Three Years in Review

Three Years in Review

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Warning!!! Pretty long post today…

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This year I decided that I needed to do some real soul searching before I sat down and wrote out my goals for 2011. After all, I haven’t had the best of luck the past few years with being able to keep them. I really hate that.

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Some people would say to quit making them. But for me, I really have to have a blue print or I tend to let those things that are important to me slide to the wayside in lieu of the emergency things that come up. Emergencies tend to be most people’s priority, but when you dwell on those, then the rest of your life can flounder until it too becomes an emergency. I’ve found that when this happens, sometimes you really can’t get things back to the way you want them.

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So, with this in mind, I’ve decided to look back on my last two years of goals (those happen to be the ones I had on my computer – not sure where I put the other years…grrr…); and then look at where my life currently is and where I want it to be. Then I will look at making my 2011 goals.

Before I start on the goal list, I want to point you to a few sites I’ve read the past few weeks that have really helped me step up and come to the decisions I’ve made.

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One is JA Konrath’s blog site. Now, I don’t know Mr. Konrath, but I have been an avid reader of his blog for quite some time. He happens to be somewhat of a pioneer in the e-publishing/self-publishing industry and quite a few people are keeping an eye on how his publishing ventures turn out (I am definitely a fan of his writing, too). Most recently, he posted his past years goals (where I got the idea to post mine) and then while reading through his past goals, came up with his new goals for 2011.

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I LOVED this idea. How else would I really see where I was going wrong if I didn’t evaluate what I was trying to achieve.

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Then I read two fellow Petit Fours and Hot Tamales blog authors personal blogs. Christine Glover is one of our Alabama blog sisters. Recently she posted her 2011 goals, but what was different about hers (and what really caught my eye) was that she broke hers down into professional and personal (like I do) but she also breaks hers down by quarters. Now why had I never thought of that??? Seriously, this should not have been an aha moment for me because I do this for everything else in my life. Why not break down my own goals this way??? Duhhh!!!

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Then she came up with a master list of writing goals for the year, too. Okay. I know some of you might be laughing at this because it is such a Duh thing. But honestly I had not really thought if it before. Okay, so now I am…

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Finally I want to direct you to another Petit Fours and Hot Tamales blog sister, Pam Asberry. She listed her 2011 goals as well, but what really hit me was a quote she also posted.

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HE WHO FAILS TO PLAN, PLANS TO FAIL.

Yeah, yeah. Another Duh moment, I’m sure. BUT, also another eye opener. Seriously. I have always been a planner! I have always been a list maker! Why would I issue myself an ultimatum for the year (my goals!) and then not follow up with a plan on how to complete them?

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Another great post from Pam was her January 1^st post where she posted six questions she asks herself every morning.

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“What MUST occur in order for me to feel that 2011 was a success?

What is my DREAM for 2011?

What am I WILLING to do to make these things happen?

What am I willing to STOP DOING to make the year a success?

Who is my SUPPORT GROUP?

Who am I ACCOUNTABLE to?”

See what I mean? Really Duh stuff, but things that I’m sure more people than just me tend to forget about.

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So, with these things in mind, I took a step back and looked at my last few years.

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2009 Goals

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Personal Goals

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• I’m going to follow Nicki Salcedo’s lead here and go with the weight loss thing. Maybe we can encourage each other. I know I certainly need the extra push from someone working towards the same end result… What do you say, Nicki? Anyone else have the same idea??? Didn’t work – darn it!

• Try to stay organized. This is extremely tough with school, work and family. But I WILL DO THIS!!! Slightly, but not where I wanted it to be.

• Spend more time with my family. Okay, this means putting down the book I might be reading at that moment or shutting down the computer and actually watching the television show they are watching. I know this is going to take away from my other life (the writing one), but I have to find a working balance… Definitely a work in process…

• WRITE. WRITE. WRITE. Wellllllllll……..

Writing Goals

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• WRITE. WRITE. WRITE. Not so much. Hard to be creative when working, doing the family thing and being on the fast track to a college education.

• Keep my website updated. Most of the time…grin…

• Keep my bog updated. Not so much…..

• Finish the rewrites on my current book (and get it to Ana). Nope. Missed it by a mile.

• Get going on my YA story. Still in the same position as it was before.

• Complete my current Blaze WIP. Read YA result above…. L

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2010 Goals

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Writing Goals

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• Complete one full manuscript – Grrrrr…. Not so much.

• Complete the edits for In Her Wildest Dream. Nope…..

• Submit both manuscripts to an agent or editor. Nope.

• Keep up with my monthly posts for PF&HT. Yay!!! Something I did do…

• Blog at least once a week (xtra) on my blog. Yay!!! Did something else!

Personal Goals:

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• Reconnect with family after graduation. Still a work in progress, but yes I am doing this.

• Get more active – start training for a marathon. Yay. Did do this but lost momentum when I was so very busy in October.

• Scrub tile and seal grout. Yes!

• Update all my photo albums/scan for book. Nope.

• Plan one outing each month with hubby and son. So-so. It was more like every two and three months, but we did have a lot of fun.

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Okay, not terrible goals. In fact, most of these things are still something I want to achieve. BUT, I want to also be realistic about them. Soooo, with that in mind, I’ve come up with a small starting point for the 2011 year.

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2011 Goals

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2011Writing Goals

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· Keep up with my Petit Fours and Hot Tamales blog duties

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· Find another outlet that is not something I have to manage

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· Enter Ruby Red Stilleto’s in the Virginia Ellis Workshop (February Deadline) with Georgia Romance Writers group

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· Enter same story in the Maggies (June Deadline)

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· Enter same story in the Golden Heart contest through RWA (November/December deadline)

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· Which means that this story must be completed by that timeframe…
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· Complete Vampire short story and submit to someone (??? Still working on who I want to submit it to)

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· Edit and revamp (meaning edit, edit, edit) In Her Wildest Dreams to submit somewhere

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· Keep up with the new critique meetings Maxine and I started this year…

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I am going to stop at this point because I honestly want to do things that might be doable in this area. Until a few other plans I have in motion are fulfilled, I don’t know how much further in my writing endeavors I can actually go.

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First Quarter Writing Goals

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· Critique Maxine’s pages

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· Complete chapters on Ruby Red Stilettos

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· Complete outline on my PF&HT blog posts

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· Complete outline for blog posts for this blog (g)

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First Quarter Personal Goals:

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· Live!

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· Put Life Re-evaluation plan into motion

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· Wash all the windows in my house (if you know me, you know why I would have to put this as a goal….)

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· Stick to budget created on January 1^st

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I really think this is a good start. Thank you to those who read all the way to the end here… I know it is a lot to take in, but I really did this mostly for myself. By putting my thoughts into words, I’m hoping that THIS year will be a turning point for me.

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Happy 2011 to all of you!!!

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~Tami~