Winning the Game in 2025

I'm great at creating goals. 

I'm horrible at following through on personal ones. 

2025 is about changing that.

My writing life will be my main focus.

Improving my health will be an on-going 

rest-of-my-life goal.

The best system I've found for goal setting

is called SMART goals.

Friday Five - Best of 2022

2022 was a big year for me. Here are five things I changed that made my life better. Fueled by the constant threat of death and disability that the pandemic instilled in me, I had to act before it was too late. I felt a sense of doom that my life was being wasted, that I was merely existing in a stagnant pool. I envisioned living in my van if it got me back to feeling. 

1. Planning - I decided to make the following changes without knowing how I would accomplish them and without any guarantees. After YEARS of thinking about what I would change, I realized I'd get there. I used the SMART method to set my goals. Lots of deep breaths and forcing down fear were involved. 

2. Finances - I took an honest look at my money situation and realized I was getting poorer as time passed. I made a budget, cut out what I could live without, and finally faced my fear of money. We never discussed money growing up, it was in poor taste to do so, and a particular shame was attached to it.

3. House - Related to #2. I took advantage of the market in the spring. I had felt a duty to keep it, but it was too big, too expensive, and going to waste in our ownership. Selling it was like cutting an anchor loose.

4. Work - Because of #2 and #3, I could retire. I thought for sure I'd work for someone else until the day I died because of all of my perceived obligations. Only slackers don't have jobs. lol

5. Family - I lived in New Jersey for 55 years. Now, I live in Florida with my daughter and her family. I couldn't have made any of these changes without her. I always said she saved my life when I had her, and now she's done it more than once.

These are just the Big Picture Changes. There were so many smaller ones along the way this year, and some big ones I left off the list. I don't usually do a year-end review, so that's different, too. 

2023 here we come.

The Calling

Jason stood before the window staring out at the still dark lawn in front of his house. The view was hidden by night and his own reflection. His black hair was darker in the glass. It stood on end from the hours he spent crushing it within his worried hands. He needed a shave.

He had no idea who had sent him the turkey. The ruined carcass of the roasted bird lay all over his kitchen counter. Bits of its flesh sprinkled the olive green linoleum like meat confetti. The unorthodox stuffing he pulled out of the bird was hidden in his freezer. Normally, turkey would put him in a pleasant stupor but he hadn’t slept in two days.

He wanted nothing more than peace. Instead, the voices in his head clamored for attention. The loudest voice told him to take his find to the university’s archaeology department and let them deal with the repercussions. He spent years dreaming of making a world-shattering find like this. Beware what you ask for. He choked on his laughter.

Another voice suggested he find a buyer, get rich and go hide for the last few days until the end came.

The quietest voice, the most timid of the three and yet the most persistent, kept telling him to do something to prevent the inevitable.

The option to hide and do nothing seemed the easiest. Except he couldn’t sleep. And he hadn’t been able to go back into the kitchen once he hid his prize. His stomach grumbled but food was out of the question.

He leaned his forehead on the glass, closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He’d start with an easy decision. Do nothing or do something. Something or nothing. Nothing would require he sit down and atrophy in the same space with that thing. A jolt of adrenaline kicked off a panic attack.

The freezer door hit the wall. Jason grabbed the brown-paper-wrapped bundle. He jammed it in his jeans pocket and ran out the door. He hit the damp grass face first after only three steps. His leg cramped and burned from his hip down. Smoked wafted from his pant’s pocket. He smelled the paper burning. He slapped at the flames until the package hit the ground. The fire poofed out with a pop.

The note said it would know if he tried to shirk his duty. It would know his true intentions. He stared at it. The rising sun hit its edge and blinded him for a second. That stab of light cleared his mind. He rose to his knees. He reached for the box. Its metal was cool on his fingertips. He got up and limped back into the house.

He got a bottle of water. He sat in his favorite, worn out recliner. He opened the water bottle. He opened the silver box. He took the stone out and placed it on his tongue, took a swig of water and swallowed. Let the world’s redemption begin.

Meow and Tweet are Words of Love in Different Languages

There's a cat that lives on our block. His name is Fred. He's black with white spots or white with black patches. I guess it depends on your point of view. Fred doesn't care much one way or the other.

Like most toms, all he cares about are the birds. There’s one that he's been after for awhile. He's been chasing her for months and can't get his paws on her.

She dances just out of reach. When he pounces, she takes flight.

I think they are both quite happy with their situations.

She has a perpetual admirer; he has a goal for which to strive.

Strategic Saturday - Procrastination through Planning

Vision (aspiration): courageous self expression

Mission (purpose): To produce works of art that will change people’s lives, including my own, in positive and lasting ways.

Core Ideology: personal truth

Values: creativity, imagination, exploration

SMART GOALS - Specific ~ Measurable ~ Achievable ~ Relevant ~ Time-bound

Goal #1: Finish and self-publish Divine Death by May 31, 2014

Objectives for goal #1

1. Wake up every day at 5am and write until 7am

Articles on these subjects that you might like:

Mission Statement vs Vision Statement

Revisiting Your Strategic Plan

What The Heck is Wrong with… Mission and Vision Statements?

Mission, Vision, Values & Goals

Flash 55 - Ants

~ click image to make biggerer ~

20120824 (c) vanessa v kilmer

Ants keep marching towards their destination without stopping. 
When an obstacle presents itself they go over, they go under or around, 
anything to get where they want to be. 
They have a vision and purpose that can’t be beat. 
They work together in military unison to reach their goals. 
I can’t tell one from another.

Play with the G-Man and make him smile.

Sensational Haiku Wednesday - Future

you’re cozy at home

in my world of make-believe

reading books I wrote

You may or may not have noticed but beginning with yesterday's posts, I am responding to comments again (on my other blogs too.)
 I make no promises. 

Write a haiku based on the week’s theme.

“The basics: Haiku is simple! It is 3 non-rhyming lines of 5, 7, and 5 syllables respectively (a great way to use your fingers!)”

Hosted by Jenn @ You Know…that blog?