This week has got to be my favorite week out of the whole year. Not because of the holidays, although they're nice. Certainly not because of the weather. Its because as a goverment contractor, we close down the week between Christmas and New Years Day. Our company skips lesser holidays like Presidents Day and gives us a whole week off at the end of the year. I love it, not only because its a week off, but because everyone is off. There's no one at the office making busywork for me when I get back. I'm so out of touch with reality, you're lucky I remembered today is Friday, my blog day.
Everyone's been chatting about 2007 goals and what not. Its a good time, a fresh slate, of sorts. I like the starting new thing - just as all diets start on Monday, all major life changes are usually scheduled for January 1st. Or the 2nd, when I return to work and life as I knew it. Who knows? Maybe this year I will actually floss my teeth for more than 2 weeks after the New Year. Or lose a pound or two. Or twenty. Whatever...
Looking back, how did 2006 shape up for you? The resolutions I posted on the blog this time last year were:
1. Finish Forbidden Embrace/Angel of the Night and get it off to somewhere, be it SIM, the paranormal line, whatever, just out the door before Atlanta rolls around and I get black listed at HQ! Done! Not only done, but submitted, revised, resubmitted, full requested, and submitted again!
2. Continue my 1 page a day goal. Eh...haven't quite built that consistency habit yet, although I did write a whole book in 6 weeks. Feast and famine...
3. Find a CP to work with that won't make me cry, scream or hand it back and say "it's good." Done! I've yet to have either of those things happen. Actually, she thinks I'm pretty good. Shocker.
4. Start developing my 4th book with a solid outline to help me through the middle. Done, finished and being revised with my CP.
5. Plan a kick a** MBTI session for the HOD workshop in September. I actually ended up chairing the workshop, so I decided to pitch this to the Nationals Conference in Dallas. The proposal is in, just waiting to see if I got selected.
Not bad overall. I haven't decided what my list for 2007 will be, but when I do, I'll post it on here. Accountability and all.
I have to say my high point of the year was my birthday party. It sounds silly, but I moved to Alabama almost 6 years ago and until I ran across the playfriends, I hadn't scraped up enough good friend material to have a birthday party with more than me, DB and my mom. I also live in the styx as far as some people are concerned and few people will drive out when I have a shindig, so I never have them. This year, I got 17 people at my house (granted 6 were under age seven) for a birthday BBQ. Yeah, I was stressed out cleaning and getting everything just so and DB was having a heart attack trying to grill for that many people (we grill like once a year), but it was fun.
My low point of the year was probably February of last year when I got my performance appraisal and nearly non-existant raise from my psycho ex-boss. Thank goodness I can now say "ex." The only thing that kept me from going postal was knowing I'd signed a job offer for a new position 30 minutes before I sat down for my face to face meeting. That and some nice low dose anti-depressants, which I no longer have to take! Yay!
Overall my year was pretty good - definitely busy with the Playground and HOD stuff picking up. I actually have a semblance of a life! Not that you could tell by my PJ-wearing-at-8PM,-haven't-left-the-house-or-taken-a-shower-stinking-self. :)
How'd you do with your 2006 goals? What was your highlight of the year? Low point? Ok overall?
SP
(I was going to write a bunch today so I could say I've done something to add to my Zokotou meter, but I got wrapped up in another project. Yeah, I know...at least I wasn't scrubbing tile. Although I did do the dishes...)
7 comments:
I know I haven't posted much this week, mostly because things have been awfully hectic with everyone home, but also because I'm really struggling with the goal thing.
Usually I love making goals each year, but this year I'm wondering what the point is. I rarely meet them. Maybe I need to take the advice this week and make sure I'm targeting the right goals.
I'm unsure of what path to proceed on for my writing goals. Once I finish revisions for this current book, I'm not sure which story to pursue next. That puts those goals in limbo.
Sigh. Can we leave for Scotland now? That's the thing I'm looking forward to most this year. I can't believe that dream is actually going to come true. I keep waiting for something to happen to keep me from going. :)
Angel
Wow! I read your goal list, SP, and now think that I've been a total slacker. Thanksfully, I can say last night as I was trying to make, for the first time EVER, my year-long goal list, I realized that I'd stepped out of the box in many ways this year, which was an improvement. Most importantly, I learned that I'm not alone. That though there are periods of agony, thoughts of doubt, thousands of others gave me encouragement.
My greatest achievement this year my growing friendship with the playfriends! I cherish your friendship, advice, support, and enthusiasm as I've never done so before! You have given me the courage to believe in myself. (And you guys know how hard that's been for me in the past.) Thanks, a small word that doesn't even come close to revealing how deeply appreciated you are.
So last night as I calculated next year's writing days and alloted myself time for vacation, holidays and such, I found it amazing to note that I could actually finish 3 books, if I was determined. What an enlightening moment! The facts were there on paper! Right here and now, I pledge to be more diligent on my goal of 5 pages a day. Perhaps good things will happen.
Kathy
Every year I make a resolution and never stick to it. So this year I am going to make one that I think I can stick to. I plan to read more this year and get my TBR pile down to a minimum. Sounds easy huh! Just wish there was more hours in the day.
I hope to travel this year but really travel to Italy and fascinating and wonderful countries. This is a quest that I have never been able to do but now I must before infirmity creeps up on me and I cannot accomplish this daunting goal.
I've hunted and I can't find a list of 2006 goals anywhere. My 10-sale goal was made after I sold my first short story in March.
The highlight was definitely that first sale. Low point? Gosh, I haven't had any crushing disappointments. Sure, I had a rejection and also have lots of stuff just floating out there in la-la land, but I can't call that a low point.
The year overall was ok for me. I learned a lot, accomplished more than I've accomplished in any years previously (in terms of writing that is) and that stuff in la-la land could sell in 2007.
I seriously need to get the 07 goals on paper and come up with a plan.
PM
PM, your goals were:
"Since y'all INSIST I have goals *g* this is what I have in mind:
* Write at least one story and submit to True Confessions magazine.
* Make significant headway on the novel that I've already started.
* Write an article on blogging for the chapter newsletter.
* Write at least one article per quarter for Suite magazine."
*Since y'all INSIST I have goals *g* this is what I have in mind:
* Write at least one story and submit to True Confessions magazine. done plus a few more stories
* Make significant headway on the novel that I've already started. not done
* Write an article on blogging for the chapter newsletter. done
* Write at least one article per quarter for Suite magazine. not done, because one of the Mavens said you shouldn't write for free
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