Monday, December 8, 2008

New Year yet again

Ok, it is now December, 2009 is right around the corner and I am sure that we all are already thinking about our new years resolutions and about the past ones that have failed to materialize and how we would have been so much better off if we would have stuck to the old ones etc.

Well, I had an old college professor that told me that any goal or plan or resolution that means anything should be SMART.

S - Specific
M - Measurable
A - Attainable
R - Realistic
T - Time frame

Ok, that last one doesn't really fit very well, but you get the idea. I know for myself that I start making plans about different aspects of my life and they end up being some junk that nobody would ever know if I hit it or not. I don't know if this is somehow unconsciously on purpose so I can somehow lie to myself and tell myself that I achieved even when I didn't or what. Regardless, the good thing is that here is another one beating on the door of my life and I have to deal with it. I could just ignore it and act like it is just another day, but I think that would somehow just not be proper. I could make up a bunch more crap goals about being thinner, younger, better looking, richer etc, but lets face it, some of those are just outta my control. So I have set down and pinned a few resolutions that I will be holding myself to this year, but I will also be sharing most if not all of these with this blog as I perform each and every one. I am keeping SMART very much alive here.

Resolution #1 - quadruple the size of my garden. Last year I had a 12' by 30' garden that yielded a bountiful harvest. This next year I resolve myself to plowing up 3 more equal size plots so I can not only grow diverse things, but increase the amount of land devoted to each crop.
Timeframe - June 1 2009.


Resolution #2 - Irrigation. Let's face it, without water, gardens are just another weed patch. I resolve this year during Spring to have 100 gallons of irrigation water storage for each plot of my garden. This will take the form of a water catchment off of my 24'x32' workshop and transporting the water from there to the 2-50 gallons plastic barrels located near each garden plot for this purpose.
Timeframe - May 31 2009

Resolution #3 - Wind Power. I resolve to purchase the necessary hardware to build and erect a 12 foot diameter wind generator located at least 30 feet high feeding no fewer that 8 deep cycle batteries.
Timeframe - October 31 2009

There are not very many resolutions here, but with my resolution being to complete each of these on or before the given deadline, the next time I have to come up with new years resolutions, I will be much better off than I am at this time, and I reckon that is the name of the game!

2 comments:

resolutionista said...

Hello -

Surfing and ran across your post. I applaud you for coming up with a short list of resolutions taht you'd really love to 'make and keep' by a specific deadline.

You have all the ingredients of success . . . I wish you all the best in the New Year. Enjoy the garden - it's one of my joys too! :)

Kim Simpson
IResolveTo.Com

Bullseye said...

Now that's a good list and a great strategic plan. If that's the way your thinking brother you're well on your way to being self sufficient. Stick to your guns and 'Git 'er done'.