June has been a very busy month, with work and health dominating my life. However, these were just two of the reasons I put together this goal list back in January – so that when the big things in life felt overwhelming, it means time to focus on the smaller things. With that in mind, here are the goals I have been working on and/or finished this month:
012. Cook with five unfamiliar fruits/vegetables (2/5)
I bought a bunch of radishes during June, and used them as part of a side salad to accompany a chicken and leek pie I’d made (not a new recipe). They were refreshing and I quite liked them. 🙂
017. Try out 50 new recipes (6/50)
I’ve been learning to make – and have been experimenting with – making quiches. As it is Winter here in Australia, warm meals for dinner are always appreciated! I also invested in a stick blender (with a multitude of attachments!) at the end of May, and it has been a breeze making my own shortcrust pastry (which I’d normally make by hand, rubbing the butter into flour etc). I’ve also learnt the importance of making sure there’s no cracks and/or holes in my pastry… the filling leaks out otherwise, and you lose that lovely eggy-ness!
Radish side-salad served with my homemade chicken and leek pie
Another new recipe has been parsnip and ginger soup, which I found on Jamie Oliver’s website… absolutely delicious! (I added a can of lentils for some protein; no picture for this dish, it looked pretty unappetising despite its amazing taste)
028. Attend a teaching conference outside of the compulsory ones
This is a goal I can officially tick off my list! In April (I forgot to post about it during May), I chose to attend the AEU (Australian Education Union) Early Years Conference in the city, along with two hundred other delegates – some of which I recognised. While there was a lot of political propaganda going on (I usually stay out of that kind of thing), it was also quite informative with interesting presenters and a good lunch… food is always important. 😉
Certificate from a recent conference
029. Get my paperwork ready to start emergency teaching again
Another big tick off the list… in Term 2 (April-June) I completed re-training in Emergency Asthma Management, Anaphylaxis Management and Level II First Aid. I’m just waiting on the certificate for the Asthma training course to come in the mail and all of my paperwork will be ready to go. Since I’m certified and up-to-date, I can consider myself ready to teach on Tuesday/Thursdays for an agency again… however, not quite yet (life is very hectic!). It’s nice to have the option though.
033. Complete a ‘Learning Journal’ entry every week for a school year
Half a year of journaling is officially complete, with weekly entries being emailed through to the families I work with at the Kindergarten. I’ve also been working on developmental portfolios this year for each child, which has been very time-consuming. This doesn’t impact on my journaling, however.
047. Get to 10 generations in The Sims 2 (3/10)
Would you still believe despite all my gameplay this year, I’m still on Generation 3? However, since G3 has been rather huge (most families have chosen to have 2-4 children each) the game is expanding exponentially at this point. I think I’m going to have to come up with another strategy to keep this manageable… I’m having lots of fun in the process of playing though.
Teenagers in Generation 3 doing...well, what teens do best! 😉
048. Read 50 books (3/50)
I finished reading The Locus Awards: Thirty Years of the Best Science Fiction and Fantasy and, while I’d like to individually comment on each of the stories in the anthology, that would be very time-consuming. So I’ll list my top three stand-out stories as: Border Guards (Greg Egan), The Scalehunter’s Beautiful Daughter (Lucius Shepard) and The Day before the Revolution (Ursula K. Le Guin). An honourable mention goes to Even the Queen (Connie Willis) for managing to make women’s periods the subject of science-fiction!
069. Organise my out-of-season clothing
Done. I unpacked the bags containing Winter clothes and found places for them in my wardrobe, while compressing some of the items I already had in there. Not the ‘space bag’ or clear plastic tub options I’d envisaged, but if it all fits, I’m happy. 😉
075. Turn the second bedroom into a functioning office/spare room
This has been one of the biggest works-in-progress so far in my Mission! After listing some items on eBay (see below), I’ve cleared some space which will finally allow room for the computer desk in the second bedroom. I also cleaned and cleared away the desk area this afternoon in preparation for disassembling and reassembling over the weekend! Phew, is this actually going to happen??
A clean desk in preparation for moving furniture this weekend (hopefully!)
081. Try a new hair colour
Another goal completed this week, I’ve got both blonde AND bright red in my hair now (as well as a fringe – that’s what we call ‘bangs’ here in Australia). Pictures, or it didn’t happen… right? 😉
A new hairstyle and colours for me!
088. Meet five of my online friends in person that I’ve never met before (0/5)
I’ll be meeting a friend on Wednesday night for the first time in person from a blogging community we’re a part of. I’ll be introducing her to some of the other bloggers who live in our city, so hopefully it’s a good night.
094. Sell five things on Ebay (0/5)
I listed four items on eBay this week, with auctions to end on the weekend… fingers crossed that at least some of them sell!
Goal-setting for July:
I endeavour to work on the following –
005. Complete the ‘50 in 50mm’ challenge
022. Drink 1.5L of water daily for three months (0/3)
031. Re-register for the Validation process
056. Make a photobook out of our New Zealand pictures
067. Clean out the pantry every six months and post the strangest thing found
Rebecca's Mission 101 