Year of Big, Fun, Scary Adventures (AKA 2008)

Yup. I'm doing it. :D Anyway, here is what I said on the forums for BFS at NaNoWriMo:

"I think I'll do this this year. :) I always mean to make resolutions, but I never write them down or try to make serious goals...so I guess this is a good way to do it.

Anyway, here is a list. I'm going to put 10 items on it, and if I can truly accomplish 5 of them by the end of 2008, I think I'll consider this Big, Fun, Scary Adventure year a success. (I don't know if that's self-assuring or just sad...)

My list (off the top of my head on January 2...oops):

1. Start AND complete the first drafts of two novels by the end of the year - one of which (or maybe even not!) will be a NaNo novel in November. And do at least one of them "properly", with an outline and some ideas of characters, settings, and where I'm going.

2. Participate in and WIN Script Frenzy for the first time. As of right now...I know absolutely nothing about writing scripts. I know I want to write a movie script (I suppose I should refer to it as a "screenplay"), but other than that, I know nothing (not even what it will be about). So I suppose this goal involves figuring out how to go about writing a script and figuring out what I'll be writing about in the few months I have before April Fools' Day.

3. Exercise at least two times a week (and REGULARLY). This is hard for me because of my busy schedule, but I really need to get in shape (at least somewhat) and slim down (at least a little). I'm not fat by any standards, but I'm not stick-like, and I don't really want to run the risk of falling into the opposite extreme.

4. Write in my journal at least once a week with a (weekly) total of seven pages. For EVERY week of the year. Even if I miss one week, I'll consider this goal a failure. I considered doing the "write at least one page every day" thing, since if I really focus I can get a page done in five minutes or less, but I've had some crazy days before. So I figure seven pages per week is more realistic, but gives the same result and is still a bit daunting. I'd better get writing. :)

5. Write at least one short story, concept piece, scene-like short, or other form of creative writing each week. Most of these (or maybe all) can be answers to creative writing prompts - so "lists" or poems count, too. But one per week! (Or more.)

6. Enter at least one writing contest AND submit at least one short story to the school literary magazine. And they can't be the same story!

7. Talk to people more! Be more social! I want to hang out with friends on the weekends instead of keep to myself all the time (or spend time with parents for lack of anything better to do). I guess a quantitative goal would be...at least three social activities per month? I dunno...just...be more social and friendly. :)

8. This one is kinda vague for all reading but me (since it's personal), but become friends with a certain person, or at least talk to them more. I'm really shy, and our circles seem to avoid each other, but I figure I can at least make an effort. By the end of the school year, I want name recognition! >:(

9. Study more! Have homework started by half an hour after I get home, unless something weird happens (like I get sick). Keep an A in English and Japanese for the rest of the year, and it would be good to have an A in one of the three other core classes (Math Honors, AP History, Accelerated Physics). Oh, and not freaking out about grades and school (coughagaincough) would be good, too.

10. Get the job I want for the summer, and have lots of fun during it! :) But even if I don't get the specific job I want, I should still find a way to have fun doing whatever I have to do. And again, be more social with my coworkers, although I guess I already had this goal. :P

Yup-yuuuup. :) Lots of writing stuff! Better snap to it!"

So yeah. In short, with a 1-5 hardness scale (with 1 as the easiest, 5 as the hardest):

1. Two novels (including/plus NaNoWriMo '08) (2)
2. Script Frenzy '08 (3)
3. Regular exercising (twice a week) (3)
4. Regular journaling (seven pages per week) (2)
5. Regular creative writing (one piece per week) (2)
6. One contest + one submission (2)
7. More socializing (2)
8. "Progress" (4)
9. More studying/earlier start on homework/"good grades" (4)
10. Summer job (2)

Eheh. I have no 1's or 5's. ^_^;; I don't know whether that's optimistic, pessimistic, or...whatever...I KNOW! I'll order them in terms of hardness (with 1 as the easiest)! So how about THIS one:

1. Regular journaling
2. Regular creative writing
3. Summer job
4. Two novels
5. More socializing
6. One contest + one submission
7. Script Frenzy
8. Regular exercising
9. "Progress"
10. More studying

I guess this all boils down to better time management. ^_^;; I think the first three will get accomplished in some form or another, with the two novels and Script Frenzy being other likely contenders. I really hope I can accomplish at least one or two of the rest, though, with 5/9/10 being very important to me (especially 9...haha)!

WISH ME LUUUUUUUUCK! 8D