Progress Report: July

So I'm down to the final month before my birthday (less than a month!) and it is time to take a look at what I have and haven't achieved.

I'm a little disappointed that there are so many things that I did not achieve or did not achieve fully.  But at the same time I am really pleased that I DID accomplish a lot of these things.  I think I learned a lot about how I need to improve my habits and attitude to better accomplish things and to work towards goals consistently.  I realized that it was a lot easier to accomplish goals that were more specific, and that some of these things take a lot of time.  Hopefully I can take this into consideration when making my goals for next year.

But here is where I am so far with my goals:

1.  Learn some sewing.

Have not done this.  I got very intimidated by it.  I think I needed to set a more specific goal like make a pillow or learn to hem dresses.

2.  Get a better job

Have not done this.  This was a roller coaster for me.  I went from wanting to leave my job, to feeling better about it and more interested in staying another year, to being really disenchanted and now wanting to leave even more.  I am currently taking this much more seriously.

3.  Move out

This goes with 2, and again was a roller coaster issue.  People went from being really unsupportive of me moving to now being more supportive.  But again this is a step I would ideally want to take in conjunction with or after accomplishing Goal 2.

4.  Actually write something.

I am really disappointed that I have not done this yet. I may still try to write a short screenplay.  I have had a lot of great ideas but for really large projects.  I still feel like I need to get myself to accomplish something small before I get too invested in doing something big, even if it is just a big story outline.

5.  Learn to iron.

ACCOMPLISHED!!!

6.  Go to California for vacation.

ACCOMPLISHED!!!
7.  Improve photography skills.

This is something I really forgot about.  I did get a camera out a couple times but I could have done a better job.  One of the things I realized is that to accomplish goals you really need to work on them.  For several months I got really lazy/self-indulgent and did not even remember that there were things I wanted to accomplish and could work on other than feeling sorry for myself and hating winter.

8.  Learn Photoshop and/or InDesign. or similar.

I did a Photoshop workshop, so that was a good start.  I just need to spend some time making things on Photoshop. I have some ideas for simple posters or graphics I want to make.  I have had some trouble finding access to the software though.  But  I am satisfied that I did make a stab at this.  I just need to continue on with some follow-through.

9.  Establish an exercise routine, preferably attend a class.

ACCOMPLISHED

I did not attend a class or conquer my fear of gyms, but I have achieved a regular exercise routine.  I have lost 2lbs (I lost 4lbs actually but have gained 2lbs back!).  My routine got a little disrupted this month, but I think that you should be confident enough in yourself to weather some deviations and I am in the process of getting back into the swing of things.

I also did get new shoes and I am eating a lot less junk food and have a better understanding of what my body needs.

10.  Establish a writing routine.

UGH!  Haven't done this.  No good excuses.

11.  Get better at budgeting.

I've definitely improved in this regard to some extent.  I still need to get more in control and be more in tune with where my money is going.  I suspect I will make some bigger steps towards this in the next couple months.

12.  Improve my blog.

Um.  Haven't done this.  To some extent, I think that maybe this is just showing me where my priorities are.  It is more important to me to work on my writing than maybe make my blog more fancy.

I do wish I had been more consistent about posting.  Perhaps writing blog posts would be a good way for me to get down a writing routine!

13.  Complete a collection of poems.  Get at least one of them published.

I'm really sad that I did not do this.  Again, this was one of those things I forgot I wanted to do and I wasn't taking it seriously enough during the winter/spring.  I have only written 4 full poems (and I only really like 2 of them) this year I think!  This is probably one of the goals I did not accomplish that I really really wish I had.

14. Play more music.

I have not done this at all.  I have still had problems not feeling comfortable and just having negative influences.  Part of me still knows those are terrible reasons to hold myself back from doing something I want to do, but the other part of me is really glad not have to face those fears.

15.  Read more.

ACCOMPLISHED

I have successfully read a bunch of book this year.  I tried to take the time to read magazines and blog posts.

Most recently (since last progress report actually so in April/May/June) I read a book called Beautiful and Pointless about understanding modern poetry.  It was very interesting and made me think a lot about the "personal" in modern poetry and authorship.  I am also currently listening to The Night Circus on audiobook.

16. Maintain a journal of the things I do in my life.


I actually did make several attempts at this.  Part of the problem was figuring out that my printer won't print photos properly and I will have to get a new photo printer or learn to use a printing service.

However, I did start a journal with some postcards, ticket stubs and other things.  I left space to fill in little comments etc. but discovered that I had basically no interest in going back and spending time on it.  So perhaps journaling like this is not actually something I want to do.  So I don't really see this as a fail.

I think I might be more of a photo album type person.  I really enjoy going back a looking at the mementos and checking the dates of when I did things.

17.  Go on a date without drama (real or imaginary). Generally, freak out about romance much much less.

Basically did not do this.  Still have lots of hang-ups.

But I think I generally freaked out less, got annoyed with admirers less, got over a big crush maturely, and I think am less afraid in general.  So all that is a step in the right direction.

Side-bar:  Lots of really cool people I know are online dating!  It blows my mind!

18.  Work collaboratively on a creative project with a friend.

ACCOMPLISHED!!!

I'm really proud of this one!  I actually did work on a friend of mine's film in June and July.  I consulted on the script, assisted during pre-production and worked on set for a couple days.  It was tough (tougher for other than me) but rewarding in many ways (they gave me an Associate Producer credit!)  I'm really grateful to my friend for having me on board and I really am inspired by her will and courage to create something!

19. Make a film of some sort.

Didn't do this.  Shame shame on me.

20. Design and publish a family newsletter.

I was going to do this but because of Drama quickly decided this was not a good idea.  I am still thinking about creating a website of some sort for my family but early stages yet.

21. Create some photo albums for myself, and the family.

See explanation for Goal 20.

22. Travel more.

ACCOMPLISHED

I did this.  I didn't make it to Boston.  I almost made it to Ann Arbor.  But I did travel more.  I visited people in Maryland, I did stuff in New Jersey, and I travelled to NYC several times.  I am really very proud of myself for learning to use the subway on my own.  Next to collaborating on my friend's film, this is the next goal I am the most proud of.

23.  Establish an organizational system for my creative ideas.

I haven't really done this yet.  I expect it will come to me as I work more consistently.

But I have experimented with a couple things, and found that scribbling things down in journals has been working the best for me so far.

24.  Decide/learn wtf to do with my hair.

ACCOMPLISHED

I got a new haircut and I've been really happy with it.  I might change it up in the fall again (I might conquer my fear of bangs), but for now I am very pleased with how it is going.
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So all in all I've accomplished 6 of my goals, and maybe 3 halves of goals.  This is a little less impressive than I would have hoped; maybe I can still knock out a couple of them before my birthday.  But I also think I need to be more specific about my goals in order to make it easier to know how to go about achieving them.