It's that time of year again where some of us like to set out our goals for the new year. This is something I've done for the last few years and found it helpful at the end of the year to see where I'm at. I did achieve most of my goals last year and wrote more blogs in the year than I have since beginning this blog in 2010 - but even then that only amounted to the princely sum of seven!
I'm aware as I'm writing this just what a trying year last year was - for so many it's been devastating. For others, it's been an opportunity to reset and reevaluate. This formed the subject matter of a couple of my blogs last year. I do think the next few weeks will be tough, but am hoping we can emerge in the spring with some 'green shoots' of hope and the worst of the pandemic behind us.
So with no further ado, these are my goals for 2021:
Writing goals
1) Publish 'The Colour Of Wednesday' the follow up novel to 'Down The Tubes'. This has been a long time in the making but it's nearly there now. I could carry on tweaking and fine-tuning it, that's what I have done in the past with books, but there comes a point where you need to move onto other projects (see below).
2) The Poetry Collection from our Facebook Group - Don't Go Breaking Our Arts (for artists and writers with long term conditions and disabilities). This was in my goals for last year but I'm thrilled to say there was a lot of progress last year. I began collecting up a lot of the poems from the group archives with the help of another member. Now with the support of Disability Arts Online we have found someone very experienced to collaborate with and have also had a generous donation towards the paperback production. It's all a bit under wraps now so can't reveal too much.
3) Beginning my next big writing project. I've wanted to do an autobiography of sorts, with an angle, but shall have to see. I'm excited to have a go anyway and if it turns out to be something other than what I envisaged, then so be it. Writing has a habit of doing that - evolving into something else.
4) Collect together my own poems for a possible collection and also write more short stories. As it takes me so much longer to complete anything these days, I need to stick to shorter stuff.
5) Get my latest Little Guide into a series of blogs (to begin with). That's something else I've nearly finished for the time being (as much as these Little Guides are ever completed).
Other activities
Singing
Last year was really wonderful for getting back to singing again. Zoom has created so many opportunities for those of us who sadly had to give up live community choirs long before Covid reared its ugly head. But a very old friend of mine introduced my sister and me to her daughter's online singing group, and that's been so uplifting. People wonder how it works when mics are on mute. Well, as my sister does it with me, we can each do a part. Sometimes if the person leading the sing is doing a third part we can get a three part harmony going! My sister and I have been going weekly on a Wednesday to a small Zoom group and fortnightly every Saturday to a bigger Zoom group where two guest singers as well as the coordinator teach us one of their songs or another song of their choosing. In one of the Saturday groups before Christmas there was nearly 140 participants! So although you're not getting the experience of hearing all the other voices that you get in a choir, you do get something else, the pleasure of singing along with one or two others and the personal connections from the other regular Zoom singers, particularly in the smaller group.
I can honestly say that I have been introduced to many new gorgeous singers and songs, as well as seeing familiar ones! I hope that these choices and opportunities will continue post-Covid.
Genealogy
As I mentioned in my end of year blog, I had quite journey last year in this respect. It came as a massive shock discovering that hundreds of my third and fourth cousins had been killed in the Holocaust. I'd always thought that my family's branch wasn't affected. Well, the direct line wasn't as my great great grandfather came to London, luckily for us. But there were devastating consequences for so many of the descendants of his siblings who stayed in Amsterdam. A family member and I have been documenting the lives and stories of those who were affected and it's been a long and harrowing journey. I have thought of doing some blogs on some of them to honour and remember their lives.
The upside of all this research is discovering new cousins we didn't know we had.
Health goals
I want to try acupuncture for hyperhidrosis as I've heard it can help - I've tried everything else. I shouldn't really pin my hopes on it though, as I've been disappointed so much in the last few years. I can't try it anyway until I feel safe to go to appointments and such places are open for business.
Further investigations to rule out autoimmune diseases. I did have an online consultation with a rheumatologist who has recommended I get some further blood tests. Again, I have to wait until all these high tiers/lockdowns are removed.
Continuing with my therapy for ME/CFS which has been done remotely and proved a better way of interacting at the moment i.e. from the comfort of my own home. My therapist also observed how much more relaxed I was in my own environment, and I also have mindfulness exercises to practise. Although mindfulness and meditation aren't new to me, I find it helps to be reminded and to brush up on these techniques so they become second nature. It's easy to forget if you don't have them as homework!
Household
More small jobs to make better use of space, so probably more cupboards and shelving, plus small things which will provide more comfort, thicker curtains etc! As I spend most of my time at home these things become increasingly important and yet Covid has made it more difficult to get work done in the home. Last year we had about three jobs lined up just when lockdown hit us!
So that's about it. I suppose my hopes for 2021 are the same as most people's. For this crisis to pass and for people to be able to return to the best parts of their lives - their work, seeing their loved ones, travel and so on.
So it just remains for me to wishing you all a happy and healthy new year!
