Last year I set forth on a quest, a journey, a mission: that for which I am destined. I conquered a few things last year, like the back yard. In 2023, I’m on a different quest.
It’s been tricky to narrow down what missions I want to make public. So in 2023 there are a few public goals, a few more secret goals, and some other odds and ends like a word for the year.
On to the 2023 missions!
Move More Sit Less
Is it almost the middle of July already? Where did June go? I know I’ve been outside futzing around with plants and dirt and somehow managed to walk 37 miles.
I’m still virtually walking around London with the Conqueror Virtual Challenges.
- Yearly Goal: 320 miles (nearly double the original goal of 175 miles.)
- Total walked this year: 253 miles.
- Trees planted through Conqueror this year: 6.
All Things Writing
Last year I finished the first draft of a novel. This year I want to finish the second draft. I also enjoyed posting twice a month here, so let’s see if I can meet or exceed that one in 2023.
- In June there was only one post on this blog – the Mission update.
- I published another newsletter in June – yeah me!
- And in June the second draft of the novel was churning…meaning, I was thinking about the plot and characters. By the first week of July, I started writing.
Finish All The Projects
If you’ve owned a home, you know that the list of projects never ends. And to be honest, I don’t think I’ll finish ALL of the projects. But this year, I’d like to knock a few of those things that I’ve been thinking about for a long time right off the list.
This part of the mission is more about consistently making an effort to do the things…all the things…even the little things like take that pile of things to the thrift store or break down the boxes and put them in the car and haul them off to the recycling center.
- Projects? What projects? It’s time to buy all the things for gardening!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
- I did let go of a lot of house plants in June through a local plant swap.
- And I took a load of things to the thrift store…or was that in July?
Secret Things
I don’t know what the next secret thing will be but boy, it’s already been an awesome year, right?
- In April I was in New York City and marched in the New York City Tartan Week parade with a huge group of Bay City Roller fans.
- In May I was a guest DJ on Dedication: Fans Remember The Bay City Rollers.
- Oh! Oh my! There’s already a super secret thing scheduled for next year. (And if you already KNOW what it is, please don’t give it away in the comments.)
Year In Books
This year I’m a Bookshop affiliate. Bookshop actively supports local, independent bookstores and has even given more than 80% of their profit margin to independent bookstores. I even have my own store on Bookshop!
I’m making an effort to buy some books from Bookshop, and others from Sleepy Dog Books, my local independent bookstore.
(Disclosure: All of the links to books are Bookshop.org affiliate links. If you click through the link and finalize a purchase, I earn a commission.)
Here’s what I read last month:
- Tea Set and Match (Tea Princess Chronicles #2) by Casey Blair
- Our Lady of Mysterious Ailments (Edinburgh Nights #2 by T.L. Huchu
Word of the Year
Action is the word of the year. I want to accomplish, do, go, make things happen.
Guiding Thought
As I went through the process of thinking about my mission for the year, the one thing that I kept returning to was: what was life like before the internet? Do more of that!
Forget about it. I use the internet every single day.
Quote of the Month
Did you know there is a collection of thought-provoking quotes up at the top of the blog? Once that page displays and you’ve absorbed the words, click “Next Quote” to see another and another and another.
I’m always surprised when friends apologize for being in a bad mood, or for sharing their life challenges when I bump into them, as though there is something wrong with sharing our difficulties with each other. This is yet another example of the bullshit positivity world we have created in western life, where we are only acceptable to each other if we share good news. I wonder if we have communicated the message that someone else’s bad news is unacceptable because we are trying to bypass our own difficulties. Whatever it is, it has to stop. We aren’t going to co-create a genuinely positive world until we can hold the space for each other’s shadow. Better an authentic frown than an inauthentic smile any day. A smile that is built on a pretentious foundation isn’t a smile at all.
Jeff Brown
Your Turn
Tell me how your “missions” are going this year. Read any good books lately?
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