Goal check
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Now that the Ides of December have passed and I'm still way behind on my holiday preparations, I thought I'd take a wee break and see how my goals for 2007 have panned out. We all know that if they're not done by now, the odds of me being able to finish them before Ryan Seacrest rings in 2009 are slim to none.
Here's where I'm at:
1. Get healthy
STATUS: Done! Well, it's more like "ongoing" to tell the truth. Thanks to being on the show Stuck, I was able to work with a nutritionist and personal trainer to see how I could incorporate healthy choices into my couch-potato lifestyle. And now I actually have fruits and vegetables in the house and go to the gym every week!
2. Land at least two more magazine columns
STATUS: Nada. Okay, I didn't really try too hard at this one. Sue me.
3. Do what it takes to land an agent
STATUS: Working on it! According to tales of yore and very helpful email loops, I'm getting better rejections (which sounds like an oxymoron). This indicates that I'm closer to this goal, but not close enough to actually have a contract or anything. Le sigh.
4. Finish current WIP
STATUS: Done! Of course, I'm laughing at my January 30 deadline, as the first draft wasn't completed until May.
5. Write DD
STATUS: Abandoned. Now don't go feeling sorry for DD; it's still tucked away in the shiny new idea box, it's just that there was another shiny new idea, CA, that's shinier and newer. And still is.
6. More magazine articles
STATUS: Working on it. Okay, this is where I get kind of confused. Last year I sent out one article query a week and did fairly well, so this year I decided to send out two a week instead, thinking it would double the number of articles I'd be assigned. I kept up the pace until mid-September, when I realized that the additional queries had no impact on my article sales. Or maybe I just had really lame ideas for nine months. Arg.
7. Make time to write the novels
STATUS: Working on it. I do good, then I do not so good with the whole "hour a day on the novel" thing. But I will pat myself on the back for getting 15K done on the current WIP during NaNoWriMo. Hooray!
8. A day off
STATUS: Crickets chirping. Well, this didn't really work for me, so I compromised and now force myself to step away from the words for a chunk of time each day to either speak to the DH, go to the gym (with the DH), chat with friends (sometimes not even about writing) and do other stuff. It's part of that "filling the well" thing. Oh, and I've been reading like a maniac again, which is still about words, but other people's words, so that should be okay.
9. A trip... or three
STATUS: Done, done and done! Whoo hoo! 2008 was my year of frequent flyer miles as I went to Saint John, New Brunswick to lead a team-building workshop (oodles of fun), took in my first-ever Romance Writers of America National Convention in San Francisco and headed to New York City with my mom for a wild shopping soiree, only to be sick as a dog. At least we had some fun before a doctor needed to be called. Next year I have promised to travel with DH, as he's feeling just a bit left out.
10. More new stuff
STATUS: Done! Being on a TV show, even a Canadian "docusoap," was a heap of fun for me, and the lessons I learned (eating well and exercising is actually good for you) are sure to help me out for the rest of my life. Seeing The Police in July was incredible and being only "this far away" from Maroon 5 at Fashion Fusion in October was pretty darn cool too. Who know how I can top this next year?
BONUS ITEM: Have way more fun
STATUS: Totally done! This year I picked up a few more assignments and clients that are truly a joy to work with and there's no better way to earn a living than by doing what you love to do. Well, maybe I should say "love to do most of the time." ;) Having Zaphod, the kitten of mass destruction, has made life for the DH and I even more fun as we now serve his needs while he allows us to share the house with him. Yeah, no Christmas tree again this year; we can't take the pressure.
THE TALLY: 5/11
While that would be considered a failing grade in high school, I could add in a half point for each "working on it" to bring the score up to 6.5, but I feel like I've accomplished a heck of a lot over the past 12 months. In fact, it's inspiring me to look at my goals for 2009 and make them even more outrageous. Hey, why not?
How about you? How did you do on your goals for this year?
Here's where I'm at:
1. Get healthy
STATUS: Done! Well, it's more like "ongoing" to tell the truth. Thanks to being on the show Stuck, I was able to work with a nutritionist and personal trainer to see how I could incorporate healthy choices into my couch-potato lifestyle. And now I actually have fruits and vegetables in the house and go to the gym every week!
2. Land at least two more magazine columns
STATUS: Nada. Okay, I didn't really try too hard at this one. Sue me.
3. Do what it takes to land an agent
STATUS: Working on it! According to tales of yore and very helpful email loops, I'm getting better rejections (which sounds like an oxymoron). This indicates that I'm closer to this goal, but not close enough to actually have a contract or anything. Le sigh.
4. Finish current WIP
STATUS: Done! Of course, I'm laughing at my January 30 deadline, as the first draft wasn't completed until May.
5. Write DD
STATUS: Abandoned. Now don't go feeling sorry for DD; it's still tucked away in the shiny new idea box, it's just that there was another shiny new idea, CA, that's shinier and newer. And still is.
6. More magazine articles
STATUS: Working on it. Okay, this is where I get kind of confused. Last year I sent out one article query a week and did fairly well, so this year I decided to send out two a week instead, thinking it would double the number of articles I'd be assigned. I kept up the pace until mid-September, when I realized that the additional queries had no impact on my article sales. Or maybe I just had really lame ideas for nine months. Arg.
7. Make time to write the novels
STATUS: Working on it. I do good, then I do not so good with the whole "hour a day on the novel" thing. But I will pat myself on the back for getting 15K done on the current WIP during NaNoWriMo. Hooray!
8. A day off
STATUS: Crickets chirping. Well, this didn't really work for me, so I compromised and now force myself to step away from the words for a chunk of time each day to either speak to the DH, go to the gym (with the DH), chat with friends (sometimes not even about writing) and do other stuff. It's part of that "filling the well" thing. Oh, and I've been reading like a maniac again, which is still about words, but other people's words, so that should be okay.
9. A trip... or three
STATUS: Done, done and done! Whoo hoo! 2008 was my year of frequent flyer miles as I went to Saint John, New Brunswick to lead a team-building workshop (oodles of fun), took in my first-ever Romance Writers of America National Convention in San Francisco and headed to New York City with my mom for a wild shopping soiree, only to be sick as a dog. At least we had some fun before a doctor needed to be called. Next year I have promised to travel with DH, as he's feeling just a bit left out.
10. More new stuff
STATUS: Done! Being on a TV show, even a Canadian "docusoap," was a heap of fun for me, and the lessons I learned (eating well and exercising is actually good for you) are sure to help me out for the rest of my life. Seeing The Police in July was incredible and being only "this far away" from Maroon 5 at Fashion Fusion in October was pretty darn cool too. Who know how I can top this next year?
BONUS ITEM: Have way more fun
STATUS: Totally done! This year I picked up a few more assignments and clients that are truly a joy to work with and there's no better way to earn a living than by doing what you love to do. Well, maybe I should say "love to do most of the time." ;) Having Zaphod, the kitten of mass destruction, has made life for the DH and I even more fun as we now serve his needs while he allows us to share the house with him. Yeah, no Christmas tree again this year; we can't take the pressure.
THE TALLY: 5/11
While that would be considered a failing grade in high school, I could add in a half point for each "working on it" to bring the score up to 6.5, but I feel like I've accomplished a heck of a lot over the past 12 months. In fact, it's inspiring me to look at my goals for 2009 and make them even more outrageous. Hey, why not?
How about you? How did you do on your goals for this year?
posted by Bonnie Staring at 12:16 PM
3 Comments:
Bonnie (she says with a tone of aggravation), the stuff you have accomplished in ONE year is way beyond what most people accomplish their whole lives.
Stop downplaying what you've achieved. And the 'working on its' are definitely worth at least a half point. And I'll aware you an extra half-point for the day off - you mean your trip to NY with your Mom wasn't a day off? Or two? Or three? Come on, lady!
*Leah takes off her 'Mom's nagging' hat now and returns to her normal retiring self*
arg, make that 'award' not aware.
Oh Leah, you're totally right. The trip with Mom was like four days off! And I really could use a nap after doing all this stuff. ;)
:::starts up chocolate fountain to celebrate:::
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