2011 New Year's Resolution Review: How Did Moni Do?

I have a tradition in which I post my New Year's Resolutions on the blog so that I not only record them for reference later, at the end of the year I assess how well I did in meeting those goals I set at the beginning of the year.

Here were my 2011 Resolutions and how well I did in fulfilling them.

*I will get to know five of my African descended trans elders.

Got to meet and have regular conversations with Sharyn Grayson, and Cheryl Courtney-Evans but still three short of that goal

* I will do a better job of documenting and telling the historical stories of my African American trans family.  

Did write a few posts on the blog telling the stories of Lady Java, Lucy Hicks Anderson and started a feature called th TransGriot Ten Questions interview in which I ask movers and shakers and interesting personalities in the chocolate trans community ten questions.   But there's always room for improvement.


*I will do a better job of including the stories and voices of African American transmen on this blog.

It's something I made strides at, but can always do much better than I'm doing right now.

*I will build on the progress started toward staying in regular contact with and getting to know international transpeople and get to know five more before the end of this year.

Getting to know Miss Sahhara in London, Marsha and Audrey in Kenya, added Mia to my lFB contacts and I'm on a Jamaican LGBT list.  Progress, but could do better.


*I will do more to get involved in Houston trans community life, do what I can to expand that to the Houston African-American community and encourage other African descended transpeople in the Houston area to do so as well.

Mixed bag on that as well.  Attended a few more TG socials, the TDOR and the TTNS, but missed two of Vanity Wilde's parties and the TG Unity Dinner.  Had initial contact with some African descended transpeople tying to get a POC trans group off the ground  .  

*I will have specific days set aside to do nothing but fiction writing and do a better job of developing my fiction writing talents.

Wrote over 1500 blog posts this year....still not enough time set aside for fiction writing.
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*I will mentor at least five young transpeople before the end of the year.

Well, started mentoring two.  One inside Texas and one outside the state.    Still three short.

*I will get one manuscript published before January 1, 2012

Made progress toward it, but no fiction book out in my name today.

*I will get an article published in a major magazine by January 1, 2012

Submitted pitches to several magazines, no takers yet...

*I will get to know five new transpeople before the end of the year.

Was successful in that regard.

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So I aimed high with last year's resolutions and even though I didn't successfully complete them all, just attempting them made me a better person as this year begins. 

And isn't that the goal when you make new year's resolutions to begin with?

Moni's 2012 New Year's Resolutions

The first day of a new year means a chance to take a hard solid look at how your life is transpiring and make some adjustments and changes.  It's also the day that my make my resolution and try to have 100% compliance in terms of meeting them by January 1, 2013.

Well, it's that time again.   Time to continue my tradition of posting my New Year's Resolutions on the blog for all my readers to see and help keep me on the path to being 100% compliant in meeting the goals I set.

Here are my resolutions for 2012

1.  I will make it a point of emphasis to go out more often.

2. Will do a better job of making time to hang out with friends and family.  

3. Will read ten novels from my favorite writers before the end of the year.

4. Will meet and get to know five new transpeople in the Houston area before the end of the year.

5. Will meet and get to know five new transpeople internationally before the end of the year.

6.  Will take a trip to either New Orleans, Dallas or both cities before the end of this year.

7. Will continue to speak truth to power inside and outside the rainbow community in pursuit of trans human rights.

8. Will attend at least one major rainbow community event this year.

9.  Want to grow TransGriot to where I have a 50% return hit rate by January 1, 2013 (currently at 44%)

10. Will ensure that I stay near the 185 pounds I'm currently at

11. Will make more time for fiction writing..

12. Will block out more 'me time' days this year.

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Moni's 2011 New Year's Resolutions

One of the things I've done on this blog is post my New Year's Resolutions for the upcoming year not only so I'll have a place to come back to and check on my progress in terms of fulfilling them, you TransGriot readers can provide gentle reminders as to what's the status of me fulfilling them.

This is how well I did in fulfilling the 2010 ones.   I  exceeded expectations on some, did okay on some, and others fell by the wayside as circumstances changed in my life and I had to regroup.

When I write them down I shoot for 100% compliance in making all of them happen knowing that even if I fall short as I review my progress at the end of the year, I'm still a better person than I was when I started on January 1.

I also have tangible evidence that I set some goals and either accomplished them or made measurable progress toward the completion of them.

And here are Moni's 2011 New Year's Resolutions 

*I will get to know five of my African descended trans elders.


* I will do a better job of documenting and telling the historical stories of my African American trans family.  


*I will do a better job of including the stories and voices of African American transmen on this blog.


*I will build on the progress started toward staying in regular contact with and getting to know international transpeople and get to know five more before the end of this year.

*I will do more to get involved in Houston trans community life, do what I can to expand that to the Houston African-American community and encourage other African descended transpeople in the Houston area to do so as well.

*I will have specific days set aside to do nothing but fiction writing and do a better job of developing my fiction writing talents.
     
*I will mentor at least five young transpeople before the end of the year.

*I will get one manuscript published before January 1, 2012

*I will get an article published in a major magazine by January 1, 2012

*I will get to know five new transpeople before the end of the year.



On January 1, 2012  I'll check to see how well I met those goals.  
 

Moni's 2010 New Year Resolution Review-How Did I Do?

I posted my 2010 New Year's Resolutions for all of cyberspace to see back on January 1.   I know you're dying to see how well I did in living up to those goals.



*I want to get down to 210 pounds from the 228 I'm at as of January 1, 2010. Have to work off the extra weight I picked up when I went back to Houston and got spoiled rotten for Christmas. 

As of 12:01 AM January 1, 2011  I now weigh 185 pounds, even with the grubbing I did during the 2010 holidays.      

*I want to publish one of my fiction writing manuscripts by January 2011

Didn't happen this year.   But will still keep trying.  And a certain Canadian is going to be putting her foot up my behind to help me make it happen

*I will set aside time to do fiction writing and complete the trans themed manuscript I've been working on.


I did far more nonfiction writing than I did fiction specific writing as the rising monthly triple digit post counts on TransGriot attest to.  I did get the ending chapter of that trans themed novel done, but still have a few more to go to finish it.  I'm also trying to figure out the fates of a few characters in it.
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*In doing my part for the African American Transsisterhood Initiative, I am going to get to know 10 transwomen I don't currently talk to on a regular basis.

This is one of those resolutions that got disrupted by my move.   There was still some progress made in talking to Ashley Love, Paris Pinkerton, Pamela Hayes,  Toni D'orsay, Sharyn Grayson, Diamond Stylz ...but can and must do better ,



*I will continue to work on evolving into the quality Black woman I want to be and strive to take and make more quality time for myself.


Inconclusive on that one.   Lost the weight.   The quality time one didn't do a good job on.  Will have to get the opinion of my sistah friends on how well I held up my end of the bargain in the 2K10 


*I will make five new friends before the end of the year.


Trystan Dean,  Jasmina Andino, Nikki Araguz (yes that Nikki), Ambi Williams, Jo Jo, Lowell Kane .....    Overacheived on this one.    That's a good thing.

*I will get to know and have regular conversations with ten international trans people


Marsha and Lindsay in Kenya,  Sass and Naomi in the Philippines, Eduarda and Lara in Portugal.   Zoe in Australia  Fell three short of my goal     Can (and will) do better 

*I will do a better job of staying in contact with family members and the friends I already have in my life.

This one was mixed bag one as well.  The move to Houston made it easier for me to reestablish contact with my old friends here, but has made it more difficult to stay in contact with the Louisville ones as I tread toward 'out of sight, out of mind' territory up there.

Okay...that's the 2010 ones and how well I did in living up to them. Stay tuned for the 2011 resolutions later.

Moni's 2010 New Year's Resolutions

Every year I make resolutions at the beginning of the year that I do try to keep.

That's just me and the way I am. I like having concrete goals that I work to try to achieve. Making resolutions and writing them down gives me a way of not only checking my progress towards that goal I set at the beginning of the year but gives me a sense of accomplishment and a sense of pride when I do make it happen.

So with that being said, what are Moni's Resolutions for 2010?

*I want to get down to 210 pounds from the 228 I'm at as of January 1, 2010. Have to work off the extra weight I picked up when I went back to Houston and got spoiled rotten for Christmas.

*I want to publish one of my fiction writing manuscripts by January 2011.

*I will set aside time to do fiction writing and complete the trans themed manuscript I've been working on.

*In doing my part for the African American Transsisterhood Initiative, I am going to get to know 10 transwomen I don't currently talk to on a regular basis.

*I will continue to work on evolving into the quality Black woman I want to be and strive to take and make more quality time for myself.

*I will make five new friends before the end of the year.

*I will get to know and have regular conversations with ten international trans people

*I will do a better job of staying in contact with family members and the friends I already have in my life.

Those are nice to start with. You can check back dear readers on January 1, 2011 and see how well I did in achieving them.