11 IN 2011

“For last year’s words belong to last year’s language and next year’s words await another voice." 
— T.S. Eliot

A list of 11 things (resolution) I plan to do in 2011. I read somewhere that one of the best ways of sticking to your "resolutions" for lack of a better word is to keep them public.  So weekly I am going to start doing a blog of 11 IN 2011 PROGRESS.

This year I feel different about my goals.  I feel different about everything....well a lot of things.  I am feeling older....well not like old but just more mature and I feel comfortable in my skin and feel like I can be myself.....let my freak flag fly so to speak....without reservations. But I also feel like I am having a harder time setting my goals.  Like I thought it would totally be easy to come up with 11 resolutions for the New Year.  It has been harder than I thought.

So here we go.......................................

1.   Get photos organized and framed and sell them this year at a craft fair.  Shooting for Oktoberfest.

2.  Get hired on as permanent employee (not temp) at my work.  Get promoted from assistant.

3.  Go to Venice Beach again.  Shooting for August.

4. Take my boys on a road trip adventure this summer. And some place new every summer after that.

5. Do yoga 3 days a week, and cardio 3 days a week.  Meditate daily.

6.  Quit smoking by my 36th birthday.

7.  Cook one new recipe a week (and blog/photos about it).

8. Create something at least once a month (and blog/photo about it).

9. Go see more live music (and take photos).

10. Go to church (every Sunday).

11. Join a group/team/club.  Meet new people.

Some other things I want to do that didn't make the 11:

Read 1 book a month.

Continue weekly one-on-one nights with Parker (my 14 year old who needs some extra attention).

Get a dog & name him Worm.

Get a turtle and name him Tweeker.

Save $

Take my boys on (at least) once a week new adventure(whether it be library or event doesn't have to be big just something new & of course take photos & blog them).

Go Thrifting (thrift store shopping) at least once a month for treasures.

Good luck on all your Resolutions!!!!!!!

LIFE WITHOUT REGRETS

So I started working on a to do list for the next year or a goal list for the next year.  It's call 35 Before 36.  It's a list of 35 things I want to do over the next year before I turn 36. I got this awesome idea from A Beautiful Mess, and I thought it is a great idea. I was very inspired and all Gung-Ho and let me tell you it is hard to come up with 35 things.  So far I have 19......

I have had a lot of changes in my life lately, but changes I feel are for the better.  I am very happy and feeling like the real me.  Hello me.....it's been awhile.  Yes....yes it has.  So I really wanted to work on this list to have some goals and some dreams and things to look forward to.  Just because I'm 35 doesn't mean I have lost my joy of dreaming and goal setting.  I gots a lot to do people.

While I don't want to go into great detail of my life changes lately it got me to thinking.  Would I do anything different?  Would I change anything?
The answer: NEVER.
I wouldn't change a thing.  Not one single thing. I would go through every pain, every ache, every loss, every abuse, every heart break, every single tear....again and again and again......for this:

and this:

If I had it do do every again I would do it exactly the same way. Why would I change anything when one little thing changed in my bizarre life might keep me from having these 2 wonderful, adorable, smart, funny, crazy boys.

And think of it this way.....if you did do it over again and didn't change anything you'd also get to have all the fun, dances, love, joys, & laughter again too.

SO.....now a new journey has begun......and of course their is going to be fun.  SO....I have started my 35 Before 36 List.  Some are simple, some are weird, some are cool.
Here are a few:

Go to Venice Beach again
Sell my photography
Take the boys on at least one adventure a week
Cook one new recipe a week (and blog about it)
Get a Turtle and name him John Lennon or Offbeat Pete
Meditate daily
Take the boys on a road trip vacation this summer
Get better at sewing
Create at least one thing a month (and blog about it)
Go thrifting once a month

Well that's a taste.  They are no rocket scientist goals, but DUH I'm not a rocket scientist. Some are one time things and some are continuing things.  But I'm excited about goals over the next year.....now I just got to come  up with 35 of them.

So do you have things you want to do before your next bday? Let's get on it.