My plans for 2011

With 2010 now behind us, I though now would be a good time to share some of my plans, hopes and slightly crazy dreams for 2011 and beyond.

Things I'd like to do and places I'd like to go to in 2011, I'll be very lucky if I manage to check a few of these off my list.

Spend more time with friends and try to be better at keeping in touch.

Have more fun, meet new friends and worry less.

VIsit Japan - This might have to wait until 2012, but I've wanted to go for a long time, I'd really love to spend a month or two touring it, but doubt I'll have the time to do that in the near future. Fingers crossed I can find the time to spend a week or two out there this year or next.

There are plenty of other places I'd love to visit too, one dream of mine is to travel London to Beijing via train, it just sounds like such an interesting journey.  I'd probably go London->Paris, Paris - Moscow via the direct sleeper service, then on to Beijing via Siberia and Mongolia. This is rather ambitious since I've never been to mainland Europe!  :( All of my overseas travel experience has been within the USA so far. It wouldn't be that expensive, but it would require a significant chunk of time to do, so that might have to wait for a bit.

I might take a few short trips to destinations in Europe.

Learn some more Japanese - I only know a few dozen words, but I'd love to be fluent one day, Japanese is a really interesting and complicated but quite logical language.

Glastonbury 2011 - I Loved Glastonbury 2010, one of the best experiences of my life, can't wait to go back this year.

Get out to more gigs - There are so many artists I haven't seen live yet: Theoretical Girl, iMMa, Jamiroquai, Sara Bareilles, Marina and the diamonds, Bomb The Bass are just a few of them.

And there are plenty of artists I hope to see again this year: Nerina Pallot, 6 Day Riot, The Chain, Pearl and the Puppets, She Makes War, Prodigy, Leftfield, Orbital.

Ice Skating - Always wanted to give it a go but I have to find somewhere that has skates for my clown-size (14!) feet first, Somerset House maybe.

Maybe take a few dancing lessons - It looks like great fun but I'm about a graceful as a giraffe on roller skates in that regard so need all the help I can get.

Improve my keyboard and guitar skills -  I can play both, but I'm not good at either, I still struggle with the F barre chord on guitar. Maybe I should find the time to take a few professional lessons.

Improve my fitness level - Working as a software developer means I sit down for hours each day, and my fitness level has suffered as a result,  at one stage I was  nearly 3st overweight.  I've worked hard and have lost well over 2st now, but still need to work on on my fitness.

Improve my objective-c and Perl programming skills - I'm pretty good, but there is always room for improvement

Continue improving my Photography/Video skills - Photography is one of my favourite hobbies, my video skills need a lot of work, my photography skills are pretty good, but I'd like to become more proficient at both.

Get a photo published as an album/EP/single cover or inlay artwork. - unlikely to happen but would be awesome if it did. 

Maybe find a girl by the end of 2011 to share a proper New Year's Kiss with - Not easy as I'm a bit of a geek, but you never know.

Ultimately I'll be very happy if 2011 is a year of good health, shared experiences with friends and family and a few good gigs.

I hope this is a great year for all of us, I know a lot of my friends (both offline and online ones) have had a difficult time of things in 2010, fingers crossed this year will be better and things will work out how you want them to.