Personal Goals: 2016 Recap



Hi! It's been a while. Consider this my attempt at getting back to it. Um. Again.

I didn't post it here, but at the beginning of 2017, I made a list of 21 goals for myself.

1. Reread The Happiness Project's chapter on clutter - done
2. Complete at least three home improvement tasks - done

  • Replace front window with a bay window
  • Get tools (jigsaw and sander, not that I used them)
  • Get rid of stuff we don't use, including a lot of clothes
  • Fix the driveway ... kind of. It still needs new asphalt.
  • Paint house
  • Get/make a file cabinet/bench

3. Do an activity with Tickle once a month over the year - done, including an awesome family vacation
4. Exercise more - nope
5. Play mandolin more - I broke one of the strings; does that count?
6. Create craft corner - done, and I love it!
7. Send Grandpa lefse - hand delivered, along with cookies made from his grandma's recipe
8. Make krumkake - nope
9. Start food/garden share with neighbors - sure, I'll allow it
10. Craft and hang Germany frames - done, and they look nice (now I just have to rotate out the pictures)
11. Frame and hang the Avatar poster - done
12. Get a haircut at least twice over the year - done! I think I got three.
13. Write for at least two minutes/day - nope
14. Finish at least eight books - no ... I read two and half of two others.
15. Sew a clothing item - no, but I'm counting it. I knitted a lot.
16. Pay up on the mortgage - nope
17. Create a mutual fund for Ingrid - nope
18. Get a shower clock/mirror - yes
19. Cut down time online - I'm satisfied with my online time this year.
20. Weed more than twice; put down mulch - done
21. A personal goal that I don't care to divulge - done

So I met 14 of my 21 goals (at least sort of). I'm pleased with this. The goals were simple and, for the most part, reasonable. I'm still going to try to keep my list shorter for next year, though. I especially like the way I arranged my home improvement goal, so I'll reprise that.

I was feeling pretty bummed about my lack of reading this year until a friend pointed out that, while she fell short of her own reading goal, her relationships and job were all going well, and that's substantively more important. So while I met 67% of my goals (great in my opinion, but still a D), I made a lot of good memories and took strides that can't be quantified. I now have thousands more pictures and had lots of wonderful conversations with beautiful minds. I did great things that aren't even listed here, like going to the Weird Al concert and FREAKING KOREA. I read Tickle the same five books way more than eight times each.

In that sense, it was a very good year.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Sally Anns and a Can of Spam

Image
Sally Anns are one of my favorite cookies. By their taste alone, they evoke a sense of home and comfort, reminding me of the kitchen at my grandparents' place and the simple happiness of mid-afternoon sweets. They're the only food that evokes the thought, This would be better with a cup of coffee. Making them was a good Easter activity, especially as I was stuck away from the family due to unpacking (the books are now free!) and yard work shenanigans (such as finding a dead mouse in the yard, which was lovely). With help from my mom, I found the recipe in the family cookbook (my great-great-grandparents are on the cover, and other awesome old pictures are scattered throughout). I decided that the transgression of buying a can of Spam (just once) was worth it for the sake of the cookies. Poke holes in the bottom of the can to allow for air flow. I didn't have enough butter for a full batch, but half of one made 18 Cookies of Unusual Size. I made the mistake of...
Read more

The Beatles' Help! Scarf

Image
Remember when I posted about making Beatles-themed crafts after seeing Cirque du Soleil's performance of Love? I've finished the first one. Here's a refresher of the original Help! scarf. Source And here's my version: a massive thing that I gave my sister for her birthday. In these shots, it's wrapped around her neck twice. I didn't measure the beast before I sent it to its new home, but it's probably about 8 feet long. Made with Caron yarn on size 8 needles, this tube scarf was 40 stitches in the round. Each block of color is 20 rows. The only tricky parts are getting a smooth transition between colors and what to do with the yarn ends inside the tube, but they are easy problems to solve. When you transitioning, knit a normal row with the new color, then pull tight the last stitch of the previous color. That last stitch shouldn't disappear entirely, but it will be close, and your problem will be solved. Then, because this scarf ...
Read more

Leavetaking by Eve Merriam

Image
Vacation is over; It's time to depart. I must leave behind (Although it breaks my heart) Tadpoles in the pond, A can of eels, A leaky rowboat, Abandoned car wheels; For I'm packing only Necessities: A month of sunsets And two apple trees. I'm packing today. What are you doing?
Read more