Three Weeks for Dreamwidth: The 12-week Year

This year during Three Weeks for Dreamwidth, I'm writing about goal-setting frameworks for goals_on_dw. Read Part 1: Introduction to Goal-Setting Frameworks, Part 2: The 1-3-5 Rule, Part 3: The 12-week Year.


Part 3: The 12-week Year

Planning for the long term can make it difficult to build up a sense of urgency to get things done. Planning for the short term can make it hard to accomplish anything substantial. So some goal-setting frameworks focus on the medium term.

The 12-week Year is a plan that focuses on three months at a time. You can start at any time. You must budget your time wisely to make the most of it, because you don't have very much. Once you finish your first 12-week Year, then you can start a new one. Follow the steps to plan your goal.



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Bone Collector Caterpillar

This caterpillar wears the body parts of insect prey

Dubbed the “bone collector,” this caterpillar species sports remains of prey as camouflage while it stalks spider webs for trapped bugs, researchers report in the April 25 Science. The carnivorous caterpillar, found on the Hawaiian island of Oahu, is the first known by scientists to live in spider hunting grounds and fully decorate itself with body parts.


Overall, the strategy greatly resembles that of the caddisfly larvae who live in water and make sheathes out of sticks or gravel. But the use of inedible insect parts for building a suit of armor seems to be unique.

Those of you currently running a roleplaying game could have fun dropping this into it -- especially if your game already has giant spiders.

Alternatively, if you make Tolkien fanworks, this just begs to go in Mirkwood. Both giant spiders and giant moths are already canon! Need a lever to get Thranduil off his stubborn arse? Have someone drag in a larva covered in armor fragments and elf bones. "NOW do you believe us that something is seriously wrong with this forest?"

Birdfeeding

Today is cloudy and cool with a light breeze.

I haven't been outside yet, but I saw at least 7 blue jays in the forest garden, which exceeds the maximum of 6 from a previous year. They were coming and going, so I suspect there are more than just the ones I saw together. :D

EDIT 4/27/25 -- I fed the birds. I've seen a mixed flock of sparrows and house finches. I put up another corncob for the blue jays.

I put out water for the birds.

We walked around the prairie garden discussing more places that need to be mowed.

EDIT 4/27/25 -- I planted 25 Deluxe Dutch Gladiolus Mixture in the notch of the prairie garden. This concludes the Breck's order.

EDIT 4/27/25 -- I sowed the prairie notch with Monarch Butterfly Wildflower Seed Mix, Partial Shade Wildflower Seed Mix, and zinnia seeds collected from the Charleston Food Forest.

EDIT 4/27/25 -- I saw a brown thrasher and a red-headed woodpecker in the forest garden.  We used to have red-headed woodpeckers all the time when I was little, but I haven't seen one around here in years.  I hope it stays!  :D 3q3q3q!!!!

EDIT 4/27/25 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.

My partner Doug is currently out mowing.

EDIT 4/27/25 -- We walked around the yard looking at the newly mowed areas.  :D

EDIT 4/27/25 -- I planted a purple sage and a tricolor sage in the strip garden.

EDIT 4/27/25 -- We moved things around outside.

EDIT 4/27/25 -- I watered the notch in the prairie garden.

I brought in the flats of potted plants.

I've seen a male and a female cardinal separately, assorted blue jays, and the red-headed woodpecker again.

As it is now dark, I am done for the night.