Tags
12 before 24, alliteration, art, bread making, drawing, endless cups of tea, french braid, groundwork, imposter syndrome, jiu jitsu, knitting, MMA, not wasting money, oh god why am i in grad school, photo album, sherlock gifs, skincare, sloth, squats, sushi, swimming, tea, tea heals all, thesis, thesis panic, thesis writing
Also alliteration. For those moments when you feel like sounding a bit pompous. Let’s review my 12 before 24 goals.
1. Regain some of my old swimming skills. I feel a bit incompetent in the pool nowadays, and also like I will probably drown if I have to swim more than a hundred metres or so.
So I swam fairly frequently in Tanzania due to going to the pool at the weekend kind of being a thing, but I haven’t really kept it up in England or Canada. Well, maybe I’ll figure it out later. I’ll just keep getting buff so hopefully that will help. Or does buffness sink?
2. Keep up a daily skin/body regimen so that I don’t end up with terrible skin when I’m older (my mum says that she regrets not keeping hers up)
3. Learn how to French braid
I genuinely tried this one. But I’m just not coordinated. I need to keep practising.
5. Finish my thesis and defence on time (that goes without saying really)
It’s going OK, but I would really like to print out these transcripts. But I also don’t know whether printing out 400+ pages is ultimately going to be productive for me.
7. Manage my money more prudently (I need to start some way other than the “in my head system”)
The in-my-head-system has been upgraded. Sort of. I’m just trying to spend no money on as many days as possible. So far, this is working fairly well, but my grant went down and my rent went up. But I’m moving back to my parents’ for at least the winter (January-April). So I’ll be able to save and pay some money off my credit card (thanks, grad school).
8. Work on getting better in MMA – groundwork and standing, and hopefully participate in a tournament of some sort (note: the goal can be met by scheduling participation even if it comes after my 24th birthday)
I’ve been going more and more frequently, and spending more time in jiu jitsu classes. I’m getting a bit better at grappling and rolling. My friend told me I need to be more aggressive so that’s what I’m trying. When I rolled with him again, he said that aspect was definitely showing improvement. YES.
9. Learn to knit properly, rather than lumpy, too-short scarves. I want to make nice things!
I haven’t really had the time to pick up my stuff but I will at least look before Friday oh god oh god oh god.
10. Draw or paint a picture every day. I want to get better.
I really hope doodling counts. I am trying. I don’t know if I’m getting better. But I have to remember it’s just a hobby.
11. Make sushi again and don’t fail so miserably at it this time.
I did try to make sushi in Tanzania but it didn’t work out. I don’t want to talk about it.
12. Create a family album using all the photos my mum has saved up, plus more current ones I will take.
Going to try to maybe do it on Friday (my birthday) when I’m home. I know mum and dad have been sorting the photos. Maybe I’ll find more cute pics of child-me.
Also I think number 6 disappeared in the void. Sorry breadmaking.
Emily