Saturday, July 23, 2011

Goals Update

Last year, I posted a list of goals I wanted to accomplish by July 1st, 2011. It is near the end of July, so I figured I should post the results:

goals
  1. pay off a credit account and close it - done
  2. get the siding fixed - attempted
  3. go camping with my family
  4. get emergency fund back up to 1000
  5. finish 3 crochet projects - finished 2 crochet projects
  6. read 6 books - read 3 books
  7. have a poem published in a magazine
  8. hike at least 5 miles of the Appalachian trail
Details:
  1. We paid off the van.
  2. I talked to someone about price and they said they would do it (twice). But they never showed up. 
  3. I kind of gave up on this one. Since my health issues have gotten worse, I haven't wanted to deal with trying to sleep in a tent (which was my original goal). I am considering cabin camping for the fall. We'll see.
  4. While I haven't put any additional money into our designated "emergency fund" in the past year, Bob and I each have been adding to our individual savings accounts. Of course, we plan to use a lot of that on our vacation next month.
  5. I made a hat for my son, Devin, and a shrug for me. I don't think I like the shrug. I have only had questionable comments about it when I wore it.
  6. I only read 3 books in the past year. I have to get better at this. I used to read at least 10 to 12 books a year. Lately, I have only been reading at bedtime, and it is hard to get through a book when you are falling asleep.
  7. I haven't really attempted to do this. However, I have published an article at Suite101.com.
  8. Same as #3, above. My condition has really flared-up in the past year. But this goal is not completely out of the question for the future. I figure I can manage small hikes when I am having good days. However, the risk of falling on uneven terrain (and damaging joints) may give me pause.

Now, I guess I should consider goals for the next 12 months. I'll have to think about those and post them later.

Sunday, January 23, 2011

Me and My (lack of) Writing

I haven't written in a long time. I've been feeling useless. My writing has gotten more and more sparse. I've finally been accepted to write on another blog, but my mind has gone blank. Writer's block, I suppose. Or maybe I think that there's no one interested in what I would say. Heck, I don't even know why I'm writing this.

My life has changed so much in the past 12 months. I have pain every day of my life. From the tests, so far, it looks like rheumatoid arthritis, but the rheumatoligist has yet to make a specific diagnosis. I take pain medication, but no DMARDs. I don't like to talk about it too much, but I guess people can tell something is going on. Besides the pain and stiffness, it makes my tire easily, have difficulty balancing when I walk and weakens my hands. I don't want people to treat me differently, I just want to find different ways to "make do".

I am still trying to find my place; what I can do (and want to do) within the time limits of my lower energy. I can't say if, or how, writing will fit into all this. I do miss the writing, but there are other things I also want to do.