Wednesday, January 6, 2021

Blogging Challenge: Goals

For the last two years, I've been taking part in the Wednesday Weekly Blogging Challenge over at Long and Short Reviews. I've had a great deal of fun with it, so naturally I'm continuing it this year. If you'd like to participate, follow that first link for the list of prompts, and then check the main site for the weekly post with links to everyone's responses (and add your own link, if you're so inclined). 

Today's prompt is simply "Goals for 2021".

I don't do New Year's Resolutions as such, but I do have some goals for this year. 

Get back in shape. 2020 was not kind to my physique, but at my age it really isn't about losing weight; while I'd like to do that too, the main things I want to make sure I'm repairing/maintaining are flexibility and cardio. That means a stretching routine, and that means getting extended-but-gentle exercise on a regular basis. Both of those things will be greatly aided by drinking less and getting more sleep. 

Work Goals. I'm not going to discuss these in detail, but I work in IT (computer stuff). Mostly I'm responsible for a few particular systems, but I keep getting handed these odd little issues that inevitably turn out to be major research projects. And I'm essentially self-taught; most of what I know, I learned by doing the job. (My actual degree is in English.) So this year, I'd like to get some actual training -- formal or informal -- and expand my skillset in some ways that might make everything easier over the long haul. 

Finish a novel. This has been an ongoing goal since The Great Unpublished Pulp Fantasy Novel from years ago, but it's been complicated by being a parent to two boys, both with ADHD, and by holding down a full-time job. I do a good job of keeping everybody else on schedule, but trying to squeeze in some quiet, uninterrupted writing time at a point in the day when I still have some energy to do it? Ha. Ha ha ha. But, as I mentioned yesterday, I've recently gotten it in mind to drop the project that I've been trying to do for the last couple of years, and instead work on something different; and the boys are finally old enough that I can maybe build some writing time into my schedule without everything else going off the rails. 

So those are my main goals for the upcoming year, and I am cautiously optimistic about them. How about you? What are yours, and how are you feeling about moving towards them?

14 comments:

  1. Those are great goals! I'm rooting for you as you try to a accomplish all of them. Do you think you'll blog about your progress? (No pressure if that's not your thing).

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  2. I mean, the blog is basically about whatever happens to be on my mind at the time. ("Ramblings" is right there in the title, partly because Scalzi had already tied up the "Whatever" angle...) So yeah, it seems likely that I'll at least be discussing things like writing progress, particular issues, etc. For example, one of the things I learned from writing out three pages of an opening scene is that I really don't want to try to mirror the HP "boy under stairs" fairy tale bad normal life for my opening; I have another angle for that.

    Honestly, the big thing that I'm working on right now is the main character's name. I tried giving everybody Russian names in that first opening, and that really didn't work for me; so now I'm just kind of waiting for the kid to introduce himself to me. He's a bit reticent, though.

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  3. I agree with you on the first - I'd much rather be strong and healthy than a particular number on the scale.

    You sound like my husband. He was a drafter and although he'd had a couple classes under his belt, most of what he knew he'd learned by doing. I hope you can get some actual training to increase your knowledge.

    Good luck with the novel! Balancing work and family is tough enough, but to add a novel to it creates a challenge. I know you're up for it though!

    My post

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  4. I sympathize with you on trying to create while stressed with everyday life. Great goals for the coming year. Wish you well.

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  5. These are great goals! Being a parent is hard, and writing at the same time is not easy to accomplish. Good luck with your goals for this year!

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  6. Good goals, and hopefully attainable this year. My husband is a self-taught IT guy, too (he doesn't even HAVE a degree) and had an interesting time this year because he works at the company supporting the testing of the Covid vaccine...

    Re: your book...you've mentioned tidbits here and there and I'm intrigued. That isn't the book you're talking about NOT working on, is it??

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    1. It... kind of is, yeah. I've just got too many contradictory things that I want to do with it, and I think I need to walk away for a bit and maybe come back later when I can settle on one approach.

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    2. Sigh... I mean, I do understand, but it's like seeing a movie trailer that sounds really good and then being told filming was cancelled. :-/

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  7. Those are great goals. Stick with it. Thanks for sharing. Here's mine. https://www.tenastetler.com/my-goals-for-2021/

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  8. Great goals list.
    It is tough to schedule writing time around child care. I can definitely sympathize. I hope starting a new project gives you the motivation to continue. Don't give up.

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  9. Wow! Great goals! It's amazing how much light stretching can not only help the body, but the mind as well. Even when I do some stretches before writing, I feel so much better. Ooo...a fantasy novel? I'm intrigued. Hope you finish it this year.

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  10. Good luck with all your goals! I hope you have a safe and happy 2021!

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  11. Good goals. I found myself with writer's block last year so really need to get going on that.

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