rob was here.

It's always good to have goals layed out before you.

If not a definitive plan made of bulleted tasks and timelines, then at least a general feeling of a direction to help you wander out of the dark. It's nice to stand from some point-of-view in the future, and look back at an old list of goals that you wrote months or years ago to see what you accomplished.. The things you've completed, experienced or learned since that point. The sense of accomplishment is the gain.

It's now over a year since I graduated from a university in a technology-related field which I am very interested and happy in. I've been planning and thinking hard about my general life plan since then. I've been looking at things I have accomplished (my job, my own car, my travels, etc) and things to come down the road (living with my girlfriend, having my own home, lots more traveling, etc). I have an image in my brain (more or less) of where I want to go in life, and I'm trying to steer the boat in that direction. Alas, these things comprise more of a uber-personal goal list, which I didn't intend to get into great detail with post. (But I mentioned it so I could find it again in the future.)

Now, aside from these personal life plans, I want to establish a set of very attainable mini-goals. My goal time for having all of these things done is say, around 3 months. In 3 months time, I better be able to look back at this post and say to myself "self, you're doing okay with those mini-goals!".

• Learn more of the popular Design Patterns as defined by the Gang of Four. I'm trying to use Design Patterns more and more in life (work and play). I find myself relying on the same handful over and over, when there are so more I know I could use.

• To become clear of Microsoft. I'm one of those slashdot and digg readers who will scowl and crow at the concept of people using Microsoft software (particularly the Windows operating system), but I do so from a Windows operating system. Talk about a hypocrite! Well.. I started to change all that. I now use Fedora exclusively at work. I plan on changing my home computer from Windows XP to Ubuntu Dapper Drake in early June, when it is released. I really like open source technologies.

• To become a novice-level xhtml, CSS, and also common scripting languages. I've dabbled in these but never enough to do anything worth while. I want to spend some serious time getting more familiar with these technologies.

• To pick up mountain biking and jogging more. I'm guilty of not using a bike that has come into my possession.
  

These goals themselves may seem rather boring to the casual reader, but again, they're my interest and hobbies. :)