twenty thirteen goals

 Goals for 2013;

Knit presents for the majority of my close friends for christmas (I already know i want to knit patterned mittens for two close friends, a scarf for another, and something for my mother).
Learn how to knit: intarsia, patterned mittens and entrelac. OR at least one of these!
Knit a superfine lace anything!

Graduate!
Get involved with a local print studio, after I graduate and before I move away to hone my skills within a working environment and really get a feel for what it is like in the world.

Enter as many print competitions and art prizes as I can - there are hundreds out there and I will have no excuse not to get involved.

See a little bit more of the world.

Follow my detested eighteen month plan

Move to edinburgh (I think realistically this will happen in 2014, so maybe we'll say flat hunt in Edinburgh!)

Drive to visit my grandmothers.

Keep making work and enjoying it.

I know i'm a bit late to this party, but I wanted to welcome in 2013 (be it like twenty days late). This year, I wanted to set myself more achievable goals. Normally they're a bit vague, like "be happy", keep doing fun stuff, etc. I thought I would set myself more realistic ones!
So we had to do this dire unit at uni that was dubiously titled "professional futures": we had to plan out our life for the eighteen months after we graduate. Where we want to live, work, study, how we will afford this, etc. How unbelievably hideous, right? Right. I understand their theory behind it - we need to start thinking about our future and can't keep burying our head in the sand any longer.. the only problem is the lectures and the tutor himself have the problem of being horrifically demotivating, not to mention being awfully unprofessional and essentially saying that if we dared to either move back home with our parents, get a job that isn't art related, or god forbid, become a teacher we are worthless, useless, stupid, and why the fuck did we go to artschool? Tangent. Sorry. Getting to the important bit. It made me look at my savings and start to think realistically about where I want to live. After looking at flats in Edinburgh, where I would like to live.. I have enough money to live for at least a year, without working.. As I assume I'll be able to find at LEAST a part-time job there - I'm beyond excited.

This made me feel so much better. It's like this giant weight has been lifted. Who gives a shit if I don't have a career planned out - I know I can afford to live in amazing city and actually LIVE. It's like I just want this year to end, but in a completely good, thrilling and fresh way.

That afternoon, after realising this, I was hit with this intense excitement for the future, one that I have never had before. It's so, so thrilling. Here's to an exciting 2013!!

Have you set yourself any goals, and how have you been sticking to them?