2012 Resolutions: Chicks, Pigeons, and Bucks! Oh My!

I think I failed to capture my New Years Resolutions on Mission Moi. Bad, Stephanie, bad. I know we talked about my School Year Resolutions back in the fall, but it's a new year! a new me! a new opportunity to announce my resolution to the world and then regret doing so in ten months when I fail to do it! Who would want to miss that?! I'm kidding, of course. You have to believe to achieve :)

I think that this is a great opportunity for me to decide the path I want to take this year. I don't want the same checklist that I had for my School Year Resolutions, although I want to work on those too. No, for 2012 I'd like something a bit bigger. (Wait for it!) First, let me give you some updates on those pesky to-dos from the fall:

1. Plan a camping trip! Update: I have written the Email to my friends about a camping trip. I'm just waiting until the spring to push send. I don't think they'll even consider it with the snow starting to fall.
2. Eat at a restaurant with my hands! Update: This WILL HAPPEN. Even if I have to have my own Moroccan party. If I don't make it to D.C. in 2012 to eat with my hands, at least I can hope I'll make it to dim sum...and I'll just forgo all forks/chop sticks for the sheer enjoyment of crossing this off my list.
3. Go hiking! Update: Success! I went with some friends to Oregon Ridge in north Baltimore and with my mom to Rosaryville State Park. Plus she got me a hiking book for Christmas, so I'll be doing much more of that soon! My mom likes to support me. :)
4. Feast in the fields! Update: This didn't work out timing wise. Again, if it comes to me throwing up a table and chairs in someone's barn, then, by golly, I will feast in the fields!
5. Go antiquing! Update: I went to an antique barn. If there'd been a picnic to be had at the antique barn, I may have peed myself with excitement.
6. Volunteer! Update: I did volunteer! I helped distribute oyster spat at the South River Federation. That sounds gross, but it wasn't bad. I'll be sure to do some more volunteering come spring. (Everything has to wait for spring here. Bleh.)
7. Read a book at a coffee shop! Update: I haven't had a spare weekend to do this...although I guess I could go on a weeknight. Hmm...
8. Travel locally! Update: Charlottesville! Twice! Brooklyn! Coming up! Salt Lake City! THIS WEEKEND!
9. Hold a dinner party! Update: No update here yet. I just moved, so I'm hoping to have a movie night or Oscar night with the ladies. We shall see.
10. Get creative! Update: I started painting a wordy canvas last week. And my family was impressed with my paint chip gift tags for Christmas. I think that counts :)

And now (drum roll please) for the big resolution reveal of 2012....

Write a BOOK! Tada!

I'm thinking something fiction, a bit chick lit, maybe a little mystery, perhaps some romance (sans raunch). Something that I would want to read. Because, really, after all, I read chick lit. and romance novels. and mystery novels. And I should embrace that and write what I love. I was going to write out a big old outline and a schedule for each month, but I think that's over thinking it a bit. I would like to write once a week and hope that by the end of each month, I've written about a chapter's worth. We'll see. This may not happen, but for the first time in a while I like the idea of writing again.

Side note: Can I tell you how awkward it is to respond "no" to people when they ask if I want to write a book? Just because someone has a Master's in creative nonfiction writing (ehem, lying, as my mother jokes), doesn't mean that said person wants to write a book. Said person realized that writing a book would be exhausting, and time consuming, and probably hive-inducing much like said person's thesis was. Attack of the killer hives! Ugh. Attractive. The thought of hives is giving me hives! I've moved on, I promise. Anyway, I've decided that I DO want to write a book. I do...I do I do I do I doooo (Mama Mia anyone?). And I've decided that just because I received a degree in nonfiction writing doesn't mean that's what I have to write. I know what you're thinking: That's so daring and unpredictable and CRAZY! Fiction with a NONFICTION degree? As if! But you know what, I buck book norms and laugh at literary pigeonholes. So, go ahead. Ask me! Ask me if I want to write a book, ask me what kind of book. I'll show you. ;)

If only DECIDING to write a book was the hardest part...

Off to find a writing nook like this one:

 

Have any big resolutions to share with the world? Maybe if we all get them out in the open we'll actually do them. Good theory, right?

Love,

Stephanie Marie

Photo courtesy of pinterest.