So, I turned 25 last week. It's a weird and wonderful concept, and one I haven't really had a chance to think about, being swamped with work and moving house and family times or ties, however you want to think about it.
I finally managed to get a few days off (well, as 'off' as I can ever get), and have been thinking a lot about the list I made last year, my
24 Before 25. It's cool to think about how much I achieved, and even cooler to think about how much I've changed and how much I haven't too.
Life Goals
1. FINISH MOVING. This is a big one. It's probably my least favourite thing to do in the world, and I've been in a stranger stasis for the last year or so as I went overseas and moved in with my dad as I saved for it. But I've got a place now with a friend, and we move next week, so fingers crossed it goes smoothly.
2. Visit an Australian state or territory I haven't been to before. I did this last year as a part of my 24 Before 25 list, and loved spending a few weeks in Western Australia. A a resuly, I've been to four out of the eight that make up Australia, leaving South Australia, Australian Capital Territory, Northern Territory and Tasmania left to visit.
3. And hey, a country too. I visited the United States earlier this year which was a lot of fun. Ahead, I'd really love to go to Japan or across South East Asia.
4. Start learning Japanese again.
5. Get a tattoo. This was one of the things I was aiming to get done over the last year, but I just didn't get around to it. So yes! Definitely this year!
6. Do up a real budget and stick to it. I'm not bad with money, but I could be a lot better.
7. Get back into yoga. I used to do it all the time, but haven't had much time for it in the last few months.
8. On a related note, find a better way to manage my stress.
9. Another one from last year - set up a plant pot herb garden. My dad's going to help me out with it, so fingers crossed it actually gets done.
10. Go to more concerts.
11. Have a good and proper spring clean, and get rid of a chunk of the stuff I've accumulated over the last few years.
12. Organise my creative workspace so that it doesn't look like a crime scene and try to keep it that way.
Writing Goals
13. Get back into short fiction. I've been working on full-length manuscripts for the last twelve months, and it's been great, but short fiction is my real love.
14. Sell some freelance work.
15. Finish the sequel to my young adult manuscript,
Dig Up Your Own Bones.
16. Change my submission schedule so that instead of writing to deadline, I have one submission day a month where I send out stories to everything taking my fancy.
17. Attend a festival or conference I haven't been to before.
18. Sort out my WIP folder, because it is a MESS.
Reading (and watching) Goals
19. Read all of Jane Austen's work! I know, I know, this was on the list for last year, and I only read two of her books -
Sense and Sensibility and
Emma. But that just leaves me
Mansfield Park and
Persuasion which seems totally doable.
20. Read more non-fiction. I dipped my toe in the water of it this year, particularly with true crime, so really want to broaden my tastes with it.
21. Watch the original
X-Men animated series.
22. Watch all the movies on
Flavorwire's 50 essential horror movies list.
Project Goals
23. Finish up to Year 20 for
The Oscars Project.
24. Lock in the Lady Parts Podcast schedule.
25. Write more
actual writing posts on this blog.
And probably more things. Probably bake and cook more, go to the gym again, get my shit together generally.
