Missives From Troy

I thought about a lot of topics to break my Ten Things fast: Olympic hangover material, Shark Week (!), etc. But this is going to be one of those weeks when I’m afraid I’m going to take the time to navel gaze a bit.

Tomorrow will be a week since my birthday and while I don’t like making resolutions at New Year’s, I do sometimes set myself goals from one birthday to the next. And since my next birthday will fall pretty much directly after my return from my trip to the UK next summer, this birthday is meant to kick off a series of resolutions to make my next birthday less regretful and more triumphant in nature. (Not that I didn’t have a great birthday — it was quite surprisingly nice.) So, here we go.

Ten Reasonable Goals To Meet This Year:

1. Put down the money to take my GED. It’s long overdue and really the only thing stopping me is the cash layout. 
2. Bum advice off my trainer cousin to get in better physical condition and, yes, to lose weight. Reasonable end goal: come down two sizes and have improved upper body strength and cardiovascular health (good for singing!). Would really like to find a way to get back into swimming again…
3. Write every day, no excuses. If I want to make it my primary profession, I have to treat it like a primary profession.
4. Make every Sunday morning call between now and England, barring significant ill health or emergency.
5. Send a short story or other completed writing project a week out to publications and publishers for consideration. If I want to make it my primary profession, I have to start trying to make money at it.
6. Put together a more “grown up” wardrobe and general appearance. I’ve been putting this one off for years because of funds, current looks, and general worry about how a more “girly” version of me might be received. Fuck that noise. I’m not talking ballgowns, just a more polished daily uniform. Things that fit better and make me look less “grrr” all the time.
7. Finish paying off my car. This should be very do-able, as I only have like three payments left.
8. Upgrade/replace my computer. This is a harder one, but necessary. My desktop is five years old come November and desperately needs some hardware upgrades.
9. Achieve an expanded/new employment position, so that the majority of my bills are covered each month without question. Also, it would be nice to be able to buy a few Christmas and birthday presents this year.
10. Get my passport/go to England on choir tour. This is the end game for the next twelve months: going to Salisbury Cathedral with my choir and performing, as well as much site & friend-seeing. I have half a mind to apply for some jobs while I’m there as well, but I will be in the UK next summer, if I have to swim there.

A few other things on my mind:

• Is there a writing group in the area I could join?
• Are there any amateur/short-term acting jobs in the area so I could scratch that itch?
• Getting back to kung fu (fully healed arm!), maybe testing to second green depending on my competency.
• Finish a script. 
• Cook more.
• Use that new camera you got for your birthday!