Happy (belated) New Year!

I can't believe it's 2010. If it's a new year, that means new goals. I don't do the resolution thing as those tend not to be kept. But if it's a goal, well, somehow that makes it easier to accomplish.

Just a bit before New Year's I was going through old papers and pitching things I didn't need anymore when I came across a copy of my admission application to SCAD. I read through my statement of purpose essay and had quite a time looking back on the "old" me that wrote the essay. My handwriting is the same, but I have to say I've come a ways since then. It helped me put my accomplishments in perspective. I especially had a good time reading this part:

"In addition to artistic goals, I have academic goals as a student of the Savannah College of Art and Design. I plan to maintain a GPA of 3.25 or higher during the course of my studies, and obtain a Bachelor’s degree in Illustration.

After obtaining my degree, I have several career goals that I plan to fulfill. I want to enter the competitive art field as an illustrator for a book or magazine company. While working in that career field, I also wish to write and illustrate my own children’s books, either in a series or on a single book basis. I have always been inspired by the work of children’s book authors and I wish to inspire other children through my work as a writer and artist."

While I didn't meet my goal of moving swiftly from college and straight into being an illustrator for books and magazines (but who does, really?), I can say I met everything else. I graduated Summa Cum Laude (I was not expecting that when I applied to SCAD), and I've already written and illustrated a children's book, it just hasn't been published...YET. But it is on my list of goals for 2010:

• Get a "real" job so I can start paying my own real bills. Mission accomplished.
• Move away from Savannah. Don't get me wrong, I love it, and it's been great, but I think it's about time I was hitting that dusty trail. Mission accomplished.
• Find a publisher for my children's book. I know it's easier said than done, but I'd like to think that it helps that I have a bit of support with the project.
• Get back to England! I already have enough saved for a plane ticket...I just need to worry about food, shelter, and Travelcards. Postponed to May 2011--but with good reason.