2023 - Tentative goals for the year, a very long post

[mistressofmuses]

While I'm *still* not a huge fan of big New Year's Resolution type things, and I know that like all measures of time the changing of the year is an arbitrary measure... it's always still nice to hope for a sort of clean slate. Reassessing things or reflecting and deciding on the things that you want to focus on going forward is never a BAD thing, imo, and New Years is an easy time for it.

So... here's a tentative list of things I'd like to try and do in the upcoming year.

I definitely intend to continue with my habit tracking. It's been helpful in all the same ways I talked about a year ago. It helps me keep track of some things that could otherwise fall "out of sight, out of mind." It helps me remember past events, major and minor, which I often struggle to recall later on because I have SUCH a terrible conception of time, lol. It helps when I have low points where I'm struggling, because it's a way to look back and see that I haven't *always* felt that way, or that I haven't *always* been unproductive. I can also see the things that keep getting pushed aside, and can try to give them more attention on a future week.

I also want to try and expand the tracking somewhat - I want to start doing monthly calendar pages as well, so that I can see a whole month of stuff (I found myself getting annoyed a couple times this year when I had upcoming things I didn't have somewhere to include yet.)

I may also try setting a few pages aside for long-term goals - mainly I'm thinking of having a page devoted to books I read.

The categories I've been using will stay the same - 12 is a good number, and I haven't found any categories that I wish I had, or any that seem horribly superfluous.

So... here are the broad categories, and any bigger goals I have that fit in with them!


Work - pretty self-explanatory: these are the days I go to work.

Goals
- Find a better sense of structure. I'm going to take my mandated lunch breaks, and I will work my 40 hours (and not more, minus emergencies.)
- Focus on the aspects of my job that are prioritized by upper management: call numbers and sales. I have treated other parts of my job as my priority, because those are the things *I* think are important... but it doesn't matter what I think.


Household Maintenance - the catch-all category for household chores and other "adulting" type tasks. Alex takes on the vast majority of these things, doing our grocery shopping, cooking, most of the laundry and cleaning, etc. Since I work outside of the home and he doesn't, this mostly works out well... but I also want to remain participatory in our household, and not take for granted that he does these things.

Goals
- Get back to doing weekly small cleaning projects (straightening shelves, dusting window sills, clearing a surface, etc.)
- Start making coffee at home. This is cliche and all, but Alex is WILDLY addicted to Starbucks, and it is SO EXPENSIVE for us to go there as often as we do. We're going to try and limit how often we go, and make more at home.
- A small one: but I really need to repot the rest of my plants! I've got a begonia and a pothos (plus a few spiders and library plant branches) that have been in water way too long.
- I also want to display my pins. I've bought a bunch of lovely enamel pins from Greer Stothers and Atomic Pixies and others, and they mostly sit in tupperware containers because I have nowhere to put them!


Physical Activity - anything that gets me moving more than usual.

This has repeatedly been a category I struggle with. Multiple years I've said I want to find SOME sort of exercise I enjoy, because I like hiking and clubbing, but neither of those are practical to do frequently year-round. I... pretty much never end up trying to find a thing, so of course I don't succeed in finding something I enjoy.

Goals
- Instead of saying "FIND A THING" this year, I'm going to say: find a stretching routine I like. I think that will help some of the back issues I have, and I know I've lost a lot of flexibility in the last several years. I've gotten a couple good reccs from people (though if anyone has more, you can point me at 'em!) and I just need to actually look at them. (I'm in a better position to do so, having a functional computer now. Before I could only use my phone, which I hated for video how-tos.)

Writing
(Which has several sub-categories that I track.)


Wrote 500/1000 Words - this is generally for things in first draft. I count any kind of fiction, whether original or fanfic, and SOME types of non-fic. If I write reviews of something, or sort-of "essay" style DW posts that are ABOUT something, then I'll usually count it, but I don't usually count general diary-type "what I did today" stuff.

Goals
- I've rejoined both getyourwordsout and inkingitout this year, this time with goals of 75k for the year. That's less than I've aimed for previously, and much less than I've successfully written in the past couple years... but I'm hoping a lower goal will let me spend more time on other things that I kept guilting myself out of doing because I "had" to be writing. I'm also going into this year with no strong plan for what I plan to write, which is a little daunting.
- I do hope to find SOMETHING that really grabs my attention writing in terms of a new project. Again, it could be either original or fanfic, but I just want to be enthusiastic about something! It's hard to call that a definite goal, because I can't MAKE it happen, but it IS a hope.


Wrote on 2nd+ Draft - I track this category with the same 500 and 1000 word thresholds, but like having them separated out, because I like seeing how much time I spend on first vs. subsequent drafts.

Goals
- This month I need to finish my piece for the Set Sail zine, but right now that's my only WIP that I'm currently writing.
- I definitely want to have at least ONE completely new fic that I post this year. I just don't know what.


Meta Work - the catch-all for all the other parts of writing that aren't actually writing. Editing, research, outlining, posting, etc.

Goals
- Small and tangential, but I really hope to try out Scrivener as a program. I have a coupon from NaNoWriMo. But I hear a lot of good things about it, and it sounds like it could be useful for organizing in a way that's better than just a maze of folders, lol.
- Finish posting All Strange Wonders and Outbreak.


Personal Writing - any sort of journaling, mostly here on DW, but occasionally longhand.

Goals
- Keep up on Dreamwidth, but maybe not AS obsessively. Two years in a row, I have posted every single day. I of course do not OBJECT to posting that often, but a couple times I've posted just for the sake of posting and not breaking that streak, and that's not interesting to anyone. I'd rather just post when I have something to say... but I also know that I thrive on routine, so if breaking that streak makes me quit posting for any extended period, then I'll stick with the daily-even-if-boring posts.


Other Creative Things - non-writing artsy things. Drawing, painting, moodboards, baking, etc.

Goals
- I want to draw more of my layouts for my habit tracker. Maybe not ALL of them, but I want to do more.
- In February, I'll do National Model Painting Month again.
- Not QUITE in this category, but not sure where else to put it: I'd love to find a way to better portray my style. A lot of my work clothing was gifted to me when an ex-manager's daughter was clearing out her clothing. I remain super grateful, but a lot of it is starting to wear out, and none of it was stuff that I chose specifically. It's become very clear that looking at me, people wind up with very incorrect ideas about what type of person I am - queer, gothy, geeky. While that is occasionally very funny... clothing is costume, and it's about the only thing I CAN do to portray myself! I'm not allowed by my job to have piercings or visible tattoos or dye my hair... but it's easier to stretch the dress code as long as it's professional enough. This IS a bit hindered by $$$. Or time - I don't mind shopping thrift stores to keep it cheaper, but then it takes time and repeated visits to find things that appeal and fit. As such, I don't have a SET goal for it, but it is something I want to try and trend toward.


Reading - whether books, fanfic, non-fiction... any kind of reading counts, as long as I'm doing it on purpose. (Scrolling through tumblr does not count.)

Goals:
- Read more, lol. I'm aiming for 20 books this year. I have a very extensive TBR pile already, and I hope to make a dent in it.


Attention to Media - actually paying attention to something, rather than just using it as background noise. Mostly movies and TV shows, but can also be podcasts or music.

Goals
- nothing in particular for this one.


Video Games - also pretty self-explanatory, lol.

Goals
- Actually... play some games. This is DEFINITELY the category that I checked off the least for the year, despite it being allegedly one of my hobbies. It's always the thing that gets punted away because I SHOULD be writing, or reading, etc. (Sometimes it's because we only have the one room and the one TV, and Alex is basically ALWAYS watching something. But he also doesn't care if I want to play something, so I just need to DO that for a change.)
- I'd love to get a PS5 and be able to play something more recent than PS3 games, but I won't call that a definite GOAL.


Social Interaction - whether in-person or online, this is for interacting with people in a deliberate way. That can be commenting on things, texting, whatever... but has to be something beyond "liking" a post or whatnot.

Goals
- Be more interactive in communities here. I'm terrible about remembering that I CAN post to comms, and I generally prioritize my friends' personal journals on my flist over comms, so while I read most community posts, I rarely comment. I even more rarely reply to other comments on comm posts. So... I'd really like to try and be a bit more participatory. I don't necessarily want to mod a space or anything, but I'd like to interact more within the communities I love, because they're part of what I love about DW!

So... there's my post for heading into 2023. I don't know that I'll manage to do all the things I hope, but it's nice taking stock of things, and deciding what I want to aim for.

Comments

[olivermoss]

Similar hat on a lot of things. I got into planning to help shape time and show myself how much I was doing, but I need to track more things. I added both pages for books read and audiobooks finished in my planner. I also have a lot of long term projects with a lot of steps that I need to track closer or I wont get them done, and be forever in the land of half finished things, work that never pays off....

I try to not set resolutions, but this is the natural time for goals settings, changing over planners, etc.

Good luck with everything! Maintaining a wardrobe is a lot of work, and stuff that suits me tends to either be in style or not.

[mistressofmuses]

One of the things that's nice about tracking and planning and things is that it can be flexible if you decide to change things. If you discover that there is something you wish you'd been keeping track of, you can always start doing so. But... I'm such a completionist, changing things partway through is a struggle for me to do, lol.
But yes, especially for longer-term projects, keeping track of all of those steps and stages, where you can look at them all and see what's been done and what's coming up... that's VERY helpful. Tracking things has definitely helped me have fewer utterly abandoned projects.

Yeah, I really dislike the verbiage of "resolutions"... So often they are framed negatively, and they're so extremely pass/fail, so either you do them great forever or else you're an utter failure.
It probably seems pretty semantic to say I hate resolutions and then to have a pretty extensive list of goals... but having some sort of organized "this is what I want to do" helps me to do it and see if I'm progressing the right direction.
And the start of a new year is definitely just as arbitrary as any other day, but it's also an easy time to try and click over to something new.

And thank you! I hope things go well. Wardrobe and clothing stuff has always been a challenge for me. I don't HAVE a very coherent sense of style, because it's not something I've often cared much about or wanted to spend time and money on. But... the clothes I do have for work are just so... normal and soft-feminine it starts to grate on me. But I often run into the same thing - the sorts of things I do like are often not in fashion, lol.

[olivermoss]

I've seen lots of videos on why resolutions and how we treat them set us up for failure, and maybe they work for some, but not for me. Habits and incremental change and perfect is in the enemy of good works better for me. I do want to get more organized, but when I look into a lot of systems people use it's like woah... I could finish tasks in the time it takes to set all that up! But I also need a lot more tracking than I have. I may make a post about this, but right now I am gathering info for a long post for my website on how the origin of a lot of the art and craft work at the Portland mausoleum is missing it's provenance. It likely has more locally made art than our art museum, but who made it and was it meant to commemorate a specific person? Data seems lost. But, I need a specific picture for the article/post that I likely can't get until Memorial Day. A lot of cool projects I could get done require that sort of long term planning and collecting assets. I need to not forgot next Memorial Day and also get the dang photo.

I used to buy a ton of clothes, sometimes multiples of the same items, when styles and cuts that worked for me were in stock. Then just not buy clothes until things I liked were available again. Work clothes are complicates because you want to look a certain way, be comfy... but also it's a work expense. I hope all the fast fashion and shein haul BS hasn't hurt secondary markets for clothes too much.

[mistressofmuses]

Incremental change, and moves toward trying to build better habits definitely work better for me. (And perfect is the enemy of good is ALWAYS a thing worth remembering. Especially if you have perfectionist tendencies.)
There are some downright INSANE organizational systems out there. Something that takes a huge amount of time (and/or supplies) to set up, *plus* a constant investment of time to maintain... no thanks. I'd rather do the things I want to do, not dump all my time and energy into organizing them!

Ooh, that sounds really interesting, regarding how much of the provenance is missing for things. It's a huge shame that things like that happen so frequently, and it definitely highlights how important it is to have record-keeping so that things like that don't get completely lost or forgotten. (I'd initially wanted to go into museum studies as a field - if grad school wasn't so damn expensive - and artifacts or artwork being mislabeled or entirely unlabeled is SUCH a widespread problem, even when it comes to modern things.)
But needing particular images to illustrate things like that makes sense, and I can see how that would require quite a bit of advance planning. Getting the right image of something time-sensitive, or getting a project completed before a natural timeframe that there may be higher interest in it makes sense, but can super sneak up on you or creep past.

Yeah, if I can find basic wardrobe items that work well for me, I absolutely need to stock up on them next time. Work clothes are frustrating, because yeah, I have to sit around in them all day so I want them to be comfortable, and they have to suit the dress code... but also that's like 80 or 90% of my in-person interactions, so it'd be nice to feel like there's some aspect of my personality in there.
God, fast fashion is a fucking bane. That's the issue with at least some of the clothing I was given - it's stuff that after a couple years of gentle wear and trying to limit how frequently it was laundered is basically falling apart or functionally see-through. And it's "lucky" it lasted that long!

[olivermoss]

And a lot of the videos and systems are made by the people who plan stuff really, really minutely. I'm just like... you aren't even setting up these post-it-notes in a way they can be re-used? *distressed noises*

Considering how many pictures I've taken of the Mausoleum over the years you'd think I'd be set! But no, I really need to shoot more. I have a lot of shooting to do in there still. There is also So Much art there, it's probably got more locally made art than the Portland Art Museum.

Yeah, it's a lot of your time and in person interactions so it's important. I just always get very cranky about spending time and money on work clothes, but there is good reason to have that in order.

[mistressofmuses]

Right?? I've seen so many systems that seem so wasteful! Either of stuff or of time - like, you can't reuse any of this? You completely redo it every time?

I know that the Mausoleum was closed for quite a while, wasn't it? And then it was difficult to get pictures that didn't have people in them. But I hope you get a chance to get some of the shots you want!
It's really interesting to me that it has so much art there! I've noticed how much there is in the pictures you have shown... but it's fascinating that there's so much that it might have the actual art museum beat!

Definite agree... I kind of resent having to buy things for work, ha. I know that at some point it gets to the point of simply spiting myself to refuse to do it, because I'm the one who will benefit the most... but still. It's for WORK, and work SUCKS, lol.

[olivermoss]

The Mausoleum is only open to the public once a year. They do tours, but on the tours they wont go outside of a tiny area and they do not allow people to stray. There are limited ways to access most of the mausoleum, Memorial Day is the only sure fire time to get full access, but yeah, lots of people.

My earliest shoots are from back when I had an alternate way to get in, but that data is part of my missing data. It's probably past time I had some articles and stuff on the place.

[mistressofmuses]

Ah! I didn't realize that was the ONLY day they were open! That makes that much more sense that that is the SINGLE day you can get the shots you're wanting. Bummer to have to contend with crowds.

Ugh, super frustrating to be missing some of the shots you had. But definitely somewhere worth writing up.

[scarlipswolfwife]

All of that seems very reasonable and attainable. I think finding some types of exercise that you can do year round and won't *dread* doing will be a good thing because it'll help keep you in shape for going on hikes as well. I know that I'm getting a lot of exercise at work atm, but once we move, I don't know what kind of job I'll have or how physical it'll be (hopefully at least a little physical), but there are parks with walking trails over there where we're looking at, and the downtown area by the sound/river is all sidewalked, so we can walk it, too, which will be good for Kathy, too. We just can't walk around Taylor unless we were to go to a park with a walking trail with sidewalks because the streets are all uneven and have dips and such, and both of us have tripped on those, and I don't want her falling anymore than she already has lately. So if you can find something that works, that'll be great and make you feel more energetic.

I haven't and won't make resolutions this year. I don't tend to keep them. I've looked back on so many old ones, and I'm like. I didn't do a fucking thing on any of those.

[mistressofmuses]

Thank you! I hope it's all things that I can do and stick with!

And yes - some type of exercise so that I don't spend the first half of the summer just getting back to not getting winded the instant there's a hill to walk up would be nice, lol.
We really do have a lot of walking trails and city parks around here, it's just that I absolute hate being outside at all when it's cold. (And falling is a risk sometimes, too, when ice and snow builds up and may not entirely melt off for a couple months in the shady areas.) I also struggle with timing around work - it's much colder after dark, and lots of the city parks "close" at sunset anyway to deter crime, and I'm at work until well after that. Going in the morning is also hard, because I'd have to do it in my work clothes, and walking in heels and skirts sucks. Bleh. Still, at least going on my days off would be good. I need to do SOMETHING, lol.
I am glad that you'll have some walking paths nearby when you move! It's definitely good for both of you to get to get out and move around. And I hope you get a job that still lets you move around and such as well. That was the one aspect I miss from working at the bakery. I'll take a desk job over retail any day, and would never want to go back... but the physicality of it was a definite benefit at times.

I really dislike "resolutions." It's pretty semantic to say that mine are goals instead, lol, but I feel like they're more open-ended, so it's less likely that I'll fail at them. And the start of the new year is certainly arbitrary, but it's an easy time to do it.

[scarlipswolfwife]

I don't know if you've got Goodwills or thrift stores of any kind around you, but sometimes you can check them and find exercise stuff. Like my aunt used to have something like these, and apparently it helped (when she'd actually use it) because you could just do it from a chair in your house if the weather was shit. https://www.amazon.com/sitting-pedal-exerciser/s?k=sitting+pedal+exerciser If you can find something like that used, you might not have to pay much for it and then that would give you something. You could also invest in like 3lb or 5lb weights, which you can get for usually $5 at a Five Below if you've got one of those or maybe a Dollar Tree or even Walmart for not too badly priced. There are also the types of exercise cords out there that you can use in doorways or on doors or however they're used. We have some that I bought, but we haven't used them yet. We will, though. https://www.amazon.com/s?k=exercise+cords+with+handles&sprefix=exercise+cords%2Caps%2C314&ref=nb_sb_ss_ts-doa-p_1_14

But I'm sure you could find some of these things for not as expensive as they seem. Those might be some options for you. Then it's just a matter of motivating yourself, even for 15-30 minutes a day. You could watch movies or something while you're doing it. Maybe even write while you're doing the pedal thing.

[mistressofmuses]

While the pedal exerciser wouldn't work for me, just because we literally do not own any seating (the one-room apartment thing means we have no space to have a chair, and the equipment itself would take up too much room) something like cheap hand weights would be good and wouldn't take up too much space. The lack of space is really frustrating, because even setting up a yoga mat to do any basic floor exercise would be a struggle.

I've considered just going and running up and down the stairs to the next floor a few times, as deeply weird as I feel like that would be, lol.

[scarlipswolfwife]

Going up and down the stairs would be a great exercise. I know that's helped me at work. I don't even run them. I just walk them, and I know that's done a lot for my losing weight and toning up my legs, especially my thighs. My sister found a video on Youtube that's exercises for senior citizens where they can sit on the couch or a chair and do stretches and bending over and such, but it puts less strain and gives you the same stretching. I know you said you don't have a lot of furniture, but you could sit on the edge of your bed and do them, too.

[mistressofmuses]

Yeah, stairs are good for that. I just have to contend with potentially seeing literally anyone else who lives in the building, lol.

If the exercises require having my feet on the floor, I'm probably limited to doing them in the bathroom, lol. The bed is raised super high so we can store things under it, so my feet are about six inches off the floor when I sit on it. BUT, exercise routines for seniors or for physical therapy/recovery are EXCELLENT places to start. They're the lower-impact, lower-strain versions of a lot of more strenuous exercises, and I've seen a lot of recommendations to look into them! I'll have to look at a few of those routines that I've seen passed around.

[scarlipswolfwife]

I'm really hoping that Kathy will do some of those low impact exercises because I know she wants to lose weight, but she can't go walking in our neighborhood while I'm at work because the streets are uneven and have cracks, like I mentioned, and if she fell, it could be bad, esp if I'm not here with her. So I want her to have ways to exercise even if I'm not here where she won't hurt herself. I hope you can do some of those, too, even if the bed makes it hard.

[mistressofmuses]

Yeah... it's hard when so many of the usual "low-impact" options like walking aren't available because they aren't safe. Especially when she's already had a couple falls, you definitely don't want her anywhere risky, particularly alone!

[scarlipswolfwife]

That was my big worry when she was trying to walk by herself while I was at work. I kept imagining her falling really bad and either would've forgotten her phone at home or something and couldn't call me where I could get to her. I could easily call Robyn those times and she would've gone to the shop while I got to Kathy, so it's not like I could've have gotten to her, but it still would take time. Thankfully, she decided not to do it on her own.

[mistressofmuses]

I'm glad she didn't take the risk! I can imagine that being a big source of worry for you.

[adiligode]

I enjoyed reading all of your goals! I haven't made any concrete New Year's goals, but seeing yours is inspiring.

As for the Physical Activity category, I see here that you don't have much space, but I was going to suggest Yoga With Adriene though I'm sure you've heard of her :D I did her monthly free series for New Year's last year and it was a great way to get a habit going. Even though I have a nice space for yoga in my place back in Japan, though, I really enjoy it more when I actually have to go somewhere and take a lesson. Do you have time before or after work to go to a yoga class? Or maybe dance, since you enjoy clubbing?

True that there are ways to do some good stretching seated or lying on a bed though if you don't have the space to set out a yoga mat.

I am in the same boat with winter--I love taking walks when it's not snowy, but once the snow settles in I hate having to walk anywhere slippery!

[mistressofmuses]

Thank you! I try not to set anything that's going to be too pass/fail - but it's all stuff I hope to be able to do and enjoy the outcome of!

Another friend here has mentioned Yoga With Adriene - she apparently has a specific routine for writers, helping to stretch in ways that help people who spend a lot of time at a desk or on a computer. I know I went and followed her youtube channel, and she's at the top of my list to check out!

I've been trying to figure out if there's much to be done either before or after work that would work for my schedule. I feel silly saying that 8.5 hours per day spent at work leaves me with no other time, but I feel like it doesn't! If we can get back to going out even just once a week, that will probably make me feel better, ha.

Ugh, I wish winter wasn't so miserable! I don't like being cold, I don't like having to contend with slippery pathways... I already can't wait for spring and summer to be back.

[adiligode]

Ooh, I might have done that routine at some point! I did a nice one that was good for posture and contained a lot of neck stretches to help counteract the fact that we are always looking down at our phones these days.

I am completely with you on not having enough time when you work 8.5 hours a day. I was just commiserating with my friend about that--we simply don't understand how anyone with kids can function! We don't have kids and even so don't have enough time to do all the things we need to, let alone those that we want to! Of course, thinking like that is probably on some level a self-fulfilling prophecy, and there must be some good strategies for time management I haven't found yet. I bet going out once a week would be a great change of pace and give you lots of energy :)

Agreed--a snowy winter is a nice novelty for maybe a week, but after that I am through with it, haha.

[mistressofmuses]

Oh nice. That would be a good one for me - my neck is often very stiff and unhappy, lol. And I try to keep decent posture at work, but still catch myself slouching way more than I should.

For real! I am SO glad (for many reasons) that I don't have kids... and if I did, I have no idea how I'd handle it! I do know my time management isn't the best, and if I had to I could carve out a bit more time instead of playing around on the computer or posting/commenting on DW... but it's very much not worth it to me to give up what little time I DO get to have that isn't fully pre-planned.

Though yes, a once-a-week going out to do a thing seems like it would be very nice! We'll see if we feel up to it tomorrow or if we want to postpone for a week.