2012 and the End of the World

Hello all, I hope everyone had a nice holiday and New Year and that you guys are settling in to 2012 nicely! Did you know this is the year?!  You know.. the one where the Mayan calendar ends and nothing happens thus the world?! So, what to do with my remaining time? I was thinking and I thought, heck I should do something nifty! So, I am setting some goals, both personal and professional. I'd rather not call them resolutions because I wouldn't take them seriously.. besides the only resolution I need to speak off relates to my images! So without further a due, here are my goals for 2012:

Professional Goals:

* Publish! - This is the year! I need to start tying a bow on this PhD thing so I need to crank out at least one paper this year.

* Solve the Young's Modulus riddle - What?? I know.. I know... it's this thingy problem I've been knocking my skull cap on the last year. It's PhD related stuff and I'm getting tired of it. I want a breakup if it's not going to work out!

* Calendar Production - I will start the production cycle of my yearly calendar earlier this year in order to avoid the printing issues surrounding color management I have been encountering the last few years.

* Advertising - I need my name out there more. It's nice that my family supports me and that I get a few clients here and there, but I would really like to see an increase in business. I am an absolutely horrible self promoter. I am usually of the mindset that my work isn't good enough and so I don't put it out there. (see video below) Well, I need to loosen up on that this year.

Personal Goals

* Invest Invest Invest - This year I will start my retirement account. I have been putting it off for years and each year I feel worse for it.  My lack of understanding about investing money wisely and with whom has kept me from proceeding.  I am going to try be happy with not knowing everything and take the plunge... at least I will have started!  

* Student Loans - I have about 10k of outstanding loans from having to move cross country several times and I am going to pay it off $100 at a time each month.  I want to be debt free before I graduate.

* Studio Shoots - For those of you who are familiar with my photography you know that my photography is largely done outdoors in nature because, well.. I love nature!  Having said that, I have secretly been shooting quite a bit of studio work the last few years and would like to do more.  All I need are models that are willing to experiment on a few ideas with me.

* Compositing work - I have also secretly been working on several large composite pieces and I think maybe I need to start sharing those with the world.  So this year I will make it a goal to present at least one.

* Stay in shape - I have worked very hard over the last 2 years since my last back surgery to lose weight and stay in shape for the health of my back.  I will continue to work hard at keeping my back fit.

There it is! My goals for 2012.  Not a long list that is unmanageable, but instead something realistic! I will leave you with an image of my recent bird trip to the coast of South Carolina.

Great White Egret. Murrel's Inlet, SC
If you steal this a badger will eat your soul!