In some ways, this week’s Ten on Tuesday prompt, “10 Things You Want to Do in 2009,” feels like the next step from the New Year’s Resolutions theme a couple of weeks ago. Looking at it that way, the resolutions are a wish list of goals, and this week’s list would include specific steps to achieve them.
I’m approaching the “to do” list partly from that perspective, but not completely. If an item does relate to one of my hypothetical New Year’s Resolutions, I’ll reference the applicable resolution by number. In no particular order or priority, this year I’d like to:
Take long weekends off every couple of months. I accrue just under 7 hours of vacation time every two weeks, and ended 2008 with almost four weeks’ time on the books. Even if we do take a family vacation later this year, I still have plenty of days off available for regularly-scheduled three- or four-day weekends!
Spend my birthday at Disneyland*. I usually take it off from work anyway; it would be a great way to use one of those long weekends, and I’ll get into the park for free!
Spend a weekend in Santa Barbara with Tall Paul.* We got engaged there, but haven’t been back for over a year. We’ve been talking about taking the train up there and staying overnight – this year, we should stop talking about it and do it. (#3)
Visit the Griffith Observatory with Tall Paul and the kids.*
(*This is probably a “have to” as opposed to a “want to” – in order to accomplish these things, be more attentive to spending on other things so we can save up the money for them!)
Spend more than 20 minutes a day (at breakfast and before bed) reading books! I’ve committed to reading at least 20 of my own books this year; it sounds like a modest goal, but if I don’t make more time to do it, even that small number will be unattainable. A good chunk of the time I used to spend with books I now spend reading blogs, and much as it pains me, I think I’ll have to swap that back around somehow. (#2)
Take the kids (and the dog) to the beach a couple of times this summer. We haven’t done that for a couple of years, and it’s really not that long a drive (although with a wet dog in the car, it can feel long on the way home!)
< Gypsy at Rincon Beach (Carpinteria, CA) Summer 2005
Fit comfortably in my size-6 clothes again before summer, without assistance. In 2008, I stopped attending Weight Watchers meetings regularly…and I could tell I was gaining back some of the weight I’d lost four years earlier, but didn’t know for certain how much until I went in for my annual doctor’s visit last month. I was NOT happy. I don’t own a scale and I refuse to buy one, so I’ll have to pay attention to what my clothing tells me. I have the tools, and I’ve started using them again – one day at a time. (#4)
Take long walks often, with or without my dog, and (hopefully) frequently with my husband. Our new neighborhood is built for recreational walking, and I want to take advantage of that as much as possible. (#5)
E-mail friends and family who aren’t part of my online social networks every few weeks, just to check in. Blogging has made me irresponsibly lazy about keeping in touch with people who don’t read my blog but knew me long before it existed, and I’m working on turning that around. (#8)
Reach the milestone of 1000 posts on this blog. I’m three-fourths of the way there right now, so unless I bail on the entire enterprise, this one is just about certain to happen! How should we celebrate?
Is there anything special on your to-do list for the New Year?
I just know you will reach 1000 posts! Good luck.
#8 is good. Sometimes I like to use postcards for that – no need to write much, and your contact gets real mail!
You can reach 1000 posts easy! I have to lose some wait to fit in my size 8 clothes..lol I haven’t been a size 6 in ages…hmmm…I have problems.. LOL
More walks are on my list too.
all the best for 2009 ;0)
Woohoo! Go you and may you check off every item off the list (or at least every item that truly makes you happy).
I myself just joined Weight Watchers and I am hoping it helps me! You will reach 1000 posts 🙂 Happy New Year to you 🙂
Shannon – Thanks! If exhaustion doesn’t hit me first, it should happen by late summer.
Magpie – I like that idea…but then I’d better buy some stamps too :-)!
Serena – I have clothes in sizes 6, 8,and 10, and depending on the day of the week and what it is, any or all might fit, and some days I’ll be wearing two different sizes. I guess that’s OK as long as they’re not my shoes, though…which are still a size 5 :-).
Holistic Knitter – Happy New Year to you too! I’m lucky to live somewhere that has favorable walking weather almost all year long.
Mme. Meow – Hopefully, all of them will do that :-). Thanks!
Social Frog – WW really did work for me, but I think I got bored after so many years. Putting some of the weight back on has revived my interest, though :-). Best of luck to you, too!
I didn’t know you can get into Disneyland free on your birthday? It’s not a far trip for you, is it?
I’ve heard the Griffith Observatory is nice. Take pictures! 🙂
I though everyone in California went to the beach every day. That’s what us land-locked people are taught. 🙂
Mike – The beach every day? No, that’s Florida. The water here is too freakin’ COLD!
The free admission to Disneyland on your birthday is a new thing this year, and from what their website says, it’s just for this year; it might be a trial thing. It’s about an hour or so away if traffic is favorable, but just in case it’s not, we’re planning to stay overnight down there.
I went to the Observatory once, years ago, but never with Paul and the kids, and it just re-opened last year after some major renovations. Yes, I will post pictures if/when that trip happens :-). The Boy goes to a science-magnet elementary school and he’s getting WAY into astronomy now, so it should be fun.
I love your list and I visit Carpinteria regularly (Avo fest!)Love Santa Barbara their zoo is awesome! Definitely go to the observatory (I live about 15 mins from it)it is more amazing since the remodel!
Happy Tuesday!
Amanda – I agree, Santa Barbara has a very nice zoo, among other things. We actually wanted to go to the observatory last year but never got around to it – better luck this year!
Thanks for coming by – it’s always nice to meet another local :-).
I know what you mean about not not emailing people who don’t read your blog…have to get back in the swing of that.
Amy – I do so much writing here that I guess it makes me lazy about doing it anywhere else. Still not a good excuse, though. Maybe I could just paste stuff from the blog into e-mails :-)?
Your list exhausted me! Good luck with everything.
April – Why do you think I need the long weekends :-)?
Great luck with all your goals! Once the weather gets nicer one of my goals is to go hiking with our dogs much more than I have been – they need the freedom to run more and I need the exercise 🙂
Joanne – There’s a trailhead not far from our house. I used to take my dog trail hiking on weekends, and I’m thinking about starting again – with or without her.
Good luck with your goals! The Disneyland deal especially caught my eye. Free on my birthday, eh? Hmm.
Tomorrow I am going to start getting back into exercising regularly. Five days a week, at least 30 minutes each day. I just have to remember how good I feel when I do keep at it regularly.
Wendy (Literary Feline) – Good luck with the exercise goal – you can do it! One thing about having a dog and NOT having a yard – it does get me out walking at least twice a day :-)!
It looks like we will probably spend the whole weekend of my birthday (it falls on a Sunday) at Disneyland! If you’re already at the park on a multi-day ticket, you have some other choices in lieu of the free admission. It’ll be fun!