10 Goals for 2015

OakMonster - Run for A Claus

What an interesting year 2014 has been. 2015 goals are less lofty but more personal. But first, a recap.

2014 Goals Recap: 5 out of 10 + Extra Credit

Last year’s list was quite and ambitious one. Let’s start with all the fails, shall we?

Fails

I did not run 5K under 40 minutes at any of the 5 races I did this year. Nor did I finish reading “S”. I don’t even know where I’ve put the book at this point!

I did not learn new phrases in Quenya or Klingon, which, ironically, is the opposite of the only one Klingon word I know, Q’apla which is used as a goodbye/good luck but literally means “success”.

Nor did I seek out “long lost” friends to hang out once a month but I had a few connections.

And obviously, the blog did not get revamp. It got broken but it did not get fixed.

Wins

I finally made a pie crust from scratch! Delicious, buttery, crumbly quiche crust for Thanksgiving. One more thing off my Bucket List. Woohoo!

OakMonster - Brussels Sprout Quiche

I completed the Hobbit Diet Challenge in grand style, and took Brandon on an adventure once a month, almost. I cheated a bit on eating fruit and/or vegetables daily with Jamba Juice and smoothie pouches. But hey, I’m doing it!

Finally, I read more than 12 “books” this year. Okay, seven actual books with a good number of graphic novels and comic series. I didn’t say it in the goal last year but I wanted to get into comic books a little bit. After all, how could you cosplay Wolverine effectively if you don’t really know him?

  • Lucky Us – Amy Bloom
  • Discovery of Witches – Deborah Harkness
  • School for Good and Evil: A World without Princes – Soman Chainani
  • Dresden Files: Skin Game – Jim Butcher
  • The Fault in our Stars – John Green (Audio Book)
  • Dreams of Gods & Monsters – Laini Taylor
  • An Astronaut’s Guide to Life on Earth – Chris Hadfield
  • Gwen Stacy: Spider-man. Edge of Spider-Verse #2 – Jason Latour
  • Harley Quinn: The New 52 – Amanda Conner & Jimmy Palmiotti
  • Wolverine: Killable – Paul Cornell
  • Wolverine: Weapon X – Barry Windsor-Smith
  • Wolverine Origin – Bill Jemas, Joe Quesada and Paul Jenkins
  • Old Man Logan – Mark Millar & Steve McNiven
  • Wolverine – Chris Claremont & Frank Miller
  • Deadpool Complete Collection Volume 1 – Daniel Way
  • Serenity: Leaves on the Wind –  Zack Whedon

Bonus

I didn’t plan on participating in Nerdvember, but then I did. What a month of creative expression! I’ve learned 2 things from this exercise: I hate doing a daily selfie and trying to find something new to wear everyday (that is not t-shirt and jeans) is hard.

2015 Goals

Well, here’s what will get a little tricky. Some of these are actual, quantifiable goals. Some are more of a behavioral shift I want to make. We’ll see how we do!

Run 5K under 40 minutes

I’m still going to try! I have to do some more research and find some more training methods to try out.

Learn to make fried chicken

I’ve tried so many different ways and still can’t seem to get the chicken to cook through. I don’t know what my problem is. Many friends have offered to show me the way. So, there will be a lot of fried chicken in my future. This is also an item in my Bucket List.

Cook one new recipe each month

I’ve set this goal back in 2012 and failed. But it was set as cooking a new recipe AND blogging about it. It’s the blogging part that led to the fail, I believe. If I just COOK the meal and not plan a blog around it would have probably worked out better.

Revamp the blog

About damn time, right? 😉

Play piano/guitar once a month

At a recent Christmas gathering at Tamara’s house, the party broke into a sing-along. At one point, Ken, Wyatt, Heather, and I got a four-part harmony going for “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” with everyone singing along.  That definitely inspired me to get back to MAKING music.

Here’s the video of the second go-around of the song after I had left the party.

The feels

A video posted by Tamara Hooper Greet (@tamarakayeg) on

Downsize and simplify everything

I don’t necessarily hoard things. But I have a “let’s keep it just in case” problem. I’ve started working on this process already by moving some of the clothes into the costume closet (because, well, I kind of saved them for THAT reasons) and giving away most of my earrings since I will not re-pierce my ears. I hope to clear out more clothes, gift wraps, arts and craft supplies (there must be some dead tubes of water colors in the box somewhere!), and possibly some books too.

Stop wasting time and energy on those who don’t deserve it…

You already know I’m a year-round gifter and generally a helpful individual. I don’t expect anything in return–it’s just a thing that I do. I don’t usually keep tabs but recently, someone did something that made me reevaluate my good intentions.  It dawned on me I was being taken advantage of. There are people who a) expect me to treat them to things ALL THE TIME, b) keep me company because they get things from me, and, the straw that breaks my back, c) take my generosity for granted.

Fuck that. I’m not doing those fuckers any more kindness.

Stop swimming across oceans for those who won't jump a puddle for you

…and spend more time and energy on those who do

That’s right. I’m going to spend more time and energy on REAL friends from now on.

I may have been guilty of the same crime of not paying attention to some friends, thinking that they’d always be there for me. To that I also say, no more. I will pay more attention to those around me and make an effort to be a better friend.

One adventure a month with Brandon

Sure, I sort of accomplish that last year. But it also comes to my attention that I went gallivanting alone a lot last year, and not putting as much attention into OUR relationship. Well, I’m going to fix that too.

Read 12 books

A permanent goal. If I don’t set it, I won’t do it!

Alright kids. What’s on your 2015 list? Share!

7 Comments

  1. Divacowgirl   •  

    We’re doing fried chicken soon!

  2. Christine   •  

    I love this list… Just another reminder why I’m so fortunate to have you in my life! And I want in on the fried chicken… My favorite!

  3. J.C.   •  

    I vote for one of your monthly adventures to be a trip to El Paso! 🙂

  4. OakMonster   •  

    Hahah that’s a LONG trip, J.C.! But we’ll try.

  5. OakMonster   •  

    I <3 you Christine! I think you will have to come with me to Tamara's for lessons.

  6. Pingback: New Year, New Me?

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