Friday, December 31, 2004
2005 - What does it hold?
It’ll be interesting, that’s for sure! And probably loooooong.
And as a warning, this is a very wordy entry since it includes personal and crafting hopes and dreams and I’ve been adding to it for a couple of weeks.
As of this writing Husband is headed to Okinawa Japan some time in 2005 for a two-year tour; probably the end of April. The plan right now is for me to stay here and finish my college then join him over there. If I do join him over there his tour will be extended, but that’s too far off to worry about now.
I’ll be taking as many classes as I think I can handle in 2005 hoping to finish up my 2nd AA in Paralegal Studies. I’m registered for 5 this term (January 18 – May 21). Fortunately one goes the first half of the term and another goes the second half of the term. Another is mostly viewed via TV with 4-5 class meetings during the term. Self-pace, give me strength. I have no self-discipline in these situations. My biggest challenge this term will be Intermediate Algebra. I am math challenged.
After these 5 classes I’ll be 3 required classes and 8 units of electives away from completion. I didn’t realize just how close I really was until I just wrote that!!!
I’ll also continue to get my personal debt under control without financially strangling myself. So far I’ve moved all but about $800 to interest free CCs. My first 2005 financial goal will be to get 2 months salary saved up. After that it’ll be to pay off that $800 CC, then take what I was paying monthly and add it to payments on the next CC, etc. I know it’ll take me more than a year, since I’m only working part time, but I can live with that as long as the balances keep going down.
The biggest disappointment for 2004 personally was I failed to get off my blood pressure meds. 100% my own fault, so I plan on focusing on that. I did decrease the amount of caffeine I was used to so it wasn’t a total flop in the health department. I tend to become a hermit when Husband is gone, no going out to eat, movies, etc., so I should have plenty of time to take care of myself (mentally and physically).
On that note, expect to see less of me on the BBs. The behavior on the BBs before and after the election had a lot to do with this ~ I just couldn’t stand the bickering, name calling and down right nastiness of some people, so I’ve cut ties with a couple of BBs that allowed (and even encouraged) that behavior. Now that my time will be more precious to me, I’m dwindling even more and I’ve asked to be relieved of moderator duties on all but a couple of BBs. That’s not to say I will completely disappear, since I feel like I’ve made good friends I want to continue that. You know you’ll always be able to find me on The Rotation BB and at The Silver Lining and a couple of other BBs.
For stitching, my 2005 hopes and dreams are:
(1) Keep up with my rotation: I think the easiest way to keep up with where I am will be to number my rotations on my blog above the percentage bars.
(2) Keep StRIPping: nothing special or new to report here. I plan to just keep on stitching with whatever little time I’ll have when not studying and keep the same goal of starting a new project with every 3 finishes. I know I still have items that need to be sorted out and added to my StRIP list, but that will just happen over time as I get more organized, so I expect my StRIP list to increase because of this.
I’m disappointed in the last half of 2004 as far as buying stash goes. I really wanted to cut out more than I did. I did get a small raise, giving me a stash budget, so I want to stick to that in 2005 to help with my StRIPping. I really would like to increase my WDW and GAST stash so will try to purchase a few each month and stick to my budget so I can keep paying down my debt but not feel S.E.X. deprived :o)
(3) Organize freebies: I purchased A-Z index pages and a 4” binder and I’m going to organize by designer. After I stitch a design, I’m going to leave the highlighted pattern in the binder to show what has already been printed/stitched. I have been horrible about printing off designs that I already have.
(4) Quilted wall hanging: I’m going to stitch all of the Bent Creek 2003 Monthly Snappers as a stitch along with Karen and Annette. They’ll be on one piece of fabric and I’m going to turn it into a quilted wall hanging.
(5) Christmas Tree: I’ve ordered a 3 ft tree. I’m in an ornament RR that will take care of 5 ornaments and I’ll stitch 7 more on my own, since I’d like to have an ornament a month. Right now I have 5 handmade ornaments to put on the tree, not counting those mentioned above. The ornaments will hopefully increase my finishing skills since several of the ones I’m looking at are finished differently.
(6) Quilting: the Bent Creek wall hanging and a tree skirt for the above tree will cover this.
(7) Crocheting: I want to make a crocheted afghan. I know the basic stitches and am fortunate to work with someone who crochets and who has volunteered to help me over the bumpy parts. I’ve picked an easy, multicolored pattern and am looking forward to learning a new craft.
(8) Beading: I’ve done a tiny bit of beading and want to get more proficient in it. I purchased a beaded scissor fob kit in 2004 and want to complete it.
(9) Finishing: I hope to get some of my finished designs framed. I set this goal every year, but it has not been a very successful one. Perhaps 2005 will change that.
Things I DO NOT want to happen in 2005. No more RRs. I’m in one that will end in May, and it has proven to me why I was so reluctant to join in. I know most people don’t consider RRs obligation stitching, but to me if it has a deadline, then it’s an obligation. The stress of deadline stitching makes the stitching NOT fun, and my stitching is the one area of my life that I’ve always counted on being able to enjoy. The only exception to this will be when the JCS 2005 Christmas Ornament issue comes out. I love this concept and hope to join again next year if the issue is as good as 2004’s was.
CATS will be in Burbank this year, much closer to home than Santa Clara. Even though I probably won’t be able to go for the whole thing, I am close enough to drive up for a meet and greet and to spend some time in the Mall.
So that's it. I warned you it would be long ;)
And as a warning, this is a very wordy entry since it includes personal and crafting hopes and dreams and I’ve been adding to it for a couple of weeks.
As of this writing Husband is headed to Okinawa Japan some time in 2005 for a two-year tour; probably the end of April. The plan right now is for me to stay here and finish my college then join him over there. If I do join him over there his tour will be extended, but that’s too far off to worry about now.
I’ll be taking as many classes as I think I can handle in 2005 hoping to finish up my 2nd AA in Paralegal Studies. I’m registered for 5 this term (January 18 – May 21). Fortunately one goes the first half of the term and another goes the second half of the term. Another is mostly viewed via TV with 4-5 class meetings during the term. Self-pace, give me strength. I have no self-discipline in these situations. My biggest challenge this term will be Intermediate Algebra. I am math challenged.
After these 5 classes I’ll be 3 required classes and 8 units of electives away from completion. I didn’t realize just how close I really was until I just wrote that!!!
I’ll also continue to get my personal debt under control without financially strangling myself. So far I’ve moved all but about $800 to interest free CCs. My first 2005 financial goal will be to get 2 months salary saved up. After that it’ll be to pay off that $800 CC, then take what I was paying monthly and add it to payments on the next CC, etc. I know it’ll take me more than a year, since I’m only working part time, but I can live with that as long as the balances keep going down.
The biggest disappointment for 2004 personally was I failed to get off my blood pressure meds. 100% my own fault, so I plan on focusing on that. I did decrease the amount of caffeine I was used to so it wasn’t a total flop in the health department. I tend to become a hermit when Husband is gone, no going out to eat, movies, etc., so I should have plenty of time to take care of myself (mentally and physically).
On that note, expect to see less of me on the BBs. The behavior on the BBs before and after the election had a lot to do with this ~ I just couldn’t stand the bickering, name calling and down right nastiness of some people, so I’ve cut ties with a couple of BBs that allowed (and even encouraged) that behavior. Now that my time will be more precious to me, I’m dwindling even more and I’ve asked to be relieved of moderator duties on all but a couple of BBs. That’s not to say I will completely disappear, since I feel like I’ve made good friends I want to continue that. You know you’ll always be able to find me on The Rotation BB and at The Silver Lining and a couple of other BBs.
For stitching, my 2005 hopes and dreams are:
(1) Keep up with my rotation: I think the easiest way to keep up with where I am will be to number my rotations on my blog above the percentage bars.
(2) Keep StRIPping: nothing special or new to report here. I plan to just keep on stitching with whatever little time I’ll have when not studying and keep the same goal of starting a new project with every 3 finishes. I know I still have items that need to be sorted out and added to my StRIP list, but that will just happen over time as I get more organized, so I expect my StRIP list to increase because of this.
I’m disappointed in the last half of 2004 as far as buying stash goes. I really wanted to cut out more than I did. I did get a small raise, giving me a stash budget, so I want to stick to that in 2005 to help with my StRIPping. I really would like to increase my WDW and GAST stash so will try to purchase a few each month and stick to my budget so I can keep paying down my debt but not feel S.E.X. deprived :o)
(3) Organize freebies: I purchased A-Z index pages and a 4” binder and I’m going to organize by designer. After I stitch a design, I’m going to leave the highlighted pattern in the binder to show what has already been printed/stitched. I have been horrible about printing off designs that I already have.
(4) Quilted wall hanging: I’m going to stitch all of the Bent Creek 2003 Monthly Snappers as a stitch along with Karen and Annette. They’ll be on one piece of fabric and I’m going to turn it into a quilted wall hanging.
(5) Christmas Tree: I’ve ordered a 3 ft tree. I’m in an ornament RR that will take care of 5 ornaments and I’ll stitch 7 more on my own, since I’d like to have an ornament a month. Right now I have 5 handmade ornaments to put on the tree, not counting those mentioned above. The ornaments will hopefully increase my finishing skills since several of the ones I’m looking at are finished differently.
(6) Quilting: the Bent Creek wall hanging and a tree skirt for the above tree will cover this.
(7) Crocheting: I want to make a crocheted afghan. I know the basic stitches and am fortunate to work with someone who crochets and who has volunteered to help me over the bumpy parts. I’ve picked an easy, multicolored pattern and am looking forward to learning a new craft.
(8) Beading: I’ve done a tiny bit of beading and want to get more proficient in it. I purchased a beaded scissor fob kit in 2004 and want to complete it.
(9) Finishing: I hope to get some of my finished designs framed. I set this goal every year, but it has not been a very successful one. Perhaps 2005 will change that.
Things I DO NOT want to happen in 2005. No more RRs. I’m in one that will end in May, and it has proven to me why I was so reluctant to join in. I know most people don’t consider RRs obligation stitching, but to me if it has a deadline, then it’s an obligation. The stress of deadline stitching makes the stitching NOT fun, and my stitching is the one area of my life that I’ve always counted on being able to enjoy. The only exception to this will be when the JCS 2005 Christmas Ornament issue comes out. I love this concept and hope to join again next year if the issue is as good as 2004’s was.
CATS will be in Burbank this year, much closer to home than Santa Clara. Even though I probably won’t be able to go for the whole thing, I am close enough to drive up for a meet and greet and to spend some time in the Mall.
So that's it. I warned you it would be long ;)