Nobler Modes of Life

It's not exactly what Tennyson had in mind, but once again I am using this time of year to set some goals for myself. I suspect some of my former Resolutions smacked of too generic to be useful. Be Healthy is less  helpful to me when I'm deciding between doughnuts or hopping on the elliptical than if I'd promised to eat only homemade snacks for next twelve weeks.

So here, rather than more generic resolutions, is my obscenely long and likely not-totally-doable list of Goals for 2012. (I'm hoping that by hitting the "Publish" button on these I'll be more likely to fulfill some of them than if I'd kept them to myself.)

Create/Media/the Arts

• finish knitting Ilse's baby pants by end of January
• blog 102 posts (2x week) on Palingenesis
• blog 24 posts (2x month) on Wellcookbooked 
• get a spiral planner to plan blog posts  done!
• read more poetry---at least a few poems a week
• write a poem a week (used to write one a day. I can do this!)
• see a play at a local playhouse
• join Twitter and figure out what it's all about
• use Pintrest at least 1x week
• revamp the Palingenesis blog's design
• schedule evenings for TV and other nights for projects/writing/reading (default in 2011 was TV). Discuss with Justin and figure out by January 15th.
• frog the sweaters by my bed
• knit socks (one pair for me, one for Justin)
• knit handwarmers (one set for me, one for Justin)
• set-up sewing machine in place it can be kept out and used 
• make Advent calendar (by July)
• use my lunch break for creating or reading novels vs. net surfing
• make flannel mennorah for Hanukkah (by October)
• participate in 2012 NaNoWriMo
• at least one carnival post a quarter
• try at least 24 new sauces or salad dressings in 2012
• re-read Arthurian legends/novels
• knit wool diaper cover for Ilse
• read a classic a quarter
• make the girls a puppet theatre

Household

• Ilse and I move into Uli's room/futon  (3/12)
• go through my clothes boxes in Uli's closet and donate unused
• go through downstairs bookshelves and pull books/magazines to donate; rearrange the rest (3/12)
• follow Martha Stewart's housekeeping schedule for a month and see how it goes
• plant the garden with herbs/veggies, keeping in mind savings/usefulness
• pack decorations (spring/autumn/winter holidays) into easily-findable containers in basement
• brush dogs at least 2x month
• brush Lucy at least 2x month
• decide what to do about Lucy (find new home?)
• take dogs for runs in the AM when weather permits (2x week)
• make another batch of deodorant using arrowroot
• weed through our children's books, pulling the non-literary type (3/12)
• switch to cloth dinner napkins (1/12)
• lay out clothes the night before
• keep birdfeeders filled
• create chore charts for Uli (bedtime and downstairs)
• organize linen closet (make sure everything smells good!)
• pick paint color for hallway
• hang pictures in Uli's/Ilse's room
• find way to keep top of microwave clutter free
• keep top of fridge clutter free

Traditions/Memories

• celebrate vernal & autumnal equinoxes/equiluxes--look up traditional celebrations
• get snapshot/photo of entire family
• start eating breakfast with Uli/Ilse at table
• Passover at my house this year
• celebrate solstices--look up traditional celebrations (winter = the burning/releasing old with pouches of tobacco)
• one night (first? eighth?) of Hanukkah at my house this year
• light a candle during meals at home
• print out some photos in "hardcopy" vs. keeping all on computer

Nutrition/Foods & Health/Fitness

• jazz up lunch (at least two delicious and nutritious lunches a week)
• snacks are limited to the homemade (if I want fries or cookies I'm welcome to them, so long as I [or my husband] has made them at home)
• kick the coffee habit! Reduce to one cup a day. Switch to black tea for less caffeine.
• exercise DVDS 2x/week (mornings)
• sit/squat for one meal a week (coffeetable)
• find a healthy whole grain bread both Justin and I can agree on (2/12)
• bake a loaf of whole wheat bread at home (Laurel's Kitchen)
• grow and glean items for homemade teas
• elliptical 40 mins week (whether 10 mins at time or all in one day)
• in good weather:  back to walking in the evenings with the girls
• find good peanut-free Pad Thai recipe
• find raw milk supplier
• eat only organic for one month
• sign-up for CSA! (use PPlus reimbursement)
• work up to sitting on heels comfortably
• try meditation (spring?)

Misc.

• start a Montessori school fund for the girls
• bike to work at least one time in 2012!

OK. That seems like kind of a lot. But I have a whole 365 days. Surely some of the above can be accomplished. And more. I just need to get  to it. 

How about you? Have you made resolutions/goals for 2012? I'd love to hear them!