2015 Goals

As the new year approaches, I’ve began to think of some goals of mine. Rather than make goals, I’ve always tried to improve on an as-needed basis; why wait till the beginning of the new year? It’s close enough to the new year this time that I am willing to make an exception and wait a few days. Here are 3 goals of mine that I wish to accomplish over the following 12 months.

1. Take Piano Lessons

My first goal is to re-enroll in piano lessons. I took piano growing up until I graduated high school and moved away from my hometown piano teacher. I’ve missed playing the piano and often wish I was back up to speed to be able to entertain my wife and kids. I’ve already started searching for a teach in or near my neighborhood. Here’s hoping it works out soon!

2. Learn to Knit

The second goal of mine is to learn how to knit. I’ve been recently amazed at the crafts that my friends and relatives have made, especially over the Christmas season. Being able to make your own clothes and accessories is such a valuable skill to posess. It seems so obvious that everyone should learn how to at least sew or knit, especially when the creative juices start flowing as you open your closet door. This one will definitely be the most challenging goal of mine, so any tips for good resources to learn is appreciated.

3. Play Chess

My final goal is to play chess. I’m not aiming to be a great chess player, as the goal of the game is to win, so hopefully I do that the majority of the time. I know the rules of the game and I’ve played at times, but I am a terrible chess player. When I play chess, I find myself rushing the moves and not thinking or pacing myself enough to be aware of my surroundings. I relate this very closely to software craftsmanship, garnering patience and awareness of the system architecture. What I want out of playing chess is really to learn to be more patient. Hopefully after a while, I will learn to be more patient on my tasks and be more focused because of it.