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[Silthuri]

This is a place for those of us who have some stuff to accomplish and could use an encouraging word or two in the process


Rules (taken from last year's thread here.):

1. Post twelve meaningful steps you plan to take in making stuff better for 2016.

-- Not little stuff like "take out the garbage on New Year's Day" unless you have some sort of massive complex about garbage on New Year's that you're struggling to get over. "Build the habit of taking out the garbage consistently" is fine, though.

-- The goal's not to speed through your checklist by April, but rather to focus your year on doing the stuff that you think is important.

2. You may do a total reroll three times per year. That means you can change as many goals as you like, or add new goals to supplement the ones that you've already completed--but no more than twelve active goals at a time.

-- The limitation in reroll frequency is in order to get you to think carefully about the things you want to do and commit to them.

-- Rerolls exist so that you can change your goals to respond to unexpected events, like getting laid off or Suddenly A New Nephew.

-- Limitation in volume is to keep you from being overwhelmed by the number of things you need to complete.

-- You may want to keep a reroll count at the bottom of your post so you can keep track.

3. You may join at any point of the year.



Some hints for manageable goal-setting:

-- Choose specific goals with concrete steps.

-- Choose emotionally meaningful goals that are intrinsically motivating.

-- Publicly posting about your intentions and a step-by-step plan to fulfill your plans is supposed to help, so consider making regular progress reports, especially when you're struggling.

[Bauglir]

Spoiler: Color Scheme (click to show/hide)

Black = Unstarted
Green = Succeeding
Orange = Uncertain
Red = Failing
Green Struck Through = Succeeded
Red Struck Through = Failed

1. Earn Master's Degree.
2. Subgoal: Maintain 3.9+ GPA
3. Subgoal: Convince POS* committee to let me do my creative component in a way that involves recurrent neural networks and natural language processing.
4. Find employment for after goal 1. Don't need to be actually employed before 2016-12-31, but do need to accept a job offer (which means getting one).
5. Participate in 2016's NCAC. Doesn't count unless we make it to DC again, but we don't have to win for this goal to be satisfied. It'd be nice though.
6. Attend at least one local Cyber Defense Competition.
7. Learn Torch and use it for things.
8. Configure my pentesting/development laptop.
9. Obtain the Despecialized Edition of Star Wars.
10. Cook something vaguely healthy at least twice a week. Doesn't count unless it's got two or more vegetables in it.
11. Shave at least twice a week.
12. Read The Society of Mind and finish Plato's Dialogues.

[MaximumZero]

Spoiler: MaximumGoals 2016 (click to show/hide)

1]Make an effort to actively spend more time with my family. I don't get much time with the wife and kids, and I need to capitalize on that time.
2]Figure out a way to go on a date with the wife. Shoot for once a month at least.
3]Lose weight. Doesn't matter how much. Starting the year at 215.
4]Get promoted or get a new job. Doesn't matter which. Make more money.
5]Get child support fixed. I'm paying way more than necessary.
6]Write a short story. Complete it. Doesn't need to be NaNoWriMo, just do it.
7]Programming. Make some kind of progress into understanding the arcane.
8]Buy a bicycle and ride it to work when it gets warmer.
9]Work on my game. At least a little bit.
10]Use the Ninja to make veggie/fruit smoothies that I'll actually drink. Drink no less than two per week.
11]Have dinner with friends at least a couple of times.
12]Join the local MMA gym.

[Xantalos]

I'm ... yeah I think I should do this. Maybe not 12 goals, but something to keep track of at least. Will refill with them later.

[Tiruin]

Posting to goals later!

[Shook]

OKLETSDOTHIS

Spoiler: shoals (click to show/hide)

1. Get used to waking up at 8AM before mid-August. And by that, i mean getting up at 8AM without my bowels being cranky as hell.

2. FINISH ANGRY LASER SPACE, DAMMIT

3. Make a MAXIMUM EFFORT arting.

4. get a job

5. Make some sort of animation that's a bit longer than 4 frames (this also kind of ties in with the above MAXIMUM EFFORT arting because i have a hard time putting serious effort into anything)

6. Draw something EVERY time i'm in the "i want to art but anxiety is evilllllll" mojo. Doesn't have to be big, just SOMETHING.

7. Link my deviantArt page to someone i know in meatspace, possibly my brother. (o boy this one's a scary thought)

8. TRY MUSIC

9. Bit of a vague one but TRAIN TO SPEAK SLOWER AND MORE CLEARLY. I stumble over my words way too frequently, and it's annoying as hell.

10. ... finish this list?

A few of them are carried over and adapted from last year. :v

[inteuniso]

Spoiler: Plot for World Liberation (click to show/hide)

• Make graphene.
• Spread graphene tech worldwide.
• Use graphene and weed to fix most/all of the world's problems.
• Fix other people's problems.
• Fix all the problems.
• 
• Somehow achieve sustenance through all of this.
• Be willing to come up with at least 12 resolutions.
• Give up on making at least 12 resolutions.
• Seriously though, I have the idea I'm going to start today why is everyone hassling me
• Chill
• I should go out today.

[Caz]

Spoiler: Cazgoals doot (click to show/hide)

pff

[Bauglir]

Okay, goals posted. 9 sounds like a cop-out, but I'm actually gonna have to put enough effort into making sure I get it without malware riders that I count it here, plus there's a time limit since I probably will be paying for my own Internet after moving out of this shithole and it will probably wreck my data cap in conjunction with ordinary use.

Off to a colorful start already, since most of these are either continuations of failed goals from last year or things I've already been doing. I'm looking for 2016 to be a year of growth and perseverance more than of novel achievement.

[Silthuri]

Spoiler: Let's Do this! (click to show/hide)

1. Obtain the body I desire. Exercise and change the eating habits.
2. Develop my artistic talents. This means creative writing, sketching and calligraphy practice. I may decide to actually try to learn the guitar this year. Prepare for NaNoWriMo accordingly and actually write more than 400 words on it this time.
3. Keep working on the anxiety depression. Last year I made quite a bit of progress in this. I need to keep going.
4. Work on learning coding. My dad was self-taught and I can be too. Acquire books to learn it.
5. Get the GPA up ASAP. That means getting my backside moving immediately. The semester just started. Now is the perfect time.
6. Write in my journal every night. Seriously. this shouldn't be this hard. It will help with 2 and 3.
7. Read at least 25 books this year.
8. Prepare myself for law school and my future career. Seriously! I'm a Junior! I need to do this.
9. Broaden the social life even more.
10. Practice my religion and be more open about my beliefs.
11. Manage my finances.
12: Get organized.

[Caz]

Goals made! Bring on 2016. 


MOTIVATION GAME START

Spoiler: bonus (click to show/hide)

[Silthuri]

Spoiler: Ye Olde Update (click to show/hide)

Key:
Not Started
Good progress
Decent progress
Terrible progress
Mess
Done
Failed

1. Obtain the body I desire. Exercise and change the eating habits. - I've decided to try to transition to vegetarian, which I'm doing surprisingly well at. I'm too busy to find time for the exercise currently though.
 
2. Develop my artistic talents. This means creative writing, sketching and calligraphy practice. I may decide to actually try to learn the guitar this year. Prepare for NaNoWriMo accordingly and actually write more than 400 words on it this time. - I practice my calligraphy whenever I can, so the calendar I use to keep track of things is written in calligraphy-like writing. I haven't really had the time to write or sketch.

3. Keep working on the anxiety depression. Last year I made quite a bit of progress in this. I need to keep going. - I'm not liking my new therapist too terribly much, so I may have to look into getting a new one. I'm getting better with my social anxiety via a dnd group and a very awesome professor.

4. Work on learning coding. My dad was self-taught and I can be too. Acquire books to learn it. - Haven't really had the time to do this... Will probably be a summer thing.

5. Get the GPA up ASAP. That means getting my backside moving immediately. The semester just started. Now is the perfect time. - I'm pretty behind on my readings. I've been worse off before, but still...

6. Write in my journal every night. Seriously. this shouldn't be this hard. It will help with 2 and 3. - I keep forgetting about this!

7. Read at least 25 books this year. - I'm in the process of reading two or three books I like. I feel this goal is reachable.

8. Prepare myself for law school and my future career. Seriously! I'm a Junior! I need to do this. - I spoke to my professor about joining the mock trial team and another pre-law focused group and I've just sent an email to the president of said club expressing interest in joining.

9. Broaden the social life even more. - They only real breakthrough I've made in this is the ability to talk to one of my professors. He's a very understanding guy and was very enthusiastic when I expressed interest in wanting to join the pre-law organization.

10. Practice my religion and be more open about my beliefs. - I'm struggling with the thought of telling my friends and family. Some of them may not like my choice of religion and I don't know if telling them is worth the trouble it may cause.

11. Manage my finances. - Finances are being managed the same way they've always been. Not at all.

12: Get organized. - Desk area is organized, which is where I'll be doing most of my work. It's something, I suppose.

I'm still feeling kinda optimistic this year.

[Caz]

SHH THE YEAR IS STILL EARLY

[Shook]

yes good idea let's make updates

Spoiler: FLOPDATE (click to show/hide)

[spoiler=shoals]basically same colour scheme as you guys

1. Get used to waking up at 8AM before mid-August. And by that, i mean getting up at 8AM without my bowels being cranky as hell.
Well, i was KIND OF making progress, but then flu whacked me back to square one. :v

2. FINISH ANGRY LASER SPACE, DAMMIT
PROGRESSING, albeit slowly.

3. Make a MAXIMUM EFFORT arting.
Nope. A single character with full colours and shading doesn't count here. :v

4. get a job
I'm beginning to think about it, i guess.

5. Make some sort of animation that's a bit longer than 4 frames (this also kind of ties in with the above MAXIMUM EFFORT arting because i have a hard time putting serious effort into anything)
Well it's not traditional animation but it's 16 frames long. :v

6. Draw something EVERY time i'm in the "i want to art but anxiety is evilllllll" mojo. Doesn't have to be big, just SOMETHING.
Doing fine at night, not so much during daytime.

7. Link my deviantArt page to someone i know in meatspace, possibly my brother. (o boy this one's a scary thought)
NEIN.

8. TRY MUSIC
not yet

9. Bit of a vague one but TRAIN TO SPEAK SLOWER AND MORE CLEARLY. I stumble over my words way too frequently, and it's annoying as hell.
... I'm at least aware of it. :v

10. Earn enough dosh to afford folk high school without resorting to Parental Loan(tm).
Kind of ties in with getting a job, but still!

11. Be rid of the pain in my arms.
I can game at least, but pain can still set in. :<

12. get used to not being on the loo for half an hour every time

[Corselet]

I'll give this a try. My goal is to update every two weeks, in order to improve my self-monitoring skills. I will commit to not posting more frequently than that, because I want to think carefully every time. Today's writing counts as the first update for the month of March.

Spoiler: Color|C0d3d (click to show/hide)

FISSION MAILED
Concerned citizen
Put your back into it
Do a barrel roll, but don't get cocky
Objective: Complete! This is a Hideo Kojima to-do list

Spoiler: CYCLE I: Despair (click to show/hide)

1. Be diligent about attending class, work, and therapy.
I'm really bad at this. The good news is that I'm not showing up anywhere really late anymore. The bad news is that I just had to withdraw from a full courseload, partially because I haven't been diligent enough (mostly for other reasons). I need to work on sleeping and eating on time.

2. Be more proactive about using my time.
I'm learning to stop procrastinating by starting with the dishes, and with making myself healthy meals on time. Being responsible is hard. I'll go make myself a frittata and have it with the leftover bok choy right after this.

3. Keep up better with my obligations.
... I have a huge to-do list that I've just been almost ignoring for a few days, and a bunch of work opportunity emails to send and respond to. Blargh??

Spoiler: CYCLE II: This Pear (click to show/hide)

4. Get a good job for the fall.
I'm putting in my applications. I need to work really hard on Cycle I and my executive functioning in general so that I can get more opportunities.

5. Apply to graduate schools.
Just awarded another research position. I need to set aside time regularly to study next, and try to talk more with professors in my areas of interest. I'm kind of out of the loop.

6. Enroll in health insurance.
Step 1: Earn $1,250+/month. As of Mar 1, Current Earnings: $1,042/month + tips. I just set up a spreadsheet to track my income/outcome. Too bad I made $1.00 in tips today.

Spoiler: CYCLE III: The Letter Killeth; (click to show/hide)

7. Keep up writing in my diary.
I don't write every day anymore, which is good because I'm saving on ink and paper, and I felt like I was stewing too much in negativity instead of going out and doing things. I try to make time when I have a problem I need to think through, though.

8. Read 52 books that will force me to grow intellectually.
I've read 14 books so far this year. I think that 11 of them count for this.

9. Read the Five Great Chinese Novels.
Story of the Stone: Finished. Currently on p. 288 of vol. 2 of Jin Ping Mei, like I have been for the past three years

Spoiler: CYCLE IV: But the Spirit Giveth Life (click to show/hide)

10. Host regular moon-viewing and tea-drinking parties.
I'm arranging this for the full moon each month and I've successfully had two of these so far. I need to make a guest list and menu for March. I just picked up some new silver tip jasmine tea, which will be great for a Spring but I need to think up a new simple dessert. I also need to send thank-you cards for Monday's celebration.

11. Complete 5 small pieces of writing.
I've finished most of a commission on a game that's going to be published soon, but I haven't been doing a good job of setting aside time every day to work on my other projects, or of finishing the commission in a timely way.

12. Make my own New Year Cards this year.
I'm saving money so that I can take an introductory drawing course this summer. Eventually I want to learn how to use watercolors. The first thing is to stop eating out and be more careful with grocery money, and see if I can't pick up another student. I need to send the cards in the last week before the New Year, manufacture the cards, buy the stamps, and write on them in early December, start arting in November, figure out my theme in October, and have a full list of recipients ready by September.

Spoiler: DISCIPLINE & PUNISH (click to show/hide)

The wages of sin are death. Let's just talk about the good stuff. Next steps will probably have to continue into next year. I am committed to making these purchases for myself as reward for good behavior, whether I have to dip into savings or not to hold up the bargain.

On completion of Cycle I:
=> I will buy myself underwear that doesn't have holes in it and shoe polish/shoe repair materials, as well as a brand-new pair of shoes.
Next step: Learn how to take my own authority and feel better about making my own decisions. Don't let other people irritate and derail me so much. Be more friendly, but also stop oversharing.

On completion of Cycle II:
=> I will purchase between 5 and 10 books for myself that will help me learn things I need to know for my new job and life in graduate school.
Next step: Learn how to drive.

On completion of Cycle III:
=> I will buy myself two new fountain pens, a converter, and a new shade of ink, along with a stationery set from the local store where all that stuff is so expensive and maybe more Herbin sealing wax as well.
Next step: Read a wider variety of poetry and commit some new poems to memory.

On completion of Cycle IV:
=> I will buy myself some expensive drawing supplies (G-Pen, bristol board, etc.) and another drawing class or two at the local community college.
Next step: Plan and execute a large creative project, such as a book of poetry translations, or making a novel, graphic novel, visual novel, or short game.

On successful completion of all Cycles:
=> I need to think of a big bonus that I really want. Maybe a new winter coat? Or a sewing machine?

Leading edge => Work on executive functioning skills.

I'm starting by posting here for encouragement and community. I think the next thing is to regulate my eating and sleeping habits more, and go back to practicing Taiji to help out both of those. I might also get some books on the subject from the local academic library.