Friday, December 30, 2011

New Year: Twelve for '12

My friend Julie recently blogged her list of goals to do before her next birthday: 30 by 30. Julie is my first and only official "cyber friend", meaning that we met online (in a forum for women trying to conceive) about 2 1/2 years ago and have met once in person since then. And there have been four baby girls between us in that time frame! Her second little one is due in a few weeks.

Anyway, I got inspired to create a list of my own. (Have you noticed how much I like lists? They are my chief organizational tool. Great at writing them, not nearly as good at crossing things off of them.) This is my list for the New Year - resolutions, assignments, goals, or what-have-you. Not that anyone cares about my personal betterment, but...

In 2012, I would like to:

1) Finish my wedding present for my friend Betsy, who was married in 2009.

2) Stop using shampoo. (This one is actually stolen directly from Julie. You can read more about it here.)

3) Make couch pillows. The fabric was already purchased months ago.

4) Finish Bea's baby book. Buy/Start/Finish Margot's baby book.

5) Placeholder financial goal. (This one is hinging on secured employment and is intended to be the amount I hope we will pay off in student loan debt. I have a number in mind, but am not committing until further information about our future is unveiled.) My backup financial goal is to get the newspaper each week and clip coupons.

6) Sleep through the night. I'll define this as 8 hours straight with no interruptions from children. And I just mean that I want this to happen for one night. If many nights, great!, but I'm not expecting too much here.

7) Learn how to knit, specifically in order to make amigurumi which I've been admiring all year while following this blog.

8) Travel. To Illinois? To California? Just somewhere that requires me to board a plane.

9) Paint bookshelf. The paint was already purchased months ago.

10) Read at least five books that I already own and have never read before.

11) Cook a whole chicken. I've had this chicken in my freezer for ages and I have no idea what to do with it. Suggestions welcome.

12) Volunteer at Community Pregnancy Clinic in Camas. I've already submitted my volunteer application and met with the wonderful people at this place twice. This is a lovely organization that believes in supporting women in unplanned pregnancies all the way through the birth of their children and beyond. They are truly the hands and feet, doing good in this community, not just holding a strong political or moral position, but getting in there and doing the dirty work: helping those in need.

Okay, and here's one more for good measure and because I desperately need some accountability on this one:

13) Go to the dentist. I haven't been in...awhile.

Happy 2012 to all!