I was texting with a friend a few days ago, talking about plans for 2012. We both agreed that we needed to try new things. I said I wanted to have fun. She declared that 2012 would be, “The Year of New Fun Stuff,” which I thought was perfect until today.
Today I was inspired by Julie Powell, who challenged herself to complete every recipe featured in Julia Child’s legendary cookbook, “Mastering the Art of French Cooking” within one year. According to Powell, there were 536, but Amazon tells me there are 524. Whatever. That’s not the point. The point is that I was watching the Hollywood adaptation of said challenge on Lifetime (Did anyone else see it? What the hell is up with that new Rob Lowe movie where he’s a creepy killer? Is that why Chris Traeger’s hair was so dreadful for the first half of this season of Parks and Rec?), whilst painting my nails a sparkly red to celebrate the end of this miserable year, when I realized that I, too, needed a challenge.
I looked over my “non-resolutions” post for 2011 and realized that I pretty much failed at everything. I did a few things on that list, but I’m certainly not satisfied. I don’t feel like anything was accomplished, I just feel older—the death of someone you love dearly will do that to you. Last year, I dared the universe to bring it. The universe brought it. I lost. This year, I’m relying on myself–my stubbornness, my strength, my stupidity–to do something great. “Great” being a relative term. For 2012, I’ve realized that I want a lot of the same things, but that I need to be more proactive about achieving my goals. I need some specificity. (Points to all of the cool people who giggled after reading the word “specificity.”) I need to get *shit done.
Shit I need to do in 2012:
• Complete one piece of writing per month. Rant, poem, freelance article, music profile, anything. Just. One. Thing.
• Read one book per month. Starting off slow, because apparently, reading 20 minutes a day was far too ambitious. (To be fair, I read a lot each day, but I’m trying to focus on actual novels here.)
• Take one picture per day. Hello, 365 Project, remember me? I’m back. Pictures may or may not be posted on Tumblr. That might be too much pressure.
• Watch one movie per month.
• Go on a date before the year ends. (To all of my friends: Bugger off! I have until DECEMBER of next year to do this. Leave me alone.)
• Go on one vacation/adventure by myself. Boston in January for the American Idiot tour? A definite possibility.
• Attend two concerts.
• Work out twice a week. Ugh. (Dear self: running after your students does not count.)
• See my friends once a month.
• Turn 26.
• Be reckless…at least once.
• Learn how to make arroz con gandules.
• Watch the hell out of The Dark Knight Rises.
• Build a TARDIS.
• Tell the people I love that I love them.
• Practice kindness.
• Breathe.
• Smile.
• Live.
May 2012 be remarkable in all of the best ways. ♥
(*I realize that this is public, so family members, parents of my students, potential interview subjects and everyone else who gets linked to this page will see it, but I don’t think “stuff” was good enough for this. Shit was the loveliest, most appropriate word that I could think of. I was also inspired by my favorite miniseries, Generation Kill and the unofficial cry of the Marines: Get some!)
