fresh start

Today is my favorite non-holiday day of the year.

January 1st.

01/01/

1-1-

The beginning. The start. Fresh. New. Clean.

To the jaded naysayers who insist it is just a random day, artificial and meaningless, I say.

Well, DUH!

ALL dates are artificial, the concept of marking time, naming it, is a human construct and you could make the argument that all dates are meaningless - the Earth is gonna keep spinning whether we keep track of it or not.

We imbue days with meaning for ourselves.

I happily choose to consider today another chance to re-concentrate my efforts at self-improvement 

Technically, every morning is a new start, but it is easy to be so swept up in that day's events that I forget to be mindful of that. 

Plus, it is so very easy to be critical of yesterday's mistakes (or every mistake of your life, like the time I lied to my first grade teacher - yes, that still pops into my head every once in a while) that I forget to forgive my own frailties, my human-ness, to start over each day.

New Year's Day is an opportunity to truthfully evaluate where I am and where I want to be and then mindfully make a strategy of how to make that happen.

This year's resolution is to actively work on my 101 Goals in 1001 Days. 

What are yours?

Good luck on getting there, friends.

Work hard, but be gentle with yourself when things don't quite follow the plan.

     

Welcome 2015 - i have some goals for you

It is a well known fact that i love, love, love New Year's resolutions.
I haven't made any for the last couple of years as i haven't felt much like myself so now to make up for time lost i am setting making resolutions and  goals with a vengeance.
101 goals, in fact.
Rea finished her first 101 Goals in 1001 Days in November and decided to start another one today.
And i am gonna play along with her.
The idea is to set goals that are doable, but make you stretch or grow in some way: quantifiable goals that span different facets of your life.
My categories are home, work, fun, blog, creative, charity/service, relationships, culture/learning, food/eating, and self.
You have 1001 days to accomplish everything, which is 2.75 years, 33 months or 143 weeks.
It will run January 1, 2015 to September 27, 2017.
To keep myself honest and have some accountability, I (and by i, i mean Rea) created a second page on The Nikiverse for my 101.
You can access it anytime by clicking on 101 in 1001 right under the header, but you can also get to it now right here.
I will update my progress every few weeks.
Wish me luck and leave your own resolutions in the comments..

Here's to 2012!

2011 was hectic and challenging, but overall i consider it a good year.

As far as last year's resolutions, i did pretty well:
1. Make volunteering a priority - did a bunch of information gathering and legwork, but not a lot of actual volunteering; this will remain the first priority for this year
2. Be pro-active, but patient about my health - i feel really good about not only my health, but my attitude about it; i'd call this one done
3. Establish and invigorate new and old relationships - yep
4. Write in my journal at least once a week - 39 out of 52 weeks, which is 75%

For this year's resolutions, i didn't do anything quantitative as i am still working on the 40 While I'm 40 List which is filled with quantitative goals, but instead went all qualitative with attitudes i need to make priorities:
Niki's Resolutions for 2012
1. Make volunteering a way of life
2. Treat time as a valuable resource
3. Set reasonable goals for myself
4. Live, instead of exist

Let's start out this year with a quote filled with anticipation from Jonathan Auxier's super-fun adventure book about a child thief who is blind, Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes:

The start of any journey - whether pilgrimage or promenade - is one of life's true joys. Every moment is charged with an excitement about things to come. Obstacles and complications are seen not as discouragement, but as seasoning that improves the flavor of one's adventures.

since Mike asked...

Over the last few years i've felt myself becoming stagnant.
I loved my job, but it didn't challenge me anymore and there was resistance to change from higher up, not to mention no funds to change anyway. I loved my friends, but so many of them were so far away that i felt isolated. I loved my art, but needed to be stretched. I wasn't completely discontented, but bored and stuck and floundering.
We know now that part of it was medical, but other parts weren't. I've been wanting change, growth, challenges to break me out of my comfortable box. My post about this week's quote is really about how all of that change seems to be happening at once and only some of it is in my control - be careful what you wish for, right?
So, in order to be less cryptic (i'm looking at you, Michael :->) here is a list of opportunities, goals, obstacles, deadlines that are swirling in my brain right now, in no particular order:
-2 members of my team were laid off
-we have to keep taking triple bookings
 -my team is writing the new summer theater program
-my team is writing a new assembly program
 -my team has been researching new classroom programs
 -summer bookings are closed, but higher than i wanted them to be
 -my entire department is being reorganized and reimagined
 -i am on a committee to do a summer extravaganza of science
 -the owner of Objects Found asked me for a new line of Spring cards, three weeks ago
 -there is going to be a 2nd annual Catonsville art exhibition; due date for entries is April 10 and i don't have any new pieces finished
 -i am in the middle of a painting
 -i am in the middle of an assemblage
 -i have the inspiration and the materials to do a sculpture/mobile/thingee, but it needs about a thousand solder joints
 -i need to learn how to solder
 -and get a soldering iron
-i was asked to do the publicity and marketing for that art exhibition
-which just got moved up by a week [MAY 15TH; YOU'RE ALL COMING, RIGHT?]
-i've been reminded that my handmade cards were the highest selling object at the last art exhibition so be sure to have plenty done
 -i have 15-20 necklaces in the works
-i have 6 other necklaces designed and faux beaded that need finished
-there is a new thrift store in Catonsville that i've started courting to possibly carry a line of handmade or reimagined jewelry of mine
 -i have the okay from the organizer of a local scrapbooking crop to be a vendor at her next crop, selling found objects, interesting notions and handmade embellishments, date April 16ish
 -sort and package notions
 -make displays and prices
 -finish embellishments
-make pages/samples using my wares
 -paint 12 chipboard books
 -start April birthday cards
-Debbie's play is this weekend
-spend time with Colleen
-i am working on cultivating/growing about 10 new friendships within 2 totally different communities and need to devote time to each
 -somehow i need to fit in at least 5 hours of sleep a night
-i can finally, finally go back to the gym
 -i don't think i have clean underware for tomorrow
-there are 26 books checked out from the library in my living room, mocking me
-my taxes need done; where did i put my W-2?
 -there are still 22 CDs checked out from the library that i am reviewing
-i owe Carlotta dinner
 -this is day 3 of not buying any restaurant food; if i make it to 31 i get 20 stars, but i really want KFC for dinner so that i don't have to cook
 -there is currently condiments, half an onion and Scotch in my fridge; i need to go shopping
 -i am resolved not to go to the grocery store without a menu, shopping list and coupons
-like everyone else in this economy, i will soon be spending more each month than i make and banks don't believe in negative numbers; where do i get more income?
-i need to secure funds to ensure my mother's continued independence
-my museum is hosting the national conference in October; i am planning a traditional all-day outreach session, due date for changes and prices was a week ago and i have neither finished
-over the last year i've gained 20 pounds that needs attending to before my annual physical next month
 -wait... did i schedule that physical? yes, i did.
 -wait... did i just book a show for that day? hmmmm...
-i need a better recycling process at work cause currently i just take it home, but after rearranging our little corner there are about 5 loads of paper recycling
 -the community clean-up day is April 9 and i want to volunteer
-i want to invite my new neighbors to dinner
-girls' craft night???
-we lost 5 limbs off of the dogwood tree; how am i going to get them to the mulcher on clean-up day?
-the basement seriously needs cleaned
-New Year's resolution #1 (volunteering) hasn't even been started yet; do i want to apply for CASA and/or mentor at St Vincent's?
-i got a baby shower invite for my high school best friend; wait... she's pregnant?!?
-the trivia season ended and we won our location; special game on Saturday, finals next weekend, Trivia Bowl (if we make it) on April 2nd
-i have 10 days of dirty dishes to wash
 -i got a letter from my sponsored boy in Africa and i need to get a return letter in the mail by Saturday
-the are currently 15 blog posts started in the queue and i took picture today for 2 more
-need to fit in a phone debrief date with Matt and Sara this week
 -i owe Grandpa a letter
-the only disorder left from the office shuffling is sitting in my space
-the 35L dewar is in pieces and i need to get it fixed
 -did i take my mid-day pill?... yep; okay
...phew And that's just what came off of the top of my head. Most of these things are awesome opportunities that make me tingle with possibilities. Some of them are deadlines that i'm not sure i'm gonna make. Any money things really stress me out cause i don't really care about money, but that doesn't mean that i don't need it. I need more time, but have to get the sleep necessary to keep me healthy (dang it!). I am excited about the new things at work, but need to take time off to finish my outside endeavors, but can't take time off cause i'm understaffed and don't want to take time off cause i'm excited about the new things.
So Mike... does that clarify things a bit?

Resolutions

If life were graded I'd probably have about a 2.0 GPA for last year's resolutions:  
1. Regain productivity levels without sacrificing health 
2. Establish consistency throughout my life 
3. Do at least one new thing a month 
4. Make volunteering a priority
Let's see... #1 was going well until my health went kablooey, but it wasn't my fault so i'd call it a B; #2 was sometimes really good, but sometimes not so good, so -as Rea said- i was inconsistent with my consistency so we'll call that a C minus; i rocked out #3, nailing it more than once every month so that's an A plus; but, #4 was a massive failure with a giant F.
Like i said, about a C average. Not as good as i'd like, but probably better than a lot of people.
Having a wicked cold for the last 2 days has given me plenty of time to lay on my loveseat watching Scooby-Doo and mull over this year's goals. There is always a method to my resolution making madness. Anytime i completely bone a resolution it automatically goes on the next year's list. I like to keep working on improving a few of last year's resolutions, but with newly defined parameters. I like to add at least one completely different thing and i like at least one resolution to be quantifiable.
So here they are:
Niki's Resolutions for 2011
1. Make volunteering a priority
2. Be pro-active, but patient about my health
3. Establish and invigorate new and old relationships
4. Write in my journal at least once a week

art goals

Not only do i make New Year's Resolutions every year, I also give myself specific goals in various facets of my life.
Some of them i declare loudly to be accountable to whoever'll listen, some of them i never share because they are for personal self-improvement and some -like my art goals- i don't share until i have achieved them.
This year i had 2 art goals and i finished one in February and the other i committed to finish in March. Oh! That means i get to count them as "new things" as well.
Firstly, i wanted to sell cards and/or a piece of art in a physical store. During the week of Valentine's Day (around the snow) i sold 16 cards at Objects Found.
Yippee!
I think i sold more in March, but i haven't received the check yet to be sure.
Next, i wanted to display a piece of art in a public forum. On March 30th i submitted my paperwork to showcase a piece called Secret Revelation in the Catonsville Bicentennial Fine Arts Exhibit. I'm not sure i'd consider my assemblages "fine art" but the coordinator has already called me to accept my application (it's local; i'm pretty sure they accepted everyone who turned in paperwork). The actual exhibit takes place in a local church in June and July so i guess technically i haven't achieved this goal yet, but i can't really back out now without moving to another zipcode. When the time comes i'll post details about place and times. I might have painted notecards for sale there as well.
Until then, here are a few peaks of the piece
(it didn't photograph particularly well; you'll just have to come see it in person.)

new massage

In an effort to do at least one new thing a month (New Year's Resolution #3) i tried a new technique at my gold star earned massage on Monday - Indian warm oil massage. It uses a higher quality, heated oil and long strokes. It is fabulous for dry winter skin. I highly recommend it. BTW, my awesome, fabulous massage place - Massage Associates- is having a sale this month so if you are in the area you should check them out. My therapist's name is Lynn and i love her, but i trust that any of the associates will be good. Be good to yourself. Try something new!

Welcome 2010!

Some good things happened in 2009. I went on an awesome vacation. I started a real art collection so now there are things hanging in my living room that weren't just made by me. My family and extended family grew through marriage and birth. Good things - really good things, all of them. But let's just face some facts here: 2009 was, for the most part, a giant sucking hole of suckiness. It blew. A lot. I'm glad it is over. How much did 2009 suck? It sucked so much that i am not going to even review my resolutions from last year. You know that i LOVE reviewing and evaluating resolutions before making new ones. Not this year. Suffice it to say that though i was more courageous in some aspects of my life, i failed miserably at all of the other ones. sigh (did i mention how much i hated being sick?) But that was the past. I'm healthy and looking forward to the new year so here are... Niki's Resolutions for 2010 1. Regain productivity levels without sacrificing health 2. Establish consistency throughout my life 3. Do at least one new thing a month 4. Make volunteering a priority