Requisite Accountability Post: Goals for 2017 (and Updates for 2018)

2017 is over, in case you missed it. Which means it’s time for me to report out on how I did with my goals from last year. (I’ll discuss my goals for the coming year tomorrow.) Here they are, one by one.

• Submit another book to editors. Last year I went into the new year with one real hope for a submittable book. UTOPIA. I wasn’t even sure how solid of a book that one was. I’m happy to report that I still got to check off this goal, since I’ve submitted MEMORY THIEF 2 to my editors at Adaptive. (Who have yet to give the final green light, but they’re happy with the book’s progress, and it’s still very much on track.) To make that great situation even greater, I’m in a much better place going into this year. UTOPIA is stronger than I thought it might be, and I have a completed second draft of MURDER CASTLE. It was a good year for writing. For 2018, I want to do this again. UTOPIA or MURDER CASTLE submitted, and ideally one other book written (at least the first draft done).
• Get down to 180 pounds. Didn’t quite make this one. I did get down to 180.8 in December, but then fell off the wagon some toward the end of the month. That said, I have a good plan in place at this point, and if all goes well, I’ll be at 177.6 by the end of the month. So we’re very close on this one. My goal for 2018 is to get to 175 and stay there. I think I can do it!
• Read a book a week. This was difficult. I had to push myself to stay at this day in and day out, but I’m pleased to report that I managed to finish my 52nd book on December 30th. It’s a goal I’ve really enjoyed, despite how trying it is, and I’m definitely going to stick with it for 2018.
• Improve my Slovak. I did well at this one for a while, but then summer happened, followed by fall semester, and . . . it all fell apart. Still a good goal, but I didn’t do too hot on it at all. I’m hesitant to add it back to my list of goals for 2018, but I’m going to keep it in mind and see how it goes.
• Continue to declutter my house and life. I do think I’m getting better at not being such a clutterer, but I still have a ways to go with this. The thing is, when I have lots of time, this is a relatively easy thing for me to stay on top of, even with three kids at home. It’s when Denisa and I get swamped with stuff that it all falls apart. So if you ever want a barometer for how our lives are going, just come and count the piles in our kitchen and bedroom. Sigh. Realistically, I’m removing this as an official goal.
• Continue reading to DC each evening. I did a good job with this the first half of the year, but a worse job the second. On the plus side, that’s about when DC started blooming as a reader herself. She’s now reading Percy Jackson and loving it, so that’s a huge step forward. I’m counting this as a success, though I’d like to still do more of it. I bought all three illustrated Harry Potters that have come out so far . . . I’d like to read together with her, but I don’t think I need to have it as a goal anymore.

So there you have it. Not too terribly bad, though I could have done better in some areas. How did you do? What goals have you set for yourself in the coming year? Do share!

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