January 2022: How’d it go?

Pretty good, I think.

As I mentioned at the end of last year, I’m keeping my year goals fairly simple this year, mostly inspirational. Then going into specifics for monthly goals and adjusting them as I go along. Plus rewarding myself if I do well. The big reward for January was buying myself a $100 book if got 150 points (different tasks got scored differently). I came out with 138 so I rewarded myself with a $40 purchase. I should add that dangling rewards was more motivating than I expected, inspiring me to get several little tasks on the goal list finished this weekend.

The big writing one was to finish and launch Undead Sexist Cliches. I did it. I still can’t believe that I succeeded, but I did. I’m pleased. It feels really good to have a long-running project done. And to have a book out.

Secondary goals were to finish 40 Leaf articles, 25,000 words on Impossible Takes a Little Longer and the same on Oh the Places You’ll Go (as it’s a short story, this involved multiple drafts). I didn’t achieve any of them. I hit 20,000 words on the novel and the short story which is good, though. I came close to 40 Leafs but ran out of steam.

Outside of writing, I did manage to average one book or one movie a day (another goal), which has trimmed my TBR and To Be Viewed piles slightly.

I kept up my exercise regimen and bicycled at least one hour on the stationary bicycle once.

I got a bunch of little goals done: baking more bread, emptying out my safe deposit box (branch is closing so I had to move everything to a new bolt-hole), making plans for Valentine’s Day (nothing spectacular).

What didn’t I get done? Well due to the snowfall and the freezing, biting cold, most of my goals that involved taking a walk, sitting in the back yard, bicycling outside did not get done. And with Omicron still flourishing, I didn’t go anywhere or hang out with anyone.

My efforts to contribute to fighting the Anti-American Party, formerly known as Republicans, went well. Donated money to charity and to political candidates. Began writing postcards to Democratic voters encouraging them to get out and vote. We’re the majority, we can do this. However I want to find ways to contribute more.

Other than snow (you can see from the tracks that the cats really use that tarp-covered shelter on the right. I’m so happy to know it’s protecting them), the big challenge remains the added demands from all the pets. I can’t imagine how much harder it would have been if we’d been able to take the dogs for our normal long morning walk. With a little more time I might have made my fiction goals. I would definitely have gotten a few more small goals met, but they simply get squeezed out. Admittedly pushing myself to read more makes a difference there too.

For February, therefore, I’m really going to push to manage my time better. It should be doable, even though it doesn’t always feel that way. I have X amount of time assigned to various projects and I don’t have anything as demanding as Undead Sexist Cliches. That should make it easier to not go over time on any one project. I’m doing considerably more fiction, which is nice: finishing Places, another 25,000 word goal for Impossible, starting rewrites on my first published story, The Adventures of the Red Leech. I’m also going to think about possible revisions to Southern Discomfort.

My time still feels overly squished, but we shall see how it goes.

#SFWApro. Cover by Kemp Ward, all rights to image remain with current holder.