... I did realize today I have several projects and groups that I'm starting or picking up the pace on this month. If I don't have a lot to say on financial goals for a while, maybe it'll be fun to check in with progress updates on these, just to feel like I've still got momentum.
- My other blog and personal finance discussion group,
- Exercise and weight loss. I've committed to try and use the elliptical at least four times a week, and I managed to do that for the first week in January. We'll see if I can keep it up! I've also joined PatientSaver's challenge to lose weight.
- Activism. My city, as do most, has a problem with police misconduct and lack of repercussions. One problem is that not enough people know their rights. In addition to going to rallies and marches, I'm also trying to develop (with help from a few people) a smartphone skin and an app that informs people of their rights regarding police stops, so they'd have the information handy if anything happened to them.
- My NaNoWriMo novel. I actually think there might be something halfway decent in my 2014 one. AS offered to edit it in her spare time, so we'll see if she can get it in decent shape, and then I'll look into submitting it to agents or publishing houses (or just self-publishing if I can save up some money).
- Trivia. Our weekly trivia night at a local bar had petered away because of NT's night classes and our general brokeness and tiredness, but we've decided to start it up again now that two of us will be able to go while one stays home with the kids. There's no admission so it's as cheap as you want to make it; occasionally I've nursed a single drink for the whole night.
- Food/cooking. One of my friends started a Facebook group to share cooking tips and recipes, and we had a successful potluck back in October, so I offered to throw another one in February. This will have a Southern/Mardi Gras theme. One of my friends also wants me to show them how to make seitan (mock duck). And my housemates have thrown around the idea of doing group food prep of some make-ahead meals we can put in the freezers. I may also try to think of more meals that the kids can help prepare, since they're always interested (but we're usually too rushed or the recipes too complicated to really include them).
- Organizing/cleaning. I finally had the first really thorough decluttering session in AA's room (she's the 4-year-old and quite untidy like I was as a kid). She's pleased with the results and finds it easier to tidy up daily now. AS and I have also talked about creating some kind of chore chart for both adults and kids to keep us on track, now that we have such a bigger house.
- Alumni group. My NY college has a lively alumni group here in MN, so I want to organize a couple of events to get everyone together (that's not an expensive outing). I'm thinking dinner party at our home for starters.
The great thing about all of these projects is that I can work on them at any time, pick up or drop them whenever I feel like it, so there's always something for me to do but I don't need to feel stressed or overscheduled by any of them.
January 7th, 2015 at 12:36 am 1420591008
January 7th, 2015 at 02:11 am 1420596694