Goal Month!

As the title suggests, I've decided that November is goal month. At least that's the way it's turned out so far. To this date, I've completed 3 goals this month, and I'm going to knock another one down on Wednesday when I go to the Raptors game. I've also been making more progress on my goals, largely because of changes I've made since I started reviewing my progress. I had a few good days on free rice, I donated for quite a few days in a row. Then I fell off that wagon. Since I knew I had to adjust the total in the original post, I donated some more today to increase it. If nothing else, at least every time I blog I go and donate some rice!

Tomorrow night I plan to go to the gym. Dinner is already planned, and half started since I cooked enough meat today to last for two meals. I think that planning ahead is key to getting me to the gym. Otherwise I waste too much time puttering around trying to think about what to eat, and avoiding getting started on cooking. And since I'm way behind on going to the gym, I need to start going at least once during the week and again on the weekend. If I don't get started on that soon, I don't think I'll be able to recover.

OK, time to review another section of goals!

Craftiness
33. Use old granny squares in a project - nothing yet on this one. I have to dig them out, they're all in a box somewhere. I might just make them into an afghan for my couch, since it gets pretty cold in the winter when you're just sitting.
34. Knit 101 squares - I'm at 20 so far, so not bad but not great. I didn't really knit a lot in the summer, the heat does not make me feel like knitting. Knitting is more of a winter activity, so I'll try to get more done this winter.
35. Take a crafting course - I haven't done this yet, but I keep looking at courses. It seems like all the courses I want to take have already started or are full when I look them up. I'll have to keep trying.
36. Sew a sundress - this one I'm not going to bother with until next spring, when it will be warm enough for me to actually wear it once it's sewn. I have the fabric all picked out though!
37. Finish 5 old craft projects - I"m working on one currently, and I've planned out which other projects will get finished. The key will be to keep making progress so that they all get done.
38. Organize craft patterns - not yet. I'm going to try to do this sometime soon. So far I've started accumulating them in a drawer, when I come across one I put it there. TH hard part is that I will have to organize them both physically and electronically, because I have a number of patterns saved on my computer as well.
39. Fix sewing machine and learn how to use properly - done! Fixed it in time for Halloween, and learned how to use the specialty stitches
40. Mend 5 articles of clothing - done! Although it never ends. I discovered a dropped hem on one of my favourite pairs of work pants today. Sigh.
41. Organize sewing stash (put together a sewing basket and organize fabrics) - partly done. I've got all my sewing stuff segregated into their own boxes instead of mixed in with my yarn etc. Now I need to get and stock a sewing basket, and sort through all the fabric I have. Which will be a tough job, since I inherited a lot of it. Figuring out what all the fabrics are and organizing them appropriately will take some time and some learning.

I am a goal machine

Well hello there. I completed three goals this week, what did you do?

1) I sat down with a bunch of mending one night and watched TV and sewed until they were all fixed. (Goal #40: Mend 5 articles of clothing)
2) A couple of friends and I went to see Aida (Goal #78: Attend an opera at the Four Seasons Centre). We discovered that since we are under 30, we can buy tickets for $27 in certain seating areas, well worth it.
3) Finished off my 33rd movie last night (Goal #93: watch 33 new movies)

I'm so inspired I might even do push ups.

I've also been working on getting some other goals further along. I made a list of craft projects that I need to finish (Goal #37: Finish 5 old craft projects) and started working on one. I'm quilting a panel that has tigers on it, to make into a lap blanket. I've decided to outline the tigers in dark orange, and everything else in dark green. The back is a medium green, and so far the combination is showing up nicely as a design. I was originally planning on getting a patterned backing, but I couldn't find one I liked so now I'm trying out the multi-thread idea. I'm liking it. Haven't decided about the tiger stripes yet, whether I will stitch along some of them or just keep to feature outlines. I'll decide when I'm a bit further along. I'd forgotten how long it takes to hand-quilt. While watching the movie last night I completed an area that's about 4"x6", basically a photograph. This project will keep me busy for awhile! I'm going to try to do a little bit each day to keep on top of it. I need to find my bigger hoop, I only have a small one and I have to keep moving it all the time.

A few days ago I walked into the library looking for a novel to read (non-goal related, just a fun book), and there on the shelf staring at me was a biography of Oprah. Needless to say, I grabbed it. You don't get much more iconic than Oprah, at least for our generation. That'll put me at 2 biographies of iconic people. When I'm done this one I'll start thinking about the other ones and try to figure out which ones I'm going to read. I've decided on my next classic already. I think that if I start to plan out what I'm going to do/read for the goals, then it's easier to keep going on them. I don't get stalled when I'm done one. I did discover that I can only read so many classics in a row before I need to read something else. The writing style can be difficult to get through, and some of them are quite wordy for very little plot development.

Goal check-up: Personal Growth
22. Complete 10 technology-free days: I've done 2, so I need to get on this one and do more. It's hard, because I can only do them on weekends, and if I have plans with someone then I usually want to have my phone available. I will try to do at least 1 in November, to start catching up.
23. Attempt to learn standard: No progress. First I need to find someone who drives standard, and is willing to let me rough up their car a bit while learning
24. Read 3 Spanish books: No progress yet, although I almost signed up for a Spanish class this term. I had already signed up for ballet though, and the only class that had space left was at the same time. I am going to look into it again for next term, and that will probably put me in a Spanish mood.
25. Read 10 classics: I have read 3, and as soon as I'm done getting the dirt on Oprah I'm going to read a 4th. That puts me at almost halfway, so I'm happy with this goal so far.
26. Read 10 banned books: I'm at 5 so far, so halfway. Go me!
27. Delete old e-mails: I have started. I'm working on keeping my inboxes cleaner and using folders and deleting e-mails when I no longer need them. The hard part will be sitting down and going through the old folders. I have done a few, it's just time consuming.
28. Read 5 biographies: I'm on 2 of 5, so I'm getting there.
29. Cook 33 new recipes: I've done 20 so far, and I'm planning on making potstickers today for a potluck, so that will be 21. Well over halfway :)
30. Draw 33 items: I've been bad at this one. It's like I'm afraid to start. I bought a sketch pad, but I am too indecisive on what to draw that I haven't done anything. I don't want to wreck it! I need to just get over it though, and start. And then keep going.
31. Read 5 Shakespeare plays - none so far, but I've started a list of which ones I want to read. After I read the Count of Monte Cristo I'm going to request one of them from the library.
32. Do 5 no-snooze weeks - 2/5 done, and I meant to do another one this week. That didn't happen, so that will be postoned to next week. Hopefully. That snooze button is too inviting.