Happy 2016!

Welcome to another new year! It's time to put the new goals out there for all the world to see...I usually try for ten, so let's see how many I can come up with. In no particular order...

1) call my moms once a month, both of them -- Yeah, I was really horrible about keeping in touch and now that I'm getting older and my kids are gone, it's hitting home a little harder--also one of my moms complained. :)

2) write -- specifically finish the BBC Sherlock/highlander AU fic, polish and submit the cowboy romance I wrote last year, write a 10K to 15K word story for a Christmas box set my critique partners want to put out into the world next Christmas.

I don't know...should I break these out? I mean, will I not get to count this one as reached if I don't complete any one thing? Technically, yes, I suppose. Well, I'll make them A, B, and C...

--> 2A) finish the BBC Sherlock/highlander AU fic
--> 2B) polish and submit the cowboy romance I wrote last year
--> 2C) write a 10K to 15K word story for a Christmas box set my critique partners want to put out there next Christmas

3) read -- I blew last year's goal out of the water. Final word count was 13,612,336 read. My problem is, though, that I read so dad-gum fast, I rarely remember a fic once I've gotten two or three more under my belt. Only the truly remarkable ones stand out. So I think part of my goal is going to be to re-read some of what I read last year. There's no way to not read new stuff though. And I'm giving up on the official Goodreads challenge. I don't think I've technically won that challenge since I started trying. This year's goal will be easy to reach because I can't not read. But let's give it a number--five million new words and then whatever I re-read...

4) create pod fic -- What's pod fic you ask? Well, it's an audio "book" created for a fan fic. I've been wanting to give it a try as a way of forcing myself to slow down and really read and contemplate a fic (see the above item). I suppose one pod fic would render the goal reached, so let's say I have to create five of them. (Even if I choose really short fics...)

5) reach the 120lb. mark (for real this time) -- I got into the spirit of things again finally at the end of October, but there just wasn't enough time left to lose the last 20lbs. I made great progress, but I just waited too long.
I'm on a roll now, and I've got a new Wii Balance Board coming from Santa so that I can change up the treadmill with Wii aerobics. I'm also planning on (see #8) walking the dog three or four times a week.


6) keep crafting, do a wider variety of crafts -- I did a lot of cross stitching in 2015, which was fine. I enjoyed it, but at Christmas it seems as if I always branch out a little and try new things, so instead of waiting till next Christmas, I'm going to try random things throughout the year. I've got a couple of friends who were inspired by my various Christmas projects, so I may try crafting dates.

7) get my house clean -- Yeah, it needs a thorough cleaning and bad. I mean it's not crusty or anything, but the windows need cleaning, the door jambs and base boards need wiping down, the floors needs a good mopping. One room a month? Eh...I don't know. If I get the living room and kitchen done, I'll call it a win. :)

8) walk the dog, walk to the post office -- Rayna needs more exercise too and I need to add some variety to my routine. I'm shooting for three or four days a week. In addition, the walk to the P.O. box on the three days I work at the office helps me get outside and get some sunshine. I credit it with keeping me on the right side of the line back in 2010. I've gotten away from it, but I think I need to add it back in. Not because I'm riding any lines these days, but because it's a mood booster and healthy.

9) be a better treasurer/stay on top of treasurer duties for my writing group -- I did okay last year, but there's always room for improvement. So this means catching up paperwork on a monthly basis rather than every few months in a flurry.

10) er...

I usually shoot for ten. It's a nice number. I'm drawing a blank, however. I've given up on fixing up the yard for the time being. Money has just been too tight for too long and my hopes have been dashed. :)

I guess I'll stick with nine for now and if I think of something, we'll revisit!

How about you? Have you thought about what you'd like to accomplish in 2016?? Do share!!