Sunday, January 1, 2012

20 for 2012

Here are my goals for 2012, at least the ones I'm able to share.

Writing
1. I will finish and publish Murder by the Mile. To this end, I have committed to writing one page per day five days a week. I hope to do write more, but that's the baseline.

2. I will publish Tales from Bethlehem. Mostly I just have to be pull it together, write two more Tales for it, and create a cover.

3. I will continue to work on Debt Free At Last! A Beginner's Guide to Money Management. I'd like to publish it this year, but it's not as high a priority as the other two are.

4. I will continue to add Christmas cards to Oakleaf Harbor on Cafepress.com. I'd like to have 50 card designs available before November next year.

5. I will add a birthday card selection to Oakleaf Harbor on Cafepress.com. I'd like to have 50 card designs available this year.

6. I will continue to send Dragons Gather and Darkness, Oklahoma to agents and publishers. Because each rejection moves me closer to an acceptance.

Health
7. I will walk at the gym 4-5 days a week, depending on health and holidays.

8. I will improve my diet and eat more veggies and low carb foods.

9. I will arrange for a colonoscopy. I have to figure out how to pay for it, but with the cancer history in my family, I need to do this this year.

10. I will continue to look at holistic health solutions and ways of life.

Declutter
11. I will remove 50 books from my book collection and sell or donate to the local library.

12. I will have two garage sales.

13. I will remove 50 items from my closets and sell or donate them or trash them.

14. I will try to remove an item when I add an item to my house.

Misc.
15. I will continue to seek a job, full time or part time, even though I'm very discouraged about this. However, as my health improves, other jobs that I can't physically do now will be possible. I can do this and will.

16. I will read 75 books this year.

17. I will continue to read the New Testament and finish it this year. I will also read Psalms and Proverbs.

18. I will pray daily and give thanks for my blessings.

19. I will remember that honesty can cause pain and remember that I can never completely know what another person is going through and thus should not judge. In other words, I will keep my mouth shut when my opinion hasn't been asked for -- and sometimes even when it has been.

20. I will try to be more forgiving of myself and others. We're human and frail in many many ways. We all need a break.

Well, there are my goals for the New Year. I probably won't obtain all of them, but I will some of them and will make progress on the rest. What more could I realistically ask?

8 comments:

Wendy said...

These all look quite reasonable. I especially like the cards on Oakleaf Harbor. I was pleased with my Christmas cards.

I have several books on holistic medicine and herbal remedies, having studied for a while to become a family Herbalist. Long story. I'll have a look through them and see if there is anything that might be helpful.

SBB said...

I'm glad you liked your cards, Wendy. I want to have more Celtic designs.

I would appreciate any info you can give me about holistic lifestyle. And what is a family Herbalist? That sounds fascinating.

SBB said...

A friend and I were discussing these, and he said, "I don't ever make resolutions because I won't keep them. Why set myself up for failure?"

I said, "Goals are a measure of our striving. Yes, I probably won't make all of those goals, but I should make some of them. And the effort is important. We grow by trying. By striving. Perfection is the enemy of progress. We can't be perfect down here, but we can be better."

He said, "You sound like a motivational poster."

I pushed him down some stairs.

That's another thing I need to work on.

Tammy Jones said...

Sounds like a great and do-able list, Stephen! {{hugs}}

Jean said...

"That's another thing I need to work on."

What? Making sure when you push someone down the stairs that they go all the way? I thought that was a perfectly respectable response to your friend's comment.

I like your cards, too, Stephen. Hubby likes to make our own, but we only make 25. I think I may have a few more people I need to send cards to, so I am looking for cards to augment what we make. (Hint: Cards with polar bears are desirable by me...Grin)

Hopefully, it will snow again this year, so we'll get a fresh snow picture.

SBB said...

No, Jean, I was thinking I should work on controlling my violent impulses, but I like your take on this better. :)

Polar bears? Hmm. I think that is very doable. I'll let you know.

Wendy said...

Y'all are a mess. Stephen, the Family Herbalist Cert I was working on was the lowest tier of 3 herbalist certifications. It covered basic herbal remedies for different age groups, including children and the elderly. I learned how to make tinctures and lotions and all kinds of messy things. It also included a unit on nutrition with the world's most boring text book. Unfortunately, the college went under 3 or 4 years ago, right in the middle of my studies, but I had all the books and study guides already so I didn't sweat it too much. It was all on-line, which I've learned is not the best way for me to learn. I need deadlines and teachers breathing down my neck if I'm going to get through the boring bits, which was where I was.

SBB said...

Wendy, I think that might be very useful in a para-romance or a historical using a "wise woman" character. Have you ever used such a character?

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