New Year's non-list

It's that time of year when everyone is making lists. I kind of like lists, but I'm still amazed when I think of how rampant they are right now, with all the best and worst of 2009 lists, the resolutions, the wishes for 2010, and so on. It's hard not to get pulled along with it.

I haven't really made any new year's resolutions for several years now. In part, I think, because the last few years have felt so busy that an actual list seemed superfluous, on top of all the goals I was already working on. This year is much the same. The things I want for this year are the same sorts of things I wanted last month, and last year. While my free-with-purchase Half Price Books calender (this month featuring polar bears) is nice, it doesn't change much.

In a lot of ways, 2009 felt like a kind of wasted year to me. While I was, in the most general sense, happy and healthy, I didn't accomplish much. I did read a lot of books, and finish a fair amount of knitting, but that doesn't feel like enough to me. I didn't create anything this year that was entirely my own. And I think that's the main thing I want to aim for in this next year.

This is something I've been musing on for some time now (although truthfully, it's always- ALWAYS- in the back of my mind). A big part of the inspiration has been coming from Miss Violet's blog (of Lime and Violet fame). She herself is really fascinating to me. I've been coveting her energy and creative drive since I started listening to the podcast. In the latest podcast alone, she discussed having dyed LOTS of yarn, designing knitwear, and making her own artisan bread and cheese from scratch. And she has a day job. She does not sleep.She drinks Starbucks intravenously.

Her blog lately has been all about finishing as many projects from 2009 as she could, bringing as little unfinished business into the new year as possible. Lately, she is a whirlwind of getting things done. And I envy that. Which is why I have a large to-do list directly to my right. There's so much to do, both business-y type things that need to get done, as well as things I want to get done. Which, in my opinion, is the best kind of to-do list. It can't be all work and no play.

Speaking of work, the applying for jobs has begun in earnest now that we have internet at the house again. Hopefully I'll find something before too long, as the expenses are starting to weigh on me a little. It helps that we finally have internet at the house again, so I can get back on the ball both with applying for jobs, and with grad school applications. That's been the best part of this week, is finally feeling like I'm getting actual things done again.

And I plan to continue to do so, in all areas of my life. Including this blog. As of coming home after New Years, my life is officially off holiday time and back to normal. So it's time to get back to posting. Which means more booklove (expect an update tomorrow!), more knitlove, and more of my little bits of nonsensical wonderfulness that I find out there in the world.

Here's hoping I find enough of it to fill this entire year. Welcome to 2010, my lovelies!