Well, it’s almost that time of year again.   2009 is drawing to a close and we are about to welcome 2010.  It’s kind of crazy to be entering a new decade. Mostly because it seems only like yesterday that I was ringing in 2000 with CJ, AvD and KS in the middle of frosty downtown Calgary.  I don’t think I even knew SMc yet! Nutty! Either way, the last 10 years have brought a lot of changes – both good and bad.  And I am very excited to see what the next 10 years will bring.

Last year, I did a review of 2008. I don’t particularly feel like reviewing 2009. Mostly because it wasn’t a very good year for me.  It just wasn’t.  And I mean, it goes beyond losing my Dad and Odin. The year had more lows than highs, so sucky.  Still, 2009 did allow for a lot of reflection that will definitely influence many of my decisions in 2010.  So, that pleases me.

My art goals for 2010 aren’t as grandiose as those I made (and didn’t accomplish) in 2009.  They are considerably smaller and more personal.   For the better, I think.

2010 Art Goals:

• Consistency: Draw/sketch something each and every day.
• A Girl A Day: Considering doing a 365 project to practice drawing my girls. This one isn’t a hard fast goal.  I am still debating it.
• Etsy: Make a commitment to get an Etsy shop off the ground by the end of this year.  This also means getting prints of my work made.
• Anatomy/Poses: Focus on human anatomy, dynamic poses and facial expressions.
• Art House Coop Self-Portrait Show: Participate, participate, participate!
• School: Take a course or two through Extended Studies at ACAD.
• Tablet:  Finally learn how to use my Wacom tablet that has been collecting dust on my desk.
• DAZ Studio: Learn to model using DAZ Studio so I can create my own references for posing, anatomy, etc.
• Photography: Take more photos sometime.
• Site Redesign: I need to redesign this site.  Again.

Beyond the art front, I have made several personal goals for 2010.  Normally, I don’t post such things here.  But I’m a big proponent of putting things out in the Universe as a way to being accountable.  Some of them are your typical New Year type goals – eating better, reducing my debt, etc. But there are some that are new in my universe.   This is just a general list, posting anything specific would be weird.

2010 Personal Goals:

• Do or Do Not, There is No Try: ‘Nuff Said.
• Art Goals: Make sure I complete most, if not all.
• Year of Doing Things:  Both collectively and individually, W and I have a list of things we wanna try this year. Things we have never tried before.  This includes (for me) enroling in Burlesquercise in the Spring. I’ll try and post the complete list later.
• Meditation: I want to learn to meditate. I think it would do me a world of good.
• Pet Relations:  I need to introduce Ripley and Loki.  They need to co-habitate in the same space. Especially if we move to a smaller place in the Fall.
• Training:  Continue to work through Ripley’s training so she is an awesomer canine citizen. Right now, she has no manners.
• Project Management: Complete three Project Management courses (for work). My growed-up career crap.
• Academic Upgrading:  I have wanted to update my high school English for a very, very long time.  Mostly to give me options if I ever decide to return to school full-time, so I wanna give myself that option this year.
• Apartment Hunting: Hunt for a new apartment in the Fall. I have a long list of must-have criteria!
• Diet: Improve my diet. My diet is shitty. I need to feel better.
• Finances: This is actually the biggest one this year and the most challenging. I want to be well on my way to being debt-free by the end of the year.

Not a crazy list. Things that are completely attainable.  I just need to be committed to each and every one of them. And that’s the tricky part, isn’t it? But personal accountability is something that a lot of people (including myself) struggle with.  Perhaps that is also something I should add to the list.

And on that note, I would like to thank each and every one of you that have taken the time out of your existences to read my little ramblings and to view my wacky pictures. I hope 2010 brings you everything you want, but more importantly, everything you need.  After all,  often what we need is vastly different from what we want.

I just need to remember that sometimes.

Other times, I can remember this: