Confession: I am not one to make a resolution, let alone a bunch of them, come January 1st. However, I always set some goals to work on throughout the coming year. I find it helps me keep focus and perspective on life and challenges me to be, and do, better.
This year, my goals include:
1. Make a brand-new recipe each month
2. Read 1 book a month (I often don't make time to just read. This, I feel, will help me make time for it.)
3. Finish 2012 scrapbook and keep up with 2013 scrapbook
4. Go to 3 places I have never been: 1 restaurant, 1 city, 1 museum or attraction
5. Blog once per week
6. Limit facebook time, posting once or twice a week.
7. Take a course in the education field (professional development)
8. Paint a special piece for the house (I haven't paint since university)
So, how have I been doing meeting these goals?
1. Recipe: I made a bok choy salad for lunch one day. I have never prepared anything with bok choy and I was curious. I found out you can eat it raw, so I thought - Perfect! I found this recipe: http://tastykitchen.com/recipes/salads/spicy-crunchy-bok-choy-salad/ Now, I didn't have rice vinegar, so I used regular vinegar. (It would have been better with the rice vinegar.) I omitted the almonds as I am allergic and I didn't have a jalapeno pepper... so that got left out. Overall, it was okay. I am sure, if the recipe is followed exactly with no omissions, it would be full of flavour and perfect to accompany a steak dinner or a tofu dish. For me, I think I will search for other yummy bok choy recipes in the future.
2. Read: I have my Kobo to thank for meeting, AND going beyond, this goal. (FYI: I LOVE my Kobo Glo I received for Christmas.) I read The Foretelling by Alice Hoffman; The Custom of the Army by Diana Gabaldon, a non-fiction, riveting work (not really that exciting) about the care of chihuahuas, and I am halfway through The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel by Deborah Moggach. I also borrowed an e-book called The Element by Sir Ken Robinson. (I am almost finished that one.)
3. Scrapbook: I have uploaded new papers and embellishments into Storybook Creator - I had a backlog of files to load in from last year. I also purchased credits for a 12x12 book and an 8x8 book. I plan to use the 12x12 for the first six months of my 365 from last year. I have finished to May 2012 for that book. So almost there! For 2013, I have simply been organizing my photos (all digital into folders) and really haven't contemplated the book yet. That will have to change if I am to keep up with this goal. That being said, I have taken on keeping a SMASHbook for the year. AND I have been adding to it throughout the month. Does that count for my scrapbook goal?
4. Places: There hasn't been any progress yet on this front.
5. Blog: I have been doing at least once a week, faithfully, and lovin' it! I don't really know how many people I am reaching, but for me, it is not about that. It is an exercise in creativity, expanding my writing skills and voice, tracking my year and events/items I feel are important, and getting experience using the program.
6. Facebook: I WAS doing well on this until last week. Last week, we adopted a new four-legged friend and well, that meant more posts; then old habits crept back in this week. February is a new month, and I will try again to limit time on fb and keeping my posts to a minimum.
7. Course: This is a work in progress and it isn't necessary to complete this month. :)
8. Painting: I am searching for the topic of my piece. I have played around with a few ideas... abstract vs. a more Impressionist inspired piece. I am debating to do a large piece vs a triptic (An art piece that consists of three canvases that hang together.) More developments will be shared in the coming months.
I am please with my progress thus far in 2013.
I have also completed and begun several other projects. I already showed you some of the crocheted pieces (and working on my son's cowl now.) I also blogged about the SMASHbook (and more to be posted in the short term.) As well, I have made an upcycled dog sweater from a sleeve of a wool sweater (post to follow) and a personal address book for a close, dear friend. I have been documenting the process of creating this book as I have gone along as I will be blogging about it shortly.
I am LOVING, LOVING being crafty, creative and keeping this blog. I am feeling centred and calm. (Maybe great weekly dates have been a contributing factor, too.)
January was a good month!
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