Can you believe November is here already? I love November, it’s my favorite month. It’s the changing leaves and the early not-too-cold-but-still-need-a-light-sweater chill that I love the most, Thanksgiving is pretty cool too. Also, on the 20th, I will be with Brooke for nine years (been married for 4 and half), and that’s great, because she seems to still like having me around.
Anyways, here are my goals from last month, which was my first time participating in the monthly goal meet-up.
-Finish my sample pictures and get my children’s book out to at least one publisher (Hooray! Sent it out last week, the sample pics are right here.)
-Figure out why I’m getting the pain in my right foot so I can get back to regular running (I’m gonna cross this off, though I’m not sure what the pain is. I bought new shoes today, and the guy at Run For Your Life–amazing store by the way–said my shoes could have been the problem. I’d rather buy some new shoes and see if that was it than have to pay for x-rays.)
-Write at least 15,000 words in my young adult novel. (Nope. I only did like 1,500 in my young adult novel. I did return to a novel I shelved when I first started working at The Meck Times. I was about 100 pages into that, and I forgot how much fun it was. I’ve done about 2,500 in that.)
-Go to as many of my wife’s community flag football games as possible (Yep, their team is the worst in the league, but a lot of fun to watch!)
-Indulge my wife on something Twilight related once or twice (Yeah…)
-Pay off our projected 2009 taxes (Boo yah!)
-Figure out what we’re going to do with the 1992 Thunderbird Brooke’s grandma left us (We’re keeping it for now. Gotta get it registered in NC, the MO tags are expired. Runs perfectly though)
-Build up my design portfolio (more on that later) (I did, not sure if it helped. I applied for the designer position at the paper. They interviewed me about two weeks ago…I’m still a writer though, it’s all good)
-Save some money (I can’t not save money)
-Cut down on diet soda and coffee, increase juice intake (Drank more juice…and coffee and diet soda)
-Get my dog neutered–sorry Berkeley, you’re way overdue. (Got it done yesterday. As an adult dog, it’s taking longer for him to heal, he’s not too happy. I know this because he keeps on passing gas and then leaving the room…I’m suffocating in his stink as I type this.)
Not bad for my first month! I like this goal thing. The last week and a half of the month I found myself thinking about the goals and whether I’d finish them all. No one is keeping me accountable here, but I think putting them on the blog helps me keep myself accountable.
So, on to November, here are my goals.
-Improve what I can improve at work
-Get most, if not all, of our Christmas shopping done
-Start training for the Alston & Bird Cup Half Marathon in March
-Write at least 5,000 words in one or both of my books
-Go see New Moon with Brooke…and budget for her multiple viewings
-Have the patience to wait for the awesome deals on Black Friday
-Give to our church, they need it
-Give my time to someone who needs it
-When Thanksgiving comes, don’t do any kind of work! None!
-On that note, make sure to get back to unplugging on Wednesdays
-Update my blog at least twice a week, and reply to comments
-Go to the dentist
All right, I think that’s doable. So what are your goals?
I love the budgeting for multiple viewings of New Moon. Thankfully the person obsessed with Twilight in my life is my college roommate rather than significant other, so I can get out of viewing the movie. In theaters anyway.
What is this unplugging on Wednesdays? You talking technology? If so, that’s an interesting idea. I may have to consider this in December, especially when I get to my winter break and it becomes all too easy to just waste time online.
I came via Modite if you hadn’t guessed. It’s my first month participating, and my list is quite short compared to your first list.
Ashley, thanks for stopping by! Yeah, if I didn’t budget for multiple viewings, I’d be out that money anyways. I’m actually down with seeing it, because I read the books (which were…ok), but I don’t want to be there with all the screaming girls. My brother and I think they should have a boyfriend/husband screening.
I started unplugging on Wednesdays last March. I was doing a ton of freelance work on top of my day job and it was really draining. So I started taking Wednesdays off-I wouldn’t even go near the computer-primarily so I could enjoy Lost with my wife. It was a great weekly recharge. I got away from it a bit in the past month or so and I’m going to bring it back as it looks like I might be getting another heap of freelance work. I recommend it. Read a book, play a game, or just veg in front of the TV, it keeps you from burning out.
Thanks again for commenting, good luck with your list!
Oh! I like this idea of unplugging! The way my November looks, sounds like a wonderful plan.
I was amazed, my boyfriend watched Twilight before I did. And in the sort of setting you and your brother are looking for, since he attends a university that has many more men than women.
Thanks for the wish of good luck! Same to you!
I have written my goals in my blog. Found you through Modite.
I think your goals are doable! Things like unplugging in Wednesday, and going to see dentist.
Nice to see your blog. Hope you will be able to achieve your goals by the end of November.
Thanks, good luck on yours as well!
…the gunpowder treason and plot.
Now I have a movie craving!
It’s my first month doing the Modite Goal Meet-Up (my personal blog is http://www.creepyed.com). Good luck with all your goals. What kind of training program are you doing for your half-marathon? Will it be your first?
–ed
Hey Ed,
This will be my third half marathon (this same race was my first, back in March). My training is a mix of P90x and straight up running. During the week I do shorter runs (3 to 5 miles) and then longer ones on the weekends. Each weekend I add a mile or two. I’m bringing in P90x because I’ve been told that strength training will increase my aerobic capacity. Running’s a solitary thing for me, I don’t really do it to compete with anyone, but I would like to beat my time from last year, so we’ll see how this works out.
Thanks for stopping by, good luck on your goals!
Goals are a good thing. I might try this too since I spend so much time alone. Might as well make some goals of what to do with the time.
I like yours especially the unplugged Wednesday.
You totally should!
You could make goals for your cards (which are excellent by the way), learning Italian stuff, and blogging.
Then you can post them on Modite and join in on the monthly goal meet-ups. I’m loving it so far.
Hey there! Found your blog through modite.
I love your list – I might even have to incorporate a few for this month or the next, if you don’t mind!
I particularly love your goal about giving your time to someone who needs it. For me, my time and attention are some of the most valuable things I can give to people I care about – and they’re so hard to give up! I just think of it as another way I can take the focus off of me and make someone’s day just a bit brighter.
Do you have a hard time getting work done when you take Wednesday’s off? Sounds intriguing!
Keep up the good work!
Go for it! I made a few of them broad this month because they’re easier to cross off that way, haha.
Giving my time is one I should have made more specific. I want to give my time outside of something structured. My wife and I are helping serve Thanksgiving to foster families on the 20th, but we signed up for that. My goals is to do it spontaneously (I just hope I can spot the need when it arises).
No I don’t have a hard time getting work done when I unplug, if anything, it helps my productivity. When I feel fully charged I can tackle my work with a focused mind. Bobby Chiu (he’s an amazing artist, I took a class with him this past summer) told me once that if you can master your on/off switch you’ll never be unmotivated, never get burned out. The point of unplugging on Wednesdays is to help me master that. You should give it a try!
Thanks for stopping by, good luck on your goals.
That’s a really interesting idea, the on/off switch. Now I’m totally trying this!
I love love love:
1) that you’re such a good husband. I’m blessed with a good husband as well and I think you guys need to get public props more often! Go you!
2) the idea of unplugging on Wednesdays. I may join you on this for the month of November except unplug on Tuesdays or Thursdays. Hubs is in Jiu Jitsu M,W,F so those are my days that I get the most writing/online shenanigans done.
Have you named your children’s book yet? The graphics look pretty darn good!!
Best of luck this month!
Desiree
Thanks Desiree! I appreciate it, but good husbands only exist because of excellent wives. I think mine is one of the best!
The whole unplugging thing has got a lot of people interested. I might do a blog on it this week. I highly recommend giving it a go.
My children’s book is called Mr. Main’s Game. I worked hard on those pictures! Let’s hope the publisher thinks the same. If you’d like to give it a read, let me know. Always love to hear feedback.
Budgeting for Twilight! I love it! I have to do the same. I have two daughters that simply MUST go to the midnight showing the night of release or be ostrasized by their peers.
All the luck with training for the marathon. I’m working on training for my next 5k with the eventual goal of a marathon. I’ve got a long way to go, but seeing that first finish line was enough to make me want to do it again and again.
Giving your time to someone who needs it is a wonderful goal! Life gets so busy its hard to take a breath and realize that so many people can use a hand.
You totally rocked October! I’m so impressed. I love how all of your goals have humor in them too. I’m going to make that a future goal – incorporate fun!
Glad the goal thing is working out and thanks for participating 
Hey fellow southerner! I’m hailing from Raleigh here and just joined the monthly goal meet-up like you! I was thinking that I made too many goals my first time, too until I saw yours– woah lots of goals! But I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that.
Looking at your list for November, I should have added “go to the dentist” to mine, too!
Hey Austin, great blog!
I had to laugh, I really need patience to wait until black Friday to go shopping.
Thanks for joining Manic! It’s a great group!