Goals 2012

Who doesn’t love a new year and the opportunity for a fresh start?

It comes as no surprise that tons of people are posting their big manifestos.

I don’t really know what mine would be. I suppose the three things I believe in are:

Work hard.

Put yourself first, because nobody else will.

Do good (by others and the world around you).

Two years ago I made a vision board. And it’s time for a new one.

However, my goals this year are pretty small.

I’m happy with the life I’m starting to shape.

I think I’m heading in the right direction, and I don’t feel the need to set goals like read a certain number of books (81 last year – though Atlas Shrugged should count for about five) or spend a certain number of hours every week with my guitar. I’m a dabbler in many things, and that’s okay – I will never be amazing at any one, nor do I wish to be, because they’re all fun. The key is making some time to fit each one in, which I have been.

Rather, I’ve got a bunch of small things to cross off (plus other miscellany on my Day Zero Project list):

• go on a bush walk
• go tandem biking
• go to the theatre
• go to a travel agent and start hashing out potential 2013 Europe trip/honeymoon
• get started on wedding planning, if we’re committing to a 2013 wedding
• visit my friend in Whangarei and hit the Kai Iwi lakes
• snorkel across the Goat Island channel
• visit the Puhoi tea rooms
• volunteer
• make two manual Kiwisaver payments
• plan and execute our South Island road trip (or overseas for a white Christmas?!)
• donate blood

I’m also embarking on Project 365, aka taking a photo every day. (See my Tumblr.) But I’m not going to force it – I know there are days I won’t take any, and days I don’t take any that are worth posting. The point is that it’s a prompt to really embed photography into my routine.

Blogging over here, I’d love to get more cohesive. Expect to see more photos and posts on food as I work through my Delicious recipe backlog and get into some of my newly gifted cookbooks. We’ve also still got a way to go to get through my list of restaurants to try – some with Entertainment Book vouchers, a few without – so I’ll write about those too. While I won’t be chronicling every single book I complete, feel free to join me on Goodreads – and I anticipate reviewing the odd standout on here.

Financially, I really need to focus on saving. I want to ramp this up and finish off the road trip and wedding funds, and keep lifestyle creep at bay.

Last year I made just over $2000 extra (mainly from my regular side gig, which eventually became my new main gig) but I now need to focus on my FT job. Apart from the odd editing gig or mystery shop, I won’t be bringing in additional income.

So killing expenses it is. Rent has gone up with our move to a bigger place (though it’s still relatively cheap). To compensate, we will:

• play some Sky TV roulette (downgrading and upgrading extras)
• smarten up on power use
• really adhere to the grocery/eating out budget (we’ve got a groove going, keeping things in check – my MO is to list essentials that need replenishing every week, then shop according to what’s on special and freshest. And if we space out our restauranting sensibly + watch the small purchases, $160/month eating out is realistic)
• attempt a no-spend year on clothes/beauty. I don’t foresee needing any makeup, and the only things I think I might need to replace are moisturiser and possibly my basic ballet flats at some point. I will make exceptions should anything else key suddenly give out on me, on a case-by-case basis.

I won’t include petrol in there, because I do want to get out and about more this summer and do more domestic trips, but I definitely am going to crack the whip with T on wasteful cruising – he has a motorbike for that (although who knows when he’ll be able to ride again).

So, that’s me! Here’s to accomplishment.