Goals for 2011

Towards the end of December, I came up with a list of goals I wanted to accomplish by the end of 2011. I hadn't looked at it since creating it, until this morning. On it, I had...

Finish writing in my first fluke book. 

Meet people, generally.

Develop a group of friends in LA.

Live in the same city as the person I am dating (engaged to?).

Incorporate exercise into my lifestyle, in whatever form(s).

Read two books a month (for fun!).

Get a grown-up job.

Read my "12 Books in 12 Months."

Pass the CA Bar Exam.

Volunteer in the legal field.

Volunteer in a non-legal field.

Design something of my own.

Take one craft course each 2-3 months.

Get pedicures every 2-3 months.

Learn to cook more vegetarian meals.

Finish Level 1 of Rosetta Stone French.

Learn Spanish!!!

Strengthen my Farsi reading and writing skills.

Learn to can and preserve food.

Do at least 1 "cultural" activity per month (i.e. museums).

Take a roadtrip to Portland.

Go to Yosemite National Park.

Visit San Diego.

Check out different movie theaters in LA - preferably historic/cook ones.

Continue to blog.

Go to 3 craft fairs/shows, i.e. Renegade.

Open an Etsy shop?

Finish/make a quilt.

Crotchet a granny square blanket.

See a great band, live.

My progress so far...

1. Finish writing in my first fluke book.

• Done! I finished it on February 16, 2011. I started my second one on February 26th.

2. Meet people, generally.

• I've been working on this once since Nick and I broke up in late February. I've gone to karaoke, house parties, bars, bbqs, movie nights, breakfast clubs, and book club meetups. I'm doing new things all the time!

3. Develop a group of friends in LA.

• I definitely have a bunch of really good individual friends. Still trying to find a 'group' to join, though.

4. Live in the same city as the person I am dating (engaged to?).

• This goal became significantly easier to reach at the end of February. Hmm, wonder why...

5. Incorporate exercise into my lifestyle, in whatever form(s).
6. Read two books a month (for fun!).

--> I'm a tiny bit behind but thus far I've read:

• Freedom 
• High Fidelity
• Hunger Game Trilogy
• Something Borrowed
• World War Z
• The Paris Wife
• Breakfast at Tiffany's
• The Girl in Hyacinth Blue

--> I'm just about done reading:

• Interpreter of Maladies (short stories)
• Secret Lives of People in Love (short stories)

--> I'm currently reading:

• The Engines of God
• Team of Rivals

7. Get a grown-up job.
8. Read my "12 Books in 12 Months."
9. Pass the CA Bar Exam.

• Took the exam again in February 2011.
• Find out that I passed the exam on May 13, 2011!
  

10. Volunteer in the legal field.
11. Volunteer in a non-legal field.
12. Design something of my own.
13. Take one craft course each 2-3 months.
14. Get pedicures every 2-3 months.

• I went with my mom last weekend to get one. My feet were awfully blistered and calloused from my flats and wedges!

15. Learn to cook more vegetarian meals.

• Since I'm no longer dating a vegetarian, this goal isn't as important as it used to be. That said, I have been baking up a storm lately with delicacies such as apple tarte tatin, apple tart, strawberry cake, red velvet cupcakes, and cake pops!
  

16. Finish Level 1 of Rosetta Stone French.
17. Learn Spanish!!!
18. Strengthen my Farsi reading and writing skills.
19. Learn to can and preserve food.
20. Do at least 1 "cultural" activity per month (i.e. museums).

• I'm super behind on this one, though I did go to the Hammer Museum a few weeks ago.
• I plan to go to the Huntington Museum and Gardens next week!

21. Take a road trip to Portland.
22. Go to Yosemite National Park.
23. Visit San Diego.

• Went to PB for Memorial Day weekend with Sarah!

24. Check out different movie theaters in LA - preferably historic/cook ones.
25. Continue to blog.

• Not as frequently as I like, but I'm still at it!

26. Go to 3 craft fairs/shows, i.e. Renegade.
27. Open an Etsy shop?

• Not going to happen. I have little time and little interest. 

28. Finish/make a quilt.
29. Crotchet a granny square blanket.
30. See a great band, live.

Although I haven't had this list in front of me, I'm glad to say that 6 months into this new year (when the hell did that happen?!) I've actually done a number of these. I'm going to spend the rest of the year trying to do more. I doubt I'll do all of it, but I think I could do quite a number more.

Day 105: Blocking

I'm rushing to finish errands and chores before I drive home to my parents' house for the weekend. 

I soaked my Brand New Day Shawl yesterday afternoon and night and finally set it to block this morning!

I would have done so yesterday but I ended up spending the day with a friend from law school. He picked me up in the morning and then we drove to Santa Barbara for the day. Though cloudy, it was perfect walking-around-and-window-shopping weather. Sadly, I did not take any photos of State Street or the Pier. Mike did manage to snap a few shots when we stopped along the PCH on our drive back!

 We spotted dolphins (about 7 of them?), just swimming along. Less than 50 feet away from us.

I have to admit. I kinda love my life right now.

(Those are seashells and rocks in my hand, btw.)

Day 104: Waiting to be Blocked: Brand New Day Shawl

I finished the Brand New Day Shawl I started back in mid-May, immediately after Snow White's Breakup Shawlette. 

It's currently soaking in the sink, waiting to be blocked when I get home from a drive/lunch date with an old friend from law school. It's pretty gloomy here, weather-wise, so I'll wait until a sunny day to take pictures of it and the rest of the shawls I've knit for myself. 

I know that today is not the day for it, but I can't wait until I can spend hours at the beach doing this:

Yay for summer free from studying for the bar exam!