9 by 99 in 2009 . . . FINISHED!!!!

        I’ve made it to the finish line!

        Ninety-nine days ago I started on a journey which I hoped would help me become more focused, get more done, and finish projects I’ve wanted to finish for months. Did I succeed in my endeavor? Let’s take a look. (In honor of the “back to school” season we are entering, I’m going to grade my progress.)

        My list of 9 projects, a subjective grade and any explanations I feel are appropriate:

Read the Bible in 91 days . . . B-

        I didn’t read through the entire Bible in 99 days, but I did read a lot. I developed a schedule of readings that had me reading throughout the Bible, but in an order that took history and content into account. Instead of reading the Bible from front to back, which I dislike, I read history alongside prophetic books alongside New Testament passages that brought more meaning to the historical events and teachings. So, no, I didn’t finish reading the entire Bible in 99 days, but I did get the “big picture perspective” I wanted. I am now ready to dive back into in-depth study and routine devotional readings.

Write Cookbook . . . D

        I’ve listed the recipes I want to include. I’ve started writing and formatting them for the book. Lots more work needs to be done. This was a task I did not clearly define. Because I am not clear on what was “finished,” I’m unclear how to evaluate what little I did get done. Since I worked on it some, I’m not giving myself an F, but I also don’t think I did “acceptable.”

Write Time Tracker manual . . . F

        I used the Time Tracker software often (I also forgot to use it many times), but I have not written anything on the manual.

Write “How to pray” booklet . . . B+

        I know how I want to arrange this booklet. I have the sections formatted. Each day, as I read my Bible, I would copy and paste any verses I came across into the appropriate sections. While the book is not nearly complete (again not clearly defined), I did add a lot to it. Looking over what I have done is a visual reminder that great things are built a little bit at a time. Not finished, but a lot accomplished.

Reorganize E&M . . . Incomplete

        I worked very little on this. Granted, mid-way through I realized I needed to focus more on the non-fiction rather than the fiction. So do I give myself a failing grade or an incomplete?

Prepare RFW workshop . . . W (Withdrawn)
        I realized very quickly that I had overloaded myself and would not be able to even attempt this task. Maybe next year.

FTHRW duties – PPMs, Membership roster, regular duties . . . C+

        I’m still working on the PPMs, but I have kept current with all the regular duties of FTHRW, my online RWA chapter (which is the best chapter on the Web!).

Tutor a student . . . A+
        My cousin’s daughter needed some tutoring to make her ready for the next grade. I had a blast. I’d really missed being involved in day to day teaching. I’d homeschooled my three, but once they got into the higher grades, they became more self-taught than mom-taught. (That WAS the ultimate goal, after all.) J and I spent mornings working on math and language arts. I only had three weeks, but I think I helped her understand language a little better. And, as an added bonus, my cousin and her family moved here! It’s great living near family, something I haven’t done in too many years to count.

Scan negatives . . . A-

        I’m not sure why I thought I could get ALL my negatives scanned in 99 days. I have hundreds of pictures from pre-digital camera days. However, the reason I put this on my list was to get me started scanning those negatives. I’ve had a scanner for a couple of years. It was time to put it to use. And I did! I set up the scanner and a box of pictures next to the chair I sit in to watch tv. Every time I watched movies or tv with my family, I brought in my laptap, hooked it up to the scanner and scanned pictures. (When I started scanning, I discovered the negatives had deteriorated, so I scanned picture instead.)

Overall evaluation: Success!

        I did not clearly define several tasks. In order to succeed, the goal must be clearly defined. This is the cardinal rule for making goals. I also woefully overestimated my time and ability when scheduling these tasks.

       BUT!!!!

       I had an extremely productive summer! In addition to the tasks above, I volunteered for several major and minor activities with my church, harvested produce from our home garden and taught myself to make pickles, can fruits and veggies and sauces and to make the most delicious grape jelly. (Can you tell what I’m most proud of? LOL)

        So did I succeed? You betcha!