Weekend Assignment #299 : Time's Up!

Because of the Christmas holiday, I gave you folks an extra day to do last week's Weekend Assignment. Now I'm running out of weekend in which to post the new one. And that's kind of the topic of this week's Assignment:

Weekend Assignment #299: The first decade of the new millennium is winding down. (Yes, I know that technically the decade runs from 2001-2010. But still.)  Is there anything in particular you wanted to accomplish this year or in the "aughties?" How did it go? Is there still something you hope to get done before the year is out?

Extra Credit: Have you a particular goal for the next decade? And what do we call 2010 to 2019, anyway?

This was the scene when I got home one blustery afternoon last week. The trunk of my mom's 1984 Chrysler New Yorker had sprung open in the wind.  The back of the New Yorker is slightly crunched, and consequently the trunk lid doesn't stay closed very well any more. Beside it is our 1984(?) Dodge Ram van, which carried us around the U.S. and eastern Canada for four or five months in 1986. I couldn't remember just now exactly what's wrong with it, but it hasn't been driveable in years and years. John says, "The transmission fell out." Oh.

Obviously, we need to get rid of those two vehicles. Like the Toyota I got rid of a decade ago, they are meant to be given to charity, and a tax break taken. I've provisionally decided to donate them to our local PBS station to be auctioned for parts (or whatever).It's something we've wanted to do for at least five years, probably longer.

One problem: I can't find the title to the New Yorker. Last year I searched many boxes for it, over the course of several days. I will try again this year, but I don't expect a better result. Still, I shouldn't let that stop me. I'll just have to go to the MVD for a replacement title, won't I? The only thing in the way is that I'll be very busy this week at church, finishing up a project that has a hard year-end deadline.

My other long term goals are more important, even if they're not tied to a particular year, decade or tax season. I still haven't taken the CPA exam, much less been certified. I can't really become a CPA without a piece of paper saying I've worked two years under the supervision of an existing CPA, but at least I can resume studying. This I will do in the new year. No, really.

And then there's getting an agent and publisher for the novels, a goal that seems more out of reach with each passing year. Sigh.

How about you? How have you done on accomplishing your ten year plan? Do you even have one? (Not that I'm saying you necessarily should. I'm just asking!)

While you're thinking about that, let's have a look at last week's responses.

For Weekend Assignment #298: Lost, I asked about whether getting lost was a problem or a pleasure for you. Click on the names below to read the full responses:

Julie said...

...I pressed the button to tell the software to provide driving directions and a map and leaned back in the passenger seat. Take the next exit. And turn around. Perhaps the restaurant was just on the other side of the freeway after the next exit. We could do that. We took the exit, turned around, and were then instructed to go a couple of miles back the direction from whence we'd come. Excuse me?

Florinda said... .

I'm pretty good at reading maps, because I need to be. My eyesight is bad enough (even when wearing my contacts) that I have trouble making out small street signs and address numbers. When I'm going someplace new, I'll study the map carefully first, so I know just how many more blocks I need to go after the last major intersection and can count them off as I'm driving.

Mike said...

It is not an adventure for me. Not one bit. Just ask Jenn. I get stressed going into the city and get worse if we have trouble finding where we need to go, or where the ramp to the expressway is to get us back to our safe suburbs. I tend to get snippy and cranky when we get turned around, I don't know why. Like Jenn tells me, it's not like we are going to get stuck there and never find our way home, or anything. But, when I'm in a position like that I don't think rationally. I start picture us living out of the car and drinking anti-freeze to survive. It's not pretty.

Here are the guidelines if you'd like to participate in the Weekend Assignment:

1. Please post your entry no later than Saturday, January 2nd at 6 PM. (You can also post your response in the comments thread, but a blog entry is better. )
2. Please mention the Weekend Assignment in your blog post, and include a link back to this entry.
3. Please come back here after you've posted, and leave a link to your entry in the comments below.
4. Visiting other participants' entries is strongly encouraged!
5. I'm always looking for topic ideas. Please email me at mavarin2 on gmail.com if there's a Weekend Assignment theme you'd like to see. If I use your idea, you will be credited as that week's "guest professor."

I hope to hear from you soon. Meanwhile, Happy New Year! And don't forget, the Round Robin Photo Challenge returns on January 2nd! And if you're into photography, be sure to also check out the Ellipsis Monday Photo Shoot.

Karen