New Year: Goals for 2009

I've become a firm believer in writing out goals. There's just something about putting your words on paper and seeing them that makes the goal that much more real. And looking at them often helps to remember what you are working towards.

Last year, I started my 101 in 1001 list. I went about writing my list without any real rhyme or reason. Some items were things I knew I could accomplish. Other things were more of a stretch. When I looked back at my list last week, I realized just how much I have accomplished since writing out those goals.

Here it goes:

1. blog everyday for a month (COMPLETE)
   
2. learn how to cook and ease kitchen anxiety
3. learn how to use Digital SLR to its full potential (COMPLETE and continuing)
4. take better photos (work in progress)
   
5. post photos consistently on Flickr (work in progress)
   
6. go to the gym at least four days a week for a month (trying to keep up with this)
   
7. try a new class at 24Hour Fitness (have tried out 4!)
   
8. search for other job possibilities
9. meet my fiance’s friends
10. learn full potential of Photoshop (as of May 2008)
    
11. move out of parents’ house (July 2009... 7 months to go!)
    
12. organize my bedroom
13. clean out my closet and donate unwanted clothes to Goodwill (Completed, but need to do again)
    
14. purchase new or “previously owned” car (woo hoo completed January 2008!)
    
15. have my friends meet his friends
16. explore major cities – Atlanta, Chicago, Washington DC, Seattle, Denver (found out Denver = not so exciting)
    
17. spend time in New York City
18. practice taking more portrait photos (work in progress, check my flickr)
    
19. crochet a gift for someone (COMPLETE: Christmas 2008)
    
20. learn how to surf, even for a split second
21. go to Vegas as an adult (March 2008, and got engaged!)
    
22. go wine tasting, I do live close enough to Napa & Sonoma!
23. take a cake decorating class
24. design logo for future business (COMPLETE)
    
25. take a ballroom dancing class
26. move out to Texas to be with future husband! (July 2009)
    
27. schedule annual physicals (COMPLETE: November 2008)
    
28. remember to have car oil changed (car reminds me now, how fancy!)
    
29. have extended family meet fiance
30. set aside money to donate to charity of choice
31. participate in Habitat for Humanity Project
32. attend a photography seminar (COMPLETE: AUGUST 2008)
    
33. get engaged, and have legitimate reason to read wedding magazines like Brides, Martha Stewart Weddings, The Knot, etc. (COMPLETE: March 1, 2008)
    
34. shadow a professional photographer (COMPLETE: October 18, 2008)
    
35. buy a house
36. design personal stationery
37. decorate said house and give it sense of style
38. finish painting room
39. take a cooking class
40. read at least one book a month (been pretty good, have read a good stack!)
    
41. go to the library more often (facilitates my new audio-book obsession)
    
42. go to Hawaii and reclaim summer color (going for honeymoon!)
    
43. document my 101 goals as completed (been bad at this)
    
44. plan fantastic wedding on my terms (IN PROGRESS)
    
45. complete my first quilt project – already bought the fabric!
46. go to the Philippines during Christmastime to visit family
47. cook semi-fancy romantic dinner for self and fiance. from scratch, without killing or making us sick
48. build photo portfolio (IN PROGRESS)
    
49. visit the New England during the fall (mostly complete, went to Boston in October)
    
50. buy a new computer and Adobe Design bundle (COMPLETE: October 2008)
    
51. as a complement to completion of #33 and #44, apply to be a Bee
52. go on a cross-country road trip
53. learn more on the fundamentals of photography (Always learning)
    
54. ride my bike around the park
55. go on daily walks when the weather is nice (woo hoo! thanks Nike + iPod kit!)
    
56. lose 20lbs... if they can do it on Biggest Loser, I can too! (work in progress, lost 10 since January, gained back 7 lbs, sad, but working on it!)
    
57. start cooking own meals to make good on goal #56
58. return to Lyon for Fete des Lumieres
59. write a journal entry everyday for a month
60. keep a food journal consistently also in efforts to make good on #56 (did this in January-March, then totally slacked off)
    
61. make a pair of earrings (or more)
62. clean out wallet and purse... rogue receipts be gone! (Constant work in progress)
    
63. spend the holidays with fiance’s family (next year!)
    
64. send out Christmas cards with photos of us (COMPLETE: Christmas 2008)
    

28 out of the listed 64?! Not too freakin bad! To me, this is truly testament to having your goals written out. I didn't think I accomplished this much, but wow! I'm super happy with 28 complete.

This week I'll be working on my goals for 2009. I know that it's going to be a BIG YEAR! We're getting married, shooting more, networking more, and moving to the big state of Texas! (Yes, I did say Texas. And, yes, I do currently live in California. And, yes, I'm really moving there.)

Here's to a fantastic 2009!!

And so this post isn't totally boring, here's one of Cent and I at the Dallas World Aquarium when our parents met in September. My hair was behaving in the humidity...