24 before 25.

Today is my 24th birthday. I’ve got the day off work so I’m off for a facial and massage with Mum and Nan (thank you, Groupon, for the dead cheap voucher) and then perhaps to Camden. The day is to be rounded off with some yummy food and some cake.

But I’ve been thinking recently that a birthday should be more than just an excuse to pamper yourself and get presents. It’s your own personal New Year!

I was inspired by this post last year and decided that I would do my own list. Reading over my list, there’s an awful lot of craft and learning based goals. Trying something new or rediscovering something I used to love. Here’s hoping these goals will really enrich my year! Some of these goals are ones that will have a result at the end of it, some of them are a little more fluid.

1. Actively pursue looking for an agent. I need to focus on it, rather than just browsing sites when I have a minute and then forgetting to do anything about it.

2. Get faster, go further. Seriously want to improve my running. I already have a regular monthly running date with a friend, so I  really want to focus on upping my personal best each time. And then totally smash it.

3. Finish up Novel Number 2, The Daddy. Slightly more of a challenge than I thought it would be as I’m still finishing up the edits on Novel Number 1.

4. Buy (at least) 3 vintage/second-hand/charity shop dresses. Better for the environment and I’ll have something no one else has. Already planning a trip to a vintage fair on Sunday!

5. Sew a new item of clothing for myself, I haven’t since I made a skirt when I was 15. I might even treat myself to this kit.

6. Knit a jumper. I can knit a scarf, but I want to make clothing. And this also means learning to read a pattern. Which may as well be in Hindi for all the sense I can currently make of them.

7. Give up bread! This isn’t some bizarre diet attempt. I absolutely adore bread, but it makes me lazy. If I can’t be bothered to cook, I know I can fill up on a couple of slices of toast. If I vow to eat less bread, then it will encourage me to cook more. Expand my culinary repertoire!

8. Visit an outdoor adventure place. I don’t think this needs more explanation really does it?

9. Look into a course about web design. I know precisely nothing about anything technical, but I’d love to know more. I can’t think of a better way to learn than by going back to school.

10. Finish up that epic poem and make it up into a book, complete with illustrations! I started it in 2009 and I’m very fond of it so I want to see it finished to see how the story ends. When I did GCSE I particularly loved the drawing stage, I found it really relaxing, even if some of the designs were beyond my sewing capabilities! But now I put it off because I’m not that good at it so I think it’s about time I rediscovered the fun and perhaps with practice I’ll get better!

11. Listen to more radio programmes. I kept hearing about someone in The Archers falling off a roof and realised that radio can get you talking just as much as TV. Also, I need to get out of this habit of getting into watching something just because it’s on in the room I happen to be in.

12. Knit a sock. Yes, just the one. Two if I can manage it, but I hear tell that socks are fiendishly difficult so one would make me very proud indeed!

13. See the very last Harry Potter film and really enjoy it. All too often I think – not as good as the book and terribly cast. But this series has been part of my life since I was 11 years old and thanks to the films I didn’t have to say goodbye when the last book was published in 2007. So I’m going to enjoy this!

14. Do the splits! Yes, this is a dream of mine.

15. See three new plays. I love the theatre, but I find it expensive and booking tickets always seems to be such a hassle (is it just me? But I can never find three seats together on the same night that aren’t the price of a champion racehorse!)

16. Make a real go of some freelancing work.

17. Join a club. I haven’t really thought this one through because I don’t know what club! But I’m going to keep my eyes peeled for something interesting and hope I can meet some inspiring new people. A London writers club would be wonderful. Any ideas, let me know!

18. Go to a big sewing/knitting/vintage/craft event. I love craft, do-it-yourself and vintage and all the blogs seem to find these events a lot of fun. So I’d like to join in on that fun and maybe learn something new.

19. Visit an antiques fair. I blame Kirsty Allsopp for this.

20. Visit Wales. I hear they have great trails there. And a howies shop…

21. Go horse-riding. I think the last time I rode I was about 14 when I was working in a stable. Then came the GSCEs, the A-levels and university. Time to get back in the saddle I reckon!

22. Join a pottery class or at least make a coil pot at home. Again – enough with the “Ooo, that looks good, I’d like to try that.” I’m going to do it!

23. Do a poetry open mic night. It’s one thing reading out your work to a seminar group, it’s quite another to get up on stage and do it. So I’ll admit that I’ll probably visit somewhere that does this a few times before I actually try it. There's no reason to sacrifice myself unawares to a baying mob! Any recommendations of places/events to check out, let me know please!

24. Take up tennis. I get addicted to Wimbledon every year and I’ve got a tennis court about a 45 minute walk away from me. There’s no reason not to have a go myself!

So here’s to my own personal New Year. Let’s see how many goals I can fulfil. I may do another post about my birthday weekend of fun next week, we shall see!

Happy Birthday to any fellow Pisceans and Happy Un-birthday to everyone else!

Things to do

I’m taking time out from my job applications to write this. I need a break from the constant repetition of where I went to school and what I studied at A-level. I remember a little while back one of my favourite company’s howies was looking for staff and rather than the traditional application form, they wanted a letter telling them about yourself. I was tempted to apply just for the enjoyment of letter-writing. So much more fun and less production line like than the traditional application process.
I thought I’d share some pictures of my things to do:

The Whiteboard

This is my trusty whiteboard. It’s got the reviews that are ready to go onto Vulpes Libris when there’s an available slot. Space for short story notes which is blank at the moment because I’ve only recently decided to really work on my short stories. There my current word count in a bright, accusing red and a few notes on my current work-in-progress (as well as notes for another possible  W.I.P). There’s also, way down in the bottom right hand corner a little tally chart for rejections. So far my novel has been rejected by three agents and I’m keeping count because every no is one step nearer a yes! I also stick up postcards and my library receipts and brochures for things I want to do (currently Open University – World Archaeology please – and Rosetta Stone because I want to learn Italian).

Future Projects:

This is all the stuff I want to do over the next few months and in the New Year. There’s a Swiss ball set there because I’d like to keep healthy and as I can’t always go for a run, I thought this would be a good alternative. I’ve been using it for two days and I really am feeling it in my core muscles. Love it!

There’s two vegan cookbooks there, Meals Without Squeals. I’m vegetarian, not vegan, but I like to use as few animal products as possible and I’m always on the lookout for new recipes. As soon as I get chance I’ll be flicking through these and writing a shopping list.

The books are an assorted bunch. I read (and reviewed!) Our Tragic Universe by Scarlett Thomas a little while ago. Not only did I adore the book but it made an impression on me as I really identified with the heroine. I suppose it partly inspired my decision to look for the life I want rather than wait for it to fall into my lap. Anyway, two of the books there are read by the heroine in the book – Getting Started Knitting Socks and Bach Flower Therapy. As I was learning to crochet and really enjoying it, I wanted to make more things, but practical things, hence the sock book. Once I’ve made my Christmas presents, I’ll be tackling socks and I will not be defeated! I was also intrigued by the idea of Flower Therapy and I will definitely be reading that soon, maybe even trying it out. Then there’s my Complete Guide to Running which I bought for the tips and the motivation. I’m only dipping in and out at the moment, but I think I’ll try and read it in full so I don’t miss anything.

And right at the bottom is chess, which I picked up for the bargain price of £1.99 in Help the Aged. I’ve never been able to get my head round the game but now I’ve got some free time and know someone that can teach me, why not have another go?

So there you are, all the things I want to start doing. I’m already dreading facing the socks…