25 Before 23 - December Update

So now it's December. I feel alright about that. I think that this list project might be helping me feel more on top of things than usual. Time isn't rushing by unaccounted for, I have written down what I've been up to and I can see that I have achieved things each month.
I've had four months working on my list (half way!) and have made progress on almost all of the points. None of them feel out of reach and some of them are just a small push away from being completely done. It feels good, and I'm glad the list is here.

25 Things

1. Finish my final project - deadline is 03/01/13, going to try and tie it up in the next two weeks
2. Get a job - CV is up to date and I've applied for one job and started a cover letter for another.
3. Move to Bristol - Let subject to references!
4. Sew a dress - Almost finished my Simplicity 2451 skirt - just needs hemming.
5. Make 10 of my recipe bookmarks / pins - 10/10 I've added American-style apple scones and this minestrone soup to my list. For the soup I used chinese leaf instead of cabbage, had no celery and added courgette but was otherwise true to the recipe. The scones were really simple and surprisingly good - the apple chunks stopped them from being too stodgey.
   I'm sure I'll continue to make new things, I really enjoy it. I could be more strict with myself and demand that I have a pre-existing recipe bookmark, or even make a specific list of things to make? One to think about.
6. Send parcels to far-away friends - Have started on the second scarf for my friends in America.
7. Go to Southwold at least once
8. Get rid of my Flickr backlog - in chronological order. Currently: film - August '11, digital - March '12
9. Get a grip on my finances - I've gone through my old stuff, shredded some things & re-organised. I also found $270 I'd managed to forget about since 2009! For someone who thinks of themself as being organised... I'm not very. I've now swapped it with a friend who's going to the USA for Christmas so we both got a better deal than we would have with Travelex.
10. Sell my eBay pile, swap my swap pile - Sold one dress on eBay.
11. Mend & alter my mending & altering piles - Put off 'til Christmas
12. Read a newspaper regularly - my parents are back so breakfast is no longer time to myself & I'm not getting through Weeks as fast. Might have to allow myself to skip bits. I have a strange habit of reading every last section (business, opera reviews, The Archers summary...) except the main headlines on the first two pages.
13. Weekend away by train - Done Plymouth. Would like more.
14. Buy good shoes - Bought some low-top converse rip-offs which are pretty good so far. Still need some serious leather boots/smart shoes. I tried on a lot in Jones the other day but most were too narrow :(
15. Crochet 3 items from stashed wool - 0/3 Finished a new-wool Christmas item with no left-overs so it's been stash neutral. Might start making Christmas octopi with my scraps :)
16. Get a new phone
17. Read 3 good/classic books
18. Print more photos - Found a free £5 from Bonusprint on MoneySavingExpert.com and got a few done for presents, plus a passport-sized Boy for my wallet :) Would like more general pretty prints in albums, I can use one of those 40 6x4 offers or something.
19. Watch 3 good/classic films
20. Exercise regularly - Walking to work will count when I have work
21. Scrapbook - the pile is looking at me, perhaps I'll buy some PVA glue and start working away?
22. Have a picnic - If all is well with the flat we could have a housewarming one. Putting rugs down to sit on is the perfect way of looking after the new beige carpets!
23. Visit a city farm
24. Visit my sister at university - Put off 'til after project
25. Cycle from Bristol to Bath - Still need to buy a helmet

 Any tips on cycling helmets? I'm pretty flumoxed about what to go for. I know that ordering one blind off the internet could be a bad idea with my large head, and I don't even know where to start style-wise. I might make my sister accompany me to Halfords to try some on, I should pay more attention to what Lady Velo wears.

 I've just had the idea of making one list item an item-of-the-month - something that I'd like to do/get done in each particular coming month . A monthly goal, if you will. I'd set a new one each month alongside my update. The company of the other items would make it seem less of a let-down if I didn't/couldn't get it done but it'd help my list feel up to date. I think at some point the list items left will be only those that take special effort or are more long-term - I will have got all the easy ones done. Having a new item each month would keep it fresh. On the other hand I've only got another four months on this list anyway. Something to think on.