruising right along and should be so proud of your progress! I can't wait to hear your announcement... I took the plunge in to macbook pro land last summer and I haven't regretted it sense. In fact, I shudder thinking what last semester would've been like without it. Hello... running multiple Adobe programs at once?? Amazing.

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  9. cant wait to hear this big announcement!!

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