Fall 2013 Goals

With the school year only 2 weeks away, it's time to talk about some goals. I like to post them here because 1. I'll never lose them or forget where they are, and 2. it makes me feel a bit more accountable, since it's out there for the world to see. So, here they are:

By the end of the summer:
- complete 2 interviews for my thesis
- read my entire Introduction to Music textbook and listen to the CDs
- prepare lecture notes for the first 2 weeks of class
- finish converting my 401(K) into my Roth IRA
- apply for a new passport
- attend at least 2 live performances (through JazzMobile and Chamber Music Society)
- start reading at least 1 Ellington book and 1 Parker book, for my classes in the fall
- brainstorm what my extra assignment(s) for the Parker class could/will be
- finish my "spring" cleaning by organizing small collections, like recordings and jewelry, etc.

This semester:
- stay on top of teaching and personal/student assignments (having weekends off will definitely help with this, though I want to get as much work as possible done on Tues/Thurs mornings and afternoons)
- bring lunch at least 20 days out of the month (assuming there are 22 weekdays in a month)
- eat dinner out less than 4 times/month for during the week, and less than 4 times/month for weekends
- attend at least 4 live musical performances per month
- LOSE 10 LBS! (This is a biggie, obviously, but it's not impossible. 10lbs in 4 months is 2.5lbs/month, or a little more than 0.5lbs/week. This is not that much. During my most committed times, I was losing 2lbs/week. My weight loss will be accomplished by eating better/bringing lunches, consuming less carbs overall, and incorporating more exercise/general movement into my daily life. I can do this!!)
- register for (and pass!!) NYS teacher certification exams (3)
- conduct 3-6 more interviews for my thesis
- complete 75-80% of my thesis work, including my discography, bibliography, and musical analysis. That way, I can spend time over the winter break (nearly 2 months) assembling the prose, and I'll have minimal research/interviews remaining for the spring. In fact, my goal should be 85-90% of thesis work...

By graduation (May 2014):
- apply for (and obtain!!) NYS PreK-12 music teacher certification
- LOSE 20 LBS! (Again, not impossible!! And if I am able to lose a total of 20lbs by May 2014, I will be back around the weight that I was at for my wedding, nearly 2 years prior. I have just been putting on weight since we moved up here, and it's time to reverse that trend. As my workload lightens at Rutgers, I will increase my weight loss efforts. My eventual end goal, from the weight that I am at this moment, is 55lbs of weight loss. 20lbs would put me over 1/3 of the way there.)
- start looking for a new apartment (though we won't move until July)
- apply to summer and fall job opportunities