I know these lists of goals usually show up at the end of the year, but I’ve been working on this for the past couple of months and thought, Why not post it now? What are you waiting for? since things are going to become very busy around here in the not too distant future.
I don’t have many goals for next year, but enough I think to keep me (and Brett) motivated and busy:
- Save enough to pay cash for our Big Family Event in early January 2024. Beyond our usual saving hacks, we’re going to continue putting away $5 bills as well as $1s, and we plan to collect natural items in the area during the fall (pine cones, Osage oranges/hedge apples, acorns, etc.) to sell on Etsy – I was surprised to find there is a demand for this stuff. I am going to apply for a part-time job at Trader Joe’s, but that’s still an unknown for now so we’re mostly going to save the old-fashioned way. If I do end up working, that income will go into other savings for the time being.
- Buy only handmade items, either through Etsy or local venues. We don’t plan on buying anything more this coming year, either for us or the apartment, but if we do we’ll choose handmade or locally produced.
- Source all clothing purchases from thrift stores, eBay, or Etsy (except for socks, underwear, and shoes). Neither of us need anything thing right now, but if we feel like we do, thrift stores and Etsy will be our sources.
- Try one new recipe each month. I don’t cook much these days, and usually stick to favorite recipes, so trying one new dish a month should be enough.
- Crochet a sweater. I haven’t crocheted in years, but I found a pattern I like on Etsy, will purchase the yarn next month, and WenYu (a master crocheter) will help me get started when she’s here in December. I can do this! I can knit, but those skills are even rustier than crocheting.
- Stay in shape through continued walking, healthy eating, and tracking my calories on MyFitnessPal. I let MyFitnessPal go when we were in Mexico, but it was very helpful before and I want (and need) to get back to it.
- Reread 52 books. My theme for 2023 will be to read books I’ve read before, including some from high school, college, and beyond – I want to see how I feel about them now. The first book up in the new year will be Gone With the Wind, which I read when I was 11 years old (I expect I may find it rather sappy now). I’m going to be very picky because I’m pretty sure the books I disliked back in the day I will dislike just as much now, but I’m looking forward to giving some of them another chance.
- Visit 12 historical or natural sites in our area. At the top of our list is a visit to Mammoth Caves National Park, but there are Civil War battlefields and other historical buildings in the area to visit, the Shaker village, and loads of natural areas worth seeing while we’re in the area. We are hoping to do some camping with M and K this spring and summer, if possible but haven’t figured out yet how we’ll pull that off.
Some of these may change or more may be added as the year goes along, depending on how things play out. I also want to post a monthly list of goals here and see if that helps us stay motivated as well to accomplish more through the year.
The Occasional Nomads 
I love that sweater pattern. We took our kids to Mammoth Cave on our return trip from Gulf Shores one spring break. We all loved it.
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I first saw the pattern two years ago on Etsy and it’s taken me this long to work up the nerve to make it! I am determined to complete it, but it’s going to be an effort and take a good deal of relearning on my part.
Our current cold weather has put a real damper on things for the time being as we adjust, but we hope to go up there sometime early next year if all goes well. I’m really looking forward to it – I know it will be more magnificent than I imagine.
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The first year back in a colder climate is an adjustment. When I moved back to the Midwest from California, I swear I didn’t warm up all winter. My blood was quite thin. 😊
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I am struggling with the cold. This morning it’s been below freezing, and is not even expected to hit 40 degrees today. Too cold for my thinned Hawaii blood to go out for a walk! I’ve written off this week when it comes to walking, and have been watching my calories VERY carefully.
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I was about the same age when I first read Gone With The Wind. I loved it so much then, I reread it almost straight away, lol. Today though? I would hope I could reread it through a more discerning lens without losing the essence of the book’s crazy romanticism for the starry eyed young girl I was.
On my list of rereads would be A Tree Grows In Brooklyn, Watership Downs, Gone With The Wind, The Thornbirds, Shogun, the entire Harry Potter series, and The Ladies of the Club.
I actually have been rereading books from my youth, and it has been an absolute delight. So far I’ve reread The Hobbit, the entire Chronicles of Narnia series, and several books by Noel Streetfield (Ballet Shoes, Dancing Shoes, Theater Shoes anmong them).
Books are magical, always!
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I too reread Gone With the Wind almost immediately. I’ve learned a lot since then and am looking forward to reading it again with different eyes. I imagine it will still be a page-turner even though I know how things will turn out.
Thanks too for your list of rereads – I’ve read most of them and have added those ones to my list!
I’m looking forward to rereading Peyton Place, The Carpetbaggers, and Catcher In the Rye – I read all three when I was in the 8th grade. They were scandalous, and I loved them (we used to pass them around in brown paper bags – seriously!)
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Laura, I’m curious. Nashville is the country music capital with the Ryman Auditorium & the Grand Ole Opry & Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum & others. Do any of these attractions appeal to you?
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Neither Brett nor I are country music fans, but we’re going to visit the Country Music Hall of Fame with our kids this December – I am especially interested in see the display of Nudie Cohn suits they have. I’ve been a big Nudie fan for a ling time. I’ve also told Brett we really should go to the Grand Ole Opry while we’re here and his answer has always been “maybe.” We’ve got another 20 months to go, but Brett and I are notorious for not visiting well-known places where we live, or at least waiting until the very end of our stay!
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About Etsy. I had a shop on there for many years. I never sold much though. It is a tough place to do business. Very competitive. Plus I did not want to have to deal with sales tax.
I recently got an email from them that they were requiring all sellers to verify their bank accounts. (NOT A SCAM, I checked). In order to do this you have to give your bank information including passwords to a third party. The email says that unless I do this, I will not be allowed to sell. I was not willing to do this so I just closed my shop. I can still buy things on there but not sell.
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Thanks for this tip – I still have my Etsy shop from when I was selling my hashioki, but so far haven’t heard from Etsy about needing a bank account number. Or, at least I don’t think I’ve heard from them – I don’t read everything they send. I wouldn’t do it anyway – NO ONE gets my passwords and a legitimate request will not ask for them as there are other ways to verify accounts.
Anyway, if I can’t rename and resume my account in the fall, we’ll open another one.
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Rereading must be in the air! Jane Eyre, Dr Zhivago, Bury My Heart in Wounded Knee, To Kill a Mockingbird are mine from High School. My bff and I are going to do the Bible in a year. Those OT stories are amazing. For fun are the Quilt Ladies.
2022 will end with more of my daughter’s suggestions. We just read My Personal Librarian and Man’s Search for Meaning. The Invisible Library and Circe are on the Kindle for the next few weeks.
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I may have to add To Kill a Mockingbird and Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee – read both on my own – but slogged through Jane Eyre (and Wuthering Heights) and once was enough!
For now the titles are swirling in my head, but I’m going to have to write them down. I wonder if I will get through 52 books. Didn’t think I would this year, but I’m finishing up #50, and have a month to go.
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I just love that sweater pattern!!! Going to be lovely in your color choice, look forward to the finished product. 🙂
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LOL- when it came time to order the yarn, much as I loved the lavender gray I realized that I’d probably never wear it, or wear it very little, so I instead bought a soft gray, cream, and golden tan melange. Wish me luck though – it’s been AGES since I crocheted anything.
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I’m looking forward to seeing your reread list. I’m not a big fan of fiction, but make and effort now and then to read something classic. One thing I’ve done is to read things I should have read in school, but didn’t. Next up on that list is The Great Gatsby.
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Your idea is a great one – read books I should have read. That’s what Brett’s been doing this year – he’s currently reading J.D. Salinger’s Nine Stories, but has read Oliver Twist, Catch 22, and others already this year. Maybe “should have read” will be my theme for 2024! (I didn’t read The Great Gatsby in school either; I read it later on my own. Maybe I should reread this coming year?)
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