Resolutions, Kind Of

So much for updating "tomorrow" like I'd said in my last post. At least it's only been a week. Ish.

I've decided to participate in the "Big, Fun, Scary Adventure Challenge" over on the NaNoWriMo forums. I really like the idea of an entire forum of people all posting their goals and providing help and support for each other. It also gives you people to hold you accountable if you say you're going to do something. Another reason I'm posting them on here. I know that people who read this (aka Jade, as no one else does) will get on my ass about it. I have come up with a bunch of goals for myself that I want to start on this year. They aren't New Year's resolutions per se, just things I'd like to do. Hopefully I will manage to get through at least some of them.

What I've come up with so far:

1. Finish my degree, in May, and then take the two classes I'd have left to get my tax certificate. There's no reason I shouldn't complete this, honestly. I need a job too, hopefully by June (and hopefully in my field, but I'll take what I can and keep looking if need be). I'm going to start on that in the next couple of months. I already have one or two options to look into.

2. This ties into the first goal, but I want to keep going with school so I can get my Bachelor's degree, and eventually my Master's. I need to research what schools I could go to for my Bachelor's; what is within commuting distance, what classes I'd need to complete the degree, and how I could afford it. Also need to apply to whichever schools I decide are feasible. I've already started this actually, and I'm hoping to get everything in by the end of February, if I decide to continue this fall. If I decide to take a semester off, applications can be pushed back to the end of summer.

3. Finish my 2007 NaNo novel, and edit it once. Actually give it to two or three people to read, which will probably be the most difficult thing for me to do. For some reason, I'm terrified of letting other people read my writing, which is lovely considering I want to be a writer. I really need to start getting over it.

4. Participate in NaNo again in November and win for the third time. Maybe I'll actually plan a bit this year. Yeah, I doubt it. I'm usually lucky to have even a vague plot idea in my head before November 1st. I'm not the type of person who can plot an entire novel out before I write it.

5. I want to get back into playing my flute, and pick up where I left off with learning piano. Finances permitting, I want to take lessons for both, but if not, there's nothing stopping me from finding some music and practicing both on my own. I have a keyboard, and my flute needs a bit of work but it's still functional.

6. Write a bit, every day. It's not realistic for me to write like I do during NaNo all the time, but I need to get into the habit of writing more regularly. I want to get in at least 15 minutes a day. I'd like to do an hour or more most days, but 15 minutes is reasonable no matter how much work I have or how busy my day is.

7. In the same vein as 6, keep updating this blog once a week or more, and start writing in a journal again. Basically, the more writing I fit in, the better.

8. Let other people read my writing! I know I said this already, but it's a huge problem with me, and something that's important for me to accomplish if I want to try and get published.

9. Exercise 3 days a week, work up to 5 days a week. Pretty self-explanatory. I've actually got something in mind to keep me going with this, though I'm not going to get into detail. Maybe in a later post.

10. Read at least 52 books. Probably more, but I know that I can do one per week. I've got well over a hundred books I haven't read, and I want to start getting through them.

11. Try and get away for a few short trips. I can't afford anything extravagant, but I need to get away now and then for a few days. Already have two of these planned; DO in March and Otakon in August. I'm trying to get out to Philadelphia next month to see Avenue Q for Chris' birthday too, if I can scrape the money together.

12. There are a lot of other languages I'd like to learn. I don't really want to be great at them, just learn them to a conversational level. I've been saying this for years, and I want to actually start on one or two this year. I'm thinking Japanese, not sure what else. I might just brush up a bit on my French. Learning one entirely new language is probably enough to start.

13. Keep with my physical therapy until I can actually use my hand like normal again. I'm sick of having issues with writing and other things, just because my finger is still messed up. I've been working on it every day so far, and I want to stick with that until my finger is back to the way it used to be.

Yeah, not ambitious at all, am I? Ha. Like I said before though, these are just things I want to do. I'll be quite happy if I accomplish a few of them. Many of them I've talked of doing for a very long time, so at least I'm putting them out there and giving them a real shot.