I have anniversaries for the wierdest things. I’m kooky that way.
One anniversary of mine is my appendix anniversary (appendixary?) – the night I had my appendix yanked out by a bunch of young doctors I had absolutely no confidence in.
My partner thinks I’m nuts, every year when I remind him of this momentous day. He doesn’t like bad stuff to be remembered I think. Oddly, although I am now terrified of hospitals, it was a happy memory for me – perhaps due to the morphine drip. I just remember smiling and laughing a lot – too much in fact. I’m very proud of the huge scar too.
Today I celebrate my bloggiversary.
These are my wishes for the next year. Honestly, just off the top of my head. It’s 1.15 am right now, so please forgive me if I sound incoherent.
I am almost afraid to write them down. Somehow things I write down, don’t always materialize. But out of 10 things it’ll be good that I’ll probably at least get 1 or 2 wishes fulfilled. As they say reach for the moon and you’ll get the stars?
1. Find out the best platform to sell photos and see if it’s worthwhile to sell them. Do I lose my copyright then?
2. Find out more about making an e-book. Start with a mini one, that no one but my mum would appreciate, so that the task won’t seem so daunting.
3. Write an authentic long form article and submit it, preparing my heart for cold, blunt rejection or more likely – no response at all.
4. Learn – History, Politics and more about the English Language.
5. Teach – Blog about more substantial topics – stuff that I never knew before and have learnt recently.
6. Try to write as authentically as possible on this blog.
7. Be more discerning about the photos I post – some of them are quite crappy and I’m running out of free photo uploading space.
8. Better time management, so that I can actually get some of the above done.
9. Write more meaningful comments when I visit your blog. Please forgive me for the short or absent comments. Sometimes I just appreciate your post and I don’t have anything meaningful to say.
10. Advertise my freelance writing services, perhaps.
Hope I’m not biting off more than I can chew. I tend to do that.
It’s funny, I kind of just randomly came across your blog, but upon reading this post, I find a lot of things that I have in common. I think your list of wishes sounds excellent, and very much like some of my goals. I would LOVE to sell my photos/art, I’ve always wanted to publish an e-book, and I always always always find meaning in learning new things. Doesn’t even matter what it is, as long as it makes me a more worldly person. I’m constantly reading (art history novels are my favorite), so I think that helps, too.
So I’m pulling for you! These things are ambitious, but entirely attainable. Those are the best types of goals, I think 🙂
I am so glad to find a kindered soul out there. I am lucky you stumbled ’round here 🙂
Thanks so much for your kind comments! Made my day in fact.
I think you should look into submitting your photos to something like istockphoto.com. I don’t know how much their photographers get paid, but it’s a great way to showcase your work. Your photos of Singapore are as good as any I’ve seen on their site.
There are loads of blogs online that could help you with your writing goals. Check out Carol Tice’s site http://www.makealivingwriting.com/
Can’t help you with the time management issue — I spend half my day on Twitter, and then wonder why I can’t get anything done. 🙂
Oh…you’re so nice to help me out here. Thanks Maria…..you’ve saved me a whole load of searching time.
I’ve been hooked on twitter, which a couple of months ago I had no clue how to use….still not sure how to tweet the proper way.
If I ever learn the time management secret..I will have to blog about it 😉
Happy Bloggiversy. Hope all your wishes come true.
Thank you so much Pkitass 🙂
I hope you get all of these. I SO agree with you when you say reach for the moon and at least you’ll land amongst the stars. I sustain you on all of these but mostly on the number 5) Teach, because I truly believe that’ the main reason we blog. By teaching we learn. And vice versa. It’s knowledge sharing.
Of course, the MAIN point I sustain you on is your ebook. It was SO easy for me to do mine once I set my mind to do it. You have all the necessary ingredients. Take baby steps. Start by making an empty word document and call it ‘Singapore Actually ebook’. Then, just copy and paste your favorite articles. Choose the ones that have the most clicks. Your final step is adding an index and formating.
I’d really like to help you with this process. Every time I click over here I can already imagine your ebook available for the MANY visitors who love Singapore. At least it is worth a shot.
Good luck blog friend.
And AGAIN happy Blogaversary.
Julie
I totally got the idea of the E-book from you Julie. Thanks for all the instructions too…good to have a blogger friend who is also a teacher 😉
YES to #10 already!
2. An ‘notabilia’ e-book is on my list, too! 3. Pitch the article first, don’t write it. Will save you lots of time. (Unless it is a personal essay or creative nonfiction.) 4. “Do You Speak American?” and “Reading the OED” are two of my favorite book about the English language. I have a shelfful of books about English and writing – that’s what I teach – and those books I love.
2. An notabilia e-book would be beautiful. 3. Thanks for the great tip – I didn’t think about that. 4. I must check out those books – love learning more about the language. I think the English language is just so versatile and fascinating – it’s my favourite language for sure. One great thing that came out of being a British colony.
Thanks. 5. I think this is what blogging is about at its core. notabilia, e.g., is about the things I am leaning, discovering, etc. while living in Singapore. 6. You might want to take an e-course. Two I recommend: http://www.decor8eclasses.com and http://dowhatyouloveforlife.com/e-course. 7. Have you thought about taking a class, either online or off? What has helped me become a more discerning photographer has been a series of classes (mostly in NYC, but hopefully soon in SG).
I was just thinking about online courses today 🙂 Thanks so much for the links. Didn’t know that decor 8 had classes.
You can always get a Flickr and upload some of your photos there to post so you don’t run out of space. That’s what I usually do with my photos. I only upload the one that I want as a featured photo on to the WordPress account.
Thanks so much for the tip Kirsten.
I learn so much more from my bloggers friends and I am utterly grateful. You guys are all just soo nice and helpful.
No problem, that’s what we’re all here for after all!
I’ve got a few things that I’m starting to work on as well. I haven’t made definitely goals like you have, but I’m starting to feel my way towards it!
Love that we are all working on our stuff together 🙂
Ooo…. Can’t wait for the e-book to be out! 🙂
And, may all your wishes come true 🙂
Thanks AL….am looking forward to reading more of your posts too 🙂
Happy bloggiversary! How about try this one: learn to take more professional photos! Not that your photos aren’t professional but when I observe the photos of my friends who can actually sell them, I always realise I have to learn to see different perspectives, colour combinations, sceneries, foreground/background, lighting… in order to create the art 🙂
I have been meaning to take classes – only the cost is a factor….will find some way online 🙂 I think it’ll be an interesting journey. I need more perspective in my photography..that’s for sure.
Happy bloggiversary to you and keep it up
Thanks a guzillion. I always look forward to your comments.
It’s amazing how much you’ve achieved within a year! Congratulations 😀
Thank you so much 🙂
Congratulations on your blogiversary! I think it is very nice to make a few wishes on a special occasion (though I prefer to call them goals as that seems more attainable). Maybe to motivate yourself you could print them out in a pretty font and put them in a frame somewhere you will see them every day.
I feel like your comments are very thoughtful! I am with you on time management, I don’t have nearly enough time to do all the things that I want to do! Oh well, that’s life right? 🙂
The list of prettied up goals sounds inspirational. I do agree that visualization works 🙂 Thanks so much Jazzie.
Happy Blog Anniversary! 🙂 The rest have already echo what I’m about to say but I gotta agree that you have achieved ALOT in your first year of blogging. Hopefully, this means bigger things and bigger plans for you and your blog in the upcoming year 🙂
There are many sites out there that engage freelance writers. Just do a google search on “Freelance writing assignments” and you will be greeted with a long list of results. Having said that, pls do be wary of the companies… choose one that is reputable. Good luck!
I ran out of free blog space a year ago and it stinks to have to pay $$$ to maintain the space upgrade every year 🙁 speaking of which, it’s about time that I make my payments to WORDPRESS to upgrade my space.
aww shucks….I hope they change the rule soon and allow more free space.
Thanks so much blisschic….for the tips as well.
wonderful goals, all of them!
Best wishes on one year of wonderful work 🙂
Thanks Crystal…I always enjoy your thoughtful comments 🙂
Happy Bloggiversary bookjunkie and I wish you many happy years of blogging 😉
Those are lovely goals to have and I must say that you can kinda tick item 9 on your list for I find you always take time to leave such sweet comments on my blog. 🙂
Personally, I’m also working on item 7 on your list! I find that I’m running out of free space and so what I’ve been doing is to go back to some of my older posts and deleting the ‘not-so-clear’ photos. Perhaps that’s something you can consider?
Good idea Lady J…just wish it was easier to locate then photos on the media thingy to erase them as well. Easy to erase from the post but a bit harder to find them in the media library after to delete as well. My photo labelling is kinda bad. Perhaps I could go by month.
Thank you dearie 🙂
I don’t mind helping to proofread your writing before you submit it to editors or whatnot, if you would like someone to have a look through before you submitted it to “powerful people”. 😀
I always do that; even if it’s not because I want someone to edit it before it reaches the edit, sometimes it’s just good to get the confidence boost so I don’t chicken out of submitting.
Wow that sounds awesome…thanks so much Kirsten 🙂