Happy New Year. And Some Upcoming Goals.

 And so we enter 2022. In my case with trepidation, a little hope and a lot of prayer that this will not be a  “Groundhog Day” year.

Personally I will be welcoming in the new year (if I’m awake that is) in my pjs while snacking and watching TV or reading. Following that, I’ll be staying fairly close to the old homestead. The Omicron variant, some drastic weather changes (21 degrees this weekend after eighty degrees) and a car glitch that can’t be fixed for another week will keep me in place.

While I need a certain amount of socialization, one of the things I am always thankful for (gotta start up those thankful posts again) is that I have enough interest and materials and books and projects to keep me busy and rarely bored at home.

That plus an environment where I can get out and walk MOST days of the year, plus living in a community with a few regular weekly activities (and everyone mainly vaxxed) has kept me sane since the move.

 

My new loom. It's gonna be a learning experience!

Moving on to that goal thing, I’ve been working on my 2022 goals (and budget) in preparation for waving goodbye to 2021 (with joy I tell you, with joy). I also need to make my annual project goals, house goals,and I’m going to go ahead and make my travel/day trip/out of the house list.

The latter may be spitting in the wind, but “think positive and adjust as needed” has become my new motto of sorts.

As always these goals are moving targets and probably need to simmer a little while, but for now these are my tentative goals for the year.

I expect some of these goals will need some fine tuning, as always. And this year for the first time, I want to break some things down into monthly goals as well. Who woulda thought?

Health

• Really work on my diet in terms of healthy eating

• Increase my exercise to an hour at least three days a week, whatever kind

• See a pain doctor and take whatever he gives me in whatever form

• Do self care for pain (massage my pain areas, take supplements, use heat and cold and so on)

• Do all of the appointments and tests in a timely manner

• Meditate at least ten minutes five days a week.

• Get new glasses and new dentures (oh joy)

Financial and so on (more to come here, this category is not yet complete, I’m thinking)

• Increase savings and create a large sinking fund (mainly for the car)

• Write/fill out new documents. My will/durable power of attorney/medical directives are almost ten years old

Community

• Up my monthly commitment to church and charity financially

• Create one item from things on hand for others at least once a month (I’m supporting a graduating foster kid program and a homeless shelter)

• Commit to one out of the house, in person volunteer task for the coming year

Family

• Continue to do one thing or buy one thing for each kid each month. Just because

• Try and get up to Denver in February for a birthday or in the spring depending on my car and other variables (waving to brush fires and Omicron)

• Have a conversation with my eldest in addition to the above paperwork about what I won’t (or more likely don’t want), as well as how to access what little she needs to access in my case..

• Plan a small family trip or event for the four of us (looking at the end of the year, but perhaps this summer)

• Help my son into in person therapy now that’s possible.

Personal/Enrichment/Brain/Creative (what a mish-mash)

• Take an Olli class each semester (either in person or digitally).

• Learn 4 new skills, 2 of which are non creative/artistic

• Socialize at least once a week in person apart from church events and weekly grilled cheese if it is safe.

• Make a project goal list that is all things I want to do except for immediate family gifts

• Plan one day trip monthly, and two real vacations (aside from the family thing above) one of which will be an Amtrak trip

• Read 20 books that are classic, biography or nonfiction and not related to my art

• Allow myself to return to doing nothing as often as I feel the urge. This past year I’ve had to remind myself at times that doing nothing has value and there is no prize for getting more done or making more things or even going no places. I will NOT be making daily lists or goals except to fill in my calendar. I’ll use my project goal list which I’ll keep in the studio. But my only things  I will commit to doing exercise, eating right, praying and texting my kids each day. That is all.

Spiritual

• Read the Bible in a year again using a study bible  and doing it from a social justice perspective (I have books to go with this)

• Go to the study in between the services at my church at least half the time I attend

• Practice “centering prayer” either in the morning or evening

And finally I have one overarching goal that I really can’t put anywhere else, because it affects different things. And that is sustainability, sustainability, sustainability. I want to be about no waste, using up, and re-use. In my art, in my cooking, in anything I do. Sustainability is my new rule, and I’ll talk about that later.

And that’s all I’ve got, but at least it’s a place to start. Hope everyone has a Happy New Year, and I’ll see you all in a day or two on the other side.

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My daughter me all these earrings plus some others from the jewelry supplies she gave me a couple years ago. I wear earrings, big earrings, even at home in jeans so I am thrilled!