Twelve reasons why...

[venta]

Right... so... this New Year Skills plan. I've done the easy part (making the list), and it's just dawned on me that if I'm aiming for one-a-month then I should already be doing one. Because it is, like, the first month of the new year.

However, first we should assess failure levels on last year's resolutions. What were they again ?

1. Spend five minutes (minimum) writing every day.

This (as resolutions so often do) started well, then tailed off. As some of you will know, my life has been extraordinarily chaotic in the last six months, leading to all kinds of organisational problems and literally no free time.

All in all, I don't feel I did too badly, and am getting myself back into the writing habit again. Over the course of the year I produced a few short stories and a sizeable chunk of a (probably very bad) novel. I've entered a couple of short story competitions, which I'm prepared to count as a kind of success.

2. Get up when my alarm goes off every morning, and spend the spare 15-30 minutes I would thereby gain doing bits and pieces of tidying.

Again this started well, but see life turmoil mentioned above[*]. I've not been in my own house for most of the last few months, so it's not really been relevant. As soon as my life develops some kind of routine again, I intend to get back to this.

So... not an outrageous success, but not an outrageous failure on either count. I intend to carry on doing both of these, but hopefully in an it's-now-part-of-my-life sort of way rather than as new year resolutions. .


And so onto the next year, in which I shall attempt to acquire the following twelve skills:

Skill	Objective	Notes
Basic baby care	Be competent to change a nappy and feed a baby, feel that I could safely be left in sole charge of an infant.	Both bopeepsheep and cuthbertcross have kindly offered instruction and use of babies.
Learn a few guitar chords	Go to the Big Busk if there is one this year. If there isn't, or I can't get there, at least be at a level where I feel I could have done.	I own a guitar. I'm now armed with the Guardian's teach-yourself guitar guide, unearthed by ChrisC in a tidying fit recently.
Refresh basic first aid	Feel confident that, in a crises, I could provide the correct basic care. Earn a certificate which says as much.	Any recommendations on courses willingly accepted.
Learn basic plumbing	Be able to tackle minor household matters like dripping taps, etc.	I'm hoping for some advice from Will on how to take this on.
Bread-making	Be able to make a good loaf of bread reliably, without a recipe.	Just practise, I think. At present I make "alright" bread, with a recipe.
Roasts	Be able to make a good roast dinner, without having to look up cookings times and such.	Again, I think I do "alright" roasts. It's mostly a familiarity thing, I need to practise and get more comfortable with all the stages.
Improve Acquire drawing skills	Produce a recoginsable drawing which I need not be ashamed to display in public!	bateleur has offered to provide some form of instruction which I hope to be able to take him up on.
Master basics of horse-riding	Sole charge rising trot	ebee has offered to show me how to go about learning this. She also supplied the objective, which I don't understand (I assume it's something like rising damp).
Learn Python (a computer scripting language)	Not sure yet	I bought a book on Python years ago, but it turns out you have to read it to learn stuff. Python is good for solving a particular kind of problem, once I have one I'll make solving it my objective.
Learn to apply make-up	Be able to achieve the effects I see others achieving	I don't do make-up well. Not least because I do it rarely. I should practise, and possibly take myself off for a lesson or two.
Sewing	Make from scratch something I'd like to wear	I have made clothes before, and I have a sewing machine. I just... need the practise. See a theme here? Also I need to be a lot less slapdash if dressmaking is ever going to work.
Learn Braille	Be able to correspond with AB	I used to be able to read/write level 1 Braille, but I'm now very shaky. To achieve the object, I also need to locate a means of producing Braille; must find out whether the RNIB have facilities in London. Or try eBay...

So, yes, that'll keep me busy. Expect updates at the end of each month ;) Many thanks to all who suggested things to go on my list, or offered assistance with them.

[*] I'm not being deliberately cryptic in not explaining this, it just comes under the heading of Something I Don't Write About On The Internet. Many of you know what's been going on; anyone who doesn't, file it under Bad Work Shit.

Comments

[bateleur.livejournal.com]

I had been going to suggest meeting here on the first of Februrary, but of course that's a Sunday so the nice art shop on Broad Street will probably maliciously be closed.

That doesn't have to be a showstopper - I could email you a shopping list and some suitable instructions.

Skipping on to find the first month which has a Saturday reasonably early in it, we find May 2nd.

That would also be fine.

[venta.livejournal.com]

Er... ok. In that case, if it's convenient, February 2nd 1st ? I'd like to feel that I'm getting on with something rather than arranging nebulous dates for ages away.

Offer includes suitable meals while you're here, of course, and possibly a guitar solo if this month goes to plan (don't bank on it).

[dr-bob.livejournal.com]

If you are planning on doing one per month, I'd suggest you consider the fact that babies age, so baby availability and nature will change with time. Equally, we live pretty close to bateleur so you could perhaps pop over and see us the same weekend you're visiting him? Or whenever we're in Oxford.

[bateleur.livejournal.com]

In that case, if it's convenient, February 1st ?

Provisionally agreed, provided that lathany's free to keep an eye on the twins.

[lathany.livejournal.com]

Yep.

[bateleur.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I'll tell the Bea not to mess you around too much. ;-)

[venta.livejournal.com]

Obviously if there were any Oxford-based activity which would be appropriate for the duo, you'd all be welcome to join in for the eating here part. Obviously you'd be welcome to hang about here while we draw too, but I suspect that's much less of an appealing offer :)

[lathany.livejournal.com]

:-)

Thanks - however Bea and car journeys don't really mix. It'd be nice to catch up with you at some point though.

[venta.livejournal.com]

Don't they ? Oh, that is a shame. (Not because you don't get to see me draw, but because in general it limits options rather.)

Yes, it'd be nice to see you, too. I believe I offered you afternoon tea in my tame cakeshop at some point :) Got any upcoming weekend days free when you fancy a jaunt out to eat cake (there or somewhere else?)

[lathany.livejournal.com]

I want to do cakeshop - but January's looking v full (Somerset, bateleur's mum's birthday and an RPG). bateleur has said there may be more drawing in February - do you want to come here and do cake in the house with the drawing? Alternatively, I could suggest some weekend days then (I mean February) for me to come to the cakeshop?

[venta.livejournal.com]

Well... I'm hoping there might be more drawing in Febrauary, so I'll make sure I bring cake with me. Then maybe when we're in the same place it'll be easier to negotiate free afternoons :)

[lathany.livejournal.com]

And I'll make cake and, yes, an excellent time to plan!