2022 Goal Making

I'm not making goals this year.

This shouldn't come as a huge surprise. It's not that I don't have things that I want to do, but it seems that putting those goals explicitly on paper keeps jinxing me. Horses will probably continue to take a back seat in 2022 just because of time and financial reasons. I really really want to show, but it's just not feasible at the moment.

On the flip side, now that I'm riding with a trainer that actually follows through on going to shows, it'll mean more blog fodder and a chance to be more engrossed in my local equestrian community. There's only one regular photographer at the local shows, and her business model prefers people who book their photos ahead of time. I'd still like to have a conversation with her to ensure there's no competition, but I doubt snapping photos of maybe 10-15 riders total over the course of an entire weekend will be an issue.

A couple years ago, I did have a goal to write something for an actual publication, and I might cash in on that this year. While I did originally want to share the trichotillomania post on here, something about it feels better suited to a different platform. TPH has accepted pitches in the past, so that's where I'll start. And if no one wants it, y'all are getting it.

Life-wise, I'm trying to make more money, but when are we not. Part of that struggle actually comes from the amount of money I'm putting away to do some fixes and upgrades on my car. Fingers crossed she's getting bass boosted. The other part of that struggle is these student loans. I'm not holding out hope for any type of forgiveness, and the extended forbearance has been a godsend. My loan is broken up into 11 groups (for some god-awful reason), and I should have three paid down by the time forbearance ends. I've only been paying since June, so it's a good feeling. My apartment is an ongoing project. It should be fully furnished and designed by the end of this year, but I know how picky I am. My couch took two months for me to commit to, and now I want to get rid of it. It's the curse of being a designer.

I am also in the process of applying for a PhD, which is something I've known I wanted for a couple of years now. The original plan was to apply in 2020, then 2021, and now, at the urging of pretty much everyone around me, it's been pushed to 2022. Everyone is encouraging me not to rush into it, which I completely understand. Additionally, there is pressure to revisit and actually finish my thesis. I want to do it this year, but it's bound to be an emotional process. I've only just gotten to the point where I can see the files on my computer without clamming up. Not sure how much longer it'll take until I put pen to paper (or Illustrator pen tool to artboard?) and make it what I want it to be.

And then there's omicron. So, yeah.

There's my thoughts on 2022. I'm trepidatiously approaching each day.

That look on my face? That's trepidation.