Goals for January 2011

As my extended holiday vacation comes to a close today (thank you higher ed workplace) and I attempt to not feel sad about returning to the 9-5 grind (remember: you like your job, you like your job) I suppose I should set some goals (not resolutions). In the spirit of new beginnings I’m going to attempt to complete the following tasks over the next 30 days

1. Follow the Four Hour Body diet. After reading the book over vacation I’m definitely intrigued by the premise – basically sticking to a slow carb diet 6 days per week with a planned cheat day where you’re allowed to eat anything you like. I’ll keep you posted as to how that works out…

2. Write. Write. Write – which wont be a problem as I’m taking another Grub Street 8-week class. This time I’ll be putting my non-fiction chops to the test.

3. I’ve also decided to complete the Yoga Journal 21-day challenge. This begins on January 10th. The last time I considered myself to be “thin” was five years ago when I was doing a tremendous amount of yoga. Maybe this will help?

4. Start a YA book club with Pam. I’ve tried and failed at doing this for years. This time I’m going to make it happen.

Wish me luck! This list should keep me busy and therefore help to stave off the January doldrums.

30 Things I Want To Do Before I Turn 30

By 0 , , , Permalink 0

A little honesty for you.

In six very short months I’m going to be 30. Needless to say I’m in complete denial about it. Having spent the latter half of my twenties essentially in a fog of anxiety and angst, mostly due to the fact that I flitted about aimlessly from one horribly demoralizing assistant job to another, it was a huge relief to end the decade on an upswing. Thanks to a friend’s confidence in me I was finally allowed the chance to prove that I can do more in the workplace than photocopy and order catering.

Since beginning this new position, heavy on the web 2.0 decadence that I adore, the world has become a decidedly more shiny and happy place. I’m not sure what would have happened if things hadn’t worked out so wonderfully (for once). Honestly I doubt if CK could have stood my “down and out mood” for much longer. One can only hear someone loudly declare intense hatred for their job, usually followed by a flurry of tears and a bottle of wine so many times, right?

So back to this whole turning 30 thing…now that my personal and professional life is essentially in order I thought it would be appropriate to take this time to work on becoming the best damn 30-year-old I can. I wasted a big part of my twenties being miserable so my overarching goal for the next decade is to be as entertained, happy, and healthy as possible. The following is a list of goals (some serious and some on the more frivolous side) that I’d like to attempt to complete before the clock tolls on June 3rd. It will certainly be interesting to see which items I actually manage to accomplish.

Note: This post is inspired by Georgia; one-half of the fabulous duo behind the Alie & Georgia cocktail videos.

1. Lose 30 pounds. (This will NEVER happen but a girl can dream, right?)
2. Learn how to cook a steak properly so that poor CK doesn’t have to eat my horribly rare or overdone entrees anymore.
3. Find a way to actually enjoy blogging again because right now it feels like a HUGE chore to keep up three sites.
4. Wear red lipstick with confidence.
5. Level my World of Warcraft Human Warlock up to 50. (See I told you they wouldn’t all be serious).
6. Save $3000 (again…another reach goal).
7. Read Little Dorrit by Charles Dickens.
8. Run 3 miles without dying.
9. Learn how to back-up my MacBook so CK doesn’t have to do it for me.
10. Visit friends in Portland, Maine.
11. Book a fabulous getaway for the Fall. Preferably somewhere in Europe.
12. Enroll in Grad School again…or at least find a class to take.
13. Buy the new Apple Tablet (I suppose that will cut into the above goal of saving $3000 but priorities are priorities…).
14. Organize ALL of the closets in the apartment.
15. Figure out what to do with the overabundance of books I own and donate the ones I don’t want to keep.
16. Actually read the magazines I subscribe to.
17. Clean up my Google Reader. Do I really need to subscribe to 333 feeds? Probably not.
18. Try to get in at least one session of Yoga each week.
19. Finally eat at Hungry Mother.
20. Try my hand at canning something. Bread and Butter Pickles perhaps?
21. Stop freaking out so much about the cats shedding on the furniture.
22. Re-watch all of the Anne of Green Gables movies.
23. Purchase more organic foods.
24. Find another little crafty project to complete.
25. Write ten-pages of something (anything) that doesn’t go on a blog.
26. Finally buy some Truffle oil since I love it so much.
27. Take another cooking class.
28. Meet Jennifer Garner (ha ha … it could happen. She comes to Boston pretty often).
29. Wear more color. Less black.
30. Learn how to properly use my fancy camera.