To Do in 2012

I'm finally back with my family, after stopping by Vancouver and New York to see some lovely friends of mine.

I had a tough time for a good part of this past year, but I'm thankful that I have this nest to come back to. My family loves me, and while I sometimes have my complaints, I cannot deny that my parents are generous in welcoming me back and making me feel like this is home.

Two years ago, I made a list of goals for the year, but kept them private, as I tend not to really follow To Do lists as well as I used to... and would rather not post them up for everyone to see... but I'll try posting some up to motivate me to at least try to get them done.

I want to learn new things this year:

Maybe http://lifehacker.com/5872682/learn-to-code-in-2012-with-free-weekly-programming-lessons-from-codecademy (more coding)? I taught myself html and very basic css a long time ago. I did well in my compsci101 class, but mostly because I figured things out in the labs (rather than the lectures).

Or a new language, like German or Chinese.

Perhaps I could sign up for online classes and start taking classes in something that would or could be useful in the future, like accounting or TESOL.

Perhaps I can learn to box.

I want to relearn/polish/continue skills I have learned or already have:

I could start sketching and perhaps painting again.

I already have a computer program to learn the Japanese language, which I have already studied. Perhaps I can do the same for Spanish, afterwards.

I want to swim, rock climb, snowboard, play tennis, ice skate or do taekwondo again.

I want to bake and cook things I love at least occasionally.

I want to read more:

I already read a lot of articles online, but I mean books, novels... long form prose.

I seem to be doing a sort of every other year commitment to reading. I'll read voraciously one year, but somehow forget the pleasures of it the next.

I want to be organized:

I have things I want to do, but sometimes it's hard finding the motivation to do them. Keeping things simple, clean, and easy to find/understand/achieve definitely helps with that.

I want to write more:

Letters to friends, in my blog, in my prayer journal, academic essays... anything really. I love writing, but I want to write about things I'm thankful for, things I really care about, things that entice my intellect, things that move me forward, things that give me hope.

I want to find joy every day:

I had a goal to write 3 things I was thankful for every day a couple years ago, and I want to start that up again. Looking at the world with gratefulness, seeing beauty in the little things, and making a habit of that really changed my life in the past, but I let that slip away. Life can get really stressful, messy, painful, ugly - but in all things there is hope, love, beauty, wonder. I want to make sure I don't forget all the things I'm so blessed with, and find joy in living, in the people around me, in details, in the moment, in eternity.

... I'm sure I have other things to add to this, but as a start... this is it. :)

It's 4 in the morning, so I'll have to excuse myself and get to sleep... Getting enough sleep at least most nights should also be one of my goals. :) Sleep is so good.