twenty for 2012: january

(with my slimmed down goal list, these monthly updates aren't going to be very record breaking or interesting, but mostly are just so i am motivated to keep looking at my list and keep "keeping at it.")

12. throw away papers and other "things" i no longer need (be ruthless!)
i'm in the process of this.  moving in less than 2 weeks helps but i will have to re-evaluate at the end of february after i've moved and unpacked.

13. clean out my clothes (be as ruthless as possible)
i have a big box waiting for trash day.  could try to sell or give away or donate, but unfortunately that's more energy than i have right now.

20. call/facetime my parents on a regular basis and always tell them i love them.
i think i facetimed with my parents 3, maybe 4, times this month.  it's a decent start, but hopefully not just because i've been in crisis mode. must try to keep it up even post move.

367

the movers came tonight to see what
i have and give me an estimate on
how much it'll cost to move it all...

they have a deal if you sign up
for internet, you get 20,000yen
off the moving fee.  awesome.
so, february 13th is moving day.
a year and two days after moving in. 
a long and short year in so many ways...

hard to leave when he's being so sweet
but that much easier to leave when he
turns out the be another jekyll and hyde.
yet still leaves me wondering if it's me.
this week and next will hopefully blur
together into something that eventually
doesn't feel as heavy as it does right now.

quote of the day

"do what you want, and do it well."

and so it is

it was really quite anti-climactic.

we sat on the sofa, side by side.
my knees to my chest, my chin resting on my knees.

we talked. and after a lot of words and time, we stopped.

and i got online and logged into my online banking
to pay for my new place. (turns out i needed a receipt
so i went to the atm later anyway)

Ro called the realtor of our current place
and made plans to go later to sign any papers to end our lease.

i got ready to go to city hall
for a silly piece of paper that says
i am me

i asked if he needed anything at the store,
that i would stop on my way home.
(i also stopped off to look at the cute dogs
at the pet shop on my way home too.)

i got home and peeled an onion, a carrot and a couple potatoes
for the curry* Ro said he was going to make.

it was like nothing had happened,

and yet

everything

had.





*as we ate, i jokingly said it was "sayonara curry." Ro agreed it was a good name. and so we laughed. and ate curry.

things i love thursday

another friday...



.(kind of sort of) making ammends.
.sleeping on something that's not the floor.
.white chocolate mocha and mocha from family mart.
.friends who step up to the plate.
.hot tea.
.under the seat heaters on trains.
.finding a decent craigslist deal.
.finding "new" clothes.
.a good hot shower.

things i love thursday

.getting my haircut (and shampooed and touched).
.the idea (and soon acquiring) of my own place.
.down jackets on cold mornings.
.late(r) starting work days.
.nora jones.
.tofu.
.letting go of rules, just a bit.
.talking to Chelsea.
.boys who are "sensitive and shit".

a week.

i didn't even realize i missed thursday last week.

i've stumbled through the last week,

punctuated by tears and sighs

and realtors.

the light at the end of the tunnel is very very faint,

but it's there.

i think.

things i love thursday

.friends who're there when you need it most.
.a good comforter.
.making rubber stamps.
.getting new years cards.
.seeing old coworkers.
.wearing heels every once in a while.
.true blood (tv series).
.30thing salad from RF1.
.seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.

twenty for 2012

selected 2011 leftovers:
1. make my brother and his fiancé a quilt for their wedding
2. make something with the fabric swap fabric
3. learn to cook fish

plus:
4. climb mt fuji with my parents
5. travel somewhere (ANYWHERE) by plane
6. restart selling on etsy (goal of 36 sold items over the year)
7. learn to make something other than soup/chili in the crock pot
8. organize recipes from online into a notebook or file of sorts
9. buy and actually use a real (and functional) address book
10. transfer my music from my old computer to my new one (but clean out beforehand!)
11. reread letters to a young poet and 6 other books
12. throw away papers and other "things" i no longer need (be ruthless!)
13. clean out my clothes (be as ruthless as possible)
14. do (make?) something for my mom's 60th birthday
15. do fourth of july (aka picnic party)
16. go to the beach (and do it before obon, when the jellyfish come out)
17. do halloween (aka pumpkin carving party)
18. do thanksgiving
19. send out new year's cards (on time, if possible)
20. call/facetime my parents on a regular basis and always tell them i love them.


basically, setting my goals much much lower this year, in the hopes that i will actually complete all of them. or, you know, even just the majority of them, since i can't say that about my 2011 list.

the 2011 list: december & year end

9. continue ds budget book
i'm going to update it today or tomorrow. that still counts, right?

14. wear a dress or skirt 4 times a month
skirt, tights and black uggs (or skinny jeans and uggs) are my winter uniform!

26. go to a concert/performance/show
times 2!
Ro and i went to a Takarazuka live "movie" a couple weeks ago. the show was in kobe, but broadcast live to a movie theater in tokyo. it was sparkly and gaudy and very "show time" but entertaining nonetheless. ever since seeing some special on tv (probably 10 years ago) about the training the girls go through, etc. i had always wanted to see them. so, yay!
we also went to see angela aki in concert on dec. 26th. she played a lot of covers, which i was a little disappointed by, but it was a great concert either way.

30. save money (starting goal of 60,000yen per month, average)
a serious bonus in december helped. but even without that, i've been working a ton and the paychecks reflect that. ;)

37. send new year's cards in december to arrive on time
well, they are still sitting in front of me and it's the 2nd...but they are addressed and written and ready to go out tomorrow! better than not sending them at all, right?



in the end, the list for the whole year looks, sadly, like this:

1. make 3 mini quilts (wall hangings)
2. create an actual inspiration board
3. create a logo for my etsy shop
4. solidify 3 more "signature" items for the shop
5. have a photo shoot with professional photographers
6. climb mt. fuji (x2!)
7. travel to a new country
8. travel to a new place in japan (x2!)
9. continue ds budget book
10. go one week without going to the conbini (longer, if possible)
11. take a bento to work for one month (or, at least half of 2 months)
12. make weekly meal plans and shop accordingly for 10 weeks (not consecutive OK) 3/10
13. get rid of clothes/shoes i don't wear (once in spring, once in fall/early winter)
14. wear a dress or skirt 4 times a month
15. buy a queen bed AND an actual frame
16. make a quilt for that queen bed
17. make 2 more quilts (one being a wedding present for older brother)
18. finish wave quilt
19. make a big duvet cover to hold 2 twin size comforters
20. make some art for my apartment
21. make something for a charity or donation
22. try a new recipe at least once a month
23. learn to cook at least two fish dishes
24. swim laps at the gym at least twice a week (post move)
25. make a photo book in time to give Ro for our 2 year anniversary
26. go to a concert/performance/show
27. organize a book swap
28. do something with fabric from 2010 fabric swap
29. move AND send out "new address" postcards
30. save money (starting goal of 60,000yen per month, average)
31. save up for and buy a new computer (may affect no. 30)
32. backup my current computer before it dies
33. organize a hanami party
34. go to the beach at least 3 times (1/3)
35. have a pumpkin carving party
36. host thanksgiving
37. send new year's cards in december to arrive on time



will set my sights lower next year i think. you know, to help my ego.

hello 2012

happy new year...