Welcome to 2024 – A To-Do List

OK, I will be completely blunt. The idea of creating a list of goals for the year outside of what has been defined in a professional capacity (i.e. ‘the day job says you need to make x number of customer success plans and hold y number of meeting’) has me in the following mood:

But, let me be honest – I thrive on lists. It’s how I organize myself. If I ever feel anxious or like I’m losing control, I make a list. So – new pinned content. My list of things to do in 2024:

Cooking and Health

I’m going to be supporting my wife in her health journey this year. She’s asked me to help her in some key ways and, let’s be honest, if I want to make the most of my remaining trips around the sun I should be on that journey as well.

1. Learn at least 6 high-protein dinner recipes
2. Cook and schedule dinners with those recipes
3. Maintain through the year.

One of the stress points for my wife is trying to figure out what to make after work. The fact I am a ‘fine for Andy, but not so for everyone else’ cook makes planning difficult. Thus, I’m going to learn and schedule meals. In addition

1. Add at least 10 minutes of walking to my day
   • This may be on the treadmill
   • or outside

My fear of missing something important at work leads me to stay glued to my desk. However, with a recent adjustment in my workspace, I can now easily go to the treadmill, or step outside without a concern about getting back in time.

Also – this ties into my photograph goals later on.

Household Items:

1. Complete checks and updates on fireplace
2. Contract and complete rug and flooring work in finished basement
   • This is important – it makes way for me to finally set up display bases for my model kits!
3. Research and arrange for a fresh coat of paint on the house.

Writing & Photography:

Now, we start getting to the bits that worry me. You’ll notice this isn’t top of the list. One key thing I’m working on is my tendency to put everything and everyone above my writing or photography. The things that bring me joy become less so because all I hear is ‘stop sitting around being useless’ or ‘stop mucking around in the woods.’

I have to treat my writing and my photography seriously

On the photography side, I find myself wanting to include more personal details in landscapes. I look at Sarah Lindsay’s “Yellow Dress” photos and want to do something similar with a distinctly ‘me’ item of clothing.

1. Focus on Landscape photography in the beginning of the year
   • Work on a self portrait style with a favorite mask or two
   • Start getting up early and hiking more to get photos taken.
   • At least 10 minutes of hiking before photos (see health!)
   • Also see if I can warn friends I’ll be hiking so they can join if interested
2. In Glasgow (for World SF Convention 2024) – one day photographing the necropolis!
   • Practice by photographing graveyards
3. In late summer/early fall, begin focusing on 40’s style Glamour and Noir photos
   • See if I can suborn at least one friend as a test model

Now the writing – this is a big one. I was not happy with my output last year (and, yeah, that includes my Alter Egotist getting in two anthologies). When setting goals, I thought about the key things I wanted to do: Submit more, and finish rewrites on Phantom Killer.

For the submission, I’m borrowing from Shanna Germain. She set a goal to get 51 rejections in 2023. I thought that was a great way to get writing, but not focus on getting published. Just getting material out there, submitting it, refining it, and focusing.

Thus, my goals for 2024:

1. In the first quarter of the year – finish rewriting Phantom Kiler
2. Get 50 rejections from submissions to top-paying magazines, anthologies, and any other reputable source
   • These can be from new stories or re-written version of older story
   • Include at least two new stories or page one rewrites.
3. Outline at least one new novel

Key thing for me to remember: Have to look at this bit by bit. Bird by Bird. I have a whole year to accomplish these things.