Monday 5 January 2015

The Not Really Resolutions 2015 - The Introduction

It's time. I'm ready for you 2015.

If there's nothing else this blog is good for, it's been absolutely awesome at getting me to set myself some actual goals and then attempt to see them through. Ok, they're not massive huge things, they're usually just stuff that I really needed to do anything but will never get done because I have a tendency to sit in front of the TV watching something with absolutely zero cultural merit.

I can't actually believe that this is the fifth year of doing these - anyone bored yet?!

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1. Read ten Classics/Non-Fiction
So for the past four years I have set myself the challenge of reading twelve Classics throughout the year. The idea behind this originally was just to try and expand my reading repertoire and it's been great at doing that but lately it's started to feel like a chore. It's become something that I've started to get a bit stressed out about and that's no good to anyone.

I've also realised that I don't read a lot of non-fiction and I wanted to rectify that. I didn't want to add in reading non-fiction on top of Classics as I'm not the speediest of readers so I thought I'd take my foot off the pedal a little bit and set myself the challenge of reading 10 books that are either Classics or non-fiction.

2. Go to two Park Runs a month (on average)
When I was looking at getting my car one of the reasons I was really looking forward to it was the freedom it would give me to do more. There is a Park Run tantalisingly close to me but inaccessible unless you have your own transport so now I've got it there can be no more excuses.

(I put in the "on average" when I realised that I'll be away for the first 3 weekends of January...)

This will also tie in nicely with number 3...

3. Beat my 10k time
Last year was the worst year ever when it came to running for me. It feels like I was injured in one form of the other for the whole year - I spent a ridiculous amount of money on physiotherapists and osteopaths and I was completely incapable of winning the battle between myself and my head when I was out stomping around the streets.

But this year is the year that I sort all this out. No more injuries. Just no. No no no no. Well I mean there probably will be, but hopefully nothing too debilitating.

I am roping in the help of my blogger friends with this one - I'm hoping that the encouragement of excellent runners like Miss Pond and Lucy will help me achieve this goal.

4. Design and make my own amigurumi
Last year was the Year of the Amigurumi and it felt like all I did in 2014 was crochet zebras, elephants and horses. But I'm still very much a slave to the pattern and don't have the confidence to take it off the page and out of my head.

But I know I have all the tools to make my own animal/character - amigurumi is basically just a series of shapes and once you can do one you can do any of the others - but I just need to take the time out to sit and design something myself.

5. Crochet an item of clothing
Amigurumi is sorted. Blankets are sorted. But I don't feel that skill-wise I'm really going anywhere at the moment. I see people who have never crocheted before picking up a hook and a couple of months later are dashing about in jumpers and cardigans that they've made. I need to take the plunge and do something out of my comfort zone.

(And no I promise I won't crochet a scarf and call this one complete :) )

6. Blog 3x a week (on average)
I'm an advocate of saying that blogging should be fun and shouldn't feel like a chore and I really do feel that way, but sometimes even with the fun stuff there needs to be a little planning and preparation that goes in to it. I always feel as if I have lots to blog about but I don't get myself organised and then it's easy to be lazy and then there's no point really doing it....etc etc. It's time to get organised. Three posts a week shouldn't be that hard.

She says...

7. Finish one cross stitch piece that's just for me
I have a couple of things on the go at the moment that I've put to one side in favour of crocheting. The trouble is that in comparison to crocheting, cross stitch just takes such a long time. The results are nowhere near as immediate and that can start to become off-putting.

8. Tetris blanket
No seriously. THIS is the year. I've neglected this for way too long. This year will make it the third year that it has appeared on a Not Really Resolution list. I'm not even going to say "Finish Tetris blanket" I'm just making it a statement and whenever I'm looking for something else to put on my hook I will hear a voice in my head that just says "Tetris Blanket" with a slightly disapproving tone.

9. Go somewhere I've never been before each month
This is a follow on from 2014's Do One Interesting Thing each month. I don't want to fall into a rut of doing the same interesting thing each month though - I need to keep challenging myself and now I have a little car of my own it should make adventuring even more fun.

10. Makeover three pieces of furniture
I've been slowly plugging away at getting the flat looking how I would like it to look. I figured it was time to do it so I can stop living life like a student, plus it's a nice distraction. I figure that as I'll be spending a lot of time in it given that I'm the only person responsible for all the bills now, it might as well look nice whilst I'm at it.

Furniture-wise I probably have everything that I need but it is still all a bit of a mish mash which is adding to the weird studenty vibe. Just giving something a little slap of paint will make all the difference I'm hoping.

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So there we have it.

Come at me 2015.

7 comments:

  1. I've been really lame with my goals, I want to commit to two yoga classes a week and doing a few charity 5k runs but I've not set many specific goals. I might steal your book one, for non-fiction you might want to try The Mitfords: Letters between Six Sisters and On the Slow Train by Michael Williams. I really enjoyed both of those.

    I would be happy to join you on an adventure, I love getting the train somewhere and we can get some Norbury people to join us.

    Best of luck with achieving your goals!

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  2. I've still not quite honed all of my goals. I need to figure out a fitness-related one I think. And to actually get around to moving house. But one of them is going to be no spending (on clothes etc) for the whole of 2015.
    Can't wait to see how you get on with the Tetris blanket.

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  3. Ooh, for designing your own amigurumi - how about GoT characters? I think a crocheted Tyrion Lannister (the man, not the gerbil) would be fab. Although the gerbil would be pretty cool too.

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  4. I can't quite believe that I've been reading for all five years of you doing these? It's a great idea. I am particularly fond of point number 6 and hope it is followed through (unexpected incidents notwithstanding). :D

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  5. Good luck with your cross stitching but I totally get what you mean about how slow it can take at times. I think that's why I occasionally throw in a super quick, a little cross stitch piece to actually feel like i've finished something. I hope to carry on redoing some pieces of furniture too, we get a lot of our furniture additions from estate sales so they need some TLC at times but it's nice to have something to work on.

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  6. Don't beat yourself up about reading classics, reading is meant to be fun. Life too short for dull books, especially when there are so many goods ones out there.
    I'd like to do apart run this year, just the one mind, nothing silly.
    Designing your own amigurumi sounds totally awesome! I have a book to learn but haven't got round to it yet…
    Great news on the car, have fun x

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  7. Good list. I haven't really set myself any non-reading goals this year, but I have the vague aim of exercising more, whether that's taking up running again or cycling or whatever. And finishing decorating the house! We've made a start by spending this weekend finishing some painting, but that was a room we started painting in Deceember 2013...

    Look forward to seeing where all your new places are!

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