Progress Report: Week 38-41

 It's getting down to the wire, and I still have a lot to accomplish.  Obviously I don't expect to get through everything in the next 1.5 months, but I'm hoping I can at least make progress on everything.

1.  Get a new job and move. No progress.
Still haven't done the PR application.  I really need to do this.  It's amazing how many things just get in the way. I have been pretty busy at work this past month.  I've also decided to stay on at my job until the end of the year, so I'm going to dial back the job searching until the late fall.

STEP 4 Do application to PR program

2.  Make my own postcards. **TINY PROGRESS**
I've started tinkering around with Photoshop, so I can probably design the cards on that.

STEP 1: identify 5 photos I would like to use on the cards
STEP 3: decide on the size of the card
STEP 4: design the template for the back of the card
STEP 5: choose a printer or buy paper to print on my own

3.  Write a script No progress.
STEP 3: identify my major problem areas
STEP 4: Work on those problem areas
STEP 5:  Do a complete outline of the plot points.

4. Publish a poem No progress
I actually found somewhere to submit but then I missed the deadline! Gah!

STEP 0: read notes from Friend 1
STEP 1: put together thoughts for second draft
STEP 2:  write some more poems
STEP 2: do some research into common ways to get poetry published
STEP 3: identify some places where I would like to submit a poem and qualify
STEP 4: select some poems for submission and fine tune them

5. Track my spending/budget No progress
I haven't done my April-June expenses!!!

STEP 7: Track my March expenses.
STEP 8: Do my taxes.
STEP 9: Track my April expenses
STEP 10: Track my May expenses
STEP 11: Track my June expenses
STEP 11: Come up with better way of organizing receipts.

6. Apply for a passport No progress

STEP 3:  Figure out how much it will cost.
STEP 4:  Gather the forms and documents
STEP 5: Submit the paperwork,

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

8.  Visit Canada No progress
I obviously will not do this before August.  But my mother sent me a train-tour of Canada that might be exactly what I am looking to do (except for visiting Nova Scotia).

STEP 1:  Decide where I would like to visit (area around Lake Ontario, Niagara Falls maybe).
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:  Plan such an itinerary and route.

9.  Alter two items of clothing for myself  No Progress

STEP 2:  Talk to my mom about teaching me how to use sewing machine.
STEP 4:  Chose another item to alter, preferably not a dress hemming.

10.  Get something tailored. No progress
STEP 1:  Identify some local tailors, their contact info, and advice from others as to the quality.
STEP 2:  Determine how much I am willing to spend.
STEP 3:  Select 2-3 things I would like to attempt to get altered.

11.  Take a fitness class ** COMPLETED IN DECEMBER**
I suppose this one is actually complete since I took multiple fitness classes starting in the fall!  Maybe next year I will step it up by taking a dance class!

12.  Read at least 4 of these feminist books: **PROGRESS**
Lean In, Reverence to Rape, A Room of One's Own, The Second Sex, The Beauty Myth, MaddAddam Series, The Feminine Mystique, Bad Feminist, Yes Please by Amy Poehler

I finished Yes Please.

STEP 5:  Read Bad Feminist
STEP 6:  Read The Beauty Myth 
STEP 7:  Read Yes Please

13.  Organize something for Directed By Women.**TINY PROGRESS**
I have a few ideas for this.  I need to act on them soon to get this accomplished in a timely manner.  There are a couple groups and organizations I want to see if they are interested in.  I also contacted the organizing team of Directed By Women to see if there are other ways of helping out.

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 No progress
Still have many posts for my work blog and other blog that I want to sit down and write, but I keep putting it off.

STEP 1:  Come up with a blogging schedule.
STEP 2:  Try to stick to it.
STEP 3:  Try pre-writing multiple posts at once and see if that works with staying consistent.

17.  Help a friend make her film a reality. No progress.
STEP 1:  Read script. (So embarrassing I haven't read it all yet.)
STEP 1: Read new script.
STEP 2:  Follow up about how the project is progressing and my thoughts on the script.
STEP 3:  Research funding sources.

18.  Start learning a little web design No progress
STEP 2:  Finish my Make a Website lesson on Code Academy.
STEP 3: Complete the HTML/CSS lesson on Code Academy.

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

I can't get through Survival of the Prettiest.  It is killing me!!! 

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

20.  Organize a Clothing Swap or Yard Sale No progress.
I should revisit this idea with some friends and maybe plan something for this summer.

STEP 2: Revisit the idea and perhaps plan something for late June or late July.

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:  Get pay off figures and process from one loan.

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

23.  Watch these 10 classic movies that I have never seen No progress
I plan to get Malcolm X this week hopefully.


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 7:  Find a copy of Malcolm X

24.  Update a YouTube channel at work No progress
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 3: Develop timeline for eliminating bad content.
STEP 4:  Send follow-up email with marketing department delineating responsibilities.
STEP 5: Develop online log for all new videos that are uploaded.
STEP 6:  Follow up with partners on new playlist ideas I have. 

25.  Complete some family projects: **PROGRESS**
I have been working on the scrapbook for a week.  It needs to be done by the weekend.  I think it's turning out alright.  It would be a bit nicer if I had started earlier and had more time to badger people about sending me information.

I'm going to see my aunt this weekend and hopefully can talk to her about gathering the writing together.

• help my sister make a scrapbook for our family reunion
• help my mother create a wedding album for a cousin
• create an anthology of  my grandmother's writing--- hopefully with some of her art and painting included.

STEP 1:  Look through the wedding photos.
STEP 2:  Do some research on what typically goes into a wedding album.
STEP 3:  Talk to my mom about what she wants for the wedding album.
STEP 4:  Read my sister's notes about the scrapbook.
STEP 5:  Talk to my sister about her ideas for the scrapbook.
STEP 6:  Call my aunt about the writing that she has gathered from my grandmother.

26.  Private health-related goal. **TINY PROGRESS**
I found my health insurance card after misplacing it for a couple months!

Score:  Progress on 5 of 23 goals.