Not Really Resolutions 2013

Yeah I know. It's past the middle of February. What can I say?

Nothing actually.

Let us pretend that this is the 1st January and I'm an excellent blogger who has not only thought of her Not Really Resolutions beforehand, but has also scheduled a post to go live right at the moment the New Year hits.

Now if there's one thing that 2012 taught me, it's that life can get derailed pretty quickly and the best laid plans can get thrown out of the window. With that in mind I could have just cancelled my Not Really Resolutions this year and laid low but that is just not my way.

Plus I really really like lists.

And so may I present to you: The Not Really Resolutions 2013

1. Get behind the wheel of a car again.
I talk a lot about the fact that I don't drive and it's silly really because technically technically I can drive. I passed my test the very 1st time when I was 17 years old. Unfortunately that was also the last time I was behind the wheel of a car. Yep, that would be almost 13 years ago. I would most definitely not say that I am in a position to take a car out on the road.

People always pull faces and go "Ohmygod that's crazy" and then I make them feel bad by pointing out that when I passed my test I was living with my Mum who could not afford to insure me on her car and wasn't speaking to my Dad so there was nothing doing that side. Then I went to uni in Manchester where a car was never needed because there are approximately 20,000 buses a minute down Oxford Road. Then I was too poor to afford a car and have remained the same ever since.

The fact is it's never been that inconvenient that I didn't own a car, mostly because I've lived in big enough cities with a decent public transport system. However, now I'm living in the back of beyond it's a big deal that I don't have a car and means I'm pretty housebound without one. Sucky suck suck.

SO. This year I will get behind the wheel of a car again, get refresher lessons so that I can at least hire a car, if not get my own.

The first step needs to be renewing my license, which hilariously expired once it was 10 years old having never been used other than a form of ID. Brilliant.

2. Project 365
I really enjoyed Project 365 when I did it in 2011. It did inspire me to attempt to keep a real life in diary in 2012, but unfortunately that was one of the Not Really Resolutions that didn't get done last year. So I've decided to do it again this year - and it's going well so far. Especially considering that all I do is work and then come home and sleep.

Don't expect good photography skills.

Do expect a lot of pictures of cats and dogs.

I know that basically no-one uses Flickr anymore but in the absence of anywhere else to put my photos they are on my photostream where you can also find my photos from 2011.

3. Read 12 Classics.
I don't even feel bad this is on here for the 3rd year running. It was the best idea I've ever had and means that I challenge myself when it comes to my reading.

Plus, I don't think I'll ever run out of Classics to read.

4. Crochet me up an Elmer blanket a la Little Tin Bird
I could come up with an idea myself for a blanket. Or. I could just steal one that's already been done.

I vote for stealing every time.

Ever since I saw this blanket way back in February 2012 I have felt an overwhelming urge to do one for myself. In fact I even made a start before I inexplicably dropped crocheting and started cross-stitching as if my life depended on it for the whole of the year. This will be the year I make it.

It's quite a good one as well because at the moment I am separated from all my crafty things which remain in Preston (sob) but I have space for one ball of wool and a crochet hook, so I can bring a ball of wool back from my weekends in Preston and then sit and make a load of squares here, before returning for more wool.

5. Learn to knit
I have a strange knitting phobia and I'm not entirely sure why. I think it's because I have memories of very stressful weekends where my Mum would try and teach me and then announce that it was impossible because I was left handed. I hate that, left handed people are always told we can't do stuff - fuck you right handers.

Last year I went to a Sit and Knit workshop that was part of an arts festival in Preston and I totally did knit something! Kind of. Ok, it was a shapeless blob, but I definitely was getting a knack for it.

My thing. It was cool, we hung them in the trees as a little yarn bombing thing. Funzone.

Also it turns out I knit right handed which would probably have saved my Mum a lot of stress.

6. Bake once a month
I miss baking. I used to right love it and then I just stopped. I'm going to start again.

That was a good story wasn't it?

7. Go abroad
I haven't been on a proper be abroad, sit on the beach and get cancer holiday since I was 18. 18 I tell you. This is wrong. All wrong. The last time I went abroad was in 2010 when I went to my Dad's house in France. The Person has never been on an abroad holiday ever the poor soul. At the beginning of 2012 we said we were definitely definitely going away. I don't know what happened to that....oh yes, I was made redundant. No holiday. 2013 is going to be the year I go to a place that involves crossing the water that surrounds this island.

8. Makeover my chest of drawers.
Last year I was supposed to make over 2 pieces of furniture but only managed to do one. The chest of drawers from the charity shop remains looking like a chest of drawers from a charity shop. But I do that the stuff for making it over which is one hurdle cleared.

The other hurdle is that it lives in Preston and I don't. We'll figure that out hopefully.

9. Cross stitch a big picture/item just for me.
As you may know, 2012 was the Year of the Needle & Thread and I got my cross stitch on good and proper. This included doing cards which is all well and good but I also did a couple of bigger pictures as presents for people. I'm a selfish gal I want something for myself thank you very much. So this year I'm going to be a selfish stitcher at some point and make something that's mine, all mine.

10. Only buy 12 books all year
Last year I wasn't allowed to buy any books, and believe it or not I actually did it. This was good because my bookshelf of to be read books was not good and a little crazy and I managed to make a dent in it. However, it is far from being empty. In fact it doesn't look like I've made a dent in it at all, I don't know how that happened...

Anyway. I couldn't ban myself for another year for that would be cruel. So instead I'm imposing a limit. I initially said one a month but I know buying 1 book at a time is basically impossible for me so I'm averaging it out and saying 12 books altogether. This is good as it's only February and I've already bought 3.

As usual my Kindle does not apply (although I never use it and currently don't even know where it is, but it's there as a back-up) and if people buy me books or give me vouchers to spend (hint hint) then that falls outside the 12 also.

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And there we have it.

That's why I haven't done this post yet; because it takes an inordinate amount of time to write!

So here we go. You will be able to keep up with how I'm doing by taking a little click on the page at the top right that says Not Really Resolutions 2013.

As long as I actually remember to update it that is. Probably should have put that as one of my resolutions.

If you wanted to know how I've fared at my Not Really Resolutions in the past you can look here and here.