Last Goal Check for 2013

Hey all! Happy New Year!

Today I'm checking how I did with my goals in 2013. My goals for 2014 are here.

Writing: 

Continue querying Doorways. 

Done. The first half of Doorways has been published. I'm in the process of editing the second half.

Finish the draft to Guardian. 

Done.

Rewrite: 

Don't Look Back

Done.

(Working Title) Otto

Nope.

(Working Title) Guardian

Nope.

Maybe finish the draft sequel to Doorways: Unlocking. 

Done.

Reading: 

Just to read more. I'm going to go easy on myself and aim for 25 books for the whole year. Any genre or classification. Crits not included because I consistently fail to keep count of them. 

I read 50 books. 

Life: 

Keep working on my voice. 

Didn't do this as much as I wanted to. 

Get back to guitar lessons. 

Nope.

REALLY to take French and Italian, since it will be useful to my day job. 

Nope. 

Exercise regularly. This includes activities like gymming, fencing, dancing, yoga or any combination of such activities. 

Did reasonably well until November. 

Eat and cook healthier food. 

Ditto.

Make a point to meet more people with whom I have things in common. Sort of feeling tired of having my real life conversations ending in blank stares. 
Yeah... this didn't quite happen. Not for lack of trying, but it seems most people my age are only interested in watching t.v. I did make one new friend though. 

I also want to paint more. Maybe even finish an exhibition's worth of art?

Nope. But I do intend to start painting again first thing next year. 

So overall I didn't do too bad. How did you do?

New Feature: Moments

Some of you might have read this before, so I think a lot of what I have to say here will feel like a lot of rehashing. 

I believe that one of the most important things about living a fulfilled, happy life is living in the present. 

I used to hold on to events that happened in the past, and all that did was turn me into an angry, embittered person. 

I also lived in the future, planning years ahead. All that did was get me stuck in things in the present that I hated. Getting stuck on an image of what the future should look like makes us inflexible. And inflexibility means that we miss amazing opportunities because we can't imagine how they add to "the plan". 

So yes, I set goals, but all my plans toward achieving them are short-to-medium term. And I never give up on an opportunity in favor of sticking to the plan. Living like this makes a huge difference. 

Thing is, when I started out (and started writing this blog) I was more aware of how I was living in the present. But now I'm so used to doing it that I no longer notice. And that's sad. 

So I decided that this year, I want to make it a weekly feature where I write about one moment that blew me away. It can be anything. Even a realization I came to. Or something beautiful. 

I'll probably post these moments every Friday, but I might post more times a week if there's anything that really captures my attention. 

Anyone else trying to live in the present? How do you do it? 

This made my day, so I thought I'd share...

This is it. I've had enough.

Today, I'm going to admit something that really irritates the living daylights out of me.

See... since that fateful day when I decided to take charge of my life, most of it has fallen into line. I've taken huge strides, both in my writing and my singing. On top of all that, my outlook has grown more positive.

But one thing defies my every single attempt at control: My weight.

Before you comment and say there's nothing wrong with my weight, I should say this. The photo you see on my profile is two years old. In the past two years, I've gained practically another body in weight. And that isn't healthy, not by any stretch of the imagination.

Add to that, my family has a history of heart disease and diabetes. So at the rate I'm picking up weight, I'm well on the way to being another statistic.

Me being me, I am not tolerating it. Fact is, I got the scare of my life last week. I have always had low blood pressure. So when terrible headaches started, I thought it was a migraine.

Until my pain meds stopped working.

On my mother's suggestion, I checked my blood pressure and to my horror, it was high. Not "I'll stroke out" high. But definitely "I should not be seeing this reading" high. And it's happened three times since.

That was the final straw.

So screw that it's close to Christmas, or my birthday, or aaaaany other excuse I might think of.

I want the weight to be gone by March 2014.

I'll be doing it by diet and exercise. The healthy way. And I'm going to make sure that this time it stays off. Because face it, with my family history and my current issues, I can't afford it.

So in summary:

My Current Weight: 223lb, 8oz (101.4 kg)
My Goal Weight: 143lb, 5oz (65kg)

I'll let you know how I'm doing.  

Needlepointing

So, things are still pretty crazy here. Or maybe I'm a bit crazy. Yeah. Maybe that's it.

See... I'm doing a needlepoint tapestry. Right now, it's just a practice one to make sure I have the stitches down.

Here's the thing, though: Repetitive motion.

I literally lose hours while working on the tapestry.

Yesterday, I was puzzled by the ache in my right shoulder, until I realized that I'd spent about fourteen hours doing the same thing again and again, hundreds of times.

Doesn't sound all that fun, but it is. Really.

I think the big thing is that doing needlepoint like this is a lot like painting by numbers. Just a lot less messy. And it's wonderful to start seeing the picture taking shape.

Which is another thing. I keep saying that I'd stop when I did one thing, but once it was done, I'd go on to the next thing and the next. And the big thing is that I'm working on a fine grid, so I'm having to make many more stitches to fill the same area as the previous tapestry I did.

But yeah, that's pretty much what I'm doing when I'm not (still) unpacking boxes from my move.

What are you doing these days?

About time I showed my face here

Hey all!

Just dropping by to let you know I'm still alive and kicking.

In fact, I'm doing great.

Remember when I said I'd be back to blogging once I'm back and comfortable in my skin again? Well... I think that time has come.

Did I come to any major realizations while away?

Mmm... perhaps. And I'll tell you all about it. But for today, I thought I'd do a quick update.

As some of you reading my other blog may know, I've been through a very busy time these past few months, which is why I was mostly absent from this blog. I mean, it's been rough. My book was published in October, so I spent most of that marketing, and then I NaNo'ed, revised the sequel and moved house in November.

You'd think I'm exhausted, but no. I'm refreshed, revitalized and dying to share what's going on in my life again.

Big news is that my new home features what will become a guest house and wedding venue that I'll be running, so I'll definitely put up some posts on me fixing it up and the art projects I'll be doing for it.

I'll also be painting again soon. It sort of went off the rails this year for a variety of reasons, but I'm rearing to get started again. Only problem is that my paints, brushes, mediums etc. are still packed away, so I have to unpack a billion (or so it feels) boxes before I can start again.

There will also be a lot for me to share in the new year, since I'm back to baking and cooking and learning new things.

So a lot of things, but I might be a bit sporadic as I get back into the swing of things.

How are you doing?