Over at Crazy 8 Press, I kicked off a month-long look at our individual resolutions for 2014. Those are certainly good ones for the writer in me but there are others that require attention.I need to start being more realistic with my time. When I was working at home, I promised myself on Goodreads that I would read 80 books in 2013 and was on pace to exceed that but September arrived and I suddenly had a time-consuming day job. The first thing to be jettisoned each afternoon was any hope for reading for myself. As a result, the year ended falling seven books short which hurt. For this year, I dropped my total to 30 and we’ll see fi that’s realistic given my leisure book time seems confined to audio books on my commute to school and school vacations.While I want to write more creative work, I also need to recognize that school comes first, leaving me little time during the week to even think about freelance work. I must have been crazy to even think I could tackle a novel in the fall, but sure enough, I worked on an outline before realizing how in over my head I was and summoned help from Steven Savile. Thankfully, the publisher decided they no longer needed the book, freeing us to sell it elsewhere and on a schedule we can manage. I have a few irons in the fire, all with an eye toward the April break and summer.Speaking of the day job, I need to focus more on instruction. I need to stop yelling in the class as a management tool and change my approach in the class. I’m four months-plus in and while I see improvement, I know there’s more room to grow this first year. I also need to get a little more active in the professional community (further robbing time from the two items above.)At home, I should try and make better meals rather than easy ones. Other little things need attention such as shining my shoes more often and helping keep the house neat. Little incremental things that can make our new home more comfortable.I’d love to see more of my local friends on weekends and hopefully, after a packed summer and fall, there will be time for that.Hopefully, these are realistic goals, easily attainable and maintainable.