Thursday 13: More goals for the New Year

Since I am technically supposed to be doing homework right now (and forever more), I am keeping this Thursday 13 simple with some more 2011 goal type things.

1. Take down the Christmas tree. I dare you to laugh. It’s been standing in the library since November 2009. It WILL come down this weekend!

In my defense, although the tree was up all year, it wasn’t decorated!

 

Playing with my new Tokina lens. Hooray close-ups.

 

I should really wrap (okay, buy) presents earlier. The tree only looked like this for a day or two.

2. Flower the front yard. A perennial favorite (ha) that I never seem to complete, I have been itching to plant flowers in the front yard for years. Now, anyone know of a beautiful flower that requires absolutely no maintenance and can also withstand clay soil with no drainage? (HA!)

3. Bathe the world in basil. Well, the front yard anyway. My friend Kristi has a front-yard garden and I’m thinking of expanding my herbs to the front area as well. It’s the only  land I have with full sun and I’ve got fingers crossed that no one will be brazen enough to steal basil. (Tomatoes I briefly considered for the front, but I don’t really trust my neighborhood. Sad, huh?)

4. Start the dissertation-mobile. My PhD program looks something like this: Two years of coursework, big hairy scary comprehensive exams, project proposal, dissertation, done. Sounds so simple, huh? This semester, I’ll finish up my classes and start prepping for comps. By next January, I hope to be collecting diss data. Ahhhhh!

5. Finish focus groups sans freak-out. I’m trading teaching for a research gig for the next couple semesters. This spring, that means conducting focus groups across the country. I’m excited but terrified. The good news is I don’t have to coordinate, but rather attend, assist with leading, and analyze. I shudder to think of finding participants for eight focus groups in five different cities!

6. Big Apple/Big Giant Head Pilgrimage. Related to number five, I will be traveling to New York this spring and I can’t wait to see the city and my sister (who really does have a big giant head. hehe.)

7. Start an Etsy shop. I’m really not interested in crafting for the long-haul, but I have a ton of lovely hand-made wedding fleurs to part with. I’m thinking about selling them in bulk and perhaps making bracelets, hair decorations, etc.

Wedding bouquet compliments of Marm. Photo by the beautiful Beth Baughter of True Love Photo.
I made all the blinged-out white fleurs by my lonesome.

8. Find 50 followers. On the blog that is. (If you feel like following me around for reals, I may look into one of those restraining order things.) T says I should aim higher, like 100, but I’m not like Dan over at Single Dad Laughing who went from five followers to five zillion overnight (congrats, by the way!). T also says the Blue Muse needs more T&A, so we have to take him with a grain of salt. My goal for 2010 was 25, so I figure doubling it is fine. More than that will be gravy!

9. Make Julia’s boeuf bourguignon. Speaking of gravy, I want to attempt this insane dish sometime this year. I saw the Julia movie though so I’m a little bit afraid.

10. Find Edward a home. Yes, my mother bought me this little monstrosity for Christmas:

Since sitting around and sulking is a favorite past time, Edward and I really get along.

In truth, I LOVE it. How could you not? But after the next calendar year, my favorite sparkly vampire is destined to find a new home… courtesy of the annual White Elephant Extravaganza!

11. Read 25 non-school books. Harder than it sounds thanks to the mounds of official fodder I must pack in, I’ve upped the book list from 20 to 25 this year. Any must-read suggestions?

12. Organize computer files. Way harder than it sounds, I have the messiest filing system in the west thanks to 1. Being disorganized (shocking, I know); 2. Trading computers and operating systems without cleaning up from one to the next; 3. Attending way too many colleges with way too many class folders and way too many PDFs; 4. Keeping multiple copies of everything; 5. Being disorganized.

13. Live in the same state as my husband. People always ask me how married life is and I say “It’s greaaaat because I live in another state” or “Ask me when we actually live together.” For people who don’t remember I’m in school in Cactus Land, this is a pretty entertaining convo. Up until this winter break, T and I hadn’t spent more than five consecutive days together since the hopscotch honeymoon. Can you believe that? Well, come mid-May, I’m back*, baby! One home, one address, one housemate (okay, 1.25 including Goliath).  I CANNOT WAIT!!

Cracks me up.
G flashing what few teeth he has left. (See last year’s dog saga here and here.)

 

Our “first” Christmas. The Grinch and a Christmas Crazy.

xoxo,
shawna

* School will not, sadly, be done. I will continue for a couple more years flying to and from Phoenix but thankfully, living in Sac-Town.

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