2015 Goals

I know we are 4 weeks in but I have finally written all my goals for the year.

Lifestyle

Lose Weight – So I didn’t quite manage my 6kg target last year.  I finished at 94kg, pretty much what I started on but averaged 91.5kg.  My goal is to get down to 87kg by December.  It’s a long-term goal – a lifestyle change not a crash diet.

Monthly No Computer Evening – I live my life around my computer.  All day at work and I’m sat in front of it most of the time I am at home.  So on the 19th of each month (chosen by random number generator, of course), my computer goes off at 6pm.  It doesn’t matter what I do – sleep, socialise, cleaning, DJing, whatever.  Just no sitting in front of the computer.

31 Day Detox – Last year I detoxed for the whole of February – this year I won’t get back from Poland until 2nd February so I am starting my detox on 3rd February and continuing until 5th March.

Try An Activity – Yoga, rock-climbing, rowing, salsa dancing, ballet – it doesn’t matter – I need to try something that involves exercise.

Get On My Bike.  I did buy a bike in 2013.  I will eventually get on it and ride it.  100m is the target for 2015.  Actually I’ll keep it simple – buying a bike pump for my flat tyres is the target.

Fashion Icon – Short shorts, sparkly stuff, blue shoes and a collection of Happy Feet socks are all required.

Go Places

Go to 2 new countries.  Poland is already booked and I aim to go to Switzerland.  Why?  Because the random country generator told me to.  Granted it picked Somalia first but I decided that I should probably wait until there is a little more stability before visiting there.

Ibiza.  I am going!  I might even go twice.

2 New UK Adventures – I am well-travelled across the UK – you could name most towns and cities and I have been to them.  There are a few notable exceptions such as Brighton and Slough.  But also there are cities that I feel I have vastly unexplored such as Liverpool & Newcastle so another goal is to explore two new/unexplored urban areas of this wonderful country of ours.

2 New Football Stadiums – Hull City AFC may not be in the Premier League forever so it would be sensible to tick off a couple more grounds whilst I can.  The lifelong aim is to go to all 92 grounds – but football isn’t a priority.

Countryside & Castles – I want to explore the countryside in my local area and visit at least one castle/palace.  By the end of 2015 I want to have done a 12 mile walk.

Take A Foreigner To Watch Cricket – I intend on going to watch cricket a couple of times this year – not fussed whether that is 20/20, a day at a test match or just a local cricket club but I must take a foreigner to watch cricket.  An Aussie does not count.

House Music

DJing – I want one set a month.  No more – unless it is paid.  I need to rebrand my website – again – but most importantly I need to release one mix a month, and also have promotional materials to hand out to people when DJing.

Cocoon In The Park.  As soon as details are released I am booking my hotel.  I don’t care whether anyone else is up for it though of course that would be ever better.  It’s the best festival I have ever been to with my favourite DJs.  I’ll go by myself if I have to.  However this does depend on the date as it might clash with Ibiza.  If it clashes with Ibiza then I’ll do something else special.

Secretsundaze – This is one brilliant party, I enjoy it so much.

Fabric Birthday – I’m kind of going off fabric, certainly going off the crowd there anyway.  But the birthday is special.  I would like to go this year.

Romanians – I want to see some Romanian DJs this year – Barac or Cristi Cons would ideal.

The Usuals – Sven and Ricardo, of course.  Somewhere, sometime.

Learn Things

Spanish.  Given that the eventual goal for my web development studying is to be living and working from Ibiza, and with languages being more difficult to learn than code, I need to start now.  I have an app called Duolingo which is pretty good and can learn whilst having a poo.  The goal is to complete the app.  And chat up hot Spanish women with one side of their hair shaved off when in Ibiza.  Cuántos elefantes tienes?

JavaScript.  I received a 930 page JavaScript book for Christmas.  This is going to be the bane of my year.  JavaScript is ‘var = function(fucking (hard));’.  But I need to know it well if I am going to make a future career in web development.

Drupal, WordPress, Bootstrap & CSS Animations.  Without going into too much detail, these are technologies that I need to learn next.  Drupal is a content management system, as is WordPress.  Wordpress will allow me to create better-looking blogs than Blogger does.  Bootstrap is Twitter’s framework to make it easier to make good-looking responsive websites.

Cooking.  I really enjoy my cooking – 5 years ago I didn’t even have any pepper in my cupboard.  This year I want to expand my knowledge and buy cookbooks about the cuisine of two other countries.  They will be countries close to the UK!!!!  Irish, French or Spanish, in all likelihood.

Blogs & Projects

Top Tunes – I need to do a total rebrand for this blog. I don’t think having my name against this is good for marketing.  Each post is read by around 30 people – which is nice – but I feel people would be more likely to read, follow and share if it had a generic branding instead of being focused on a wannabe DJ with 82 fans.

Ubereadoolische – I sometimes think about giving this up but then I forget that followers/readers is not the goal – it is supposed to be my practice ground for my web development.  This year I will redesign it using my new-found jQuery skills, improved design ideas probably once I have gained knowledge of Drupal

Roast Dinners Around Reading – I want to achieve a minimum of 25 new places reviewed and have at least 200 followers on Facebook & Twitter.

Sweeney Todd Pie Blog – Every remaining pie must be reviewed.

Weather Forecast – I am aiming for a minimum of 1,800 followers which is roughly double what I started the year at.  I must complete the rebrand with a professional photographer and also I want to read at least one scientific book to advance my understanding.

Fish Out Dolan Out – It’s my Hull City blog, in case you haven’t realised.  It seems to be more popular on Twitter so I’m aiming for a FB/TW 100/500 follower count.

The Only Tory From Hull – It’s election year and this is my politics blog.  My aim is for 100 followers on either Facebook or Twitter.  I feel this is going to be a slow burner.

Things To Buy

Rockit speakers.  I do have half-decent speakers now but I really want to upgrade.  Especially useful if I ever decide to host a BBQ this coming summer, which I might.

Sound Card – I need to improve the sound quality that my computer can record my mixes at.  It is fine now but fine isn’t good enough.

CD Printer – To print promotional CDs for my DJing.

Microsoft Surface – I just want one, ok?  For studying on the train, outside in the sunshine, etc.  Stick your apple up your arse.

CDJ stands – I need to get my CDJs onto stands to create some space for…

Technics – I really want to learn how to play vinyl.  So I need some technics and some vinyl.

Decide Things

Job.  I’ve been in this job for 3 years now.  I am happy.  But I didn’t get a pay rise last year and am not advancing my career.  I don’t like uncertainty so my first decision is whether to commit myself to another 12-18 months here or start job hunting.

House.  My housemate is almost definitely moving out so I will need to find somewhere new to live.  This is partly dependant on what I choose above – if I stay working in Bracknell then I will probably move to Bracknell so the travel time can be put into studying.  Yeah I know.  If I get a job in Reading then I will stay in Reading.  If I get a job in London then I will move there.

Career Path.  I need to decide whether to take a very junior role doing web development or a more senior role doing credit control, as my next job.