Year end goals progress

The year is coming to an end and it's time to look at the progress I have made (or not) on my goals.

1. My first goal was to finish my novel. I haven't finished revisions. I actually haven't worked on it in a while. I have been thinking about it, though. I like my story, but I think I've been too nice to my characters. I need to do some serious revision if I want it to be a better story. 
2. My second goal was to finish our screenplay. And I did finish a draft. Now comes rewrites.
3. My third goal was part of the Goodreads 2012 Reading Challenge. I set a goal of reading 40 books this year. It was a stretch at times, but I finished #40 this evening. I think I'll set a more leisurely goal for 2013.
4. My fourth goal was to see at least 1 movie each month at the IU Cinema. While we did miss a month or two (the Cinema was dark in July, for example), we did see a LOT of films there this year. 
5. Goal five was to visit a state park each month. We didn't manage every month, but I knew some months, especially in winter, would be tough. All in all, I'm pleased that we managed to get to a state park most months.
6. My sixth goal, added in the spring, was to run a mile. I did manage to get to running a mile. Not every time I ran, but most times. I haven't run as much lately with the cold weather, but I did get out once in December. 

November goals progress

Is it already the end of November? It's time for my monthly update.

1. I decided to work on a new novel during NaNoWriMo for November. I started "Dear Grace", an idea I've been thinking about off and on for over a year. While I did start, I didn't get very far. I found that having to work on it made it harder, made it a chore. So I've gotten back to writing just when I feel inspired. Yep, I'm never gonna be a full-time writer. And that's ok. I want to enjoy writing.
2. No new progress on the play.
3. I've read 36 books so far this year. Only 4 more to reach my goal of 40. I'm on track to do it.
4. November was a very busy month for us at the IU Cinema. We started the month with From Here to Eternity, followed by The Motorcycle Diaries, Cabaret and, finally, A Trip to the Moon last night. 
5. We didn't get to any of the state forests this month. One Saturday we considered it, but ended up going to an SCA archery practice instead. 
6. And the cold weather takes away any desire to run. I think this one will be on hold until the spring.

October goals progress

It's November 1st. I supposed I should post my October goals progress.

1. I worked on my novel a little. Got some good feedback. Lots of notes to apply... when I'm ready to work on it more. I'm starting a new novel in November for NaNoWriMo. 
2. Got some good feedback on the play. I need to work with Chris to add action (it's currently dialog heavy).
3. I'm on track toward my goal of 40 books. I've read 33 so far. I'm currently reading 2. 
4. We spent a lot of time at the IU Cinema in October. Casablanca on October 4th, Bride of Frankenstein/Freaks double feature followed by The Gamers: Dorkness Rising/Beverly Lane double feature on October 27th.
5. Does driving through Yellowwood State Forest count? Because we did that. We didn't get out and hike, but it was a nice drive.
6. I've fallen off the running wagon. I got out a few times, but the cold has been an issue. I picked up some warmer running clothes, so that should help... as long as I can keep from getting injured and actually get out. 

Overall, a pretty good month. I think I'll add yoga or some other exercise in place of trying to run so much. It may be the cold, but I've been more likely to hurt after running lately. November is looking to be a very productive month.

August goals progress

I feel like I'm finally getting back on track with my goals.

1. I didn't work on my story, but writing group started meeting again. I got some good feedback on a chapter and lots of ideas to work with.
2. Progress on our screenplay! I'm working on the penultimate scene. I need to figure out exactly what happens in this scene and then write the ending. I've changed a few earlier scenes from the first draft, which changes everything after that.... I feel good about where it's going.
3. I have read 25 books toward my goal of 40 for the year. I'm 1 book behind - the book I'm currently reading. I hope to finish it this weekend. For the record, I'm reading "A Study in Sherlock". 
4. The IU Cinema is back in full swing. In August, we saw Woody Allen's "To Rome With Love". I haven't seen many Woody Allen films, but this is the first one I actually liked. 
5. Despite the heat, earlier this month we drove down to Mitchell and spent the afternoon exploring the Pioneer Village at Spring Mill State Park. We picked up some freshly stone ground corn meal and made corn bread for dinner that evening. Actually, we have to make more corn bread since we have so much corn meal. While at Spring Mill, we stopped at the Gus Grissom memorial. Space geeks that we are, we enjoyed seeing his space suit and Gemini capsule. There was also a memorial in Mitchell, his home town.
6. Ah, running. What to say about running. August was a Jekyll and Hyde month for running. The cooler mornings made it much easier to run in the morning. I was even running 4 mornings a week. Until this week. Saturday evening I was restless, so I decided to take a quiet jog around the neighborhood. I had to stop and walk part way through because my shin started hurting. I guess my history of shin splints is catching up with me, because my right shin has been giving me trouble since then. I haven't run, but I've been trying to walk. Not the same, but I need to let my leg heal.

So, mixed bag again, but much more on the positive. With the boys back in school (Wil full-time and Sam 2 days/week), I hope to make more time to write during the day. The weather should also cool off some, which may help us get to state parks to hike. 

July goals progress

July was a busy month. We spent part of the month out of town, which made it hard to keep to a regular routine. But, some progress was still made.

1. I didn't write at all in July. I meant to.... and then just didn't. 
2. I didn't work on our screenplay, although I did set it up so Chris can access it. I am stuck with where to go on the last few scenes. 
3. I did do a bunch of reading in July. I'm at 23 books toward my goal of 40 for the year. This is good news. I'm finally back on track.
4. The IU Cinema was dark in July, so we didn't see any movies there. My mom and I did take the boys to see Brave at her local theater.
5. Wow, I guess July was worse than I thought. Between the heat and the traveling, we didn't make it to any of our state parks. 
6. And finally, running. Once again, traveling took its toll. I have been trying, but not as consistently as previous months. I did notice 2 things while jogging (can I really call it jogging? I'm barely above a walking pace). First, I've been breathing through my nose. This is exciting, because when I started, I was panting within a block. Isn't the point of running to improve cardiovascular health? I think that goal is well on its way. Second, I tire out very quickly when it is humid. Even on cooler mornings, if it is humid, I struggle to make 3/4 of a mile. My legs feel leaden and start to cramp. On less humid mornings, I can make my full mile. (Yeah, not stretching for more than that at this time.) I'm slow. I was averaging in the 4.5-5.0 mph range in June. This month I'm in the 3.9-4.2 mph range. But I keep plugging away.

So, not the best month. But that just gives me room to improve this month. August is already starting off well, with cooler mornings and a lot less heat and humidity than July brought. And the boys go back to school soon, which might give me more time to write.

June goals progress

It's time for another check in on my goals progress. Here's how I did in June.

1. While I haven't finished revisions on my novel, I did get back to writing. I revised 2 chapters this month. I consider this a win.
2. I didn't work on the screenplay, but at least I got back to writing.
3. I have read 18 of the 40 books I hope to read this year. At my current rate, according to Goodreads, I am 1 book behind. While still behind, this is an improvement over last month.
4. Chris and I went to see a really good Norwegian film, Turn Me On, Dammit!, at the IU Cinema.I highly recommend seeing this movie if you get a chance. Go save it on Netflix if it isn't coming to a theater near you. (IMDb listing) As a bonus, we also saw a movie at the local multiplex. Yes, we saw Prometheus. In 3D.
5. The boys and I met a group of moms and kids for a hike at McCormick's Creek State Park. We picked the most rugged trail, of course, since it is the boys' favorite, although we only did a portion of it (and not the hardest part). 
6. While I've had to take this week off from running since Chris is out of town (can't leave the boys home alone yet), I have been running a mile through the neighborhood 3 times each week. I haven't usually gone further, but my breathing is much easier than when I started. And I haven't been getting shin splints. Considering the heat (it's often already warm when I head out to run at 7:30), I'm pretty happy that I can go a mile. I'll worry about getting more distance in the fall when it cools off. If then. A full circuit of our neighborhood is about 1.5 miles, so that might be a good goal to work for at that point.

Overall, not bad progress. I feel like I'm getting back into the swing of things. I just need to find time to do everything I want to do.

May goals progress

It's that time again, the end of the month, when I post my progress on the goals I set way back in January as well as the new one I set in March.

1. Once again, I didn't work on my novel. But I did print the current draft and I'm ready to tackle it again.
2. I didn't work on my script either. 
3. I got back into reading! I have read 15 out of my 40 book goal. It's a good thing I was ahead at the beginning of the year, because I'm now 1 book behind on pace, but it's only 1. After the reading hiatus I took in April, that's not too bad.
4. May was a busy month for us at the IU Cinema. We spent 2 nights there, May 1st and 2nd, seeing the student productions and the Made In Bloomington series that I helped program. 
5. I am happy to report that I took the boys to McCormick's Creek today (yep, just squeezing it in this month) for a hike around the falls/trail 3 area. They really like that area and asked to go there. We had a great time, and the weather was perfect.
6. I am consistently running 1 mile now. There have been a few times when I haven't made that, but nearly every run this month was at least 1 mile. I plan to run every morning (Monday through Friday, at least) that is possible. I just started that this week, since the boys are now out of school, forcing me to get up early and run. That isn't a bad thing, since it's getting hot early now. Of course, I set that schedule and didn't run Monday (we had to get up early to get to a Memorial Day service) or Tuesday (it was raining) or Wednesday (I had an 8:15 a.m. dental appointment). But I did get up and run today. 

All in all, not a bad month. No progress on 2 goals, but something to report on the other 4. Let's hope June is even better.

April goals progress

I'm a little late with this post, but that just reflects what April was like for me. I think my brain needed a break and there was a lot going on, so I failed on a lot of goals for the month.

1. I didn't work on my novel. At all.
2. I intended to do Script Frenzy, but only added about 1 page. I just wasn't feeling inspired to write.
3. I didn't finish a single book all month. I slacked off reading. I even skipped book club since I hadn't read the book. Although I started reading Street Gang toward the end of the month and have been enjoying it.
4. We didn't see a single show at the IU Cinema. We have more than made up for that this week, with 2 shows last night (3D Student Showcase and Made in Bloomington program 1) and 2 more (Student Showcase program 1 and Made in Bloomington program 2) tonight. 
5. No state park in April. Yep, we really slacked off.
6. Now this is the only goal that I made progress on. After a month of plateauing around .75 miles, I blew past that to 1.15 miles on 4/29. My breathing has been getting easier each time, so I know I've been getting better. But my shins have been the limiting factor. I used to frequently get shin splints in high school, so when my shins start hurting, I stop running. Then Sunday happened. And I hit my usual limit and felt fine. I reached our house and felt fine so I kept going. And jogged another block before my legs hurt. 

I hope taking the month off has reset me. I really want to report progress at the end of May.

March goals progress

Back in January I set some goals. It's now the end of March and time to check in on my progress.

1. My novel isn't finished. I didn't expect to be done in March, but I've slacked off. I still love my story, but I need a break. 
2. Which leads to our screenplay. I am taking the month of April to participate in Script Frenzy and work on the screenplay. I probably won't reach the 100 page goal, but that's ok. I don't think this script is a feature length story. My personal goal is just to finish the script, however long it ends up. My guess is 20 or so pages. 
3. For the Goodreads challenge, I have read 12 of the 40 books I am aiming to read this year. According to their statistics, I am 3 ahead of where I need to be. 
4. By the end of today, we will have seen 2 shows at the IU Cinema this month. Earlier this month we saw The King's Speech (Chris's first time, my second) and today we will see Young Frankenstein (a classic!).
5. While we didn't hike at a state park, we had a picnic at Paynetown SRA over spring break. It was a gorgeous day, with temperatures in the 80s.
6. A new goal! I want to be able to run a mile again. Speed isn't important, which is good because I'm slow. But I am already up to .75 miles and it's getting easier. My breathing wasn't as labored on my 4th run as it was on my first. Plus I have now made it up the hill that my route takes me to ~.7 miles in. 

Overall, not a bad month. I need to get back in gear with my writing, but otherwise I'm pretty happy. I even added a new goal.

February goals progress

Back at the beginning of the year, I set 5 goals for this year. With February ending tomorrow, here is my current progress:

1. I have done revisions on 2 more chapters. Not as far as I hoped to be, but these chapters actually involved quite a bit of rearranging and reworking, so I'm happy to have them done. I'm at nearly 45K words (my goal is ~50K).
2. As with last month, I haven't worked on the screenplay this month since I've been pushing to get my novel done.
3. I have read 9 books toward my goal of 40 this year. This puts me 3 books ahead of where I need to be.
4. We saw several movies at the IU Cinema this month: Holiday, Oscar Nominated Shorts - Live Action, Oscar Nominated Shorts - Animated, and Pina in 3D. We also planned to see The Kid and Sherlock Jr with the boys, but Sam had a raging fever, so that fell through.
5. His illness was also one reason we didn't make it to a state park this month. For such a short month, February was jam-packed with way too much happening. Our plan of hiking this past Sunday, when temperatures were downright balmy, were foiled by Sam's illness. If only.... but travel, bad weather and illness take their toll. 

All in all, I'm pretty happy with where I'm at. I would like to be another chapter ahead writing, but I am a sloooow writer. Especially when doing revisions. The screenplay isn't even on my radar yet because of the novel. Hopefully we'll do better getting to a state park in March. As long as we don't get a late season snow storm, the weather should be improving (who am I kidding? we haven't had winter!) so that will remove one obstacle.

January goal assessment

At the beginning of the month I posted about 5 goals I have for this year. To keep me on track, I plan to post my progress each month. January ends tomorrow, so here is this month's assessment:

Goal 1 is to finish my novel. I didn't get nearly as far as I had hoped this month. Writing when the boys are around it difficult (they entertain themselves just fine until I try to do something) and this was a month with few opportunities to write in peace. My writing time is Tuesday and Thursday when the boys are in school - and they were home more often than planned due to school closure or illness. I need to make more time. I finished a revision of chapter 12 and am working on chapter 13, which I hope to finish by tomorrow.

Goal 2 is to finish our screenplay. I haven't touched this in months because I'm pushing through on the novel. I have a hard time concentrating on multiple projects at once so my writing suffers. I likely won't make progress on this for a couple more months until the novel is done, unless I need to take a break.

Goal 3 is to read 40 books this year. I'm ahead on this goal, having read 6 books so far. Sick time has helped here and I fully expect the summer and holiday season to slow me down, so it's probably good that I'm ahead right now.

Goal 4 is to see at least 1 movie at the IU Cinema each month. In January, we went to "Being Elmo", so this goal has been accomplished for the month.

Goal 5 is to visit a state park each month. We went to McCormick's Creek State Park early in January, thus making this goal for the month.

All in all, I'm pretty happy with my progress. I know where my weakness is (making time to write) so I can work on correcting that.