Some would call
them goals or
New Year's
Resolutions. I've been setting them
for years, and I even achieved a few, such as completing my bachelor's
degree (thirteen years after graduating from high school) and buying a
big house. Now I simply refer to these as the Infinite
Master To Do List (IMTDL). I have several goals to accomplish in
2011:
-
Stronger Marriage (Ongoing Lifespan Goal)
-
Better Health (Ongoing Lifespan Goal-this is where the perennial
"lose weight" falls)
-
Financial, i.e., get us out of debt (should be done by summer of 2011 with the exception of the mortgages)
-
Creativity, i.e., finally write my novel
series, or at least the first book.
-
Home Improvements (this is where "buy bigger house" went until 2005
when we actually did buy a bigger
house)
-
To Do List: Check items off the IMTDL
- Events: Go to the parties and gatherings to which I'm invited. Woody Allen once said, "Ninety percent of life is just showing up."
-
Human Baby, or at least pregnant
- Delazan Enterprises,
my home-based business (on hold until I finish my first novel)
The good news is that I have a
plan for achieving all I want to achieve, and I even have a
calendar plan, too.
Goals End of Year Review 2010 Stronger Marriage (Ongoing Lifespan Goal): Gaming, including
D&D (my
Ptolus campaign) and the
Playstation (including with friends). Some dates with
Brian. I think we need to work on more romance and intimacy in our marriage.
Better Health (Ongoing Lifespan Goal-this is where the perennial "lose weight" falls): Because of
Atkins, I’ve lost sixteen to eighteen pounds (depending on the scale), but I’m still not under 300# - yet
Financial,
i.e., get us out of non-mortgage debt: This has been so hard because
we’re putting over $1400 a month toward our debts. The good news is
that we paid off the caravan loan to the Bank of Dad (Brian’s Dad), and
that we should finish paying off the non-mortgage debt in June of 2011
(touch wood). Then we’ll meet with our
financial advisor and work on a savings plan and a way to reinvest some of that money.
Creativity, i.e., finally write my
novel series, or at least the first book: I’ve updated my
websites, and consolidated a couple of them into one family website. I wrote the short story
A Modern Xmas Carol, and over 18,000 words on my first novel
The Adventures of Hirapis I: The Grand Illusion,
which is more than I’ve ever wrote on it in all the previous years
combined; however, the book currently is only 22,251 words, and my goal
is to make it 50,000 words.
Home Improvements:
Not much was done in this area due to finances other than taking care
of a few minor projects such as organizing a closet here or replacing a
water filter for the kitchen sink there. We did hire a contractor to
help us fix minor problems in the bathroom shower and the kitchen sink.
Next year, when the debts are paid off, we plan to do a lot more.
To Do List:
Check items off the IMTDL: I took care of a lot of things on the list.
Some of them are perennial; like obtaining a dog license, doing the
taxes, buying Badger tickets, and paying car registrations; but some
are one shot things like exchanging a faulty DVD, having my Mrs.
Madison 1997 tiara fixed by my Father-in-Law, finishing my corset, and
taking the US Flag that my cats used as a litterbox to the
VFW to be disposed of properly. What I’m proudest of is the events that I’ve coordinated or assisted:
Odd Con, our
Independence Day Party,
Brian’s Birthday Party,
Dorkstock, and
Christmas Eve Dinner
for my in-laws. Not only did I do what needed to be done and do it well
and within budget; I’ve written ideas and plans for next year to make
the events that much easier next time around.
Events:
Go to the parties and gatherings to which I'm invited: This has been
very fun. I’ve enjoyed events like going to my friends the Rays to
watch football or for their annual holiday party, going to my friend
Heather’s birthday party in Chicago, Odd Con, Plattecon, out with my
best friend Betsy or other friends, etc. My favorite event this year
was meeting members of the
Army of Dorkness at the
Bristol Ren Faire on my birthday. That was a blast.
Human Baby,
or at least pregnant: Unfortunately, not yet. Some health issues and
especially the money issues have pushed this back another year, but I
have hope for 2011.
Delazan Enterprises,
my home-based business (on hold until I finish my first novel): While
technically this is still on hold while I finish Hirapis I, I have been
thinking about what I’d like to do for my home-based business in 2011.
I’ll let you know if anything develops.