Dealing with workloads

One thing that constantly makes me sad is how I never seem to find the time to do the things I'd really love to do - properly work on my PhD, write more, do some photography, sew, learn some more Italian, all that. When, once again, I realise that this is one of the things making me unhappy, I usually make some sort of plan.

Right now, I've decided to:

- finish things (especially concerning knitting and video games - and odd combination, I admit) before starting new things.
 This also means I probably won't be buying myself a PS3 and FFXIII for Christmas after all, but more likely...a new digital camera which can take nice macro shots etc. I have an SLR, but I bought it just shortly before digital photography started to take over, which is why I never use it these days. The digital camera I do have is around 5 years old and doesn't really manage close-ups all that well.
It also means I will write a 'to finish' list further down.

- delegate the playing of video games to the weekends or to evenings after 9pm. I should manage, since I can still distract myself with my trusty GoogleReader, timestealer extraordinaire.

- finish the whole freelance job I got from the office I work at until the end of October, so I can, once November rolls around (you're guessing what comes now) fully and concentratedly take part in NaNoWriMo once again, and not be distracted by too much work. It is, after all, the only month in the year where I allow myself to feel (and act) like an author, so far, and as that, it is sacred. ;)

- do some reading for my PhD, if only a little bit, every day. Again, I should manage that, since I finally have some sort of plan. Mwahahaha.

Sound good?

*****

So, here is what I 'need to finish', knitting and gaming-wise:

Knitting:
The jumper I started way way back when I finally properly taught myself how to knit. That was 3 or 4 years ago. I really need to finish that.
The mittens that were supposed to be my sisters birthday present in...wait for it...2008. Well, I had intended to give her fingerless gloves, had one finished, and then she said she wanted mittens. Hm.
The scarf for my soon-to-be-graduating friend (next Wednesday, actually). This has top priority right now. ;)
That other scarf which is very pretty colour-and-pattern-wise, which I will also gift to a friend, though I have yet to decide between two.
That big red fluffy monster. I seem to create lots of big fluffy monster scarves. Well, so be it.
The beautiful linen scarf I started when it was too humid for anything else. Also to be a present, and I know for whom.
The grey scarf where I couldn't figure out the instructions, but will make it my own way. Hooray for self-sufficiency.
My beautiful beautiful Alpacino Scroll Lace Scarf. Plus a matching hat. Yes. But the hat only after everything else is done.
The mittens which were supposed to be a birthday present, but will now be a Christmas present. Ha.

That's a lot, huh? December will be so much fun.

Games:
FF9 (my second playthrough, stuck at the end of CD 3 of 4. Grah.)
FF12 (I started this two years ago, right after I graduated...my graduation present to myself. I ordered it right after I had my exam. And now? Stuck in the last quarter of the game. Again. Neverending story of my gaming life. Grah.)
The Wind Waker (My third playthrough, and, same old, same old. All that is left is to assemble the Triforce and go and bash Ganon. But do I do it? No! Because...)
...Dragon Quest VIII (I bought this two weeks ago, in GameStop. It was on my wishlist for ages, then sold out and only attainable for loads of money. And then I find it, by chance, for 10€. And it is so. Much. Fun. Pretty and Cute (with a capital C) and funny. *sighs*)
and maybe also
Zack&Wiki (which my boyfriend and I started to play together, but haven't for a year or so)

And maybe when that is done (or I have officially given up on any of these and put their boxes back into hidden storage), and only then, I will allow myself to spend inordinate amounts of money on being able to play FFXIII, no matter how pretty it is and how much I already know of the plot because my curiosity got the better of me (plus I can interpret soundtrack titles pretty neatly by now).

So, that's it. Once more, a plan. This should be fun. :)
And now I'll go back to my, hm, let's, for the fun of it, call it freelance gig. ;)