2011 Wrapup and January Optimism

[carrie_ironhorse]

Well, internets, 2011 was not my best year, I think, but it wasn't too terrible for me personally. I started my senior year in college, lost my military scholarship for medical reasons, but got my medical crap mostly under control. I decided to double major to give me more post-college opportunities, and right now I'm crossing my fingers that it works, because the terrifying thing about 2012 is the prospect of finding a job. I also taught myself to spin, first on spindles and then I bought a spinning wheel and learned to use that. I took a class on weaving and loved it. I improved my horseback riding skills and started to learn to jump, which I have wanted to do forever. I failed to finish a draft of a novel I'm working on. I didn't get a job (though I had a couple interviews.) I got a 4.0 in my most recent semester.

All in all, a mixed year.

My goals of last year were:

1. Finish a second draft / first rewrite (completely!) of [novel WIP] or a complete first draft of [novel concept]. (Or both!) — achieved about 40k words of [novel WIP] of a targeted 80k.
2. Write in my journal more frequently than once a month. — mostly achieved, though I only wrote once in November.
3. Send in my resignation letter [to my former church, for protest reasons.] —not achieved.
4. Beat 1 new video game. (Because I never get around to playing the new stuff I buy.) — achieved with Fable II.
5. Translate at least 6 Chinese works (songs, poems, etc.) — I'm going to go with half-achieved because I never translated anything into English, though in spring semester I had to translate a bunch of stuff from classical Chinese to modern Chinese.
6. Take the CLEP test for American Government (to avoid taking that class.) — achieved.

Knitting Goals

 

1. Knit at least one sweater. Vests count. — Achieved. I knit one vest and one awesome colorwork cardigan. Win!
2. Knit at least 3 pairs of socks. — 2/3 achieved. I knit 2 pairs.
3. Knit at least 3 pairs of gloves/mittens, fingerless or otherwise. — achieved, if I count the ones I started December 2012 and finished in January.
4. Knit my Andean Chullo Hat. — achieved. I even knit two of these, one for my mama.
5. Knit at least one lace project. — achieved (lace scarf for my nana.)
6. Buy some really nice yarn and knit it up. —achieved; Dream in Color Smooshy used for a pair of gloves.

At the risk of making this a really long post, I'll also share my 2012 goals. In addition to these, I'd like to make a better effort to socialize and attend social activities (like barn parties or weaver's drop in night), eat more conscientiously, ferociously attack the weeds in my mom's garden once spring comes, and read more books by PoC. But I'm not going to quantify those, so they aren't on the list.

1. Write in journal at least twice a month.
2. Finish [novel WIP] draft.
3. Read at least 50 books, 25 of which are new/not rereads.
4. Graduate!
5. Get a job, or investigate overseas possibilities.
6. Spin at least 5 new breeds or types of fiber animal
7. Knit at least 6 items from pre-2012 stash.
8. Learn a new type of weaving (card, inkle, backstrap, floor, etc.)
9. Finish 2011 repair/mending queue by the end of February.
10. Finish [friend's] tattoo design by the end of January.
11. Start and finish at least 4 of the following:

• 2 sweaters
• 3 pairs of socks
• 1 scarf
• 1 set of woven towels
• 1 lace shawl
• 3 hats
• 1 woven table runner

So there they are. I hope 2012 is awesome. I don't know if it will be, but I hope it is.