Alex's Journal

So while I know most of you read my FB at this point, I'm going to put this here, also (think of it as extra, extra insurance on doing them:)

So elsewhere I wrote what my goals for this year are, and I figured, well, let's post them to FB as well.
1. Be gentler with myself overall. (I have a tendency to be a bit of a perfectionist, and not in a good way [is there a good way?]. So this one is the most important one.)
2. Write at least three sentences a day.
3. Read at least one book a month.
4. Meditate at least five minutes every morning.
5. Find something fun that feels more like 'play' than 'exercise'.

No, they aren't lofty aspirations (and I know a bunch of people are going *one book a month???* and dying a little on the inside), but... if I do better than this then that's good. If I do only this, I can be satisfied. And if I don't manage all of these, then that's okay too. Trying to make that my mindset for 2016.

2015 was an... interesting year. I did a number of things, even though it felt for much of it like I was wading through the molasses of my low energy and a fuckton of self-loathing. (See also Item #1.) Therapy has been going... well? I think? Like at least I'm able to identify the fact that I have a lot of self-loathing, haha? >.> (And also nervous laughter when I'm actually upset about something/self-conscious? ;))

I dunno. It's really hard to tell as it goes if progress is being made, but I think things are going well. So I'm going to trust that it is, in fact, doing what it says on the tin, even if at this point I think I've been going about three times as long as what it's "supposed" to run. (CBT and IPT, the two therapies my therapist is using, are both intended to be fairly short-term, and we're now at 16 months, rather than weeks.) I dunno if that's just me, or what. (I do know I have been fairly resistant to the idea of being okay with small victories.)

But, let's see how 2016 plays out. (Yosh'!)

Trufax, the Bible is the weirdest fucking thing in the world.

It also needs a really good editor. ;)

I am up to Numbers 3! (Which is really not that far.) Maybe I should skip ahead and read some of the shorter Books to make myself feel better. ;)

In January I had 8 resolutions. I will bold my successes.

1. Look into my RRSP.

I did so, and when Derek comes to talk to my parents next week sometime, I am going to put some more money away into that fund. Probably not as much as I originally thought - my plan was $2000 straight up - but I will likely put in at least $500, and possibly set up a direct withdrawal once a month of, say, $25-$50 (more once I have better work).

2. Look into a new bank account.

As it turns out, most bank accounts don't have much functional difference. I'll just stick with mine.

3. Draw one Fanart100 image.

I colored Birth and drew and colored Outsides. I also did the 10 Images Meme.

4. Work out at least ten days this month.

I think I managed four.

5. Read 5 books.

Indeed! List after this checklist.

6. Figure out what jobs I might actually want.

Managed to do this - even have a list of ten - but am no closer to getting them, because most of them require MORE degrees... that I don't have. *sigh*

7. Renew BC.

Haven't done it, because I might not. Or might change it. Doctor's appointment is in the works, though.

8. Buy SimonL a birthday gift.

Indeed.

FINAL GRADE: B+ (75%)


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50 Book Challenge

1. Making Money, Terry Pratchett (2007)

It's Pratchett. I love Pratchett. I love Vetinari. I love this book. That's really all there is to it. *G*

2. Kushiel's Justice, Jacqueline Carey (2007)

Um, kind of ditto. Well, I love this series, anyway. Imriel is... not as awesome as Phèdre, but I like him.

3. The Art of Happiness at Work, the Dalai Lama & Howard C. Cutler (2003)

Interesting, but not quite what I was looking for. Still, the Dalai Lama is very engaging, even through the text. The sort of person you'd want to sit and talk with for a long afternoon.

4. How to Write a Dirty Story, Susie Bright (2002)

Useful information for breaking into publishing as a writer, and some neat exercises, but I felt maybe a little short on advice. On the other hand, the exercises were VERY good, and I'm slowly working through them.

5. Do What You Are, Paul D. Tieger & Barbara Barron-Tieger (1995)

Basically, "match your Myers-Briggs personality type to a list of jobs we suggest". The problem is - no one can figure out my personality type. :P My parents think I'm an INTP, Patrick and Meagan think I'm an ISFJ, and I test myself and come up ENTJ. Whar?

However, the lists for INTJ and + ENTJ did have some similarities to my personal 10 "might like these jobs" list, so maybe there's hope...

In other news about contemporary/urban fantasy novels being made into TV series in Toronto, The Dresden Files is being made.

I think if I can't intern on Blood Ties (working up the nerve to call about it), I'll try for there.

Am up to chapter 10 in HBP now, and am quite enjoying it. Will read more later, when mother and sister have finished reading aloud. For now, am thinking about Danielle.