With each new year come new opportunities. Likewise, new challenges arise. Some of these we cannot anticipate, of course; but others, we set for ourselves, to expand our capacities and extend our visions.
I have many ideas for personal development and accomplishment in the year ahead. At the risk of future embarrassment at my presumption, here are some of them.
- As a newly appointed member of the Rappahannock-Rapidan Community Services Board, I want to fully comprehend the range of services it offers the community and to carve out a meaningful role for myself in contributing to it. I see an opportunity to use my position to enhance public information about the agency’s services and educate citizens and public officials about the value of social investments such as these.
- I want to expand my mind by studying things that are new to me, especially Greek philosophy and the philosophy of the Roman Stoics.
- I want to develop a portfolio of photos for sharing on the web and with potential purchasers and exhibitors.
- I want to create a sequence of macro photos that are interpretive of deeper themes and go beyond being merely documentary.
- I want to use my photos to create a line of note cards I can offer for sale.
- I want to enhance my photographic post-processing skills.
- I want to develop my skills at creating artistic images as a part of my portfolio.
- I want to publish a coffee table book on the rural fences in the horse country where I live.
- I want to continue writing monthly reviews of woodworking books.
- I want to teach two new hands-on woodworking classes.
- I want to make natural edge coffee tables for gifts and for sale.
- I want to continue making boxes for gifts and for sale.
- I want to complete some other woodworking projects, including a book rack and a desk.
- I want to provide ongoing leadership to my local photographic club, the Shenandoah Photographic Society.
- I want to learn the basics of playing the uilleann pipes (Irish bagpipes), whose sound I’ve come to love. I want to first learn to master the manipulation of the bags and the key strokes on the chanter and by the end of the year to be able to play a simple tune or two.
- I want to visit family members.
- I want to do something some training in photography, Covid permitting.
I know this is a lot to endeavor. And perhaps it’s more that I can achieve in 12 months. But if goals are not challenging, what is the use of having them?