I've been sort of negative about 2008. And to get out of that mind set I came up with this list:
Reasons 2008 Didn't TOTALLY Blow:
Went to lux hotels with J-Rod* (* not his real name)
Moved into a new and better and cheaper apartment without having a breakdown... well only a small one
Curbed my drinking habits from total drunk to occasional partaker/total lightweight.
Saw my family 3 times
Dated a couple people
Started THIS Blog!
Learned to Sew!
Learned to edit (extremely basic home) videos!
Saw two of the people I love most, who are also usually very tragic singletons like myself, fall in love. Not with each other. The point is it makes me hopeful. I'm that much closer to not dying alone.
And to help me move forward with vigor I wrote this list:
2009 Monthly Challenge (Instead of resolutions... that way you don't have to do them all at once.)
Jan: Learn to Crochet. I chose this for the first month because I've already done it. I finished this stripy, spring-ish scarf. It was very optimistic of me. I can't really wear it yet because it is too horribly cold. I want to learn some new stitches and how to crochet flowers. But I've got the basic stitch down and I made something...so mission accomplished.
Feb: Depend on Teen Vampire Romance Escapism to get me through the cold and the terrifying work schedule. (i.e. I'm reading Twilight. No judgement. I cave easily to peer pressure.) I have to confess I'm 3/4th of the way through the first one. But my supplier...err...friend has the first four books so I figure I can continue on until either they aren't enough or until I spend my friday nights online discussing what will happen next with pre-teens.
Mar: Learn about Podcasts. Mostly learn how to download them to my Ipod. And which ones are worth listening to. And then listen to them. All month long.
Apr: Learn to play and sing "Le Festin" (the theme song from Ratatouille and the happiest little French song on the block). On the guitar. I want to have a cool and cheery go-to song. Because now the only ones I could play and sing from memory are Don't Think Twice by Bob Dylan and For My Lover by Tracy Chapman. Which both imply that I spend a lot of my time crying in my room over boys.
May: Volunteer. I have a friend who in spite of having a full time corporate job and stage managing regularly for a reputable theatre company IS ALWAYS doing crap like coaching an underprivileged peewee football team or spending Saturdays reading books for recordings for the blind. I'm tired of being an asshole. And also, I want to be a good person. So I can stop feeling bad about never giving money to the beggars.
June: Sign up and run 3 or 4 5ks. I used to run. One summer in high school. I was on the cross country team for... at max and month and a half. But I have been trying to reclaim that part of myself that I was impressed with even then- by running 3 miles when I go to the gym. I think this goal will help motivate me to continue doing that.
July: Write a 5 minute stand-up bit. Have my friend Fish help proof and coach it. Perform it at an open mike. This is the most challenging challenge by far. And will most definitely end in humiliation...but I'm going to do it anyway.
Aug: Try to watch ALL of Bette Davis's movies. I need to take a real acting class. And this is a sort of addition or reminder of that goal. I seem to get scolded a lot for being an actress and having never seen whatever-classic-movie-is-being-named-at-the-moment. I want to get better versed on the "greats" and Bette Davis seems like a good place to start.
Sept- Dec: I'll keep you posted. I don't want to decide TOO much in advance. Surely 8 months will give me enough time to stir up some new interests.
Love and baby farts,
Becki
