While searching for a file on the computer this morning, I found something I’d saved called “2011 Goals and Hopes” which I did not remember writing. Curious, I opened it up and got to see how things had turned out.
I figure out a way to make decent money that is compatible with homeschooling 6 children.
Well, I did go back to teaching at the charter school, and I do think it’s decent money. It’s probably about as good as it gets while still homeschooling, with living in such a rural location. Goal met!
My aunt recovers from her recent problems and is able to go back to her assisted living place (she is 92).
Unfortunately, this hope went unfulfilled. My aunt was in the hospital over Christmas 2010 and then was sent to a rehabilitation center. She never went back to her assisted living place, and died in April. I had planned to go see her in January 2011 but couldn’t because I had an attack of diverticulitis. I finally flew up to see her in February and had a nice visit. I promised to come back at Easter with the children, but she died the week before. We couldn’t have gone anyway, because by then I was suffering from a bulging disk. I missed her funeral because of it. My family on my mother’s side is very long-lived (my eight times great-grandmother lived from around 1629 to 1731, outliving most of her ten children!) and it was shocking to my sisters and me that our aunt only lived to be 92. We thought she had more time, and I miss her greatly.
I get to see my parents, sisters, aunt, oldest son, and mother-in-law.
I did see everyone except for my mother-in-law. On my one brief trip to see my aunt, I didn’t see my mother-in-law because she was sick, and she didn’t want to get me sick(er) or expose my aunt to anything, since I was mainly there to visit her. Goal met, mostly.
I don’t waste time on the computer.
I spent less time on the computer in 2011 than the last few years. I finally recognize the limitations of socialization via Internet. Goal met!
I finish writing the romance novel I’ve been working on, and – dare I hope?! – write another one.
I did finish writing the one I was working on, just before I was supposed to go see my aunt in January 2011. I still need to finish editing it, though, and submit it for publication. I started another one, which has more of a thriller feel, but I’ve only written one-tenth of it. I really would like to get a laptop so that I can write more, because currently I only write on the computer in the living room, surrounded by children and chaos, and that makes it hard to get anything done. So, goal basically met.
I read at least 60 books.
I only read 38, which I have been very upset about, despite the fact that people tell me that’s a lot. Being ill and on painkillers really interfered with reading. I was very scattered last year, and I realize now what that led to. I would pick up a book and start to read it, and then get interrupted and put it down and never go back to it, because, the next time I got a chance to read, I would pick up something else that looked interesting. This continued in an endless cycle. I realize now that when reading a book, I have to reach critical mass so that finishing the book becomes inevitable. Or, as you could also say, the tipping point where it’s all downhill from there. I’m invested in the characters and want to know what happens to them (if it’s fiction) or I am so wrapped up in the subject matter that I have to see the conclusions reached (if it’s non-fiction). Then in August, my life became überbusy, and I just didn’t read very much. However, I’m glad now that I didn’t reach this goal, because it showed me clearly that reading is very important to me. Other people might have been satisfied with reading 38 books and that’s fine for them. They probably didn’t put the word “Books” in the titles of their blogs either! If I don’t want to feel this way at the end of the year again, I need to make sure I make reading a priority. So this year, I have spent even less free time on the computer, and have been reading a lot more, and have now read 16 books. This year I also am trying to alternate fiction and non-fiction, which I never tried to do before.
So, how did I do?
Four goals met, basically: making money, wasting less time on the computer, finishing my romance, and seeing family.
One goal not met, but with a fire lit under me now, that won’t happen again.
And one hope unfulfilled -
And that’s the story of 2011.