2013.
Twenty thirteen.
I could spend some time reflecting on the year that is in it's dying moments, but I won't. Too much has happened. And it's New Years Eve tomorrow. And New Years is all about new starts, new beginnings, looking into the future, not behind us into the past.
I've been umming and ahhing about my 2014 New Years resolutions. As you know, resolutions mean a lot to me. I worry bout making them attainable, but want them to reflect who I want to become and achievements I want to accomplish.
So. New Year's Resolutions for 2014:
1. Visit Uluru using an Aboriginal tour company
2. Be officially employed in Australian TV/media (i.e. get paid!)
3. Write something creative that isn't a blog. This doesn't have to be a full novel, but could be a poem, short story or a film script.
4. Choose next tattoo design (and maybe get it done...)
5. Improve my health by exercising and healthy eating so that by the year's conclusion I am able to:
- Run 5k
- Do 30 push ups
- Do 100 sit ups
- Touch the floor in Yoga poses (specifically Triangle)
6. Read the following list of books:
- Better than Fiction (collection of short stories, already started on iPhone)
- Heart of Darkness (on iPhone)
- Villette (on iPhone)
- On the Origin of the Species (on iPhone)
- Around the World in Eighty Days (on iPhone)
- White Men'll Never Do It (already started, paperback)
- Bewitched & Bedevilled (on iPhone)
7. Start learning French? (Rosetta Stone e-learning for 12 months costs $273. Still deciding on this one...)
8. Climb the Sydney Harbour Bridge
9. Skydive.
Last two, and number 4 is easy....
What are your New Years resolutions?
Oh, and Happy New Year!!
Monday, 30 December 2013
Friday, 6 December 2013
There's More To Life Than Rush
It's December. It's nearly the end of 2013. I cannot believe this year has gone already. A year ago I was just getting back from what was up until now the trip of a lifetime. And actually, Trek is still the trip of a lifetime. It was the trip of a lifetime for an Emma that doesn't exist anymore. I came back irrevocably changed.
I've been trying to write New Years resolutions for 2014, but it's surprisingly hard. I don't know where I'm going to be, or what I'm going to be doing. How do I know what's achievable or not? I like my NY's resolutions to be achievable, usually not too broad, which means I never put "lose weight" or "build self esteem" any more, because those are too broad; improvements that have any number of ways to achieve them. And it only makes you feel worse if you don't achieve them.
Before I get onto what I think my 2014 resolutions will be, I'm going to review my 2013 resolutions.
Resolutions 2013
1. Watch 500 out of 1001
2. Read list of books (10)
3. Complete Before 24 list
4. Learn to knit
5. Ride the Bluebell Railway
6. Make a roast dinner
7. Save £1000 for Australia
I was unsuccessful in two of these: numbers 3 and 6. Although I still have a few weeks to complete number 6, I'm not really in a position to make a roast dinner for myself or anyone else, so I'm ruling it uncompleted. And I failed at completing my Before 24 List, which if you don't remember what that was about, you should read this old blog.
And so to the others that I have been successful at. Whilst I may not be the best knitter in the world, I understand the basic principle of it, even if I still can't cast on. I easily saved £1000 for Australia, and I rode the Bluebell Railway for my birthday.
Self/unemployment at the beginning of the year meant I rocketed through my list of books to read, though that list did include the Fifty Shades trilogy. And I have now watched over 500 of my 1001 films to see before I die, and it'll likely stay at that number until I return from Australia.
So what am I going to do for 2014? Usually I'd have a films to see resolution, but I don't have Lovefilm any more, or even a disc drive in my laptop. I could have a books to read list to complete, but books are cumbersome for a backpacker, and there's only so many free books I've got downloaded on my phone.
Should I make some Australia-centric resolutions? I could make it a resolution to see Uluru, but I could also make it a resolution to see Fraser Island, the Whitsundays, to do a skydive over Mission Beach. And that's only Queensland... What about a resolution to climb the Sydney Harbour Bridge, or do something equally iconic in Victoria, or Tasmania, Western Australia or the Northern Territory (none of which I know anything about). Maybe I should have a resolution that requires me to visit the Neighbours set. I don't like vague resolutions, so I can't just have a resolution that says "travel".
And what about the main reason I came over to Oz - work? I had planned to make it a resolution to work in Aus TV...but I've been doing that the past two weeks. Granted, not being paid for it, so perhaps that should be written into the resolution.
Last year I had a resolution to save money for this year abroad. Should I again have a resolution to save money - but this time for my return home? This really depends on me getting work of any kind.
Maybe I am overthinking this. Okay I am definitely overthinking this, but I like to plan. I like to be organised and make lists and goals, and often lists about goals or goals that involve lists.
I see resolutions as a way to become the person you want to be. But there's only so much control I have over the person I'm going to be by the end of 2014.
Maybe I should try to have a resolution not to get burnt again. Let's see how long that one lasts.
I've been trying to write New Years resolutions for 2014, but it's surprisingly hard. I don't know where I'm going to be, or what I'm going to be doing. How do I know what's achievable or not? I like my NY's resolutions to be achievable, usually not too broad, which means I never put "lose weight" or "build self esteem" any more, because those are too broad; improvements that have any number of ways to achieve them. And it only makes you feel worse if you don't achieve them.
Before I get onto what I think my 2014 resolutions will be, I'm going to review my 2013 resolutions.
Resolutions 2013
1. Watch 500 out of 1001
2. Read list of books (10)
3. Complete Before 24 list
4. Learn to knit
5. Ride the Bluebell Railway
6. Make a roast dinner
7. Save £1000 for Australia
I was unsuccessful in two of these: numbers 3 and 6. Although I still have a few weeks to complete number 6, I'm not really in a position to make a roast dinner for myself or anyone else, so I'm ruling it uncompleted. And I failed at completing my Before 24 List, which if you don't remember what that was about, you should read this old blog.
And so to the others that I have been successful at. Whilst I may not be the best knitter in the world, I understand the basic principle of it, even if I still can't cast on. I easily saved £1000 for Australia, and I rode the Bluebell Railway for my birthday.
Self/unemployment at the beginning of the year meant I rocketed through my list of books to read, though that list did include the Fifty Shades trilogy. And I have now watched over 500 of my 1001 films to see before I die, and it'll likely stay at that number until I return from Australia.
So what am I going to do for 2014? Usually I'd have a films to see resolution, but I don't have Lovefilm any more, or even a disc drive in my laptop. I could have a books to read list to complete, but books are cumbersome for a backpacker, and there's only so many free books I've got downloaded on my phone.
Should I make some Australia-centric resolutions? I could make it a resolution to see Uluru, but I could also make it a resolution to see Fraser Island, the Whitsundays, to do a skydive over Mission Beach. And that's only Queensland... What about a resolution to climb the Sydney Harbour Bridge, or do something equally iconic in Victoria, or Tasmania, Western Australia or the Northern Territory (none of which I know anything about). Maybe I should have a resolution that requires me to visit the Neighbours set. I don't like vague resolutions, so I can't just have a resolution that says "travel".
And what about the main reason I came over to Oz - work? I had planned to make it a resolution to work in Aus TV...but I've been doing that the past two weeks. Granted, not being paid for it, so perhaps that should be written into the resolution.
Last year I had a resolution to save money for this year abroad. Should I again have a resolution to save money - but this time for my return home? This really depends on me getting work of any kind.
Maybe I am overthinking this. Okay I am definitely overthinking this, but I like to plan. I like to be organised and make lists and goals, and often lists about goals or goals that involve lists.
I see resolutions as a way to become the person you want to be. But there's only so much control I have over the person I'm going to be by the end of 2014.
Maybe I should try to have a resolution not to get burnt again. Let's see how long that one lasts.
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