Progress Report: Week 13

Meant to get this out on Sunday.  But after Thursday I got extremely lazy.  We had a big work event on Thursday and much of the week was spent stressing about that and then wanting (and actually) completely vegging for the several days following the event.  I'm afraid I didn't make much progress on most of my goals this week.  BUT I did get a lot of laundry done and many Christmas presents sorted out.

Let's see how I did . . .

1.  Get a new job and move.  No progress.


STEP 1 more job searching
STEP 2 is to crank out those applications
STEP 3 develop some more skills

2.  Make my own postcards. No progress.

STEP 1: do some MORE research on the cost of ordering some cards.
STEP 2: identify 5 photos I would like to use on the cards
STEP 3: look into how to design my card (using Photoshop, using a online template from a print service etc.)

3.  Write a script No progress.

STEP 1: settle on an story idea I want to tackle
STEP 2: outline my thoughts so far
STEP 3:  Do a complete outline of the plot points.
STEP 4: identify my major problem areas
STEP 5: Get out my screenwriting books again with this story to help structure the story

4. Publish a poem No progress.

STEP 0: send poems to my friend for editing
STEP 1: do some research into common ways to get poetry published
STEP 2: identify some places where I would like to submit a poem and qualify
STEP 3: select some poems for submission and fine tune them

5. Track my spending/budget No progress

STEP 1: Reassess my current budget structure.
STEP 2: Take stock of my current finances.
STEP 3: Develop or find something that will work a bit better.
STEP 4: Identify key rules/habits that will keep me on-top-of things and organized.
STEP 5: Identify financial goals (like major purchases, savings goals, loan payoffs etc.)

6. Apply for a passport No progress.

STEP 1:  Figure out how one applies to get a passport.
STEP 2:  Figure out how long it will take.
STEP 3:  Figure out how much it will cost.
STEP 4:  Decide when to begin the application process.

7.  Get new glasses **COMPLETED WEEK 8**

8.  Visit Canada No progress.

STEP 1:  Decide where I would like to visit (Nova Scotia).
STEP 2:  Decide when I would like to visit and how long.
STEP 3:  Decide who I would like to come with me.
STEP 4:  See if it is possible to plan such a trip.

9.  Alter two items of clothing for myself No progress.

STEP 1:  Decide who can teach me.
STEP 2:  Get advice as to what would be good starter items to alter.

10.  Get something tailored. No progress.

STEP 1:  Identify some local tailors and their contact info and advice from others as to the quality of the work.
STEP 2:  Determine how much I am willing to spend.
STEP 3:  Select 2-3 things I would like to attempt to get altered (in case 1-2 alterations are not possible)

11.  Take a fitness class **TINY PROGRESS**
Fitness classes ended last week. I have yet to come up with something that I can do until the next classes start!

STEP 1:  Identify which classes I would like to try.
STEP 2:  Get the stuff I need to attend the classes.
STEP 3:  Go to a class!
STEP 4:  Return to each of the classes at least 4 times.
STEP 5:  Come up with fitness routine/solution for at-home during the winter.

12.  Read at least 4 of these feminist books: No progress

Lean In, Reverence to Rape, A Room of One's Own, The Second Sex, The Beauty Myth, MaddAddam, The Feminine Mystique, Bad Feminist

STEP 1:  Pick a book to start with.  I want to read either Beauty Myth, Lean In or MaddAddam.
STEP 2:  Acquire book.
STEP 3:  Read book.
STEP 4:  Finish book.
STEP 5:  Pick next book to read.

13.  Organize something for Directed By Women--- a global viewing party happening in Sept 2015. No progress.

STEP 1:  Review the guidelines
STEP 2:  Brainstorm some ideas.

14.  Write those think piece articles No progress.

STEP 1:  Outline what I would like to say about one of my article ideas.
STEP 2:  Do the relevant research.
STEP 3:  Write a first draft.

15.  Buy a new laptop No progress.

STEP 1: Identify the main things I will need my laptop to do.
STEP 2: Work out what the specifications are for what I want.
STEP 3:  Investigate the price range available for what I want.
STEP 4:  Modify expectations or price range.
STEP 5:  Choose a vendor.

16.  Keep to a blogging schedule **TINY PROGRESS**
I am disappointed that after my week of following my schedule, I completely did not follow it this week at all.  I did not do my number of posts on here.  AND I barely instagramed at all!

In other news, I am working on managing a blog for work-reasons.  I did a LOT of work on that last week and I'm going to continue to be working on that.  I just hope that working on blogging at work will inspire me to continue to work on my own blog and not detract.

I also have found that I seem to do the best when I work on a bunch of posts at once and get them ready for the next couple of days.  I'm going to try to keep doing that to see if it is something that works for me.

STEP 1:  Come up with a blogging schedule.
STEP 2:  Try to stick to it.
STEP 3:  Modify schedule as I figure out what works.  (Don't just abandon it!)

17.  Help a friend make her film a reality.  No progress.
Ugh.  Embarrassing.  I'm a terrible friend!

STEP 1:  Read script. (So embarrassing I haven't read it all yet.)
STEP 1: Read new script.
STEP 2:  Follow up with my friend about how the project is progressing and my thoughts on the script.
STEP 3:  Educate myself on ways to get funding for the script.

18.  Start learning a little web design No Progress
Even the one lesson I did last week has actually helped me understand and fix a couple problems in my blogging.  I hope to do another lesson this week.

STEP 2:  Finish my lessons on Code Academy.
STEP 3: Decide a next step

19.  Finish books I have already started: No Progress
Survival of the Prettiest, Ishmael/My Ishmael/Story of B, Ode Less Traveled, Anna Karenina, Contagious (by Jonah Berger), Jim Henson: The Biography

STEP 1:  Finish Contagious
STEP 2:  Finish Ishmael
STEP 3:  Finish Survival of the Prettiest
STEP 4:  Finish Flappers
STEP 5:  Read Story of B

20.  Organize a Clothing Swap or Yard Sale **PROGRESS*

We have settled on a couple potential dates and are polling people to figure out what might realistically work.

STEP 1:  Decide in what month it would be reasonable to expect to host a swap/sale (and decided if there is enough time to prepare).
STEP 2:  Ask others if they would like to help organize, attend etc.
STEP 3:  Pick a date and a location.
STEP 4: Invite people.
STEP 5:  Figure out how it will run.
STEP 6:  Organize food.

21.  Develop a financial plan for my loans No Progress

STEP 1:  Revisit all my loan paperwork so I have a firm grasp of all the aspects.
STEP 2:  Find some people I trust and who have expertise that can give me helpful advice.
STEP 3:  Explore options for paying off loans faster than my current monthly installments.

22.  Enroll in new medical insurance plan **COMPLETED WEEK 7**

23.  Watch these 10 classic movies that I have never seen No Progress
Malcolm X, Blade Runner, Capote, The Virgin Suicides, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, Strangers on a Train, Groundhog Day,  Rosemary's Baby, Young Frankenstein, Badlands

STEP 1:  Figure out if any of these are available on Netflix Instant 
STEP 2:  Watch Rosemary's Baby
STEP 3:  Watch The Virgin Suicides.

24.  Update a YouTube channel at work **PROGRESS**
We set up a meeting to go over next steps.

STEP 1:  Get advice from the marketing department, especially regarding partnership and SEO.
STEP 1a:  Discuss my plans with my boss.
STEP 2:  Develop plan for eliminating bad content.
STEP 1:  Ask related content creators for contributions to new playlist.
STEP 2a: Develop timeline for eliminating bad content.
STEP 3:  Reorganize existing content and develop protocol for new content.
STEP 4:  Follow up with partners on two new playlist ideas I have.

25.  TBD I have an idea for this, but I'm not sure I want to commit to it yet.

26.  Private health-related goal. No progress.

Score:  Progress on 4 of 23 goals.