2016 Goals and Ambitions

My main goal for 2016 is to begin writing again. Since that is a highly focused and creative process for me, it is something that fell by the wayside as my home remodel usurped more and more of my time in the last few years, and is something I'm keen to get back to.

I haven't stipulated what type of writing specifically I want to be doing, because at this point my goal is simply to write. At least five days a week. Even if it's something that no one else will ever see. However, it's only natural that one of my main outlets should be my blog. As such, I've done some preliminary thinking on some humble aspirations.

Continue with my monthly wrap-up posts.
     This kept me sane during my house remodel. Whatever else was happening, I at least had a brief time once a month when I could reflect on how I'd spent those rare free moments. When life was especially stressful and I was tempted to stop blogging altogether in order to eliminate something from my plate, I would remind myself: this is one thing I do for me.

Write at least one book review each month.
     I don't even remember the last book review I wrote, and that is one of the things that I loved about blogging from the beginning: the chance to really think through something I'd read and share it with others. It might be my favorite read of the month, or a book that provided especially stimulating thought and conversation, or a book that just needs a rant.

Quarterly Inbox posts.
    I had started this at the beginning of 2015, just as a way to see how many books I purchased and whether I read them immediately or not. I stopped mid-year after moving house a gazillion times and losing all my brain cells, but I think I'm emerging from the zombie zone and am going to give it another shot.

Quarterly Knitting posts.
     Often when I read, I'm also knitting (or have knitting nearby) and I thought it would be a fun thing to track every now and again. I also have a passion for quilting, but since that is also (in addition to writing) a highly focused and creative process, I find the time for it much less often than I do for knitting, which is more of a craft than an art for me.


In addition to these blog posts, I'm going to make a concentrated effort to visit all of your blogs and keep up with what is going on with you. I know that some of my old blogging friends have moved on to other things. While that saddens me, I also know that there are friends out there waiting to be found, and that's exciting.

On the reading front, I have set a goal of 75 books for 2016. I'd like at least 12 to be some sort of classic and 12 to be some sort of nonfiction. I'm also going to try to read from my shelves, since I finally have all my books on display and there are quite a few that are still waiting to be read and are calling to me.

I always want to add more goals at the beginning of the year, but I'm going to stop here since I know that even these will be a challenge. I do like a good deadline though! Happy reading to you all, hopefully we'll be chatting soon.