What do I want to do next year?

Instagram

My plan is to post every day. I’ve sort of made up my own insta challenge. While this is still a total work in progress, my thoughts are to pick a time of day and post a photo of whatever I am doing at that moment in time. I look at insta and other forms of social media and what I see are carefully curated photos of life. I don’t want to curate my life: I want to enjoy it. And I want to own the stupid things that I do, the mundane things, etc. I think social media makes us feel bad about ourselves- we look at pictures and we errantly think that others have better lives than us. I know people say that my life looks so “fun”. Which it is. However, 75% of my day is filled with writing and household things and dog walking. 95% of my life is not picture perfect. By just taking a photo in the moment, it actually captures my life- for better or worse. And I like that.

In January I plan on taking photos at 1pm, February 2 pm…I’m guessing you get the idea… Just a photo of whatever I’m doing at that moment, good or bad. Boring or exciting. Point and shoot. Feel free to join me! Tell me what you are doing. I really want to know! https://www.instagram.com/lawakinguponthewrongsideof50/

Books

Book goal- 85 books

Book of the year: Every year I purchase a book that is specifically written to be read one page a day. 2021 was Shakespeare For Every Day of the Year. For 2022, the book is A Year of Positive Thinking by Cyndie Spiegel.

Movies–

see as many Oscar nominated movies as possible

Museums

My goal continues to go to the Metropolitan Museum of Art once a week, with the long term goal of going through every gallery. I am currently at Gallery 160. I started at gallery 100 back in July, every week seeing at least one numerically progressive number. I also try to see one “Special” exhibit during each trip. I’m loving exploring the museum like this: my going to no more than three galleries, I am better able to really concentrate on a few pieces, instead of trying to digest everything. I have discovered so many things that previously had gone unnoticed in my eyes.

Blogging

I plan to blog every day- I have ideas through April- so the well is not dry as of yet. I will continue doing a monthly book wrap up, and plan on including movies as well. I plan to continue Anything Can Happen Fridays, Gratitude Saturdays and Inspiration Sundays. But really, anything can happen, so who knows…

Everything Else

  1. NY Times Crossword every day
  2. Live theater and music
  3. See more art
  4. Wander book stores and stationary stores
  5. Take pictures of flowers
  6. I bought a small rolling cart…pink of course…and have some ideas to organize things a little better
  7. Make every day count, whether it’s a big grand gesture, or just savoring a cup of tea.

56 thoughts on “What’s Up For Next Year:”

    1. Ahhh…the am/pm thing. 12 will be 12 pm, like I beta tested this month. The tricky ones are 8 and 9. I’m almost always writing at 8am, so that will be pm. But, I’ll figure it out…kind of sort of…

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  3. I actually love the way your year sounds like its shaping up.
    I enjoy your 12:00 insta posts, and been thinking it’s a fun challenge. I’d like to join you, with possible different parameters.
    You inspire me to remain true to who I am, to be real, and I’m grateful for that!
    You’ve also inspired me to consider what I want for myself in the coming year.
    Thanks for being you ❤

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  6. So, according to your comments, you are already planning to edit out the writing time – surely that is who you are. Plenty of room for interesting pictures – “Me staring at a wall”, “Me tidying my desk” etc – or do you mean actually writing? Most of my writing is taken up with tea, displacement activity and looking blank. As for having a blog a day planned until April – that’s surely not normal. I’m going to do one in a minute and I haven’t got a clue about what I’m going to write. Maybe I will write about a compulsive planner in New York . . . 🙂

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  7. I thought of a rolling cart also for my students and near my desk to keep all my items together but in the end I let go. I am going to focus on making more of less, so I don’t have to move as much if I have to change offices or rooms again. Less is more and after awhile all the carts look the same.

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  9. I love that you are recording here your plans, not resolutions. The two may overlap somewhat, but planning makes things more likely to happen. I’m glad your Friday-Sunday post ideas remain the same. They are really good features in your blog. Your insta experiment should be fun, and it seems you are already thinking about how to be flexible with it. I agree that social media is very destructive, making people feel “less than” by producing and posting idealized images of life. I quit FaceBook over a year ago; except for pictures of relatives, I haven’t missed it and have gained some precious time for the things that are really important to me. The new year is not even here, and you are already off to a good start. Happy New Year, LA.

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    1. Resolution is a nice word, but without an action item, it often remains just that. I also tend to start things when I get inspired…and I’m always willing to tweak if nevessary

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  13. As always you inspire me! I haven’t even thought about goals and ideas for 2022 yet! Tomorrow I have off so I am going to do some self contemplating. Actually, I did change one thing for 2022. I am going to work one less day a week. You would not think giving Covid shots for an entire year now would wear me out but it has!! Lol. Have a wonderful New Year !! BTW. I love your Instagram pics!! So fun to see life elsewhere than my own daily routine!!

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  17. Not a fan of resolutions, PLANS are a different story. Yours are very commendable, I’m sure you will do well. I used to do a photo a day (on Flickr) based on walking the dogs. I enjoy social media but only follow friends, same on Twitter, & Instagram – no interest in what the rich and famous are about. As for the New Year, I have picked out the books I am going to read, all books after that are dumb luck. Covid has not been a help, but I say this each year, there are 36 breweries/taprooms where I live, I really want to visit them all.

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  18. Oh what fun. I like the instagram idea, kind of like what I do with my One Second Every Day. Maybe I’ll tweak mine to add the time of day? I also like the book a day. I had a bible that I was going to try to read but never did. I think I got rid of it but I got a gift card to Barnes & Noble for Christmas so I could try to find something there.

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  21. Some great goals – I’ll look forward to your Instagram posts. I recently started my Instagram because I had to start one for my library job and needed to learn what to do. I agree, I like the unfiltered, every day pictures the best. Happy New Year!

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      2. Don’t we all though? I know when we travel and go to museums we research beforehand and make a list of the pieces we really want to see. Otherwise we get overwhelmed and remember nothing

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  23. You so inspire me! I am looking forward to keeping track of the books I read thanks to you and now I know how to post regularly on Instagram. Love the photo idea. I been wanting to use Instagram more frequently , and now I know how. Thank you! Happy New Year and all the best to you and your family! ❤

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  24. I get your comments about social media. It’s why I do very little in FB and don’t have an Instagram account. You have already shown yourself to be very good at sticking to a plan and a schedule, so no reason you won’t be equally successful in 2022. Happy New Year!

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