last year i didn’t set any goals for the year, electing to wait and see how the year played out without my input. as with all years it had its ups and downs, and i think after the break i am ready to set out some intentions again for the year ahead. i don’t usually do a word of the year, but as you read i think you’ll notice a theme of connection running through most of what i want to do this year: connection to myself, connection to my people, and connection to my community.

my goals for 2024.

volunteer once a month. one thing i’ve really been missing since moving to new york is regular volunteering, and that is something i want to be more intentional about this year. i want to do some shifts at the free store in my neighborhood. i want to participate in letter-writing campaigns ahead of this year’s election and possibly volunteer on election day. new york cares always has opportunities available, and there are any number of organizations helping the migrants who are arriving in the city every day. i am already signed up to volunteer at this year’s nyc marathon in november, i’m planning to donate blood a few times once i’m cleared to do so [have to wait 3 months after i return from india], and i still want to volunteer with heart of dinner in some capacity. i don’t have an exact schedule for what this will look like, but i feel good knowing that i have some ideas on where to start.

get back into running. i have been on my longest running hiatus since i first started running in 2011. i had some bad blisters after last year’s half marathon, and i kept finding excuses to prolong getting back out there — first i was busy packing, then i was out of town for 2 weeks, then i was nomadic for the summer and it was too hot, then i was moving, then then then. truth be told i was exhausted for a lot of last year and pulled in too many directions, and regular running is what i let slide. i’m starting from scratch, doing short intervals and really leaning into being a slow runner. i don’t currently have any 5k or 10k goals for the year; for now i only want to remember why i enjoyed running so much in the first place.

expand my network. i have a great community here in new york, but with a few exceptions i have leaned on my existing friends and extended networks to meet people in the city. this year i want to expand on that and put myself in positions to meet people more organically. i’m signed up for a reading club next month, and i want to explore options on meetup and other platforms to attend more events and hopefully meet interesting people. in a world of covid and so many people working remotely i’ve realized i need to be more intentional about building the community i need, so that is going to be a big focus this year.

explore more of upstate new york. new york is a pretty big state, and i’ve seen very little of it while living here [i feel like that’s paraphrased from a movie? who knows]. i’m teetering between challenging myself and also being realistic about all the other things i already have going on, so i think i’ll set this number at 3 trips to start and we can re-evaluate midyear. hopefully the finger lakes trip will happen [more on that below], and i am determined to get to storm king or dia beacon, if not both. and of course i would love to visit sleepy hollow over an october weekend and partake in some of their halloween activities. between these options and opportunities for a day hike or two i’m confident i can make this happen, and as always i am hopeful that in writing it here i’ll hold myself accountable.

finish setting up my apartment. i’ve been in it for 5 months now, but i’ve had to go slow with a lot of it because i started from scratch and furnishing an apartment is expensive. i’m incredibly lucky that i inherited a lot from sarita and chris when they moved, maggie donated her old bookshelf, and chris has helped me procure a lot of items that neighbors have left in his lobby, all of which gave me a great foundation. i’ve since bought two dressers and a kitchen shelf, so apart from a television and a few lamps i think i have all of my furniture done. next up is to get a few more frames and then get stuff hung on the wall, and i’m hoping to talk maggie into helping me build another set of shelves for the living room [so many books and nowhere to put them and there’s still more in boxes at my parents’ house lol]. i want to get a mirror to go over my dresser, and i’m still working out a long-term storage solution for a few other things. and finally i want to print some new photos. i keep going back and forth on a rug for the kitchen nook, so we’ll see where i land on that. and i need to slowly procure kitchen things like serving dishes and spoons and additional silverware that will allow me to host friends eventually. at this point it’s a lot of small things, but i’m so close to feeling really settled and i’m excited to make it happen.

write and send one postcard a week. i really fell off the postcard wagon last year and want to re-establish that habit in 2024. i have a stack from nyc, nashville, and little rock that need to go to good homes, and knowing myself i’ll collect more from this year’s travels. i’m definitely not attempting another postcard-a-day challenge like what i did in 2018, but i think one a week is totally achievable.

take advantage of my met membership. for christmas i asked for a membership to the met, and i am excited to make use of that this year. i knew i wanted a museum membership, and the met felt like the best choice because 1) it’s massive so there’s always something new to see, 2) people often want to go there when they visit and i get guest passes, and 3) they have cool events. i’ve gone 2-3 times a year since i moved, but i definitely want to increase that frequency now that i have the membership. i’m going to tentatively say i want to visit every other month, and if i’m able to go more i’ll be thrilled.

do more jigsaw puzzles. i love doing jigsaw puzzles, but i’ve gotten out of the habit since i moved to new york. i brought a few with me from memphis and dillard just sent me one she recently finished, so i want to make that a priority again. i am ordering one of those puzzle boards when i get back since i don’t have a coffee table, and i would like to do at least three puzzles this year. if i do more, great, but three feels like an attainable goal that will create fun rather than stress.

rest! you’ll notice there’s a lot of stuff listed here. i have a lot i would like to do this year, but i also want to make sure i’m not stretching myself too thin or taking on too much. there were multiple times last year where i got very close to my breaking point, and i want to do a better job this year of listening to my body and taking a step back when necessary. so let this serve as a reminder to myself and to you that it’s okay to say no, it’s okay to skip something, and it’s okay to spend a weekend on your couch if it’s needed.

and a few stretch goals, because those are always good:

go to shakespeare in the park. every summer the public theatre does shakespeare in the park performances in central park, and it’s something i’ve been wanting to attend since before i moved to new york. the shows are free but you have to be intentional about making time to stand in the queue and scheduling your day around it. once the schedule is announced i would like to prioritize making this happen because it’s such a cool thing.

see hamilton on broadway again. in 2017 my big gift to myself was to see hamilton on broadway. it was my first-ever show in nyc, and it was incredible. i’ve since been lucky enough to see it on tour in memphis an additional three times [like i said, super lucky], but the last time was two years ago and i kind of think i’d like to see it live again. it continues to be an expensive show and between trips and other things i want to do in the city i’m not sure i’ll be able to make it happen, but i’m putting it here in the hopes that speaking things into existence is a thing [or maybe someone will buy me a ticket :)].

clearly taking last year off was good for me, because i’m going into this year with a lot of things i want to make happen. as always i’ll check in midyear to see how i’m doing and what needs to be adjusted, but for now i’m pretty excited about what this year might bring.

other things i am looking forward to.

in addition to the goals listed above, there are a lot of things already in the works that i am very excited for. trips and shows and reunions and explorations, and i am so looking forward to all of it.

as of this posting i am on my first visit to india in 7.5 years, traipsing around with sarah and catching up with friends and family i’ve not seen in far too long. there will be plenty of recaps and reminiscing upon my return, so for now know that i am having a blast reconnecting [there’s that word again!] with places that are very important to me and people who are my chosen family.

a national park road trip with jeremy. when i broached the idea of visiting jeremy over president’s day weekend he responded with a “that’s a great idea but why don’t we go on a national park road trip instead” text that made me feel very seen. i’ll fly into austin and we’ll spend a few days driving across west texas and new mexico, stopping along the way to hike and take in the sights. i’m so excited to get out and explore some parks, enjoy a spa day, and generally revel in the natural beauty of our country.

[hopefully] a finger lakes trip. i’ve been wanting to visit the finger lakes region in upstate new york for a few years, and if all goes to plan i’ll be spending memorial day weekend up there with dillard, jane, and chrystal. we’ll visit some wineries and wander through cute towns and generally spend a few days taking it easy, and i am so here for it.

[hopefully hopefully] an extended london stay. as much as i don’t like being fully remote, the biggest benefit is that during school breaks i can work from anywhere. i’m hoping to use that to my advantage this summer and work from london for a few weeks in july. ellie just had a baby and i would love to spend a few weeks getting to know her, and alex and marcus have an extra room that they’ve already told me is mine for as long as i want it. i have enough points to cover the flight, so i am crossing all my fingers and toes that i’m able to make this happen as a birthday gift to myself.

seeing amos lee and indigo girls at red rocks. this came together in a whirlwind. i saw on amos’ instagram that he was touring with the indigo girls, i kind of jokingly messaged dillard saying we should go, she was game, and then i looked up the tour and saw they’re playing at red rocks. i have been wanting to see a show there for years, and this felt like a great opportunity. by the next day i had bought tickets for the show and dillard had reserved a hotel room for us and in september we’ll be travelling to denver for what is sure to be a spectacular weekend. here’s to more spontaneity for all of us.

phew! it is shaping up to be a busy year, and i am excited to see how it all shakes out. most of all, thank you for following along and being a part of this space. here’s to a great 2024 for us all ❤

xx