Looking Forward to 2010

I love writing goals! Any time I feel the need to refocus I start listing. I carry a 6x4 inch lined spiral bound notebook in my purse at all times just so I can make lists. That’s my preferred writing place, but I have also been known to make lists in the white space of magazine margins, that card board insert that comes with panty hose and random envelopes.

Recently a lot of lists got officially crossed out. I had a lot of lists for Sara and Matt’s wedding, lists for Christmas and lists for the New Year’s Party. Well, the New Year’s Party hasn’t quite happened yet, but most of the planning is done. And you know what January 1st is? That’s right, the universal goal setting time of the year.

Heading my list of goals for 2010 has to be finding a career job. We are coming into early spring when lots of gardens and garden centers start hiring so I’ve got my fingers crossed. This is also the time universities post their openings for professors. So we are both staying on top of applications.

I am also working very hard to resist consumerism. I thought this article’s opening about living within your means, nicely summed up how I feel.

Live a comfortable life, not a wasteful one. Do not spend to impress others. Do not live life trying to fool yourself into thinking wealth is measured in material objects. Manage your money wisely so your money does not manage you. Always live well below your means.

I'm still a work in progress when it comes to material stuff.  Although, Peace Corps really helped me seperate what I need from what I want. 

I am also looking for ways to be healthier. The culture in America does not make it easy to eat well and exercise, especially when “living below your means”.  The solution to being healthier is to integrate exercise and eating into my daily activities. I'm going to have to consciously work on this.

Even though we will move and we are very unsettled right now I want to have a garden; preferably one big enough to produce a significant amount of our food. For now I will plan to start a garden with my mom in the community garden space. And no matter where we find ourselves in the coming year, I will start a little plot even if it is just on the balcony.

I will use this blog to write about how I am accomplishing these goals. This blog has been around since 2005 and I have been blogging off and on since 2002. These blogs have helped me gather my thoughts and focus and record my life. All you readers are lovely icing on the cake.

I was in 4-H as a kid, so I know to write a good goal you have to include: who, what, how and when. So here are my goals for 2010:

• I will apply for at least two career jobs a week until Jeff or I get a job.
• I will budget our money with mint.com so we can live comfortably on our savings for the entire year.
• I will work to change all my cooking over to recipes that use simple whole ingredients and are 50% vegetables and fruit by February 2010.
• I will walk or take the bus at least 50% of the time when in town for the entire time we stay in Ames.
• I will plan and plant a vegetable garden to produce vegetables for eating, canning and freezing for the growing season of 2010.
• I will write a blog update at least once a week for the year of 2010.

 So there you have it.

What are you goals for 2010?