My Exploration

I haven’t been neglecting my blog. No really, I haven’t…I’ve thought about posting, but the holiday season was upon me and I was actually happy to leave my computer behind for a largely non-computer O/S holiday. So unfortunately, you were put on the back burner. Ouch! Hope you don’t feel too neglected.

But I’m back that’s the good news, and possibly better is that I was recently reminded that I do actually have a blog and yeah I have plenty to say!

I was reading Sophie’s blog post (a random occurrence which reminded me of my own blog) about 2009, and it resonated with me. Much like Sophie, I found 2008 to be fairly un-enjoyable, not necessarily disappointing, but not enjoyable either. The un-enjoyable mostly settling about my vocational experiences in 2008. But, I’m looking forward to 2009, I feel change on the air! And the change is most likely more in my attitude than in anything else.

So as part of my plan to enjoy 2009, I have a number of ‘new year’s resolutions’ (although to call them that makes them seem banal), these are plans I have for this year and I’m placing them here so that I (and you can too) track my progress. (Hmm, accountability! What a scary thought. )

2009 Resolutions (AKA plans for 2009)

1. Be more responsible

There are many areas in my life that need a bit of work, and some centre around being responsible for myself. So to this end I am going to focus on two areas, finance and health.

Financially: I’m writing up a budget (I have done this before but haven’t quite stuck to it), and am going to learn to save. This has always been a problem for me. But I will do it this year!

Health-wise: I started on this last year, at least partially, I joined a gym (that lasted 6 months), and I started to go to the Dentist and doctor regularly (things that I like to put off as much as possible). In addition to this, for 2009, I want to start exercising regularly (again), go to the optometrist (and get new glasses), the pediatrist (I must get orthotics), and back to the Osteopath for my back, and to top it off, try to eat healthily. Which funnily enough is all tied into budget.

2. Be more energetic/positive

Last year was a particularly negative year (one of the reasons I hated 2008). I want to face this year with energy, enthusiasm and a positive attitude. After all, the only thing you can change is yourself! (In addition, I realised that what you chose to focus on impacts who/what you attract, see Elizabeth Naylor’s post or Dr. Maya Bailey’s post for more discussion, although these are mostly focused on career and income.)

3. Be more relaxed (take things more positively)

Highly related to No. 2 but had to be specified, a lot about life here isn’t worth heart-ache, only people, so I need to learn to take the good and the bad in a positive way. Relax….it’s not the end of the world.

4. See if I want to pursue Gardening/Horticulture

It’s probably a pipe-dream, so this year the plan is to confirm that (or disprove it). I’m mixing this a little with No.6 by reading a gardening/horticulture book, but I also need to expand my garden at home, it is sadly lacking!

5. Complete a couple of Art pieces

Owen has mentioned that I should complete a series of say 3 canvases, or something like that. So this year the plan is to complete at least two 3-canvas series. I attempted to do this last year and ended up with three 2-canvas series because none of my plans worked.

In a semi-related plan, I also plan to visit the NGV, and other such galleries this year, I’ve been in Melbourne 2 years and still haven’t made it.

6. Read 4 non-fiction books this year

So far the books I want to read are The Road Less Travelled by Dr. M. Scott Peck, Future Files: A History of the next 50 Years by Richard Watson, a biology/gardening book, and with one up for grabs, possibly a human computer interaction/usability book (although the Future Files book sort of fits into that category).

8. Go away for more weekends/Explore Victoria

This is two-fold, I really do want to go away for more weekends, so that I can relax more often, but in addition to that, for the last two years I’ve been telling myself I’d get around to seeing more of the state of Victoria but have rarely got around to it. So I’m throwing that off, am going to buy the Melbourne and Regional Victoria Lonely Planet Guide and see more of the beautiful land about me. Initial plan is a weekend trip to Ballarat in Q1 2009.

And lastly (at the moment)…

9. Keep more regular contact with the fam

Nuff said.