Monday, January 02, 2012

New Year Considerations

I don't want to be too drastic and plan major changes to my life that I probably won't make so instead I'm making a list of activities I want to focus on in 2012.  These are things I want to do anyway but I need to list them somewhere so I can prioritize them.  Maybe I will even weed out a few that I feel are important but aren't so much.

After writing this post, let me warn you that it isn't that interesting!  It will be a good reminder to me though and I hope, as I check things off, it will provide me with a sense of accomplishment.

The obvious things I need to do are
1.  Exercise - for me that means getting up from my sewing or computer more times and more often than I do now.  My mother couldn't sit for long periods without having to get up and move around but I can sit for hours on end. (No pun intended)  And when I get up an move around a bit I am going to make a trip up and down the stairs.  I know this sounds hilariously simple for most of you but for me it's a small step in the right direction.
2.  Eat healthier - My friend suggested eating sweets only on days that have a 'u' in their names.  I don't think I can go a whole day with NO sweets.  Also, if I even tried the 'u' plan I'd eat A LOT of sweets on those days.  So I'm going with cutting back on the sweets and saying yes to the veggies.

Now for the more exciting considerations.  These are things I really want to do but I need to prioritize and focus on the important ones.
3.  Reread the Bock of Mormon - I thought of this goal earlier in Dec. and decided to start immediately.  I like getting a head start on things.   Plus if a bad day or two comes along I have those covered.
4.  Finish my Vegas quilt - while visiting our daughters in Vegas we went to a fabric store and Candleman saw a quilt on the wall that he really liked.  We took a picture and I figured it out.  All that's left is squaring it up and adding 2 borders.
4.  Finish the Miss Rosie True Blue quilt that I started when I needed a break from Vegas quilt.  My True Blue quilt is made of browns, teals, and reds.  I feel like I've been making blocks for forever and I've only finished half of what I need.
5.  Make a beautiful quilt from the beautiful fabric a daughter gave me for a Christmas present.  I got to pick the fabric and I just love it.  I've been looking through magazines and online to find the perfect pattern for it.

The next few are the items that most overwhelm me and I'm most confused about how to tackle.
6.  Add IPTC data to all (or at least most) of Grandma Inez's pictures.
7.  Put Grandma Inez's postcards in chronological order and then make a time line of where she was living before she married Grandpa.
8.  Add IPTC data to Dad & Mom's family pictures.  Continue searching for dates for the ones that don't have dates and putting all of their pictures in chronological order.
9.  Read letters & postcards from Dad & Mom's collection and create a time line of events.
10.  Read Mom's journal and add important items to time line.
11.  Sort through Mom's pictures and scan important ones, then throw away or send to family member who would like them.
12.  Write on my genealogy blog one last story about Grandpa Rasmussen and then compile all posts about him into a life history.
13.  Add IPTC data to the Petersen pictures I collected and sorted into chronological order last year.

Some reading goals:
14.  Finish rereading Louise Penny's Armand Gamache books.  I'm ready to start book 3.
15.  Put the brakes on accepting Advance Reader Copies.  I was doing so well with this but lately I've accepted 4 or 5 and I'm starting feel stress to get them read.  Reading should be a joy not a chore.
16.  Finish the 4 ARCs I already have sitting on the shelf: Jane Barret, The Crown, Me Before You, and The Hunter.   And write reviews for them.

House goals:
17.  Continue going through closets and drawers and getting rid of stuff.  Give to Deseret Industries anything in good shape and useful; toss the rest.  Slim down the stuff!
18.  Keep the kitchen cupboards cleaned off.

Eighteen new year's resolutions sounds like a lot but if I think of them as 1. Good health, 2. Genealogy, 3. Reading and 4. Home then it's not so overwhelming.  Plus I have been pretty specific about the genealogy goals and listed them in more manageable units.

Here's to new starts, renewed vigor and saying YES to living a good life.  YES to more fruits & veggies, YES to a clean house, YES to spiritual uplifts, YES to reading, and YES to increased bonds with my ancestors.  Oh, and YES to creativity and building my talents, which this year means YES to quilts!

Happy New Year!


1 comment:

julie said...

In list form, it does appear to be a lot of items, but I think you're smart in breaking bigger goals into smaller ones that are more manageable. Plus, it's always great to check off a small goal that helps toward a bigger one instead of waiting forever to check off the big one! I hope you post pictures of your finished quilts! I would love to see them in person, too, and of course to see YOU!