The Beginning

So 2011 What Do You Want From Me?

Apparently, a lot.

2010 was an amazing year. So amazing in fact, that I was sad to see it go. I mean you put so much time and effort into one year, and then you have to start over? But the truth is we never start over, as much as we try to use the changing of the year an excuse for a fresh start.

I am not a big believer in resolutions, but I am a big believer in goals. And I have some goals that I wasn’t able to accomplish in 2010 that will carry over into 2011. There is no starting over for me, just continuation.

Here we go!

Web Development – Since I am trying to this whole online startup thing, it might be helpful to actually become a skilled web designer. Yeah I know, came as a shock to me too…

1. Learning the Languages – Target Completion Date: June 2011

  • Javascript – Will master the art of Javascript so I can make websites all nice and sexy.
  • Ruby on Rails – This will be my major journey into the back-end world of web development. This will be challenging to learn, but probably the most rewarding.
  • PHP – I am only learning PHP because of WordPress. In order to develop WordPress themes, it might help to know the language they use.

2. Building My Portfolio Site – Target Completion Date: February 2011

  • Sketch – I keep having visions of what my design portfolio site could look like, but until I get it on paper it is nothing.
  • Mockup – Turn those sketches into reality Mike! Do it!
  • Code – Mockup is nothing without some good code, so this is where the rubber meets the road.

3. Building Our First Web Application – Target Completion Date: December 2011

  • Design Logo – Might help to design a logo for our awesome nonexistent app.
  • Landing Page – Building suspense by building our “Coming Soon/Check Us Out” page.
  • App Mockup – Successfully designing a full version of our application.
  • Code – Front-end HTML & CSS meets back-end Ruby on Rails for a beautiful marriage.

4. Developing WordPress & Tumblr Themes – Target Completion Date: April 2011

  • Learn – I don’t have a real grasp on how to actually build one of these themes, so learning is always the best place to start.
  • Sketch – Once I have an idea of how to build a theme, need to start thinking of a design.
  • Mockup – Create simple mockups in Illustrator/Photoshop.
  • Code – Make these themes reality and get them on the interwebz!

Graphic Design – I have some goals that have large scope as well trying to learn some fancy new skills.

1. Top 365 Music Project – Target Completion Date: March 2011

  • My Top 365 Songs of the Year – Making posters for each one, so this might take some time…
  • My Top 25 Verses of the Year - This won’t take as long.
  • My Favorite New Artists of the Year – This will take even less time!

2. Get back into drawing – Target Completion Date: August 2011

  • I guess my first love was drawing.  I used to draw all the time, but stopped somewhere early in high school.  I have been meaning to get back into it for years now, but have always had some excuse to not do it.  Now is the time.

3. Become an illustrator – Target Completion Date: November 2011

  • My favorite program on my computer in Adobe Illustrator. The problem is I really don’t do any illustrations. Why? Because I don’t know how. LAME! Time to start learning.

Entertainment – I love movies, music, TV shows, and books. These goals represent the things I want to do before I die, so let’s try to stay alive in 2011.

1. Complete AFI’s Top 100 Movies of All-Time – Target Completion Date: August 2011

  • I have 67 to go, so I should be able to complete it by the summer.

2. Complete Empire’s Top 50 TV Shows of All-Time - Target Completion Date: December 2011

  • Don’t really have a clue how I am going to finish this one, but I will try.

3. Complete My Top 500 Songs of All-Time List - Target Completion Date: December 2011

  • This is one of those things that I could do now, but I want to take my time and find some gems from the 50′s through 90′s so I have all my bases covered.

4. Read 30 Books in 2011 – Target Completion Date: November 2011

  • I know I can do this! That’s what, 3 books a month? Got it.

Personal – These are some goals that are focused on my health and social lives. Kinda ambitious too.

1. Be able to do 100 pushups & 200 situps in a row – Target Completion Date: September 2011

  • Right now I can do 37 pushups in a row and 100 situps in a row, so I have some work to do.

2. Complete 500,000 words on 750words.com – Target Completion Date: October 2011

  • I am currently at 198,678 words through 188 days of typing, so at that pace I should be able to finish sometime in Fall 2011

3. Pay Off Student Loans – Target Completion Date: Nevertember 2300

  • Yeah paid off my first student loans today, so I am sure I will be paying those off for awhile… But hey, there is a possibility that I could pay them off this year. Anything is possible.

4. Travel Out West – Target Completion Date: November 2011

  • I have a lot of friends out west, so it would be awesome if I could at least get out to Las Vegas and Los Angeles by Fall 2011. I am one step closer by making this a goal.

5. Run a half-marathon – Target Completion Date: September 2011

  • The Chicago Half-Marathon is 244 days away, plenty of time for me to prepare! I think I can run the half marathon in 1:30 (just under 7 minutes a mile), so let’s get started! Well, once it gets warmer outside…

Mobile Development – Apps! Apps! Apps! That’s all the world is talking about these days, so why can’t I join the party? Oh yeah that’s right, I don’t know how.

1. Learning Mobile Programming - Target Completion Date: May 2011

  • Learn Objective-C - Reading the books now!
  • Learn Cocoa - Might need to know the framework too.

2. Build My First iPhone App - Target Completion Date: August 2011

  • Simple enough.

So there they are! Man 2011 is going to be awesome!!!!! No other option. :)