Goals – Page 5 – Live To List

March 29, 2013January 7, 2021

Goals Updates – March

To see the start of this series, click here, and then there’s Jan Update and Feb Update. My weeks are based on Monday through to Sunday. But where a week ends mid week, I do funny things as you’ll see below!

Financial

$20k target by 22 Dec – on target with planned contribution of $165 per week.

Last month: $12,130
This month: $12,950 *Despite borrowing from this for my ‘generosity’ target, I’m still on track for my $20k goal :D*

Generosity target of $100 p/w – 100%+ achieved

Last week of Feb: additional $20 (+ 9hrs volunteering)
week 1 – $25 to church +$100 petrol in someone’s car, $50 for beer (which I don’t drink) <- this last one might be a stretch!
week 2 – $70 to church (+1hr volunteering)
week 3 – $20 to church + $10 for sympathy flowers + $465 to a friend in need (this was calculated to get me to a complete $100 in this month and the last)
week 4 – $20 to church + $70 gift

Exceeding my planned per week goal, for the year. Having a set ‘amount’ per week makes me less resentful than I used to be. So whilst it might seem perverse to track my generosity, it IS helping me to feel and BE more generous, and that’s exactly what I wanted!

Health

Cook at home twice a week: I’ve started tracking the spend on my part for meals out – some I’m paid for, others I pay for both/all

Last week of Feb- ?? (Thu)
?? (Fri)
Steak and Mash at BF’s (Sat)
Mac/tuna/cheese with Roast Vegies (Sun)

Tuna bake mmmmsource: taste.com.au — Tuna bake mmmm
source: taste.com.au

week 1 –
leftovers (mac&cheese) (Mon),
Thai out$10 (Tue),
Sushi out – thank you dinner $0 & beef curry made(Wed),
Pizza out $50 (Thu)
Mexican out $20 (Fri),
Pub food $0 (Sat), KFC $18 (Sun)

week 2 –
leftovers (curry) (Mon),
Dinner at parents (Tue),
Beef, bacon and egg pies (Wed),
Omlette’s at BF’s (Thu)
Mexican pub food $15 (Fri)
Pizza at BF’s (Sat)
Indian out with parents $0 (Sun)

week 3 –

Tuna pasta bake (with GF substitutions for me!) (Mon)
Dinner out at a South American resturant $45 (Tue)
Cheesy garlic pizza (Wed)
Chorizo & Leek risotto (Thu)
Brazilian BBQ out (Fri)
Homemade pizzas (store bought bases!) (Sat)
Sausages at a friends (Sun)

**both weekend days, I had lunch out – French 3 course for a Hen’s on Sat ($36) and with a friend from out of town on Sun ($20)**

week 4 –
Udon noodles (Mon)
Chinese out – it’s my bf’s fave place/dish and we’ve not been there since Jan, so I figured it was a good dinner before his week away (Tue)
Birthday dinner for brother at my parents (Wed)
Udon noodles (Thu)
Leek & Chicken Terrain and focaccia (Fri)
Leek & Potato bake (Sat)
Vietnamese noodles with prawns (Sun)

Sugar – I haven’t been ideal for lent. I’ve broken lent for multi course (prepaid) dinners, twice. And nibbled some brownies I made for Easter. And a Caramello Koala passed my lips in a bought of cramps and general frustration with the world. At least each slip up, I was mindful of why I had recommitted to no sugar (Lent) and that’s at least part of the purpose.

Train for polo – 0% on water polo, but encouraging on the exercise front. So let’s say… 40% achieved. Sigh – no, I decided a house guest got me off the hook, even though she ended up having the night out with another friend. So that’s a no for the first week. And now the season is over, maybe I should adjust this goal for gym sessions? Given I want to run a half marathon, as part of my 12 in 2 goals, I should really start being accountable to y’all (and myself) with how I’m going! I did play polo the Sunday of Week 1, then a gym session Mon, Tue and Thu – cardio and weights. From then on, I’ve been training for my half marathon goals, with a run every second day – which I blogged about last Friday

Cultural

– 2 films a month – 100% achieved

Side effects – great movie, though not the pick me up I was hoping for, seeing it was a lot about depression. That being said, it was cleverly written.

One sure fire way to lighten my life is to see a movie, so on Sunday I wedged in a movie between church and seeing my parents. I saw Goddess which is an Australian musical. Let me say, I HATE musicals, but i LOVED this film. It’s very modern, and hilarious to boot. And Ronan Keating taking off his shirt once or twice wasn’t too shabby either. The story is based around the wife, and her frustration at being at home with 2.5 year old twins, so she starts a web cam to keep in contact with her husband (Ronan Keating) whose in Antarctica. Except he never signs on, but the rest of the world gets in on the action! It was a great feel good movie, and just what the doctor ordered!

– 2 books a month – 50% achieved

I started with The Blade Itself by Marcus Sakey, and I have a review should you be interested. Thanks to The Exacting Life, and her comments on the last few books I read, I picked up Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto from the library, and reviewed it here. Actually I picked it to read next as it’s slim, so I knew I could get it finished by month’s end. Review is here I’ve also started on another Japanese book – seems to be an (unintentional) theme – called Grotesque. Reminding me far too much about cliques and exclusion and cruelty in high school!

Social

Somehow this missed Jan, Feb and mid Mar. Opps!

Call/connect with an out of town friend – well a friend from Brisbane was in Sydney, so we had lunch. But I think this is a cheating ‘win’ on this goal – that involved next to no initiative on my part 🙁

Career

– Certification – 400% achieved! OK maybe 200% achieved as I haven’t made them all perfect. I added one further episode, so I have only three outstanding. The last three are pretty tricky, so I might need to meet with my colleagues who are also doing the certification and get some inspiration. Then I need to improve the 13 episodes I’ve already written, getting them to at least 500 words, and ensuring they are as good as they can be.

– Looking for next role Also something I’ve left off on past months. I’m happy to report that at a water polo BBQ fundraiser, I discovered one of the parents works for a company that supplies materials to my company. So I spoke at length to him about opportunities at his company. He’s already sent me the monthly job list, but the only suitable one needed 15 years experience. So this parent has decided I should meet an engineer in his company and speak to him about what I might be interested in there. The ‘talk’ shall happen on 5th April. I’m not 100% sure this company will get me my ‘ultimate’ career, but I’m not accepting a job there just yet, so it’s well worth investigating a little further.

Happy Easter/Passover to everyone! Looking forward to other goals updates out there – can’t believe we’re a quarter of the way through the year!

March 15, 2013May 24, 2018

Goals Updates – Mid March

I’m impatient. It’s just in my nature. So I thought I would post a ‘mid month’ update, and hopefully right my course on all my goals and targets annually. To see the start of this series, click here, and then there’s Jan Update and Feb Update. My weeks are based on Monday through to Sunday. But where a week ends mid week, I do funny things as you’ll see below!

Financial

$20k target by 22 Dec – on target with planned contribution of $165 per week.

Last month: $12,130

This (half) month: $13, 020 (roughly $1k increase thanks to a big storm and 10hrs of overtime!)

Generosity target – 50% achieved

At least $100 per week :
Last week of Feb: additional $20 (+ 9hrs volunteering)
week 1 – $25 to church, $100 petrol in someone’s car, $50 for beer (which I don’t drink) <- this last one might be a stretch!
week 2 – $70 to church
week 3 –
week 4 –

Health

Cook at home twice a week: hard to call – enough meals made to limit buying lunches, but not the true two per week! Maybe 80% achieved?

I’ve started tracking the spend on my part for meals out – some I’m paid for, others I pay for both/all

Last week of Feb-
?? (Thu)
?? (Fri)
Steak and Mash at BF’s (Sat)
Mac/tuna/cheese with Roast Vegies (Sun)

week 1 –
leftovers (mac&cheese) (Mon),
Thai out$10 (Tue),
Sushi out – thank you dinner $0 & beef curry made(Wed),
Pizza out $50 (Thu)
Mexican out $20 (Fri),
Pub food $0 (Sat),
KFC $18 (Sun)

week 2 –
leftovers (curry) (Mon),
Dinner at parents (Tue),
Beef, bacon and egg pies (Wed),

week 3 –
week 4 –

Sugar – I’d say 40% achieved, cause I’m oh so generous with myself…

I did give into a froyo on the 9th, and again on the 12th (Taro is just SO delicious), and some mazipan was in the date i had on the 10th – as well as any sugar that’s in Simnel cake for mothering Sunday (but I don’t count that). I’m still ‘loopholing’ sugary drinks, but given they are a treat when out, I’m not so concerned. I am disappointed that I’m not seeing a huge physical change, as I have other times I’ve done this, but I think there’s a lot of lent to go yet! Truly, it’s more than 40 real days!

Train for polo – 0% on water polo, but encouraging on the exercise front. So let’s say… 40% achieved.

Sigh – no, I decided a house guest got me off the hook, even though she ended up having the night out with another friend. So that’s a no for the first week. And now the season is over, maybe I should adjust this goal for gym sessions? Given I want to run a half marathon, as part of my 12 in 2 goals, I should really start being accountable to y’all (and myself) with how I’m going! I did play polo the Sunday of Week 1, then a gym session Mon, Tue and Thu – cardio and weights. Got to 3.2km on Tues!! It’s a start.

Cultural

– 2 films a month – 50% achieved

Side effects – great movie, though not the pick me up I was hoping for, seeing it was a lot about depression. That being said, it was cleverly written.

– 2 books a month – 50% achieved

After calling to Facebook, I refilled my ‘to read’ list with the library. I started with The Blade Itself by Marcus Sakey. I’ll have a review for you on Tuesday.

Career –

– Certification – 400% achieved! OK maybe 200% achieved as I haven’t made them all perfect.

My target was two a month, to be complete by July. But wow, after a few extra hours in the office (cause it’s better than going home and practically back to where work is (with my bf who he lives closeby my work), I have only 3 more ‘episodes’ of 16 to start. The other 13 aren’t perfect, or long enough, or polished enough. But having something is definitely better than nothing! So I’m really really happy with the porogress on this goal.

February 28, 2013January 7, 2021

Goals Update – February

There’s three days left (of my ‘weeks’ system) but it is technically the end of the month today so…

Financial

$20k target by 22 Dec: I moved money onto the mortgage this month, so my $20k target took a hit. However, over the year, I should be able to reach this goal by the slight reduction in weekly payments on my mortgage!

End of Jan: $14,249

End of Feb: $12,130

Generosity target – 55% (or 89% if adjusted) achieved

of at least $100 per week (weeks Mon thu Sun – and based on when things were withdrawn from my accounts):
week 1 (28/1 onwards) – $120: $100 to MS Colour Run to get a friend to her target. I wished I’d registered and done the run too…! + $20 church (2 hours)
week 2 – nothing 🙁 other than $25 to church
week 3 – nothing beyond the $20 to church
week 4 – as above…
week 5 – $20 to church and $20 to a friend (4+ hours)

It seems like money has gotten away from me this month, I was feeling it on the third week. When I analyse this week’s spending, it doesn’t really add up why. Although I did buy myself an external HDD so I could return one I’ve borrowed, and consolidate files on discs and an old HDD. That was $100, which I would have otherwise have had ‘surplus’ for charity. I also bought three months credit in one go, rather than month by month, so that’s a higher ‘cost’ to take out this week than usual.

With my charitable donations, I’m behind $275. However last month I was ahead $220, so if I average it out, I’m doing ok. Difference of $55.

Health

Cook at home twice a week – 90% achieved

week 1 (28/1 onwards) –

At BF’s – can’t recall what we had (Mon),
Birthday roast at parents (Wed)
ghnocci with oven dried little tomatoes (Thu),
Leftovers? (Fri),
Cousin’s 18th (Sat),
Pub nachos after polo (Sun)

week 2 –

I usually cook Mondays, but I can’ t recall.
Chicken Soup (Tue),
Ravioli with roast eggplant at friend’s house (Wed),
Garlic bread (Thu),
Fancy b’day dinner at Quay (Fri),
Party food (Mexican) (Sat)
Nachos at pub (Sun)

Dessert at Quay: Jersey cream, salted caramel, ethereal sheets

week 3 –
Roast vegies (Mon),
Tacos made by BF (Tue),
Bro’s B’day dinner at parents (Wed),
No dinner – feeling ill (Thu),
B’day dinner out (Fri),
Cheese souffle, beans and sweat potato (Sat),
Lamb roast and vegies at parents (Sun)

week 4 –
Chicken tagine with quinoa (Mon)
Spaghetti (and macaroni) puttanesca (Tue)
Cauliflower based pizza – YUMMO!(Wed)
Tacos at boyfriends (Thu)
Thai out with uni friends (Fri)
Pizza out with visiting school friend (Sat)
Roast chicken at parents (Sun)

Woot! Good week.

week 5 –
Rice salad and poached ginger and soy chicken (mon)
Calamari risotto (Tue)
Dinner at parents (Wed)

The book that started it allsource:sweetpoison.com.au — The book that started it all
source:sweetpoison.com.au

Sugar – 98% achieved since Lent started.

Well it was the birthday week in the first week, so there were a lot of cookies consumed! And some homemade cheesecake by me. And some ‘tries’ of the bf’s icecream.

As of Lent (13/2/13), these are my infractions:

Thu 14th – shared lemonade with b/f at movies. I think I’ll ‘loophole’ drinks otherwise it’ll be a very dry month! However My mocha will become a Cap. Also had a few lemonade sips on Sun 16th after a really tough water polo game (no substitutions – I’m too old to play a whole 24 minute game!). Also ate a dessert my friend made – Mango-misu. No added sugar, but the soaked biscuits would have come with. I also had an energy drink, laden with sugar – but I’ll claim ‘loophole’! x 3 (seems they are becoming prevalent, as I realise coffee is causing me pain)

Train for polo – 60% success

week 1 – no training due to public holiday Monday, trained Feb 4th (though then was off sick for the rest of the week!) and Feb 11th and Feb 18th. This last week, I skipped, after 10 hours working on Sunday I didn’t want to be tired all week (with training making another late night). In the end, I still had a late night… I could possibly go to the alternate training tonight, but I’m already finding things I’d rather be doing :s

Cultural

– 2 films a month – 100% achieved

Saw The Impossible technically in January but in the week that I’m counting as Feb for whatever reason. This is an inexact science! For Valentine’s day, I saw Silver Linings Playbook – very unsure why it’s been so successful!

– 2 books a month – 100% achieved

Started the month with Leon and Louise , by A. Capus. Finished it soon after due to being bed bound with a cold. Next moved to the gift from a neighbour I think called The Wind Up Bird Chronicles by Haruki Murakami. I shall write reviews if anyone is interested.

source: http://www.bookdepository.com/book/9780099540953?redirected=true&gclid=CKj-u5z317UCFYYipQodIQsAmg

Career

– Certification – 100% achieved

Well, there’s much uncertainty but nonetheless, we had a meeting here, and a few days later I worked on another career ‘episode’ report. I think I’ve done 5 now of the 16 (mind you, they’ll need ‘polishing’). So I just need to keep chipping away at this, and hopefully I’ll get more done. Reporting it here is certainly helping me.

To make this goal measurable I’m now going to set myself the task of two episodes a month. With that in mind, I should be done around July! Yay – seems so easy now.

February 22, 2013May 24, 2018

Bucket list

First time here? This list started in Feb 2013, and has been a work in progress since – adding items as often as completing items.

~~This was updated in Jan 2014, to include more details 🙂~~ I periodically update this, most recently ~~late March 2016!~~ Feb 2017, where I’d done 26 from 65 listed… though a good 10 or so were recently added.

Thanks to Danny Dover, I have a longer bucket list! I won’t set a deadline though! And the list isn’t in a priority order either.

Travel

1. Visit every continent (Completed: Australia, Asia, Europe, Middle East – need South America & Antarctica)
2. See Machu Picchu (to think my brother just did this Jan 2014!)
3. See Aurora Borealis (maybe in an igloo?)
4. ~~Visit tulip fields in The Netherlands~~
5. Go to the super bowl
6. See Carnival in Rio de Janeiro (could do it with the bro in 2014, but alas, I realise I don’t love crowds and big parties, so maybe another time)
7. Go to Burning Man, Black Rock desert, Nevada USA
8. Go to (the original) Mardi Gras in New Orleans
9. Visit The Maldives
10. ~~Visit Russia~~ – see the St. Basil’s Cathedral in Red Square, the Bronze horseman, the summer and winter palace Aug 2016
11. Visit Serbia/Croatia/~~Bosnia/Romania~~ – sail in Croatia, see where Romanian gymnasts train, visit Sarajevo, Split, Dubrovnik, Belgrade Aug 2016
12. Visit Mauritius
13. Visit Ethiopia – the birthplace of my cousin/god daughter
14. Visit Oradour-sur-Glane, France – a town annihilated by Germans by torching – May 2017
15. Spend Christmas or Thanksgiving in the US
16. Visit ~~Vietnam~~/Cambodia Oct 2013
17. Visit Scandinavia (no more exact than that yet!) – likely Norway to see friends, definitely go to Iceland (2016 addition)
18. Fly FIRST class – maybe Emirates where I can shower?
19. Stay in Igloo Village – and see the Northern lights
20. Stay in a tree house
21. Live in NYC
22. ~~Ride the bullet train in Japan~~ Jul 2014
23. ~~Visit San Francisco – see the Golden Gate Bridge~~ Jan 2015

Activities (that aren’t location specific)

24. ~~Go zorbing~~ (all the blue things are on my 12 in 2 list!) Apr 2015
25. ~~Get hypnotised~~ (ideally to solve a bad habit!) done 2015/16
26. ~~Ride a segway~~ planned Aug 2016
27. Drive on a race track
28. Go on a ‘big boat’ style cruise (maybe in retirement)
29. ~~Fly on a trapeze~~ June 2015
30. Swim with dolphins in NATURE (not in Dubai…:s)
31. Watch a movie at a drive in (if they still exist!)
32. ~~Go jet skiing~~ (on the 12 in 2 list) Dec 2013 and I saw dolphins
33. Get my palm read/fortune told
34. ~~Make a gingerbread house~~ Dec 2013
35. Get body painted for an event
36. ~~Go cave diving~~ <- went canyoning and walked in caves in March 2016
37. Be part of a flash mob (thanks Moonwave for the tip!)
38. ~~Complete a half marathon~~ July 2014
39. Learn the name and location of all the countries in Africa
40. Own a cello for purely decorative purposes (though I do know how to play, as does my bf..)
41. ~~Own a luxury European vehicle (BMW, Audi or Mercedes)~~
42. Write my will
43. Prepay and plan my funeral
44. Learn to surf Jan 2015 wouldn’t say I ‘learnt’ but ‘tried’
45. Build a bonfire and make S’mores
46. ~~Pay for someone else’s groceries~~ (I LOVE this one, thanks www.lifed.com) Jun 2013
47. Go to a silent retreat
48. ~~Go white water rafting~~ – real rapids, not the ones we built in Sydney for the Olympics
49. Join the MHC
50. Get married (before the children)
51. Have children (thinking 3, BF thinks 2, so compromise is 2 unless 2 the same gender, or twins)
52. ~~Climb Sydney Harbour Bridge~~ June 2014

Newer items (Jan 2014)

52. ~~Visit Portland, Oregon~~ – 2015 go to the donut place, eat at places mentioned here, shop and eat here.
53. ~~Go zipling~~ – 2015 did it in Phuket
54. ~~Go stand up paddle boarding~~
55. Pay off my mortgage
56. Fully fund my retirement
57. A home with a passionfruit vine, a frangipani tree, a magnolia grandiflora… and a vegie patch.
58. ~~Reiki massage~~ 2015

(April 2015)

59. Try kite surfing
60. ~~Try a pilates reformer~~
61. ~~Try barre body classes (ballet with yoga/exercise)~~ Jan 2016
62. ~~Zero Gravity yoga~~ 2015
63. ~~Go floating~~ 2015
64. ~~Hot stone massage~~ 2015
65. ~~Go gliding~~ June 2016

Remember, not in any priority order 😉

February 20, 2013January 7, 2021

Completed Bucket List items

Adventure

– Hot air balloon (Dubai 2012)

– Hang glide (fixed – Tasmania, freely – Wollongong 2011?)
– Sky dive (Wollongong 2010?)
– Helicopter ride (New York City 2011)
– Bungee jumping (really a canyon swing, but similar and less impact on the body 2005)
– Go gliding June 2016
– Go zorbing (all the blue things are on my 12 in 2 list!) Apr 2015
– Get hypnotised (ideally to solve a bad habit!) done 2015/16
– Ride a segway planned Aug 2016
– Fly on a trapeze June 2015
– Go jet skiing (on the 12 in 2 list) Dec 2013 and I saw dolphins
– Go cave diving <- went canyoning and walked in caves in March 2016
– Go white water rafting – real rapids, not the ones we built in Sydney for the Olympics
– Climb Sydney Harbour Bridge June 2014
– Go zipling – 2015 did it in Phuket

– parasailing

– ride an ATV

‘Education’

– Get a floristry certification 2009

Wedding flowes — Flowers for a friend’s wedding

– Get a motorcycle licence (for a scooter) 2009
– Learn to play cello 1995-2002
– Learn to play trombone 2001-2002
– 44. Learn to surf Jan 2015 wouldn’t say I ‘learnt’ but ‘tried’

Travel

I’m lucky to have nomadic, travel loving parents, so up until 2005, they covered the cost. 2006 was on my own dime. India was at their inspiration. I have left off some of the smaller European destinations (BE-LUX – NE made it in, Andorra)

– Visit New Caledonia – 1988?
– Visit Tokyo (overnight) – 1992 & Japan 2015
– See the Statue of Liberty – first in 1992
– Visit Hong Kong – 1993
– See the Eiffel Tower – first time in 1993
– Live in France – 1993 & 2006
– Visit Barcelona – 1993
– Live in Vanuatu – 1995-1998 (went to boarding school in Brisbane)
– Visit Auckland NZ – 1995/6?
– Visit Bangkok – first in 1996? (my parents LOVE the place!)
– Visit Laos – 2004?
– Visit New Orleans – ?? 1997?
– See the Colosseum – 2006
– Visit Prague – 2006
– See the Pyramids – 2006
– Visit Venice – 2006
– Visited concentration camps (Aushwitz) – 2006
– Visit Singapore (overnight) – 2008
– Visit Germany – 2008
– See the Taj Mahal – 2008
– Visit Cuba – 2009
– Visit Canada (Montreal) – 2009
– Visit Bahamas – 2009
– Sail the Greek Isles – 2010
– Visit Amsterdam – 2010
– Visit Chicago – Summer 2011 & Winter 2016
– Visit Israel – 2011
– Visit Dubai – 2012
– Visit Morocco – 2012
– Visit all major Australian Captials (Brisbane – birthplace, Sydney – current home, the most recent ones were Alice Springs/Ayres Rock in 2011, Adelaide in 2009, Perth in 2011, Hobart in 2009. Darwin ain’t major… so not been there yet!)

– Visit Portland, Oregon – 2015 go to the donut place, eat at places mentioned here, shop and eat here.
– Visit San Fransisco – see the Golden Gate Bridge Jan 2015 & Feb 2016
– Visit Russia – see the St. Basil’s Cathedral in Red Square, the Bronze horseman, Aug 2016
– Visit Bosnia/Romania – visit Sarajevo Aug 2016
– Visit Vietnam Oct 2013
– Ride the bullet train in Japan Jul 2014

Experience

– Attend Olympic Games – 2000 for water polo (which I still play, and in the SAME Sydney Olympic pool!) and volleyball (which I did play)
– See penguins in the wild – 2005

– See the Tour de France live – 2006
– Fly business class long haul (one way Paris – Dubai – Sydney)

– Go paint balling
– Try acupuncture (regularly!)

– Try cupping
– Donate Blood
– Swim in the dead sea
– Visit Disneyland (Euro in 1994 and US style in 1996 I think)
– 100% debt free (credit card debt) – I never really wasn’t though!
– Go skinny dipping (we had a back yard pool as kids)
– Learnt to use chop sticks (enforced from a young age!)
– See Cirque du Soleil Show
– Order room service (ah, work trips!)
– Make a gingerbread house Dec 2013
– Try a pilates reformer
– Complete a half marathon July 2014
– Try barre body classes (ballet with yoga/exercise) Jan 2016
– Zero Gravity yoga 2015
– Go floating 2015
– Hot stone massage 2015
– Go stand up paddle boarding
– Reiki massage 2015
-Pay for someone else’s groceries (I LOVE this one, thanks www.lifed.com) Jun 2013

– Get a fish pedicure

Stuff

– Buy a scooter – 2010
– Buy an (gorgeous) loft apartment by myself – Dec 2011!
– Own a luxury European vehicle (BMW, Audi or Mercedes)

February 19, 2013January 7, 2021

12 in 2 list

Extra Organised is a blog I used to read, lost and have refound… As is often the case, other people’s posts inspire my own, and so without further ado, I shall too make a list of 12 goals to achieve in 2 years. I have linked above to her specific post. Sadly for me I can’t comment on this blog (or any typepad blogs) which makes me sad, but hopefully the link will alert her to my interest!

1. ~~Dinner at Quay~~ – done in January for my birthday. They have the menu online so you can all ooo and ahhh

2. ~~Dinner at Aria~~ – next birthday seems like a good idea!

3. ~~Sydney Harbour Bridge Climb~~ – might just happen this month with a Norwegian friend in town. Otherwise, the BF and parents are getting sick of it being on the gift list so…

4. ~~Go jet skiing~~

5. Go Zorbing ~~(likely on the Gold Coast)~~ The Gold Coast site shut up shop, so to NZ it might be!

6. Visit Lexi in NZ – if I don’t put this on a list, I know I won’t make it a priority. And NZ is oh so close to Sydney, I’m not sure why I can’t just DO IT!

7. ~~Do a knife skills course~~ – for cooking of course

8. Learn to surf – I have a friend who seems to be into the idea of doing a camp style adventure!

9. Read the new testament – thought I’d down grade from ‘whole bible’. I want to ACHIEVE these goals not get down that they are too hard! See my progress

10. Go on a silent retreat – people who know me will wonder. A friend has done it, so I have an ‘in’

11. ~~Run a half marathon~~ – this is really putting it out there! Anything that’s money based, I seem to have the commitment, but health and fitness, not so much! (Update 1)

12. Plan and prepay my funeral – morbid, but then people call these bucket lists!

To be honest, I struggled with this list. I feel like I have to have achievable goals. Things I can actually DO! Some of my goals aren’t that short term… some are just having stuff (silliness personified!) And travel destinations (whilst I have one or two) don’t really excite me the way I wish they coulda/shoulda/woulda. It helps that I’ve been privileged to tick off so many travel based goals I see on other bucket lists – maybe I’ll post of all the bucket style stuff I have already done?

What’s your 12 in 2?

January 30, 2013May 24, 2018

Goals Update – January

Today is my Birthday! yay… Well, it’s just another day, but I did start late as I needed to meet a tradesperson at home (working on something on my house project list). Now my bath is smoother, and I’ve been advised to clean it with washing up liquid. As to the colour appearing yellow – might try changing the light globe (I’m assured it is WHITE!)

Financial

I didn’t put a goal to make my mortgage repayments – cause to me, that’s a given and it has to happen. However, I am aiming to pay an extra $5k (as permitted by the terms of my fixed rate/term loan). As such, I’m trying to ‘overpay’ asap, as the sooner I get my ‘extra’ money onto the mortgage, the more I’m saving in interest. And the sooner I can start on all the other goals below!

$20k target by 22 Dec: start of month: $13,487.55. End of month: $14,119 at 30/1/13 – should be $14,249 by 31/1/13. Well on track

However, this is about to take a BIG hit, as outlined above. It will take between $3-4k out of this account. Hopefully it will slightly lower my interest added to my mortgage (and by the same token, I’ll pay a touch less take on the interest I might have earnt if it was in savings)

Generosity target of at least $100 per week (weeks Mon thu Sun – and based on when things were withdrawn from my accounts):
week 1 – $175: church ($25) + belated xmas gift ($150)
week 2 – $140: charity donation ($100) + church ($20) + Big Issue ($20)
week 3 – $80-$180: church ($20) + Brother loan ($100) + gift ($60) *loan may be repaid… so a ‘bad’ week* (3 hours volunteering)
week 4 – $125: church ($45) + Red Cross ($80) (+3hrs volunteering)

Bills savings of $200 per week: totally automated, so yep, meeting that! Cept I did (of course) withdraw to pay the contents insurance and water bills. Oh and I found I had close to $500 more than I needed in my fund for my annual health insurance premium, so I’m moving that to the higher interest account and putting it towards the $20k goal (rest assured, for the next few months, I’ll drip feed this health insurance fund to ensure I cover any inflation in premiums, but I have a few months yet).

Health

Cook at home twice a week: almost, but not quite met

week 1 – Wednesday (Fried rice) & Sunday (carbonara)
week 2 -once on Thursday night (chorizo potato salad) & Sunday (Cabbage salad with pear)
week 3 – Steak, packet potatos, hot cabbage & strawberry Souffle & Wed (spaghetti carbonara (which I’ve only JUST learnt how to spell!))
week 4 – Friday I made some polenta, and some cookies for a party. SO, no that’s just one meal

Sugar – fail! Chocolates on Mon, ice coffee Tue (did say no to icecream on Mon night… that counts in some regard!), choc chips on Thu night. I think I stopped tracking after this. Actually this ‘healthy eating’ is SO much more challenging with an ice cream monster in my midst – although I settle for a mouthful or two of his, it’s breaking my willpower!

Train for polo – fail. But yay for season break. If I was more dedicated, I’d do a swim session. But I’m not. But at least I’m not wasting a coach’s time. Alas, one from two at this stage (the third wasn’t on as Monday was a public holiday).

Cultural

– 2 films a month: Acheievd. Saw Rise of the Gaurdians on Sun 30th (technically in week 1), and Jake Reacher on Mon 7th Jan. Tom Cruise is a meglomaniac! I’d have seen something else with different company, but nonetheless, wasn’t too horrible and I was curious to see it. Last night I used my almost expired movie voucher to see The Impossible. I had to pay for the date’s ticket – so cheap on a Tuesday! I’d like to see Life of Pi and Silver Linings Playbook (not yet out here).

– 2 books a month: Achieved. Worked through ‘Freakanomics’ by SD Levitt and SJ Dubner – if only I had a better memory I could recall some better stats in social situations. Like how or why drunk walking is more dangerous than drunk driving. Also read ‘Obedience’ by J. Yallop – a dark book, and slow moving, but I liked it.

Career

– Certification: Gold star for effort: First, I filled in the webpage, so my work has 14 days to approve my costs to get certified. Simple step (save for uploading a photo – WHY?), and then I’ll really have to put my head down. It just takes small steps and this one was easy – I even had momentum to do more, but sadly the site hindered that! <– Alas, this was all in vain I quickly found out. So I decided to divide and conquer the task – there’s 16 x 700 words episodes to write. So I divyed up the tasks between myself and four colleagues. That way we could manage our three ‘episodes’ and come together in a fixed time period to reflect and enhance each other’s writing. And hopefully inspire us to embark on our remaining 13! I did get two fanatastic episodes fleshed out, under the word limit, almost simultaneously as I got an email saying the payment we get for doing this are now coming irrespective of our action (or inaction), whilst negotiations continue between our employer and unions about our award. Still it feels good to have started – as there’s every chance I might need them again once the union/work fights are resolved.

I’m starting to think I don’t like my un-measurable goals (or more to the point, my career goals!)- and can see me saying for months ‘no progress here’ – but maybe that shame will spur me into action?

January 24, 2013May 24, 2018

Things I’d like to be…

I’d like to be (inspired by you Dar)

– a zero waste (landfill) home. But I eat large single serve cookies from the vending machine when I’m hungry. And buy the half cabbage wrapped in cling wrap (cause a whole cabbage is a whole lot of cabbage for one little lady!)

– sugar free. Ever been hungry and walked into a cafe? It’s SO hard to find a savoury snack! And then your sweet chili sauce of course also has sugar in it, but I don’t do ‘chili’ really, so I can’t substitute. This is mainly a weight management strategy (and an exercise avoidance tactic!)

– wheat free. Again, ever been hungry and tried to find something that is neither sugary nor wheat-y? Potato chips for the win. Likewise corn chips. Fruit salad. But that vending machine just haunted me. (let me be clear, I’m not celiac (heck I can’t spell it!) but I do try to keep my intake low to lessen my psoriasis)

– lactose free. I’m trying to limit lactose for the same reasons as wheat. And I heard about the plight of cows, always birthing and boy cows dying. But really, sometimes I am weak in the face of cheese.

– freecycler. If only people would take my stuff! (at least the most recent stuff – I need a good home for oodles of bubble wrap). I stopped reading the posts so I could be more of the below:

– anti consumer. But I really wanted a teal throw rug for summer as the winter one is itchy. And if I waited 10,000 years I may find one in a second hand store, but then I’d need to not work and spend time thumbing through stores and checking ebay and gumtree

– minimalist. No stuff for stuff’s sake. Alas, I have trinkets from travellers, and whilst i could part with them (no emotional heart strings), I don’t want my home to be TOO sterile! Concrete floors are more than a good start down that path!

– public transport user. I’m SO reluctant to get a car, cause I know it’d be easier than choosing to walk or to catch a train or a bus. But that work car often finds itself dropping off or picking up within walking distance of places (home and work namely!)

– debt free. I only have my mortgage, and pay of any credit card debt weekly. But still NO debt, wow that’d be awesome!

– make-from-scratch’er/no packaged food. I can cook, but sometimes laziness comes to stay and she orders packaged garlic bread – complete with the icky plastic baggy! And a rice cracker is so much easier than making or finding a recipe for a gluten free, sugar free snack!

– recycler. I am, and I couldn’t be otherwise. But today my take away coffee cup went in landfill, even though the lid and (clean) cardboard cup could be recycled (if I’d washed them well enough and kept them til I found the bin I needed). I should have used my ‘keep cup’.

It’s not ‘all that I am’ but ‘all that I’m almost’…

December 31, 2012May 24, 2018

Annual Goals

Despite my efforts to make this ‘publish’ whilst I was enjoying life, I failed 🙁 But that’s given me time to reflect (and enjoy my time off) and so I’ll ensure everything listed still fits reality!

Financial

– Save a total of $20k by 22 Dec (for mortgage refinancing): Current balance is $13,487.55. Whilst this account doesn’t pay bills, it is dipped into occasionally for ’emergency’ spending (which sometimes means ‘a flight’s a really good deal, and I can save that money up again’!)

– Continue to meet all bills with weekly savings contribution of $200 per week

– Aim for $100+ ‘generosity’ per week – charity, church, random acts of gifting and kindness (this is setting the bar HIGH – but it’s in the ball park of 10% of salary, if others can do it, I should try it!)

Health

– Cook at home at least twice a week – living alone, cooking semi-regularly means I have some healthy food, and limits my take out. It also means I don’t have to buy lunch (which I hate – not the buying as much as the decision making process… and then the money spending… I hate spending money and then finding it was ‘wasted’ because I didn’t like what I bought!)

– Limit wheat intake – try to make the ‘right’ choice more often

– Limit sugar intake – maybe ‘dessert’ once a week. No sweet snacks…

(both the above aren’t measurable… so not very exact. The rule I used between 12 Nov (my return from my last trip) and Christmas was to not eat any sugar. Whilst that wasn’t strictly adhered to, I certainly lowered it significantly. Whilst I was away, every day pasteries was the order of the day!! )

– TRAIN and play water polo – I’m good at attending every game (been known to reschedule holidays around games!), but not so good at training, so I need to commit to a weekly training, and stop making excuses!

Cultural

– 2 films a month – a few years ago, I counted my ticket stubs on new years day, and had 40 for the year! That’s INSANE but an indication of how much I love immersing myself in the cinema (musty carpet smell and all!) It’s truly a few hours where I can escape. It’s not the same to steal it from the internet, and do your mending or cook dinner at the same time. When I go to the movies, I don’t text. I don’t let ‘normal’ life interfere (though… I do chatter away to someone who has been silly enough to come along with me – sorry!)

– 2 books a month – So far I have had 52 loans at my local library, and given I’ve only been ‘in area’ for a year, that would be more like one a week (actually seems I started lending in March, so more than one a week!). That being said, some of them aren’t ‘read’ – I did borrow some CDs. I also borrow magazines, and they aren’t something I’m willing to count as ‘books’.

Social

It does seem weird keeping targeted lists on social front. But there are a lot of friends who I don’t keep in touch with as much as I’d like to. I’ve certainly been better since I stopped being a student (Being a student just sucked life out of me – there was always something I ‘should’ have been doing, and it never seemed there was enough time just to live… to enjoy life…) In the past I know I set a goal of calling a friend a week (obviously targeting ones I wasn’t seeing regularly, so largely those who live interstate) This was a big deal for me, as I realised I don’t call people ‘just for a chat’ and felt awkward about it. One thing I have mastered in the post card sending whilst on holidays, as well as Christmas cards (though this year the latter list was severely truncated…)

– touch base with an out of town friend once a month

– make time for friends around regular commitments (work, church, water polo): I’m mindful that a close friend mentioned I was ‘always busy’, and therefore did lessen my load with water polo. I want to make sure my friends don’t feel like they are neglected, but at the same time, not that I’m leeching off them to spend every hour together -it’s a balancing act between needy and hoity independence sometimes!

Professional

– Get my certification: Agh this is something I have to do, but have NO enthusiasm. I shouldn’t take the next week off, I should stay at work at write career episodes – but the friends goal above is winning out!

– Start looking for my next role: career progression targets at work mean this is the year I need to look for a new role, so I can meet the certification + experience targets to continue progressing. I’m loathed to leave where I am – I have a great boss, I’m still learning, I love my work, and I don’t want to risk any of those things by moving. But if I don’t move, then I might be closing doors for my future (and I’m young, there’s a lot of ‘career’ ahead!)

December 31, 2012June 10, 2019

Things I achieved in 2012

*Published in 2019, but back dated to be ‘year end’ summary*

In line with the 2013 summary I published, I thought I’d take the time to review each year since I was at school, as a record of my life. Things get hazy as time goes on, and it’s not going to get any better as I age! So here we go!

In 2012

My parents live in Toulon, France from Sept 2012 to Jan 2013
I visited my parents in Toulon, but we met in Marrakesh and visited Casablanca too, in Oct/Nov 2012
Visited Duabi alone, shopping up a storm and going hot air ballooning over the desert
I flew business class on Emirate from Paris to Dubai to Sydney at my cost on an A380 and a 777
I started dating “The BF” at the start of October 2012
Prior to “the BF”, this was my year of dating! A good friend spent a lot of time awkwardly setting me up!
Memories of brunches with Mr DIY and his GF
My first year living the apartment I bought (the loft), having settled on 22 Dec 2011
I equipped a whole home with living furniture – sofas, kitchen stuff etc
Hosted a Thai birthday banquet for myself at the new house
Recarpeted the upstairs in the early days, meaning I lived in my living room when I moved in!
Had the loft painted (un)professionally
Updated the tapware (thanks Aldi!)