3rd Quarter 2009 Round-Up

-visited my folks for a week in July, helping them with small projects around their house.
-got $1000 of dental work done
-did routine maintenance on the car, brakes & alignment, plus replaced the catalytic converter
-turned 35 in August (ugh!)
-attended nine concerts at the Hollywood Bowl, including the following:
w/A.S.: Chaka Kahn & Adele
w/M.W.: Ultimate Mancini, w/Bill Conti, Dave Grusin, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Monica Mancini, and FIREWORKS!
w/L.B.: Jenny Lewis & Ray LaMontagne
by myself: Guys & Dolls
w/D.L.: Michael Feinstein & Jewel
w/H.G.: Diana Krall
by myself: Liza Minelli
by myself: John Williams
w/J.L.: The Big Picture/Rogers & Hammerstein
-reunited with classmates from Judge Memorial High on Facebook and hosted one for a weekend visit
-repaired a watering hose myself with a hose repair kit ($2.50 home repair task I learned, rather than spending $30 for a new hose)
-started using a dehydrator for the first time. Preserved quarts of cherry tomatoes this way
-changed my ebay store over to etsy, at least for the vintage Pyrex items, to avoid the monthly store charges.
-got my KitchenAid Stand Mixer that I've wanted FOREVER!
-started volunteering with 4-H
-dog sat my friend's daschound mix for two weeks in September while friend was in Europe. This friend takes care of my dogs whenever I need help, so I'm deeply indebted to her and it was nice to be able to pay back a little.
-joined a work softball league
-investigated my dog Claire's immune deficiencies/possible "Plechners Syndrome" through a new vet who may or may not be reliable. This was quite the maze, and cost about $400 so far. Primary vet has convinced me that Plechner's work on Claire has no validity. Am now waiting for the steroids we gave her to leave her system before my primary vet can do more in-depth blood work and biopsy.
-catalogued my stained glass pattern books
-catalogued my cookbooks
-cancelled my cable service
-reevaluated the interest rate on my Certificate of Deposit account and switched it around to maximize gain

From my Prior Quarter's Goals Post:
-did begin to see a chiropractor again, though I don't know how long I can afford to keep this up. I'm not doing my exercises as I should.
-did have a card making day with one friend this month (Oct) and have now begun to organize all the supplies. Better late than never.
-didn't buy a grill, and didn't have a party, due to vermin infestation in my house, which I dealt with over the course of two months. Once it became clear I wasn't having a party, lost all interest in maintaining the yard or garden. Am just getting back to yard maintenance now.
-did maintain the dogs myself, and have been trying to stay more frequently on top of the nail trimming. Am saving money and energy going to a groomer though my pets now avoid me when I'm in certain positions, as if they think I'm going to groom them. Am walking the dogs more rather than taking them to a dog park and just letting them go. Need to continue to expose both dogs to new situations, but I am continuing my effort.

Goals for 4th Quarter:
-biopsy Claire's cysts at the end of October. Come up with a better dietary regimen for her to prevent allergic side effects, and do blood work/tests to see if her endocrine & immune systems are up to par.
-hold project meetings for 4-H kids
-finish stocking/strengthen my Etsy store and test its effectiveness over time
-catalogue my videos/DVDs
-complete scanning of first book of printed film photos
-get back on the bandwagon with quicken/balancing & accounting for finances
-start attending ice skating "coffee club" on Friday mornings from 11-12 as regularly as possible
-do my back/neck exercises daily or at least every other day
-continue to make more of my food from scratch, and find ways to maximize my food budget
-frequent the Sunday flea market at Fairfax High School
-continue to encourage filming in LA and my own personal career growth through involvement in DGA events
-maintain the yard once the summer heat has cooled and watering can be more effective
-find more time for reading (this may be a perpetual goal)
-put all (craft) crap in my living room away--clear off table for Thanksgiving celebration
-celebrate my first Thanksgiving in my own home with visiting family--plan menu and cook!
-celebrate my first "blogiversary" in November
-make xmas cookies with my new mixer!
-attend my cousin's wedding in IL in Dec.
-host my friend Cathy's family's visit to Disneyland in Dec.
-drive (with dogs) to visit my parents for my customary weeks-long holiday trip
-set realistic goals for next year's xmas gifts--more handmade/homemade--and prepare in advance (I usually do this the week between xmas and new year's)

I don't know why it's taken me three weeks to publish this round-up, which I keep as a running tally as I go (so it was basically already written). These quarterly posts are always the hardest for me to do as they are most personal and introspective. I guess I've been feeling like not much changed over the course of the summer/fall, and I wasn't quite sure how far I'd come. Quantifying what I've been up to should help me to see this, but I'm feeling the effects of a slow year in my industry, and sometimes it's hard to see past all that. Fourth quarter is also the hardest for which to set goals, as so much time and energy is taken up in preparation for the holidays, and it's usually my busiest work-wise, so filled with the least amount of personal time. I've already started doing some of these goals, like testing recipes that I want to make at Thanksgiving.

I'm lucky that California weather doesn't restrict me too much, or completely change all of my routines. What are some of your fall or winter-time goals? Do you find yourself doing more reorganization or cleaning out? How do you pace yourself for the holidays? If you have any suggestions for me, please leave a comment on the blog.