24 before 25...

I've been meaning to do this for a while now, and now I've done it I would like to share my list of goals for the coming year with you.

1. Get an acting job: I graduated from drama school last summer and I haven't worked as an actor yet, this needs to change.

2.Learn to crochet: I love crochet blankets and throws, I really want to make some for our house.

3. Decorate the lounge: this is the room I have the most ideas for so it seems like the best one to start with.

4. Try all the 'The Beauty Department' Hair Tutorials: I love doing new things with my hair and this website has some great tutorials for some great hair-dos.

5. Complete my Book Stash Bust challenge: I hope I will have time to read more than these 6 books but at the very least these must be read.

6. Join a dance class: I loved the little dancing we did at drama school, it's a great way to keep fit and it's so much fun.

7. Fill up my recipe book: for Valentine's day, my chap bought me a lovely recipe book binder just itching to be filled with yummy recipes I have tried and tested. I've gotten a bit lazy with my culinary exploits lately, I hope this will change that.

8. Go on 6 'non-standard' dates: this means not the cinema, the theatre or a restaurant. 6 might seem like too few but as Chap's away on tour for 50% of this year I think it's a realistic number.

9. Take a photography class: I take pretty rubbish photos and I have no idea what all the buttons on my camera do, I would like to change this.

10. Try writing a play: it might turn out to be terrible but i'd like to give it a go.

11. Go to the Edinburgh Festival: I have technically been, once, but I was 15, with my parents and only saw one (amazing) dance show. I want to do it properly.

12. Run 5km: I am not a runner. I should be, I live opposite a beautiful and rather large common, it's the perfect place to go for a run and it's free! Once the weather warms up I'll be dusting off my trainers and getting out there. I think 5km is a realistic goal given that I am not at all in shape at the moment!!

13. Go to the Lido: the common also has a giant outdoor swimming pool (apparently it's one of the biggest in Europe) and in the 9 months we've lived 30 seconds away from it we've never been. Come summer time this will change, there will be a picnic involved.

14. Sew at least 8 garments: I'd like to make more but 8 seems achievable.

15. Explore more of London: because my job doesn't require me to travel more than a 15 minute walk from my home, I don't get out and around London much and there is so much to see and do. I'd like to explore more.

16. Do some volunteering: I have a fair amount of free time at the moment and I'd like to use some of it to help out some worthy causes.

17. Go to the National Portrait Gallery: I love portraits, I think because I'm actor I like to create characters to go with the faces, but I have never been to the NPG!

18. Go wine tasting: I love wine (I am currently enjoying a lovely glass of Merlot) and I'd like to know more about it and stop automatically ordering Merlot purely because I know I'll like it. (I will, however, always love Merlot)

19. Make a cheesecake: I don't make desserts much but as a great fan of the cheesecake I should really know how to make one.

20. Learn Grade 2 on the piano: I'm not planning to take the exam (that requires a teacher and money) but I have some old grade books and I'd like to be able to play the level 2 pieces well. Perhaps by 28 I'll be a grade 8 pianist!! HA!

21. Make Marmalade: there is nothing better than marmalade on toast and a good cuppa. I bet it's even better when you've made the marmalade yourself.

22. Visit 5 new places: this can include places I went as a child, as it's such a different experience when you make all the decisions! I'll be visiting Chap on his tour a few times over the coming months so that will help me to achieve this one.

23. Take a photo a day for a month: i don't think I'm ready for a 365 challenge but perhaps a mini one later in the year after I've accomplished number 9.

24. Read all of Shakespeare's plays: ok so this one has rather a lot of room for interpretation, I have already read, studied or seen 27 of them, my goal this year is to get to know the ones that have so far evaded me, either by reading them or seeing them at the theatre. Hey, Alice, don't go and see King Lear for the 4th time, try Pericles of Timon of Athens...

Phew, all typed up like that it seems like a lot, but it's definitely doable and I think it'll be a lot of fun.

Alice x