Saturday, January 13, 2007

Uber-List

I can't figure out how to do umlauts on my keyboard for a properly presented "uber-list" but the intention is there. Mama Says Om, a mommy blog site I follow, presented the uber-list concept for 2007 resolutions/goals--call them what you will. I was inspired by what I read there. Without further ado, here is my "uber-list" for 2007:

1. CRAFT: Experiment with crafting . . . felt stuffed animals, maybe knitting, maybe cooking differently
2. CRAFT: When I figure out what it is that I can and want to do, do it--at least monthly
3. CRAFT: Read more about crafting and creating
4: CREATIVITY: Read six books on creativity over the next year
5. CREATIVITY: Keep a paper journal (Moleskine) to facilitate the creative journey
6. CREATIVITY: Make everyday life a bit more creative and inspiring
7. CREATIVITY: Take more photographs
8. CREATIVITY: Take a drawing class
9. CREATIVITY: Add more music to my life
10. FAMILY: Play more
11. FAMILY: Listen better
12. FAMILY: Raise my voice less
13. FAMILY: Celebrate more
14. FOOD: One new recipe per week
15. FOOD: Six great restaurants per year
16. FOOD: Six new regional cuisine explorations
17. FOOD: Cook with the kids more
18. FOOD: Read at least six food books this year
19. FOOD: Shop farmer's markets at least once a month (as available)
20. FOOD: Introduce new artisanal products to the family
21. FOOD: Build personal favorite lists . . . olive oil, oysters, cheeses
22. FRIENDS: Re-connect with old ones--one a month minimum
23. FRIENDS: Make new ones--one a month minimum
24. HEALTH: Get caught up with doctor visits
25. HEALTH: Get caught up with dentist visits
26. HEALTH: Drop weight
27. HEALTH: Find an exercise form I like and get to it
28. HOME: Maintain clean, organized common closets
29. HOME: Quarterly donations of old/unused stuff
30. HOME: Monthly progress toward at clearing clutter
31. HOME: Introduce touchstones of comfort
32. HOME: Introduce six green habits over the year
33. HOME: Grow stuff . . . herbs, vegetables, fruit
34. HOME: Improve and enjoy outdoor spaces
35. HOME: Paint as appropriate
36. HOME: Organize kids closets
37. HOME: Find a solution for incoming mail
38. HOME: Bills, documents . . . on time, all the time
39. LOVE: Surprise hubby with insightful gifts
40. LOVE: Date night on a to-be-established frequency.
41. MIND: Take a writing class
42. MIND: Chronicle books read this year
43. MIND: Ensure mix of topics in reading
44. MIND: Take a poetry class
45. MIND: Make progress reading the great books series
46. MIND: Include notes on reading and learning in journal
47. MIND: Make progress learning Latin
48. MIND: Make progress learning one other language
49. MIND: Establish calendar and attend lectures
50. MIND: Actively view art (galleries, museums)
51. PROJECTS: Identify six projects for the next year
52. PROJECTS: Record progress on projects
53. PROJECTS: Do something with scrapbooking/memory recording
54. PROJECTS: Make progress on CLSC readings
55. TRAVEL: One major vacation
56. TRAVEL: Explore the Bay Area (home)
57. TRAVEL: Add creativity/adventure to business travel
58: TRAVEL: Continue armchair travel (reading)
59. WRITING: Blog weekly
60. WRITING: Take a writing class
61. WRITING: Send at least one piece out for publication
62. WRITING: Send at least one letter per month to an author
63. WRITING: Work with the kids on storytelling and book making
64. WRITING: Start and keep a paper journal
65. WRITING: Write poetry

Okay. Sixty-five seems like a good number. I probably have about half as many items again on the professional side of my life. As the next few days and weeks go by, I assume more items will show up since I am now actively thinking about what I want to do in the next year. I will add them to the "uber-list" and also find a way to track and post progress. This exercise has been fun and gotten me pretty excited about the year ahead. If I'm successful, I will end the year with a very different set of experiences and learning.

Monday, January 01, 2007

Happy New Year!

Welcome, welcome 2007! I'm still nowhere close to 100% on the health front; the year-end flu has well and truly laid me low. However, I remain a firm optimist about the year ahead. No doubt, the new year will be filled will challenges on both the work and home fronts. However, nothing can top the embrace of my dear husband or terrific children; the exuberant Lab lick also brings joy.

I'm thinking today a great deal about resolutions for this year. I'm caught on the horns of a dilemma. Should my resolutions be bold, "stretch goals" per the popular phrase? Should my resolutions be more moderate, e.g., taking vitamins, reading and writing something every day? Perhaps resolutions are best not made exactly on January 1st. My bias right now is for the moderate resolution: tend to health, of the body, mind and spirit; be kinder to those around me; indulge more in the simple joys as my children experience them.

I clearly need to think and reflect a bit more. Meanwhile, there's laundry to fold in preparation for re-entry tomorrow and dinner to consider in a few hours. Aha, another opportunity for a new year resolution: to eat more healthfully!

The bottom line is that I will do a set of new years resolutions. Those promises will likely be more moderate than not. I'll keep them short and post them here, as well as in the paper journal I'm starting.

"The longest journey begins with a single step," said Lao-Tzu. I am not at all sure where the journey will lead in 2007. However, I can begn to mark those individual steps to greater goals. Perhaps just getting comfortable with the single step is a worthy first step into the new year.

Cheers!