Priorities

2013 has so far been a year of change (yet again) thanks to plenty of upheaval in my life. Social changes, work changes, and finally - finally - changes in the weather. For all intents and purposes, warm and respectable weather is here, so it is time to look ahead at my summer and a few of my most important goals for the remainder of 2013.

Exercise & Health

Walking. Hiking. Summer of Biking. Cedar Point. Canoeing. Jogging. Swimming. Along with a reasonably healthy diet, I plan to be extremely active this summer. In fact, my health and fitness is my first and foremost goal of 2013. Thanks to a shift away from gaming throughout much of this spring, I am looking forward to plenty of time in the sun. A focus on less restaurant food and healthier cooked meals should blend in nicely with my active lifestyle.

A Financial Future

As of May 2013 I am officially 100% debt free. The remainder of 2013 will be used to save up substantial amounts of money for the next few big phases of my life - a major hike, home ownership, and hell, who knows, maybe I will settle down in a few years. I have always been relatively a low-debt kind of spender, so now I am going the extra mile: I want to remain as debt-free as possible for as long as possible, which means paying for most of my major purchases (gadgets, cars, durables) with raw cash. A new monthly budget plan will help me get where I want to be come 2014.

Hiking

There is no denying that I love hiking. A major part of my exercise routines this year involves pumping myself up to be a capable hiker. More than just physical prowess, though, is my desire to thrive on my feet. How well can I get by hundreds of miles from home with nothing more than a backpack, a tent, and a couple days' of supplies? Later this year I will find out, and in 2014, I will go all-out on the road.

Shiggs Photography

My personal photography brand, Shiggs Photography, was always supposed to be a very small side project that let me make a few extra bucks while expanding my photography skills. "A very small side project" may end up becoming "a moderate business" this summer as I travel throughout Ohio, Michigan, Kentucky, and Tennessee for photography, hunt out small business work in Perrysburg, and work with Computol to get more experience. Starting June 1st, I will be "working" (read: dedicating) two days a week at Shiggs Photography as a means to practice the craft, blog about photography, and look for sales opportunities.

B3 out.