My Goals for 2013

Even though this didn't work out wonderfully last year, I figured that I would try to make a list of goals for 2013, hoping that maybe this time I will remember what I wrote.

1. Find a nice (and inexpensive) one bedroom apartment in Ottawa/Gatineau
2. Get a tattoo
3. Graduate high school with an overall average between 93-96
4. Finally receive my permit 
5. Spend more time with Rebecca
6. Celebrate my birthday with a glass of mulled wine
7. Come home for the holidays
8. Make my apartment completely "me", with a set of bookshelves flanking a workspace
9. Read more classics
10. Explore Ottawa...
11. Find a new second hand book store in Ottawa to take the place Loyalist City Coins and Books
12. Buy a bicycle
13. Work on The Search for Home
14. Spend quiet evenings focusing on relaxation and detachment when I move out
15. Write more short stories
16. Edit my writing more
17. Get a new piercing
18. Do well in my first semester of university
19. Visit more city parks 
20. Celebrate the end of high school with no inhibitions...to a reasonable extent!

I am thinking that it might be a bit interesting to keep this list close and write a post when I complete a goal on this list. It was a lot harder to write of goals I want to reach this year than it was last year. I suppose since I don't have a humongous trip looming on the horizon, and I have already received some of the best news ever (my acceptance into Carleton), things are looking up right now. I have more aspirations for the new year than goals, things I hope to do and hope I continue to do...we'll see. 

How I Fared with My Goals of 2012...

So, one year ago (give or take) I wrote a list of 21 things I wanted to complete before the end of the year. Then I promptly forgot about this list for most of the year and I have come to realize that to accomplish something...it helps to remember that something(s).

1. Finish Physics with at least a 90. --Finished with an 89 and a 98 on the exam, and that is close enough for me--
2. Speak one complete sentence in German in Germany, and get in on tape.
3. Speak one complete sentence in Spanish in Spain, and get it on tape.
4. Speak one complete sentence in Italian in Italy, and get it on tape.
5. Get my poem published in my District's Journal, or try harder next year.
6. Only submit my essay into the Turning Points competition if I am proud of it. --And got it published--
7. Have a lunch of pizza & gelato in the streets of Italy with my friends. --Solitary moments are my fondest--
8. Dance with a Spanish boy in Spain. --Does dancing next to count?--
9. Get a new ear piercing abroad. FAILED TO DO...
10. Receive high honours on all of my exams. WILL NEVER KNOW...
11. Finish grade eleven with at least a 92% average.
12. Visit Rebecca during the summer./Return to St-Raymond.
13. Travel to Ottawa by train. I GOT SPENCE FIXED AND DE-WORMED INSTEAD
14. Visit Carleton's campus. SAME AS ABOVE...
15. Get a job. --Security job at the theatre counts!--
16. Get my permit, then my license. BUT I DID JUST BUY THE HANDBOOK...
17. Buy a car. WITH WHAT MONEY??
18. Get Spencer fixed.
19. Kick ass in the 2012 swim season. --Mission. Accomplished.--
20. Heal my shoulder 100%. CANNOT ACHIEVE THE IMPOSSIBLE...BUT I'VE HEALED IT AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE...
21. Actually finish writing a complete novel, not story, admit it, N-O-V-E-L. UHH, NO.

I may not have accomplished all my goals, I am quite proud with how I fared. 13/21...err, right. Maybe I should explain on the goals I failed to do?

Get a new piercing abroad: The only piercing place I could find was on my last night in Barcelona; it was located in someone's apartment on the second floor and looked quite shoddy, so I passed...I kind of regret it now.
Receive high honours on all of my exams: I don't get my exams back, and never got to check the marks.
Travel to Ottawa by train/Visit Carleton's campus: I took the train to Quebec but didn't have enough money to continue to Ottawa, because I had to pay for Spencer to get neutered.
Get my permit, then my license: Again, a money thing, but I did buy the Driver's Handbook and will be taking my permit test before winter vacation is over!
Buy a car: Yeah...I must have thought I was going to win the lottery or something.
Actually finish writing a complete novel: Well, I definitely had large aspirations. I did get a very good dent into the novel I started last year though!

Flabbergasted

Looking over my list of goals for 2012 I realize that a lot [read: majority] have to do with or have to be done when I go abroad. I mean as long as I get them all done over there that's fine but I feel like I should have spaced out my goals a little bit more throughout the year. Speaking of the list, number 1 was to finish Physics with at least a 90...well the report cards were handed out yesterday and I didn't make that goal BUT I did get an 89...holy crap. Considering I had an 85 walking into my exam I cannot believe I brought my mark up that much, after a talk with my teacher I walked away flabbergasted that I had received the top mark on the Physics 11 exam with a 98...I didn't even think that was possible. It helps prove to myself that hard work, dedication and studying really does pay off and I don't have to wait for ten years down the road to realize that. I was Simonds' Student of the Week this week and it really just feels like surprise after surprise. I only hope that next semester will be as great as the one past.

Goals for 2012

I always think of a goal or aspiration I wish to accomplish, then forget it before I can write it down or lose the scrap of paper I write it down on. So in order to be slighty more organized I wanted to write a list of goals and aspirations for 2012. Some may be ridiculous and somewhat far fetched but I hope to come back to this post throughout the year and by December 31st, 2012, see a list of crossed of items.

1. Finish Physics with at least a 90. --Finished with an 89--
2. Speak one complete sentence in German in Germany, and get in on tape.
3. Speak one complete sentence in Spanish in Spain, and get it on tape.
4. Speak one complete sentence in Italian in Italy, and get it on tape.
5. Get my poem published in my District's Journal, or try harder next year.
6. Only submit my essay into the Turning Points competition if I am proud of it. --And got it published--
7. Have a lunch of pizza & gelato in the streets of Italy with my friends. --Solitary moments are my fondest--
8. Dance with a Spanish boy in Spain. --Does dancing next to count?--
9. Get a new ear piercing abroad. FAILED TO DO...
10. Recieve high honours on all of my exams. WILL NEVER KNOW...
11. Finish grade eleven with at least a 92% average.
12. Visit Rebecca during the summer./Return to St-Raymond.
13. Travel to Ottawa by train.
14. Visit Carleton's campus.
15. Get a job.
16. Get my permit, then my license.
17. Buy a car.
18. Get Spencer fixed.
19. Kick ass in the 2012 swim season.
20. Heal my shoulder 100%.
21. Actually finish writing a complete novel, not story, admit it, N-O-V-E-L.