Seeing as we're nearly at the end of April with well over a quarter of the year gone *starts hyperventilating* I thought it seemed an appropriate time to update.
1. Get behind the wheel of a car again
I have an official license again! After pretty much over a year of procrastination I sent off for my license to be re-newed. After expecting a letter to come back saying "No you need to re-new it and replace it" or some such other nonsense, I was very surprised when after 3 weeks a brand new license flopped through the door with no questions asked.
So no more excuses - time to book some refresher lessons...
2. Project 365
This is ticking over quite nicely and has been much aided by the fact that I have a new phone which has a really good camera. I haven't even used my actual camera in goodness knows when, and because my phone is a Windows phone, everything is very handily backed up to my Skydrive, meaning that when I switch my computer on I just need to log in and download the photos and put them on Flickr. Easy peasy lemon squeezey.
I've been surprised that I've lasted this long because I'm living in the back end of nowhere with basically no friends, but I've managed. Ok, these photos are not going to set your world on fire, but guess what? My life wouldn't set your world on fire, rendering my Project 365 an accurate representation of my life.
The monthly round-ups are fun to do (see January, February and March) and the only thing I am bad at doing is actually uploading the photos to my photostream, which tends to easily be a week or two behind in time. Just like my blogging activities!
3. Read 12 Classics
It's been a good start to the year with my Classics and there hasn't been one I've read so far that I haven't really, genuinely enjoyed.
So far I've read;
North and South - Elizabeth Gaskill (probably the least easiest read out of the lot)
To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee (can't believe I haven't read this before, I usually think children are made to read inappropriate Classics at school, therefore putting them off for life, but anyone who gets to read this at school I think is genuinely lucky. It was brilliant - not difficult and yet not condescending - it should be a must for all children to read this.)
Catcher in the Rye - JD Salinger (probably the only one that's made me raise an eyebrow and wonder if I've really understand what I've read and the one that's made me go "Really? This is a Classic?" but a good read nonetheless and one that I think would make a good Book Group read as there could be plenty of interpretations to be made.)
The Pursuit of Love - Nancy Mitford (hilarious. I have no other words. The only one so far that I insist you go out and read immediately.)
4. Crochet an Elmer Blanket
As you may have guessed, this has been put on hold now that I have the Tetris blanket firmly within my sights and underway. I do still want to crochet an Elmer Blanket but mostly I wanted to make a blanket just for me and the Tetris Blanket is definitely fulfilling that need at the moment.
5. Learn to knit
No progress on this one as of yet.
6. Bake once a month
This has been ticking along quietly (why do I always forget to blog about things?!) although I think it's safe to say that Mary Berry has nothing to fear at the moment. In fact I haven't been impressed with anything I've made so far this year. Here's hoping that April gives me my first triumph...
Gingerbread biscuits; The infamous Cookie Monster cupcakes; Chocolate & Peanut butter cookies
7. Go abroad
Very exciting news on this one. American Girl and American Boy are coming over from the USA in July and seeing as they're here and seeing as we all turned 30 this year (with the exception of The Person who will be almost 31 by the time they get here. Ha. OLD.) we decided to take a little trip to another part of Europe and will be spending the first week of July in Corfu. In sunshine. Sun and The Americans? I don't think my brain can take the excitement.
8. Makeover a chest of drawers
No progress on this one yet.
9. Cross stitch a big picture just for me
No progress on this one yet either. I think my brain can only take one craft per year. 2012 was the Year of the Stitching and it's looking like 2013 might be the Year of the Crochet...
10. Only buy 12 books throughout the year.
HA. If I stick to this I will be shocked and amazed at my willpower. I will be able to do anything.
Unfortunately I think it's unlikely I'm going to stick to it. I am trying, I swear it, but after a year of not buying books, I have a lot of pent-up book buying going on in my system and I am finding it tricky to succumb, especially when in charity shops and faced with such cheapness. I am being very good and tracking what I buy though so I can't cheat and "forget" about a book that has made its way on to my shelves. The current total stands at 6 and we're not even at the end of the April.
And I'm not even counting the three books that I bought with a voucher for my birthday because that wasn't my money and those books don't count.
I love loopholes.
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So there we have it. Have just realised there isn't an awful lot on there that can be ticked off the list easily and that's a shame because there's nothing like crossing things off a list to make you feel like you're getting somewhere, but I shall keep on plugging away.
See you at the end of June for the Q2 update...
Good luck with your driving - I got back behind the wheel after a number of years not driving and after initially being terrified nothing beats practice. It's good when you get in the car to go somewhere and don't think "OH MY GOD I'M DRIVING". You'll get there :)
ReplyDeleteI bought you a book for your birthday in a deliberate attempt to flout your rules.
ReplyDeleteI think you are doing rather well! I really want to make over a chest of drawers although I find that cheap / suitable ones are hard to come by. I have a writing desk which has been halfway made-over since about 3yrs ago, so maybe I need to finish that first.
ReplyDeleteTo kill a mocking bird is my favourite and my best.
ReplyDeleteI also didn't read it 'til I was an adult but have no idea how such a fabulous book passed me by.
And there is a girl in nursery called Scout.
Also, I didn't *get* catcher in the rye. I didn't hate it, I was just a bit. .. errr ok then. -_-
if anyone would like to give me some insight I can be found on twitter.
I think you're doing great. Me. .. not so much. But I've been busy doing all the things so that's ok.
I've just compiled a list of my own and felt a little bit unrealistic with some of them, but realised that that is the ultimate aim of a list. Pushing yourself out of your comfort zone - throwing in possibilities is all part of the challenge. If you don't manage them all, then that's okay, but at least having them in mind can mean it's a constant work in progress.
ReplyDeleteI've always wanted to read To Kill a Mockingbird, I think I might just have to get round to it, given your recommendation xxx