1. Learn how to use my DSLR camera.
Oh how I love this camera. You point and click like rapid fire and voila! No more missed photos because of moving children! {If you ever have the chance to buy a DSLR, do it. There's just no comparison.}
I am using my camera, but the learning part hasn't happened. It sure might help if I pulled out the booklet that came with it or the Canon EOS Rebel T3 / 600D for Dummies manual that my mother-in-law bought me for Christmas. I might actually have some better pictures if I did a little reading.
To Do:
- Dig out the book.
- Begin by reading the basics followed by the sections most pertinent to blogging photography.
- Start implementing what I read.
2. Read 50 books this year.
Okay, again, I'm slacking. I've read 18 of the 50 thus far, only 36%. However, in my defense, the books I have read are very lengthy reads.
Plus, I've waded through some classics like Anna Karenina, Wuthering Heights, and Madame Bovary, so I'm not ashamed. Actually, I'm pretty proud of myself for being disciplined enough to put down the fun mysteries I love and delve in to some serious non-fiction works and literary classics.
To Do:
- Continue reading the classics. (I've got Of Mice & Men and Robinson Crusoe to read for July & August, per Quirky Bookworm's (now-canceled) challenge, which I'm still following.
- Block out time every day to read. Right now I'm spending more downtime reading blogs. Instead, I need to allot time to books and blogs, so I meet my 50-book goal.
- Find some shorter books to read to make up lost time.
3. Try one new recipe or craft from Pinterest a month.
I started the year strong (see these posts), but I decided that while I tried numerous pinned recipes every month, I didn't want to post about them every time. Instead, I created a new board called "Pinned Recipes I've Tried" where I, obviously, repin each recipe I've tried, adding comments regarding how well it turned out, if I'd make it again, how I modified it, etc. Follow me on Pinterest!
I will keep experimenting with pinned recipes and hope to try out some craft/DIY projects too.
To Do:
- Create a "Pinned Crafts I've Created" board and start working through some.
- Continue commenting on recipes I've pinned and tried and add them to the "Pinned Recipes I've Tried" board.
- Possibly add more boards.
4. Run a 5K.
Finally! One I've done! To find out what I learned from running my first 5K, check out this post. After that race I immediately started training for a 10K and ran upwards of 5.5 miles, but because I never signed up for a race, I lost all motivation to run. But now I have a running buddy, and even though we don't actually run together, we are training simultaneously for a 10K in September. That is the motivation I need!
- Register for the 10K race.
- Continue training. I'm using the 10K Training app (Free on iTunes).
Failure again...sort of. Originally, I had intended to create a 3-ring binder to keep track of family activities, kind of like a yearbook. That just didn't happen. I did, however, find this great post and this one, so I decided to take a digital route (gasp!).
What that means is that after uploading new pictures to my computer, I delete blurry ones and add dates and labels for each set. For example, "Girls Playing Dress-Up" or "Our Garden in July." I also star the best pictures (a great option in iPhoto) so that at the end of the year when I create our family yearbook, I will just have to run through and upload all the starred pictures.
- Additionally, I have ordered prints of over 160 pictures taken since January that I plan to organize into a family photo album because we still enjoy those.
To Do:
- Keep uploading, dating, and starring pictures.
- Begin researching different photo companies to create and order the yearbook in December/January.
- Buy new photo album and insert new pictures.
6. Organize my recipes.
Success! As I posted back in January, I created a new binder for recipes clipped from magazines and printed off the internet. I also organized all my recipes by categories so now I can easily and quickly locate the recipe I'm looking for.
To Do:
- I have some new recipe clippings that need to be filed in the appropriate location.
Linking up to these lovely parties.
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Considering I didn't really make any goals for myself, I think you're doing a great job this year! I have a recipe binder, but lately I haven't been adding much to it. You've motivated me to get back on that, though. It is so much easier to cook when reading a printed recipe than reading on my little iPhone screen!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Frances.
DeleteI totally agree. I love to find new recipes on Pinterest or from other bloggers to try out, but I do NOT like trying to read them on my phone either! If the recipe is REALLY good, then I will print it out and stick it in my recipe binder. It really is handy, especially for meal planning time.
Congrats on all your successes!
ReplyDeleteI've read those classics you mentioned - they should each be a 3-for-1 deal in my book!
This mid-year look at your goals is a good idea. Now to decide if I want to look so closely at my own. Thanks for the encouragement, and the challenge!