25 in 26: Year in Review

With hours left before my 26th birthday I decided it was time to come to terms with what was and wasn't accomplished during 25. I'm a little iffy on how I did this year with the goals I had set. I'm not sure they were really thought through, or they were really high or all over the place and life kept happening and excuses, excuses. 

I did manage some of the pieces and for those I am stoked.

For instance while 25 I...

- started and finished my first large tattoo

- finished two blankets

- wrote many letters, even if it wasn't a total of 30. I came really close in the end. 

- stopped the 5 am bedtime and I'm currently working on resetting my internal clock to be an early (or maybe just earlier) riser

- I started applying for grad school!!! 

- I started a meet - up group for toy photography, we have our first meeting this Sunday!!!

- I read SO many books!

-I went on dates (two), with guys that were older than me (not by much but it counts).

- I spent 7 months living in my own apartment. Gloriously retro it was. My cave really. 

- I started taking dance classes and fell in love. Must make enough money to keep with them.

- Dad's side parental unit bought me a DSLR and I'm so, so very lucky. 

- I learned how to use the Rollei and the second roll of film I had developed came out really well, I will be sharing some of them soon.

- I took a class on Holga photography, I'm so stoked I did that. 

- I implemented an exercise routine for the past few months that I'm quite stoked on. Still not always easy to start the work out, but I always (and I do mean always) feel better after.

- I started tutoring and getting involved with education activities. I'm enjoying it a lot and am so excited for what's to come.

Not every expectation was met, some I wasn't even close on, others I had decent intentions but they fell to the wayside when other projects or calamities would surface. Such is life and I'm going to let myself be okay with what did and didn't happen this past year.

That being said, this year I intend to live without excuses. (Or live and acknowledge when I am using an excuse and stopping myself from completing something I want.) I will also be constantly looking at the goals and projects that are at the top of my mental list and deciding if they really are important or if something else is.

As mentioned before, I will not be doing a 26 before 27 this year. I have my quarterly goals I am working on instead throughout this year. 

I have so much hope and so much planned for 26! Here goes nothing!

xoxo

Mid Year Goals

While perusing my bloglovin subscriptions I happened upon this post by this delightful lady* and decided I would follow suit and make a list of my own Mid-Year Goals.

It's quite true, I have forgotten about my New Year's Resolutions and while I have been kind of thinking about my 25 before 26 I haven't been giving it quite the attention it needs. Plus there are other things I have been wanting to make habits of that seem even more important now and so this is a great way to get everything in line and a great new project to stick with after my 8 weeks.

Unless otherwise stated these goals are to be met by January 1st, 2012! :)

My first two very important areas of needed improvement are the two f's, fitness and financials.

1. Pay off credit card by March, 2012.

That means I have 9 months and need to pay roughly $350/month. 

2. Read 31 Days to Fix Your Finances PDF and complete all needed steps.

3. Do barre classes (that I already paid for) and 3 other exercise classes.

4. Be able to do 10 pull ups and the splits on both legs with back leg bent up.

5. Take a walk once a week.

The rest of my goals are going to do with the norm, reading, photography, blogging, etc.

6. Have 50 I guess we'll make that 100 (!!!) readers (subscribers) between bloglovin and blogger. I wish I could count others but I don't know how to figure out how all of you lovely people are following otherwise, maybe google reader and such... (OH MY GOODNESS!!!!! Loves, I have already made my goal! I just checked google reader. Have I told you all how much I love you lately? Fantastic. That's going to need a post of its very own!)

7. Continue on the 52 in 52. Yes this is a 25 before 26 goal, just want to keep it fresh in my mind. I have about 27 more books to go, not counting the books of June which I will be posting in the next few days. Just want to complete one more in the next two days! 

I think I am going to leave it at that. I am really excited with all of my goals, even the ones that pain me (credit card). What are some of your current, semi long term goals?

xoxo

*p.s. Lauren and her blog are ultra stellar. 

The End of an Epic

source

Well,  I did it. 

I, Corey, finished the 7 book, 3,000+ page series known as The Dark Tower series. 

Originally this was one of my 25 before 26 but I think in the editing process I put that into the 52 in 52. 

So here I am, at the end of this epic and I'm relieved. There are things about the series I loved and there are a couple of things that happened toward the end of the series that I had a hard time with.

Honestly, I think that's all I am going to say on the matter unless I find someone who has gone through them all and would like to discuss opinions. 

Final thoughts: worth reading.

xoxo

a blanket fit for a baby boy

Today I finished Bronson's baby blanket! I've been working on it off and on for months it seems (and is probably true) but I did it! This one is a tad different than all other blankets I have done. I used a different colored connecting thread to sew all the squares together and the edges of the squares aren't all the same color like with my past square blanket so it took some getting use to and accepting.

It's by no means perfect, but I hope it will do it's best to keep baby Bronson warm and snuggly when he needs it!

Now to send it on it's way to California.

Yay making headway on 25 before 26!

Revamp: 25 before 26

I have been thinking lately about my 25 goals before I turn 26 and I've decided that they need a little work. (Original list found here.) There are things I am finding to be greatly important AND there are some things I've already managed to check off (and some that I am very close on... mostly reading goals haha).

Here's my new set of goals with notes on what has been accomplished thus far:

1. Save money, about $10,000, to move to Argentina for at least 6 months 

2. Go back to school. I've been playing with the idea of a masters OR taking individual classes OR a BFA.

3. Get next tattoo designed. This will most likely be the hot air balloon. 

4. Finish the two blankets I have started for friends.

6. Learn basics of Photoshop. Take a class or to do online tutorials... hmmm.

7. Find perfect pair of glasses (hopefully vintage), little black dress and heels.

8. Write 30 letters. I have not been keeping track so I'll have to start that from today on.

9. Spend a week waking up early for now reason. We shall see about this.

10. Reach 50 readers on blog. Slowly but surely getting my numbers up! Sponsoring all the way!

11. Join or start a reading or crafting (or both) group.

12. Keep accurate log of $ for at least 30 consecutive days.

13. Read 5 non-fiction books. Oh done and done after this month!

14. Complete 52 in 52. Yes I am counting the ones I have in #13 towards this. Also counting from January on for this one instead of starting in March.

15. Watch 4 Spanish/Argentine/Latin films. Or films by Spanish/etc directors OR films in Spanish.

16. Read 1 book in Spanish. It can be a young adult or children's chapter book. Also counts toward #14

17. Have long conversation in Spanish. 

18. Go on at least 3 dates. While friend dates are awesome, they are not included.

19. Throw a party/plan a get together.

20. Rent my own place. DONE!

21. 101 pictures project. I will post the list, link to the flickr community as well as some of my shots this week!

22. Start taking a dance or exercise class. I'm looking into a pure barre class or something similar. 

23. Pay off credit card. Completely!

24. Buy a DSLR

25. Learn how to use Rolleiflex and post developed film.

Oh I'm a little more excited now for this list! I need to print it out and hang it everywhere!

xoxo

25 before 26!

So now that a day of being 25 has gone by it's time to share my 25 before 26! I know that I already did 25 things last year but I like odd numbers best and want to do 25 again. This year the combination of my goals is really reaching but I think that's going to be a good thing. Reach for the moon and you'll at least end up among the stars right?! Here's to putting thoughts out into the universe!

1. Save $$ to participate in 4 month photography program in Argentina ($10k by August 2012?!)

2. Complete 1 year of Master's degree (Teaching credentials?)

3. Get hot air balloon tattoo drawn

4. finish 2 blankets

-Shay's baby blanket

-Unicorn Sparkle(bottom)s rainbow blanket

5. Learn basics of photoshop

6. Buy and paint Native American paint by number

7. Find perfect pair of vintage glasses, heals and little black dress

8. Write 30 letters

9. Spend a week waking up early (before 8 am) for reasons other than work

10. reach 50 readers on blog

11. Join or create a group

12. Date older dudes (and attempt to not date younger)!

13. Keep accurate log of $ to the dollar for one month

14. Read 5 self help or informational books

15. Read 10 for fun books

16. Watch 4 Spanish/Argentine/Latin films

17. Read 1 book in Spanish (allowed to be a kid/teen book)

18. Have a conversation in Spanish (more than just "hi, how are you, bye")

19. Go on 3 dates

20. Throw a party

21. Rent my own place

22. 100 pictures project

23. Go to dance/exercise class once a week

24. Pay off credit card 

25. Acquire a Canon Rebel!!!

Phew, what a year this is going to be! 

xoxo