Resolution Round-Up: March
Today is my birthday.
Me on the left, TANK on the right, at our flamenco performance last October. I want to wear that dress every day.
IT’S MY BIRTHDAY.
I am 24.
Today is also the start of Crits for Water. (This is not a coincidence.)
CRITS FOR WATER IS AWESOME.
$5000 here we come, wooooooo!
So anyway. Resolution round-up POWER.
Work
- I will speak less Japanese in class. It’s going! And it’ll be even better starting in April when I’m choosing what to teach myself. WIN.
- Apply to Peace Corps or something in Europe: This still isn’t happening until later in the year.
- I will study Japanese and Chinese. My Japanese has actually gotten better without my purposefully studying. I can have real, hour long conversations. They’re a little awkward, and sometimes I don’t understand everything, but with the help of a dictionary, I’m good.
- Apply to the Foreign Service. I’m buying either this book or this one. For the former, The People’s History of the United States, I think it would be an interesting take on the US, but I know it’s biased and also a little squidgy on the footnotes. The latter, The Patriot’s History of the United States is clearly its counterpoint. I’ll probably end up reading both, but I don’t know which one to start with. Any other recommendations? I need something I can get on my kindle, and I want to start with an overview, then I’ll pick out my weak areas and focus on those to start.
Writing
- I will finish two novels. Haven’t started writing a new book, but I’m PLOTTING. Which is a good step. Once I get a good outline going–really, once I know the end, the work generally flows.
- I will join twitter and blog more often. ACCOMPLISHED.
- There has been drama. But the good kind.
- Query Singular: BOUNCE BOUNCE BOUNCE BOUNCE BOUNCEBOUNCEBOUNCE.
- Critting quickly: Okay, sometimes it takes 10 days. This is a little unacceptable, especially with Crits for Water coming up, but overall I’m doing a good job of keeping it under one week.
There's an actual campaign URL now! YAY.
Personal
- Enter a photo contest: Honestly, I haven’t even looked. Any of y’all know some that are smaller? And also either free to enter or have a smaller entry fee?
- Credit Card Balance Under $1000: Slowly but surely, we’re getting there. I’m solidly under $3000 now, and I anticipate it staying that way.
- I will read a book a week: I’m falling behind. But I’ll be bored at work soon again, so maybe I’ll get caught up.
- Donations to charity: water: DONE.
- charity: water drive: HAPPENING NOW. Donate. Get a crit. Increase your Awesome score. (Also +1 to charisma for each dollar donated
). - I will run 5x a week: HAHAHAHAHAHAHHA.
SO. Life is going pretty well. I’ve started the charity: water drive, which is another goal accomplished. Moving along swimmingly, really. As always, I need to study and exercise more, but I think my motivation on both those counts is returning. Especially as I’m gonna buy a bike soon, and spending money on it will motivate me to use it.
And finally, BOOKLIST, 2011:
- Butterfly Swords by Jeannie Lin (Historical Romance)
- Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins (YA contemp)
- Across the Universe by Beth Revis (YA futuristic/dystopia)
- XVI by Julie Karr (YA dystopia)
- Unveiled by Courtney Milan (Historical Romance)
- Magic Under Glass by Jaclyn Dolamore (YA fantasy/steampunk)
- Romancing the Countess by Ashley March (Historical Romance) MS
- before i fall by Lauren Oliver (YA contemporary)
- StarCrossed by Elizabeth Bunce (YA fantasy)
- Divergent by Victoria Roth (YA dystopia) ARC
- Hereafter by Tara Hudson (YA paranormal/romance) ARC
- Wither by Lauren DeStefano (YA dystopia)
What are you waiting for? DONATE NOW. Or wait until the special guest crits/the Super Sekrit giveaway. Giveaway #1 starts THIS SATURDAY, April 2nd. E-gads! First special guest crit is Vahini Naidoo‘s random drawing on April 4th!
Happy birthday, Kat! I would tell you that even if you didn’t rock, but because you do–you get another one: HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!
Happy birthday!!