As is clear from my last post, I'm thinking ahead to 2009 and what I and we as a family want to accomplish.

The great news is we met our savings goals for this year. We made a person (who is now trying to chew on everything in the living room), I made money even though I don't have a full-time job anymore. I dealt with yet another tragedy when my dad died in July.

It's been action packed.

In 2009 we might not do as well. I sat down to write out some concrete savings goals-- like I have on the sidebar right now. And it occurred to me that we will be making less money next year. Mostly because I have zero work lined up, and it appears that many media companies have laid off workers AND slashed their freelance budgets, so there is just less work out there.

So, we will have to make due with less. And hope that my career and self-esteem make it out of this financial crisis. I'm not even sure if I will make enough to fully fund my IRA.

As such, our goals have changed. They are more and less ambitious.

Savings-wise, they are less ambitious. Only the basics will get money in 2009. Our high-priority goals are to put as much into our EF as possible, fund the 529, and to pay off as much of our one debt-my student loan- as possible.

We've worked hard to lower our monthly committed expenses and have done well. The student loan is the stumbling block. It alone accounts for 45 percent of our must-pay bills every month.

Having this loan makes my lack of work all the more frustrating, since this degree was supposed to help me make money and yet again in a way it's an obstacle.

Also, I mentioned before that I want to write a novel (my first) in 30 days next year. I have decided not to wait for National Write a Novel Month in November and to start Jan 1. I think this will make me feel better about my work life and help me accomplish one of my life goals.

I may fail spectacularly on all fronts, but I figure it helps to aim high.