2014: a Recap, and Resolutions

Happy New Year, all! May the coming year be bright and merry. Confession: this post was originally supposed to air on the 1st, but given the two day Scottish holiday (we take our drinking seriously), I got rather side tracked. 

I try and do resolutions every year; it's a thankless tradition for the most part (and you're probably sick of reading them) but they work if one keeps several things in mind: they should only be guidelines for how one wants the year to turn out, they should be enjoyable, achievable, and you should never feel guilty if they don't happen. It is worth assessing how you got on with them, though, and for that reason I'm taking a look at what I resolved to change last year.

Resolutions for 2014

My wee baby, who has been ill over the holidays with a UTI. :(

(My usual wardrobe feature post has been postponed, and instead will be up in a day or two.) 

Welp, the year is over. I'm not actually sure what to say about 2013; it was a strange and mixed year, but not a terrible one. I'm hoping 2014 is destined to be a good year, especially for a lot of bloggers out there who have had a difficult time over the last 12 months. It's certainly going to be an exciting one, as Scotland votes on whether or not to become an independent country, I look for my first flat (!) and my course go into the last year of my academic teaching phase.

I made resolutions at the end of last year as to what I was hoping for the year ahead, and I can happily say that I haven't crafted as much as I said I would, nor become a proficient cook or shopped exclusively second hand. I hugged my dog a lot, at least.

Still, I always treat resolutions more as guidelines, and I have developed somewhat. I've learned how to stop feeling guilty about things that I shouldn't be worrying about. Whilst my views as a feminist haven't changed, I've learned about new issues and also how to better express myself and talk to people who aren't as enthusiastic as me. As both a medic and a fashion enthusiast, I'm finding new areas (infertility, child health) and inspirations (nu goth, twenties flapper) without feeling overwhelmed or like I'm betraying myself. I got a job, and earned my way during the summer. My health has been poor for the latter part of the year, but I've managed to overcome that.

As for this year? Well, there's still things I want to change.

• Cut down on PDA. Guilty as charged. Part of it is just me forgetting that my levels of normal physical contact are above those of most people, and part of it is just due to bad habits.
• Switch from Digital to Analogue. I spend a lot of time - far too much - and I've also been neglecting a lot of old passions, like reading and crafting. I want to switch over so that I'm not so reliant on technology for work and for entertainment.
• Do something with my hair. Because Christ, it gets boring wearing it the same way all the time.
• Not be afraid to wander down new paths. I have a post about this coming up, but I don't want be restricted to a very narrow range of interests.
• Make my study time more effective and relax more. I have a tendency to plod on with work even when it's fruitless, and forgetting to do things that I enjoy.
• Clear out my closet. I've managed to learn how not to take stuff to Dundee that I don't wear, but my wardrobe at home has far more things that need to leave!
• Wear every colour of the rainbow for lipstick. Because it came to my attention that I haven't ever tried green lipstick yet, and that simply will not do.

Do you feel that New Year's Resolutions are an outdated fad, or have you made your own? Let me know in the comments!







Fee

Summer Goals

Summer! Time of plenty, time of barbecues, time of getting out and doing things...

... Or time of staying indoors and staring at the ceiling, if you're me.

Well, it's not quite that bad. But summer has been difficult for me, in some ways - coming away from uni has made me realize how isolated I am at home when everyone is in different cities, and how I have virtually nothing to do. I had hoped to get a job this summer and work part time, but as it is I only have an ad hoc position with my local care home - and as great as they are in taking me on, I haven't had any shifts yet, and no shifts means no money to do things with. :/

Mary Rose at The Everyday Goth blogged last month about her style resolutions for the summer, and after a mild existential crisis, browsing The Curious Professor Z's Bat Fit List (whom my thoughts are with right now, as she goes through a difficult period) and talking to friends, I realized that I should probably do the same.

So, without further ado, here's my summer goals - 

• Clear out all my clutter.   

This is an old favourite of mine in times of crises or change, but clearing out the hoard that I accumulate really does help (it ensures that I can find things and actually walk through my room freely, if nothing else).

•  Get outside.

This shouldn't even have to be a resolution, really. Nonetheless, my lack of income, combined with how most of my work/tasks can be completed from home, has meant that I'm barely leaving the house. Even if it's only to walk up the Clyde, I'd like to resolve to do more things.

• Revise.

Dear god, I never thought that I'd say that. Particularly considering how much work this year was. Nonetheless, though I passed my exams, it was mainly through cramming; that worked fine for secondary, but when I'm expected to retain what I've learned in 1st year through my whole career I need to reconsider my revision approach. I'm planning on better structuring my revision through next year, but until then I want to go over my notes on respiratory, cardiovascular and GI disease.

• Work on crafts for my new room.

Whilst I do already have a lot of projects that need finishing, I might have to accept that some of them are on indefinite hold and move on to more relevant things to me right now. I'm moving into new halls of residence in September when I head back to university, and while it's not what I had wanted I've decided to make the best of it and instead focus on what I can do to make the space mine - and that means tonnes of crafting! In the spirit of resolutions I have a friend helping me out by doing the same thing for her new digs (though less bats and black and more florals and teapots) and motivating me.

• Work on my blog.

Although my posting has been erratic - at least, during term time - I do value having a blog, and reading those of others. I've been doing a lot of work recently tinkering with the layout, pages and widgets recently (some of it you may have noticed), but I do want to focus on what I want to use my blog for and what new, original content I can provide for my readers; this is something I might post on later. I also plan on using my time over summer to stack up posts, so I can still keep consistently posting through the academic year.

• Mix up my work out.

This is more of an afterthought, but recently I've been getting bored and uninterested at the gym, so it's probably time to rethink my exercise strategy. I'm interested in possibly taking up the Professor's Bat Fit Challenge, but other than hoping to get a liiiittle fitter I'm pretty happy with where I am in life right now, both mentally and physically.


I'll hopefully be able to post my results through the summer, and I'd hope that you'd hassle me if I don't. ;)



Fee

Resolutions.




The sky on campus was very pretty this morning.

Managed to not only secure a library fine yesterday on a book I thought I'd returned on time, but I missed the bus like an absolute tube because I thought I had an entire hour left. Why, I don't know, but rather hoping it was a fluke. Magically the bus gods favoured me and my journey took a fraction of the time it usually did, meaning I was only late for my lecture by five minutes. I also managed to stay interested in said lectures, which was amazing.

The whole Uni is back this week, which I guess means it's officially the new year now. I still haven't got used to being back in a city where it's still freezing even when sunny, which has resulting in me leaving the house with next to nothing on while snow is lying on the ground. I do miss the holidays, partially because I was in Glasgow and with family, and partially because I got to see the boyfiend and other friends. I also got to go to Glasgow's Danse Macabre (goth/disco club night - yes, you heard that correctly), and received tonnes of awesome things for christmas (some of which I might post pictures of).

Still, Monday (first real day back) was good fun; I learnt how to play Magic: The Gathering, look at the heart in a dissection and do ward rounds all in one day. I figured I should keep the blogging up for my first week back or two, but don't expect posts super regularly, because I'm a lazy fucker and tend to be a bit too busy. :L

In line with cheesy cultural tradition etc. revaluing what I wanted to do and what type of person I wanted to be in 2012 (i.e. one who doesn't forget to do important things or neglect friends or have a panic attack under her desk at exam time), I made resolutions just shortly after new year on tumblr. I can't be arsed looking back through my archives to find out what I said, but I'm sure I broke every single one of the resolutions, ha ha.

Thing is, I don't actually mind; I'm a happier person than I was at the start of 2011 (though maybe not after learning about my fine today), and I've achieved a lot in that year. Not necessarily anything tangible, like learning how to sew or keeping up yoga or whatever the fuck I said I would do, but I know myself better got to do lots of unplanned things, like go to a gay pride rally, survive living independently for three and half months, hold a set of lungs in my hands and share a kiss in George Square. Hell, I'm no longer terrified of washing machines. I still lose my wallet and have blue spells and don't get done what I said I would do, but I've grown a lot and am generally more satisfied with life. Which to be honest, is all I really need.

But in the spirit of things, I'm going to make a list of cool things I want to do, because there's still tonnes of awesome things I want to do this year. I think the trick probably is to avoid them becoming unreachable chores and make them fun, factoring in reviews and editions for through the year.

• Finish my crafts and try new things

Okay, so some things never change. I keep making this resolution every year, and keep putting off doing anything about it. I got a sewing machine last Christmas, and while I messed about on it a fair bit, I never really did much solid. In terms of sewing, I'm pretty much useless beyond basic repairs and very simple projects, and considering all the awesome things I could make, it's definitely something to train myself into; I have to make a list of the projects I want I do, to give me small goals. But first, finishing the massive pile of crafts I've set out for myself is the real challenge.

• Shop mainly second hand

I love shopping vintage and second hand, and some of my favourite pieces come from there. I've been having reservations about buying things new, mainly for environmental and ethical reasons. This is actually in line with Juliet's Lace's Three Month Shopping Ban, though I'm being a bit more relaxed as my wardrobe still has a bit of space.  While I don't think I can get everything second hand - some wardrobe basics such as vest tops will probably have to be bought - I'd definitely like to try being a bit greener.

• Write a daily to do list

This is something I've been doing for a while, actually, and would definitely recommend. I keep two to do lists - one a comprehensive list, the other my list for the day. The latter only has three items on it - depending on how much you feel you can get done in a day this might differ, but be reasonable. By the end of the day you should have completed the list, and you can write a new one for the morning. It's kind of anal and probably a bit ridiculous, but it helps focus me for the day and not forget anything - plus it's quite satisfying when you've finished everything.

• Learn actual cooking, not pot noodle cooking.

I am a student. I live off pasta and rice. Nothing more needs to be said.

• Hug my dog more.

Because sometimes you just have to.
 




Fee