New Year's Ambitions Update...the good, the bad, the so-so and the disasters!

Those of you who've been reading the blog for a while will know that last year I set myself 14 little (ha!) ambitions for 2012.  And now I get to let you know how I did.  Some I aced....some I failed utterly....so landed somewhere in the middle.  In order of success (ascending!), here are the abject failures....the misses....and the successes!

Disasters.

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Swim twice a week. So far: 2/104.

I left my gym that had a pool in mid-January, so this just didn't happen.

Give blood. So far: 0/1

This one I am cross with myself about.  I left it too late and let fear (of needles :() and busy-ness get in the way!  On the happier side, I have registered as a blood donor and am hoping to get to Walthamstow for an donation this month (much simpler than schlepping across town feeling woozy).

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Become 'overweight' rather than 'obese'. So far: 7/66.

My weight yoyoed throughout 2012, by a margin of 22 pounds.  I'm happy to end the year a little lighter but now know that in 2013 absolutely top of my list has to be weight loss.  I've joined Weight Watchers and am determined to make some big changes before being this big starts to impact my life in a negative way.  More on which, soon.

Misses.

Write a 10,000 word children's story. So far: 6,255/10,000.

I made a decent attempt on this, but ultimately couldn't quite get the thing done.  I have a few nice chapters though and hope to write some more of it this year.  I have also started writing notes for a couple of non-fiction ebooks I'm toying with the idea of, so while I did fail on this score, it definitely go me being more organised about writing and taking the time to create.

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Go for three months with no alcoholic beverages (January, March, and May). This should help with #10 and #13 too! So far: 70/93.

This went fairly well....but girls' nights with wine are hard to resist. I have majorly changed how I drink alcohol in 2012 though - apart from very special occasions (weddings, Christmas, new year's), I am back to being a two glasses of wine then on to the water kind of drinker.  Far more enjoyable than what had started creeping in during 2010/2011 - several people around me are bigger drinkers and I'm afraid it had started to seep into my behaviour too.  Yay for a reset!

Successes.

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Write 200 letters/ cards / notes / postcards. So far: 292/200.

Done, completely and utterly.  It was so nice to get back to writing this year and I'm keen to keep it going this year!

Go for three months without buying anything from Starbucks (June, July and August). This should help with #10 and #13 too! So far: 92/92.

Refreshingly easy.

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Write a blog post a day for the whole of 2012. 382/366.

This one has been challenging but also incredibly fun!  Having this blog as an outlet is such a joy, and posting more often and being more involved with comments, reading the blogs of others, etc. has been just super.  Thank you for all of your encouragement with this!

Complete all 52 weeks of a Project Life book and send it off to be published. So far: 52/52.

Deliciously fun.  And done.

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Read 52 books in the 52 weeks of 2012. So far: 52/52.

I'm still no Christy (54 books last year, what a LEGEND!), but I'm so happy I made this happen.  It's great to feel like a reader again!

Volunteer for 3 hours per months (or equivalent of). So far: 53/36.

I love being a Junior League-er!

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Walk 500 Miles. So far: 505/500.

Romping around the city is such fun!

Have the equivalent of 2 months salary saved up for a rainy day. So far: 0%/100%

RESET: As the money I was saving has been invested into our first home together, I've set a new target, to have £1,000 saved by the end of the year.  So far: 150%/100%

It's so nice to have a wee nest egg saved.  Not least because it means that things like holidays, Christmas, unexpected bills are far easier to deal with.  This year I'm going to be focusing a lot on saving, being more frugal, budgeting and stretching money, and will certainly let you know how I fare!

Go out and have fun, do things (parties, movies, gigs, theatre etc.) at least 4 times a month. So far: 97/48.

I'm so glad I included this and made time for socialising and friends.  Long may it continue!


All in all I'm pretty happy with how the year went.  I set myself a LOT of challenges, and while there are a few big blips, I'm also very proud of the achievements I made.  This year I'm going smaller and bigger scale - while there are several little silly girl projects on the go (please see 32 in 32 for more details), the two big areas I'm going to be working on are health and money.  I'd love to write this start-of-year post at the start of 2014 at least 30 pounds lighter and with a chunk of my student loan paid off!

What are your new year's resolutions/aims/ambitions/dreams, friends?

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New Year's Ambitions

Ooooops.

Maybe it's being busy.

Maybe it's running out of steam.

Maybe it's trying to do too many things at once - if I ever set myself FOURTEEN targets at once again, please feel free to give me a cyber smack upside the head....

1. Write a 10,000 word children's story. So far: 3,911/10,000.

Poor abandoned story.

2. Write 200 letters/ cards / notes / postcards. So far: 187/200.

Almost there, with two months to go and Christmas ahead :)

3. Swim twice a week. So far: 2/104.

Oh dear.

4. Go for three months without buying anything from Starbucks (June, July and August). This should help with #10 and #13 too! So far: 92/92.

In the bag!

5. Write a blog post a day for the whole of 2012. 297/366.

I have blogged a lot this year!  Not quite managing every day, but should make target with a few more double-days :)

6. Go for three months with no alcoholic beverages (January, March, and May). This should help with #10 and #13 too! So far: 70/93.

7. Complete all 52 weeks of a Project Life book and send it off to be published. So far: 42/52.

I probably won't make 52....but should have the majority of the year done!

8. Give blood. So far: 0/1

This is irking me now.  However, I know my docs have a Christmas blood drive, so I'll be able to get this done last minute if ness.

9. Read 52 books in the 52 weeks of 2012. So far: 41/52.




October was not a good reading month.  Hopefully the bad weather of November will help me to get back on the horse!

10. Become 'overweight' rather than 'obese'. So far: 18/66.



The 66 became impossible when I messed up earlier this year, but I'd love to lose maybe half a stone more by end of year, to make it a nice 25 pound loss.

11. Volunteer for 3 hours per months (or equivalent of). So far: 40/36.

Yay! And with Holiday Hampers being such a focus this month, should spike up hugely.

12. Walk 500 Miles.** So far: 420/500.

Getting there - I'd love to reach my target :)

13. Have the equivalent of 2 months salary saved up for a rainy day. So far: 0%/100%

RESET: As the money I was saving has been invested into our first home together, I've set a new target, to have £1,000 saved by the end of the year.  So far: 95%/100% 

:)

14. Go out and have fun, do things (parties, movies, gigs, theatre etc.) at least 4 times a month. So far: 80/48.

Such fun!


Edited 1/10/12

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New Year's Ambition Update

So much drama...

How are the New Year's Ambitions going?

What's with the penguin hat?

What effect will an awful lot of Lemsip have on my ability to hold down a narrative string?

Is that even a phrase?

Will I make it through the whole vlog without coughing or sneezing?

Personally, I think my favourite part is where I get totally confused over whether there are two months or three months left in the year....


Happy October, all!

Oooh, and details of my latest giveaway (for a parcel of fun!), can be found here.  Do feel free to join in - I love a good giveaway! Two days left :)

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New Year's Ambitions Update

August was a funny month for blogging and for blog based quests.  While many fab things happened in the month, working towards a lot of these goals did not happen.  So the autumn better get busy!

1. Write a 10,000 word children's story. So far: 3,911/10,000.

Turns out that kittens and the writing process and being lazy because it's very hot do not mix!

2. Write 200 letters/ cards / notes / postcards. So far: 150/200.

Definitely well ahead of target....huzzah!

3. Swim twice a week. So far: 2/104.

I am determined to at least hit the double figures now...

4. Go for three months without buying anything from Starbucks (June, July and August). This should help with #10 and #13 too! So far: 92/92.

Easiest ambition of all, and I saved a ton!

5. Write a blog post a day for the whole of 2012. 225/366.

I have blogged a lot this year....but then August arrived.  I am hoping with a few double post days I still might hit this target, and even if I don't, I won't be a million miles off!

6. Go for three months with no alcoholic beverages (January, March, and May). This should help with #10 and #13 too! So far: 70/93.

7. Complete all 52 weeks of a Project Life book and send it off to be published. So far: 31/52.

Going well - and I'm loving having the posts and the book to look back on!

8. Give blood. So far: 0/1

I was foiled repeatedly this month - tummy bug.  Central line failure.  Extreme heat.  Olympics.  Booking it in soon.

9. Read 52 books in the 52 weeks of 2012. So far: 35/52.

I love being a bookworm.  Summer has me slightly off target, and miles behind the magnificent Miss Christy, my reading idol!  Determined to get back on this :) Probably worth noting that this total is more than my yearly total in any of the last four years!

10. Become 'overweight' rather than 'obese'. So far: 10/66.

66 is never going to happen this year, but I pleased with what's happening after the disasters of earlier this year.

11. Volunteer for 3 hours per months (or equivalent of). So far: 36/36.

Like a boss....and with more opportunities ahead :)

Of course, surpassing it would be awesome!

12. Walk 500 Miles.** So far: 310/500.

Getting there - I'd love to reach my target :)

13. Have the equivalent of 2 months salary saved up for a rainy day. So far: 0%/100%

RESET: As the money I was saving has been invested into our first home together, I've set a new target, to have £1,000 saved by the end of the year.  So far: 59%/100%

Over halfway (I've been saving for this since May).

14. Go out and have fun, do things (parties, movies, gigs, theatre etc.) at least 4 times a month. So far: 58/48.

Such fun!  Love spending time with awesome people!

Keeping it going, happy with some of these and needing to work on other areas!

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My current reads

Bizarrely, over the summer my reading has slowed a little - it's like my brain wants to relax and play, and save the reading for termtime!  It may also be the fact that my 90 minute commute roundtrip has been missing....

Now, however, it's nearly back to work and I have lots of lovely reads on my pile awaiting my attention, including:

All That is Bitter and Sweet: A Memoir

The lovely Christielli read this over the summer and said she thought it would be very much my kind of book, so I've ordered it to dive into. It sounds like a pretty fascinating read, I must say!

 Charlotte Street

The latest book by Danny Wallace, he of Join Me fame/infamy.  I tend to really like his books - they are fun and zippy and hard to put down, so this should be a treat.
 
The House of Silk: The New Sherlock Holmes Novel (Sherlock Holmes Novel 1)

Confession: I've never read an actual Sherlock Holmes novel.  Excerpts like you wouldn't believe, but never a whole book.  I'm not the greatest fan of whodunnits and I genuinely think I just haven't ever felt compelled to pick the series up.  I'm excited to read Horowitz's treatment of the series though - maybe this will ignite a new passion?

The China Study: The Most Comprehensive Study of Nutrition Ever Conducted and the Startling Implications for Diet, Weight Loss and Long-term Health

I saw this book in Whole Foods the other day and thought it looked very interesting.  I've been making some pretty big changes to my approach to food and health over the last couple of months, and I thought a little reading on the subject would be helpful!

A Wrinkle in Time (Puffin Modern Classics)

A book I can't believe I haven't read yet.  On it.

So they are my reads for September - I am really going to have to work to achieve my goal of 52 books this year!  What are you all reading?

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New Year's Ambitions Update

1. Write a 10,000 word children's story. So far: 3,911/10,000.

The more I look at it, the more I'm aware that this story will be much longer than 10,000 words.  But I'm pleased to have made a good move towards the target!

2. Write 200 letters/ cards / notes / postcards. So far: 137/200.

I need to work on this....not woefully off target, but focus is needed.

3. Swim twice a week. So far: 2/104.

Oh dear.

4. Go for three months without buying anything from Starbucks (June, July and August). This should help with #10 and #13 too! So far: 62/92.

In the bag, so far!

5. Write a blog post a day for the whole of 2012. 206/366.

I have blogged a lot this year!  Not quite managing every day, but have only missed about five days this year.  Pretty cool!

6. Go for three months with no alcoholic beverages (January, March, and May). This should help with #10 and #13 too! So far: 70/93.

7. Complete all 52 weeks of a Project Life book and send it off to be published. So far: 29/52.

Going well - and I'm loving having the posts and the book to look back on!

8. Give blood. So far: 0/1

This will happen this month.  I need to stop being such a wuss :(

9. Read 52 books in the 52 weeks of 2012. So far: 31/52.

I love being a bookworm.  Safely on target, with a month of holiday left, and the giganto commute and winter evenings ahead...

10. Become 'overweight' rather than 'obese'. So far: 10/66.

Finally losing again (a couple of months ago I'd actually gone up above my original weight!).  Feeling good to be exercising and making better choices.  Would love to lose 25 pounds this year, and then continue into 2013.

11. Volunteer for 3 hours per months (or equivalent of). So far: 35/36.

Nearly at the target! One hour to go!




Of course, surpassing it would be awesome!

12. Walk 500 Miles.** So far: 270/500.

Getting there - I'd love to reach my target :)

13. Have the equivalent of 2 months salary saved up for a rainy day. So far: 0%/100%

RESET: As the money I was saving has been invested into our first home together, I've set a new target, to have £1,000 saved by the end of the year.  So far: 55%/100%

Over halfway (I've been saving for this since May).

14. Go out and have fun, do things (parties, movies, gigs, theatre etc.) at least 4 times a month. So far: 40/48.

Such fun!

Keeping it going, happy with some of these and needing to work on other areas!

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My Summer Reading List (part 1)

Huzzah, summer is here!  I am really hoping to get my read on heavily...I'm so pleased I'm now 29 books into my 52 book challenge (one of my New Year's Ambitions), and holiday time seems like the perfect time to read on and get plenty more books under the belt.  I'm aiming to read ten books over the summer (getting me *thisclose* to the forties).  Here's part one of the summer list:

A Song of Ice and Fire (5) - A Dance With Dragons, by George R.R. Martin

I am so enjoying this series!  I'm about two-thirds of the way through Book 4 (A Feast For Crows) just now, and I know that as soon as I put it down I'll be dying to go on to Book 5!  Am a bit worried after that though - the next two books are yet to be released!

Inside Scientology: The Story of America's Most Secretive Religion, by Janet Reitman.

I love reading about religion, and I've heard great things about this book.  Some reviews I've seen are comparing it to the excellent Under The Banner of Heaven, which is a stunning piece of reportage.  Looking forward to getting my teeth into this!

Math Doesn't Suck, by Danica McKellar.

 

I bought this book (and its sequel, Kiss My Math) months ago, but have been so busy this school year I haven't read them yet!  I'm hoping to read this over summer, KMM over the autumn, revise my GSCE maths in the spring, and to sign up for an A-level course next autumn.  I used to really, properly love maths, but I had some very poor teachers in senior school and I lost all the joy of it.  Since becoming a teacher, the passion has been re-awakened, and I'm excited to see what happens next!  Maths FTW.

Spoiled, by Jessica Morgan and Heather Cocks.

I've been a longtime fan of the website Go Fug Yourself, and meant to buy this when it first came out....but my good intentions were for naught!  Very much looking forward to a good, trashy, fun read!

The Lazy Teacher's Handbook: How your students learn more when you teach less, by Jim Smith.

 

A couple of friends recommended this - far from encouraging laziness, it's more about empowering students and encouraging them to think independently.  A huge focus for me as a teacher.  Looking forward to picking up some new tricks to take into the classroom!

 

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New Year's Ambitions update

 OH!  We're halfway there!

(earworm alert)

1. Write a 10,000 word children's story. So far: 2,334/10,000.

Despite this officially being a summer project, I finally made a start this past month.  This proved two things to me.  Firstly, the idea I have is strong enough to spin out into a story.  Secondly, it's going to end up much, much longer than 10,000 words!

2. Write 200 letters/ cards / notes / postcards. So far: 135/200.

Once summer break begins, I'll be sending a gazillion thank yous for all our housey cards.  I anticipate a big spike here!

3. Swim twice a week. So far: 1/104.

Not even a hope of this happening, as I'm not a member of a pool.  Ooooops.

4. Go for three months without buying anything from Starbucks (June, July and August). This should help with #10 and #13 too! So far: 31/92.

In the bag, so far!

5. Write a blog post a day for the whole of 2012. 175/366.

Not quite managing every day, but have only missed about five days this year.  Pretty cool!

6. Go for three months with no alcoholic beverages (January, March, and May). This should help with #10 and #13 too! So far: 70/93.

7. Complete all 52 weeks of a Project Life book and send it off to be published. So far: 25/52.

Going well - and I'm loving having the posts and the book to look back on!

8. Give blood. So far: 0/1

Hannah and I are making an appointment for this soon!

9. Read 52 books in the 52 weeks of 2012. So far: 28/52.

I love being a bookworm.

10. Become 'overweight' rather than 'obese'. So far: -5/66.

A total failure in the first half of the year.  Back on it though, and while the 66 is well out of reach, I'm hoping for 20-40 pounds.  More on my other blog.

11. Volunteer for 3 hours per months (or equivalent of). So far: 30/36.

Nearly at the target!

12. Walk 500 Miles.** So far: 240/500.

Just below the halfway mark!

13. Have the equivalent of 2 months salary saved up for a rainy day. So far: 0%/100%

RESET: As the money I was saving has been invested into our first home together, I've set a new target, to have £1,000 saved by the end of the year.  So far: 50%/100%

Halfway!

14. Go out and have fun, do things (parties, movies, gigs, theatre etc.) at least 4 times a month. So far: 37/48.

Such fun!

So that's how my ambitions are going.  Some real successes, some real failures, and plenty to work on.  How are your new year's resolutions going, here at the halfway point?


 

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