I gave myself the following goals for 2012:
Mental (Music and Writing)
Make at least 4 novel submissions this year
This is problematic because of two things.
I really need to set a goal for myself to learn Greek. The older my in-laws get the more I need to learn it to help understand what they need and to help my wife. As they get older and they have a harder time remembering things the easier it gets for them to speak Greek and the more essential it is for me to understand and help them.
The other thing is this. As morbid as it sounds, my Dad had always said that all the men in his family died in their 50s and 60s. We thought that might have been because they were all firemen (that's right, fireMEN) and the smoke and stress may have gotten to them, but when my Dad died a couple of years ago, after having been a Police Officer and having the benefit of modern medicine, I became concerned. If I've only got 60something years in total then I only have 20something more years to go. At the rate I expect to take it, it will probably take me close to 20 years to get a doctorate. That and my GI Bill will run out in another 6 years or so mean that I'd better get on that horse sooner than later.
So that means I have three things that I HAVE to do because of WHO I am:
Writing Books
Learning Greek
Getting Back to School
I'd better wait on School though since we still have to figure out how to put kids through school. I guess that votes that down for this year.
The nice thing about writing is that I can do it at any age and in any physical condition. There is no time limit.
Greek is somewhat time limited. I need that skill now and the longer it goes the more I need it and the better I need to be at it.
That sets it then. As much as my psyche and muse hammer at me, as much as it's a part of who I am and what I can't stop myself from doing all the time, writing will just have to take a back seat to Greek. Setting it as a goal is the only way I'll be able to give it enough weight to overtake the writing urges. I will keep the novel goals as sub-resolutions, that is, the parts of it will be shorter term goals of certain months, but I can't make that my Resolution for 2012.
1. Goal
Be able to hold a conversation in Greek and be able to read a newspaper in Greek by the end of the year.
2. Benefit of meeting the goal =
"…be able to write your mother-in-law a letter?" My Big Fat Greek Wedding. This isn't far from the truth. The benefit, as I said is better communication with my in-laws.
3. Reminder of this benefit =
I need to put Greek labels on things.
4. Anti-benefit, the benefit of not accomplishing this goal =
More time for writing.
Less reminder that I'm a big dummy that can't learn languages very well.
5. Alternate means of achieving the anti-benefit =
Short term writing goals.
Rewards for each Greek language accomplishment I reach.
6. Task list (or milestones, or intermediate goals) =
Get books on learning Greek
Posting labels
Schedule time to study
FIND my copy of Rosetta Stone or buy a new copy on eBay
Complete Margarita Greek learning software
Attend Greek school classes at church and enroll next year
Do ALL exercises through Greek school
Get extra assignments from Greek school teacher
Find on-line Greek classes
Get Greek books from the library (this should be a pre-cursor to buying the books)
Speak Greek as often as possible
Find a learning partner
7. Next Step =
Schedule time
8. Who do I have to be to be able to make this goal (or who will I be when I make it) =
A Greek speaker
To remind myself I should get a subscription to a Greek newscast
9. Accountability =
Ask my wife for a Greek only day a week
Schedule
Buy books (put my money where my mouth is, or should be)
No comments:
Post a Comment