25 Before 23 - January Update

Wicken Fen, Cambridgeshire

I've finally got the project out of the way, after staying up so late it became early working solidly to get it finished and getting two hours sleep. I took a train up to Bristol to print it and hand it in but ran into print credit problems (credit balance wasn't showing, extra credit I'd bought the day before just in case didn't go through, machine wouldn't take my coins) and ended up getting it printed, bound and posted to the department by Mailboxes Etc. It definitely cost more than it would have otherwise but making it go away was definitely worth it.
After all that stress and with a couple of hours before my booked train to Bedford, my shoe fell apart. Luckily I was carrying another pair so I was able to change them and dump the broken pair in a bin, but it felt almost farcical given the day I was having and my tiredness level! I treated myself to a hot chocolate and a bus to the station and got my train with plenty of time to spare.
As I was on the way to stay with him, I spent the journey trying to finish crocheting the boy's christmas present. I didn't manage it as I was just not awake enough for speed crochet but I finished it over the next few days staying at his parents' house.
We visited Bletchley Park, Stowe Landscape Garden, Wicken Fen, and St Albans, as well as spending new year's eve in Cambridge with friends, scrabble, excellent stilton, vesper martinis, and party poppers in a pub at midnight. Over the week Boy and I did plenty of relaxing, talking to a visiting cat, playing Carcassonne, and eating his parents out of cheese and returned to Bristol fairly well rested and probably rather fatter.
Yesterday I saw my old flatmate L, bought a few things for the flat, put together a chair, and sort of helped S construct some of her enormous Ikea delivery. Now I'm back home with my parents thinking about what's next and facing the mess that is my bedroom.

25 Things

1. Finish my final project - done and submitted for 03.01.'13. was stressful but I threw money at Mailboxes Etc and they made it go away! Had confirmation from department & marking will happen soonish.
2. Get a job - Hoping to hear back from one, need to apply for more. I dislike writing cover letters.
3. Move to Bristol - Moving in slowly, need to acquire a bed! Boy's parents generously gave me some dining chairs and he's lent me his record player as he has nowhere to put it :)
4. Sew a dress - Simplicity 2451 skirt still needs seams finishing,would pinking shears do?
5. Make 10 of my recipe bookmarks / pins
6. Send parcels to far-away friends - Scarf to send is now my main crochet project
7. Go to Southwold at least once
8. Get rid of my Flickr backlog - in chronological order. Currently: film - September '11, digital - April '12
9. Get a grip on my finances - Need to develop a management system - something I can do regularly to keep an eye on everything.
10. Sell my eBay pile, swap my swap pile - It's still sitting, staring at me & taking up floorspace. I've warmed to the idea of cleaning out and optimising what I own so there may be further culling of clothes.
11. Mend & alter my mending & altering piles - Now I have some time to do this :)
12. Read a newspaper regularly - ditto
13. Weekend away by train - I want more!
14. Buy good shoes - Bought new walking boots and lovely smart Hush Puppies in MK. Boots would be nice but I'm not holding my breath, the combination of big wide foot and large calf makes finding them very hard
15. Crochet 3 items from stashed wool - 1/3 Made S's little green cat, working on a scarf
16. Get a new phone
17. Read 3 good/classic books
18. Print more photos - Printed some for gifts, need to start a "to print" folder
19. Watch 3 good/classic films
20. Exercise regularly
21. Scrapbook - Bought PVA, earmarked old diaries for scrapbooking. Made some cards from old calendars
22. Have a picnic - Possible housewarming? Not going to count sneakily eating homemade sandwiches in the corner of the café at Bletchley Park!
23. Visit a city farm - S is pining for fluffy animals so I said I'd take her
24. Visit my sister at university - Need to get plotting
25. Cycle from Bristol to Bath - need to buy a helmet, still

I've been enjoying reading people's new year's resolutions (or reasons why they're not making any) and it's given me plenty of food for thought, especially about the future of this project which I sort of regard as my version. It's nice to see some of the principles I used to make my list being validated, and to find new angles on the idea of resolution-setting/goal-making.
I hope everyone has had a relaxing and peaceful Christmas and new year and is feeling positive about 2013 :)