Thursday, January 5, 2012

Violins and Velvet: Plans for a New Year

Happy New Year!  I'm back after a holiday hiatus (in which I shunned my laptop and did some real-people things) and ready to get my powerhouse on.  Like so many others, the chronic organizer within me loves the annual opportunity to list up some resolutions and start ticking them off.  Yes, this practice is hackneyed and pretty far off the "cool" map, but in looking back at lists from years past, I see how well voicing and visualizing Big Life Priorities has been working for me. 

Last year, my life was graduate school, and all of my goals surrounded theses and mad amounts of academic undergoings.  My list this year is much shorter, but its desired results are less "step by step" and a few are going to take some serious elbow grease.

Also, hilarious and strangely helpful is this round-up: "20 Resolutions for 20-Somethings."  (Number 18, for example, is "Back up your entire online life onto an external hard drive, especially your photos." Heck. Yes.)

And now... Some Things To Do in 2012!
      
1.  Become totally awesome at sewing.  Make more clothes. I want it to be Project Runway in my apartment by 2013.

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2.  Start and complete a new poetry manuscript (60-80 pages.) Also, get a chapbook published.

3.  Write and publish a romance novel under a hilarious pen name.

4. Catch up on book backlog. Read at least 60 books (that I already own!) Keep a reading journal! Also, get non-awful bookshelves and organize my over-flowing library.
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5.  Learn about film. Chiefly, watch loads of Criterion Collection movies.

6.  Run a 5K.

7. Practice violin 2-3 times per week and start playing music with other humans again.  (Read: Stop neglecting the music.)
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8.  Invest in going to the opera and the theatre more frequently.

9. Write more letters. Send more parcels. Communicate with long-distance friends extra-frequently.

10.  Finally go on a weekend getaway to the country and be very, very quiet.

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The only thing I have to say to you, 2012, is, "Bring it."

7 comments:

Danny said...

I want to do so many of these things. And on that note...

Word verification: Paring. :love:

A Lost Feather said...

wait a minuteeeee.. we aren't in 2013 yet (last line!) are we? haha i hope not.. because if we are i totally missed 2012!

i need to follow you in some of your resolutions.. replace violin with piano and the whole reading thing.. yes that. but maybe half as many books. . i need to start small with that one :)

elledoubleyouu said...

Welcome back!! I like your list of resolutions. They seem both attainable and challenging. I'm still working on mine...

♥ LW

Chrissy said...

That picture with the lady and the violin is beautiful!
Wonderful goals...good luck for 2012! XXX

Sarah said...

OMG I'm in love with #3 and #10. Also, I didn't know that you and not just your characters play violin! Would love to read a blog post about this side of you! xo

Sarah said...

" Catch up on book backlog. Read at least 60 books (that I already own!) Keep a reading journal! Also, get non-awful bookshelves and organize my over-flowing library."

Totally understand this. My over-flowing library has made its way into my closet. The closet shelves are not reserved for clothing, but for books. Good space if you can spare it.

blythePonytailParades said...

I LOVE that dining room! Awesome goals :)