2012 Update: When Life Gets in the Way

Remember when I optimistically stated that I would do 2012 things in 2012?

Remember how I posted weekly updates for a grand total of five weeks before life got in the way?

Maybe you’ve forgotten my 2012 project.

Just for the record, I haven’t.

I’m still working on it–I just haven’t had a lot of time to record it or log it.

A weekly update is a bit beyond me at this point–but I still want to record my progress somehow.

Which is why I have created my 2012 Running List to help me get caught up.

As of right now, the list is woefully incomplete, with dozens of tasks already completed but not yet on the list.

But…it’s a step in the right direction, right?

I can hope so :-)


2012: Week 5

White HatGibson Roll
White Hat with a Bow (115), Gibson Roll (114)
  1. Wear a Gibson Roll
  2. Wear my white hat with a bow
  3. Teach Amos and Obadiah
  4. Clean my toiletry holder
  5. Clean and organize my linen closet
  6. Clean and organize my vanity
  7. Make Buffalo Chicken Pizza (Conclusion? Hot but good.)
  8. Make Ooey Gooey Caramel Pumpkin Blondies (Majorly delish.)
  9. Make a paper heart chain
  10. Send Kayteeeee a birthday card
  11. Send Mom a birthday card
  12. Text with my brother Tim
  13. Sew with G
  14. Make an item for my Anne collection
  15. Facebook Chat with my sister Grace
  16. Read a chapter of Proverbs a day for 31 days
  17. Listen to Straight Thinking Podcast #146-The Problem of Doubt #1
  18. Listen to Straight Thinking Podcast #147-The Problem of Doubt #2
  19. Participate in the L.M. Montgomery Reading Challenge
  20. Host a blog giveaway
  21. Write a Flashback post about getting my ears pierced
  22. Close children’s picture book author Maribeth Boelts
  23. Close children’s picture book author Paulette Bogan
  24. Close children’s picture book author Ellen Bogart
  25. Close children’s picture book author Gary Bogue
  26. Close children’s picture book author Susi Bohdal
  27. Close children’s picture book author Max Bollinger
  28. Listen to Science News Flash: Sudden Emergence of Bipedalism (July 21, 2011)
  29. Listen to Science News Flash: Ancient Biblical Cities Unearthed (July 22, 2011)
  30. Listen to Science News Flash: 2012 Doomsday? Believers in Mysterious Planet Nibiru, Comet Elenin Await Earth’s End (July 27, 2011)
  31. Listen to Science News Flash: Extrasolar Planet is Darkest Ever Seen (Aug 15, 2011)
  32. Listen to Science News Flash: Is Our Universe One of Many? (Aug 17, 2011)
  33. Poke Grace (literally)
  34. Catch a snowflake on my tongue
White Hat
Catching a snowflake on my tongue


2012: Week 4

  1. Wear a scarf in a Chain Knot
  2. Wear an Upside-Down Smokey Eye
  3. Teach Hosea and Joel
  4. Become a member of my church
  5. Make Summer in the Winter cobbler
  6. Play Skip-bo
Reverse Smokey Eye and Chain KnotJewelry Organizer
Summer in the Winter Cobbler
First Row: Chain Knotted Scarf (90) and Reverse Smokey Eye (91), New Jewelry Organizer (104)
Second Row: Summer in the Winter Cobbler (94)
  1. Listen to Straight Thinking Podcast #142-Did God Create the Universe? Part 3
  2. Listen to Straight Thinking Podcast #143-Truthers Steal Al Qaeda’s Thunder
  3. Stay overnight at work
  4. Survive state survey at Facility #1
  5. Listen to Straight Thinking Podcast #144-The Devil’s Weapon #1: Pascal on Indifference
  6. Listen to Straight Thinking Podcast #145-The Devil’s Weapon #2: Pascal on Diversion
Piercing ear with needle and potatoNewly pierced ear
My ear being pierced (108), My ear once it’s pierced (108)
  1. Make Apple Cranberry Oven Pancake
  2. Remove The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks from my TBR list
  3. Make a new jewelry organizer
  4. Remove The Help from my TBR list
  5. Watch Courageous
  6. Get a flag for in front of the house
New Shelf in GarageRolled Snowflake
Rolled Snowflake OrnamentsNew Flag
First Row: Shelf in Garage (108), Rolled Paper Snowflake (112)
Second Row: Rolled Snowflake Ornaments (113), New Flag (107)
  1. Assemble shelving unit for garage
  2. Post a “Sleep” themed Flashback
  3. Pierce my ears
  4. Spend face-to-face time with Anna
  5. Make a Rolled Paper Snowflake
  6. Make a rolled paper snowflake ornament (Cheating? Probably. But I don’t care.)


2012: Week 3

I’ve been in Grand Island on survey all week, which means that I have accomplished precious little towards my 2012. I may have to start adding sleeps to my list :-)

  1. Attend a funeral
  2. Review Flora’s Very Windy Day by Jeanette Birdsall
  3. Listen to Straight Thinking Podcast #136-Did Adam and Ever Really Exist? (Part 1)
  4. Listen to Straight Thinking Podcast #137-Did Adam and Ever Really Exist? (Part 2)
  5. Listen to Straight Thinking Straight Thinking Podcast #138-Did Adam and Ever Really Exist? (Part 3)
  6. Listen to Straight Thinking Straight Thinking Podcast #139-Did Adam and Ever Really Exist? (Part 4)
  7. Listen to Straight Thinking Straight Thinking Podcast #140-Did God Create the Universe? (Part 1)
  8. Listen to Straight Thinking Straight Thinking Podcast #141-Did God Create the Universe? (Part 2)
  9. Text with my Dad
  10. Write a Flashback about my childhood bedroom
  11. See my brother Joshua’s performance in Twelve Angry Men
  12. Spend face-to-face time with Timothy
  13. Hug my mom
  14. Buy a TV

We can, and should, blame state for both the lack of activity towards my list this week and the lack of photos on this post.

As I could have told Timothy this morning, state’s a bit chilly.


2012: Week 2

Daniel's Birthday CardRust-colored Cow
Daniel’s Birthday Card (49), Pictures of Cows (52)
  1. Remove It Looked Different on the Model by Laurie Notaro from my TBR list
  2. Wear my blue felt hat
  3. Teach Ezekiel
  4. Make Maple-Dijon Pork Tenderloin
  5. Have folks over for Sunday dinner
  6. Make Candied Acorn Squash Rings
  7. Play UNO (deep and dirty)
  8. Close out children’s picture books by Phil Bildner
  9. Close out children’s picture books by Jeanne Birdsall
The Little Miss and MeGrace in her show choir duds
The Little Miss and me (63), Grace after her show choir showcase (62)
  1. Close out children’s picture books by N. M. Bodecker
  2. Make Borax Crystal Snowflakes
  3. Cut paper snowflakes
  4. Send a birthday card to Daniel
  5. Make Savannah Red Rice
  6. “Poke” Joshua
  7. Take pictures of cows
  8. Make Ranch Popcorn
  9. Make Toffee Bars from Betty Crocker
  10. Listen to Straight Thinking Podcast #129-Thinking about Near-Death Experiences
Cream Colored HatTriple Braid Pocahantas
Patchwork Toes
Top Row: Cream Colored Hat (68), Triple Braided Pocahantas (67)
Bottom Row: Patchwork Toes (66)
  1. Listen to Straight Thinking Podcast #130-Atheist A.J. Ayer’s Near-Death Experience
  2. Listen to Straight Thinking Podcast #131-OKC bombing and Conspiracy Theories
  3. Listen to Straight Thinking Podcast #132-C.S. Lewis: Life and Conversion
  4. Listen to Straight Thinking Podcast #133-C.S. Lewis: Christian Apologist
  5. Listen to Straight Thinking Podcast #134-C.S. Lewis: Christian Writer
  6. Listen to Straight Thinking Podcast #135-C.S. Lewis: Strengths and Weaknesses
  7. Go to Grace’s Show Choir Showcase
  8. Take picture with the little Miss
  9. Write a Death and Dying Flashback
  10. Go to work Christmas Party
Reupholstered chairsCandied Orange Peel
Reupholstered chair (74), Candied Orange Peels (73)
  1. Paint Patchwork Toes
  2. Do hair in a Triple Braided Pocahontas
  3. Wear Cream Knit-Covered Hat
  4. Teach Daniel
  5. Have a white chocolate peach steamer
  6. “Work out” at a “gym”
  7. Make Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
  8. Make Candied Orange Peels
  9. Reupholster kitchen chairs
  10. Play “Just Dance”

Because I was unsuccessful in completing 77.4 projects before midnight last night (38.7 projects per week), I have determined to recalculate and see if I can figure out a way to still say I’m on track.

Considering the 2012 has 366 days, I should complete ~5.5 projects per day; which would mean 82.5 projects by midnight tonight.

Okay, not going to happen.

What if I calculate by months and say I’m halfway through one month? That way I’d have to complete 83.8 projects by noon tomorrow.

Also unlikely to happen.

Okay, so I’m probably going to have to use those 366 allowable “sleep” projects. But, eternal optimist that I am, I’m not willing to add them quite yet!


2012: Week 1

Me in my hatMy new lab coatFrench fold
Me in my fur hat (1) immediately after teaching Jeremiah and Lamentations (2), Me in my brand-new homemade lab coat (11), My hair in a French fold (21)
  1. Wear my fur hat
  2. Teach Jeremiah and Lamentations
  3. Install a full mirror in bathroom
  4. Paint half-moon toenails
  5. Play Taboo
  6. Play Bible Outburst
  7. Listen to Straight Thinking Podcast #125-Blaise Pascal: Man of Reason and Faith
  8. Listen to Straight Thinking Podcast #126-Blaise Pascal: Two Apologetics Insights
  9. Listen to Straight Thinking Podcast #127-Blaise Pascal: The Wager, part 1
  10. Listen to Straight Thinking Podcast #128-Blaise Pascal: The Wager, part 2
Oatmeal Clay OrnamentsMy Christmas Storage
Pretzel RisingBaked Pretzels
First Row: My oatmeal clay ornaments (14), Christmas storage (16)
Second Row: Before and after pretzel making (23)
  1. Make lab coat
  2. Replace toilet seat
  3. Write review of Has God Spoken?
  4. Make oatmeal clay ornaments
  5. Make Wagon Wheel Pasta Pizza Casserole
  1. Figure out Christmas storage
  2. Make new Thankful Thursday Button
  3. Get rid of “Cast of Characters” on sidebar
  4. Send a birthday card to my dad
  5. Complete “Nutrition and Wound Healing” continuing education
Farm Girl GranolaSailor's Knot Bracelet
Lemon Scented Hand Scrub
First Row: Farm Girl Granola (22), Sailor’s Knot Bracelet (28)
Second Row: Lemon Scented Hand Scrub (29) and potted rosemary (30)
  1. Wear my hair in a French fold
  2. Make “farm girl” granola
  3. Make homemade soft pretzels
  4. Write “Newspaper” themed Flashback
  5. Make maple hot cocoa
  6. Watch Gnomeo and Juliet (which I’m classifying as a family-friendly movie)
  7. Make snowflake window clings
  8. Make a Sailor’s Knot Bracelet
  9. Make Lemon-scented kitchen hand scrub
  10. Attempt to grow rosemary on my windowsill
Cranberry-Pecan Upside Down CakeToasted Squash SeedsRosemary Peasant Bread
First Row: Cranberry Pecan Upside Down Cake (32), Toasted Squash Seeds (35)
Second Row: Rosemary Peasant Bread (31)
  1. Make Rosemary Peasant Bread
  2. Make Cranberry-Pecan Upside-Down Cake
  3. Make Hot 5-Bean Salad
  4. Make Cayenne Cocoa
  5. Toast squash seeds
  6. Hear and Obey (Keeping Promises)

I officially have to complete 38.7 projects per week in order to complete 2012 this year–which means that I’m already behind–except that I’ve started on a Bible reading project, a blogging project, a sewing project, a couple of different reading projects, and a memorization project. So I think I’m probably right on target at the one week mark :-)


Introducing: 2012 in 2012

I’m not at all superstitious–and I happen to believe that no man knows or even can know the time of the end of the world.

“But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only…Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming.”
~Matthew 24:36, 42

But the hype surrounding the Mesoamerican calendar that “ends” on December 21, 2012 makes for a convenient excuse for my variation on the bucket list.

Introducing…

In the upcoming year, I propose to accomplish 2012 things–one for each year since the first coming of our Lord.

I have already prepared a tentative list of 2012 items to do–but I reserve the right to change any to all of them as I progress. I also reserve the right to include as many as 366 “sleep” items to the list (since the prospect of accomplishing 2012 things in 2012 might be inclined to infringe upon my sleeping time!)

Of course, I’ll keep you all updated as I race through the year toward [insert scary music] the end of the world!