2010, Here I Come!

I can't believe it's been almost ten years since we entered the new millenium! In January of 1999, I was 12 years old and excited about becoming a teenager; I had met Robin but we hadn't really bonded yet; had never had a job; was completely into Star Wars and was sooo excited about the release of the new movie; I had written four novellas and a lot of sketches/vignettes (but hadn't studied poetry at all); we had just moved from my beloved childhood home to our new house on 25 acres of wooded land; I had just gotten on the Internet for the first time that summer and by January I had found The Young Writer's Club and thought I'd died and gone to heaven; I had quite a collection of cassettes and had just started buying CD's - but they were sooo expensive!; I got a discman for Christmas that year - so did Robin - and it was the coolest gift ever; I was still taking piano lessons but dreamed of taking voice lessons; and I had never flown on a commercial airplane.

It seems like everyone is reflecting on the old year, thinking about the New Year, gearing up for new adventures, and making resolutions. I'm no exception! I usually clean out my room, my car, my bathroom, etc, the week before January 1st, but this year I got everything cleaned and organized before Christmas - which never happens! - and so I have some extra time to reflect on other things, like what I'd like to accomplish in the coming year(s). I took myself on a "date" today for a gingerbread latte, a new notebook, and a chance to come up with some goals for the new year and the new decade. Here are some of the things I came up with!

~ Go hear live music once a month - it doesn't have to be an expensive concert, though I certainly hope to get to a few of those, too!
~ Post to "Taleia & Company" at least twice a week.
~ Post to "Girl In Skirt" at least once a week.
~ Get my "EdResource" blog up and running.
~ Plan and execute at least one roadtrip to a place I've never been or driven to.
~ Get my hair trimmed every 8-10 weeks... I'm so bad about this, but it really looks better when it gets clipped regularly.
~ Save $1000 just for emergencies! (I did it this year and it was a great feeling!)
~ Write one poem per week and post it to my personal writing blog.
~ Read one new magazine on an interesting topic per month.
~ Crochet one new pattern a month, and make at least one of those projects an item of clothing... this has been on my want-to-do list for a long time now.
~ Go on one "date" with just myself per week, even if it's just to get coffee and online window shop for an hour.
~ Take a couple trips into D.C. and explore some of the museums/attractions I haven't seen yet. Cherry Blossom Festival, here I come!
~ Plan one "just the kids" outing per month. I have really enjoyed the last few times my sibs and I have gotten to hang out and I'm really looking forward to making this a more regular occurrence.
~ Finish reading the "100 Greatest Books" list.
~ Watch the "100 Greatest Movies" list.
~ Dedicate some time to work on my writing... not quite sure if it'll be on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis, but this is definitely a habit I want to develop.
~ Wash my face every day... and I mean really cleanse it and moisturize it with actual cleanser and moisturizer instead of splashing water or dove soap over it. :)
~ Submit a piece of my writing to some publication (any suggestions?)
~ Get my new website up and running.
~ Read through the Bible this year.

You can track my progress, game plans, etc for these goals through the website 43 Things (check it out - it's a great tool!). In the meantime, what are some of your goals?