Monday, January 26, 2015

In Which I Met Goals

So every year I make a list of goals (things that I can actually accomplish. It's more of a year long To Do list as opposed to resolutions)

And at the beginning of the next year I get to look back and see if I accomplished them.

So here we go!

2014 Goals:

1. Write a new novel. We have to work on something new for the MFA, but actually finishing the whole thing is what I'm going to aim for. I'd really love to finish it before my second semester, but we'll see how things are going and how crazy my life is.

Result: Accomplished! I finished my WIP (tentatively titled Monsters Within) in early November

 2. Write at least two short stories. I've been sitting on two that I want to write and I originally planned on doing them while I was querying ATR, but it turned out I didn't query it very long so I didn't have the time. So now I want to make the time to get these buggers written and hopefully submitted somewhere
Result: Failed. I'm still sitting on these stories and really looking forward to when i'll have some time to get them down.

 3. Read 105 books. I somehow managed to read 103 last year. Was it a fluke? No frickin' clue. So I guess we'll find out in 2014 if I can do it again. Aim high or go home, I guess.

Result: Accomplished!  I actually read 142 books, though a fair amount of them were picture books and graphic novels

 4. Look into teaching a class. For awhile now I've thought about teaching a query letter workshop at The Loft, our local writing center. But I've never been a teacher and I have no idea how to put together a lesson plan or anything like that. I'd like to spend some time figuring out the logistics, so I can maybe put in an application this year or the next to teach some query skills in the future. Just trying to pay it forward and all that junk.

Result: Semi Accomplished. I guess I don't know specifically what this one meant. Was just looking into it enough? Because I did that. Or was I supposed to actually teach one? Because I didn't do that.

 5. Redo our basement bathroom. Not a writing goal, obviously, but our basement bathroom needs a complete overhaul due to water damage. It's a very small bathroom, but we've never done drywall before so there'd be a bit of a learning curve. Of course, as always, our motto is "I could do a lot of things if I had money."  *nods head seriously*

Result: Accomplished! It took longer than we hoped, just because there was a leak we couldn't fix on our own, so there was a delay while the plumber came out, but after that it went pretty quickly. And besides some wonky mudding in a corner, it looks pretty awesome, if I do say so myself.


 
 
 



So that's it! How did your 2014 goals go?

13 comments:

Maria Zannini said...

Very nice on the bathroom! You guys did a great job!

I don't keep a list of goals or a timeline. Much to hubby's dismay, once a goal is reached I just tack on another one.

My thinking is that as long as I have something left to do, I'll have no time to die. :)

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Nice job on the bathroom.
And wow! That is a lot of books.

Colleen Muske said...

Can I have some of your energy please?!

Josh said...

Nice bathroom. We never did get ours totally done. We have a couple things left to do. I set up an appointment with a contractor to just finish it, but he never showed. Blerg.

Rena said...

Awesome job on the bathroom. Also, awesome job on the goals!

dolorah said...

I have problems reading books because I'm always wanting to write a review. I gotta read more books by big name authors who don't need my reviews.

Yay for meeting some goals. And the bathroom looks good. Be proud of yourself.

Leandra Wallace said...

It looks great! I love the tiling. And a query class taught by you would be awesome I bet! If you do get around to doing that, anyone who attends should consider themselves super lucky. *also nods seriously*

Catherine Stine said...

Nice tiles in the bathroom! I make lists but I can't find them after a few months...

Hart Johnson said...

You did a great job! Almost everything, pretty much!

LD Masterson said...

Good job on the bathroom. But how the heck do you find time to read that many books? I could give up sleeping altogether and still not manage it.

mshatch said...

Nice bathroom! And I can't believe you read so many books!

Michael Offutt, Phantom Reader said...

OH! Your bathroom is very modern which is the style I absolutely love. Sarah! You and I are compatible decorators :))

Christine Rains said...

You did fantastically with your goals! And love the new bathroom. I did pretty good with mine too. I aiming even higher this year! :) Have a good weekend.

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