10 for 2016
Ah, a New Year with a fresh, new year scent all over it and that means another list of pointless resolutions, half of which I probably won't accomplish anyway. Thankfully, my list from last year has vanished into the ether of the internet in the transition to this, my latest and hopefully permanent resting place for my blogging, so I don't have to reflect on the failures of 2015- but... it's foolish, misplaced optimism on my part, since I probably think every new year feels like something good could happen, but I sort of want to jump up and down and insist that by golly, this time it's going to be different, this time, this year is going to be kick-ass!
But I know better. In reality, I'll probably greeting 2017 by looking back at this list and giving a hearty belly laugh at my foolish optimism- but you never know, right? This could actually be the year I fulfill some of my New Year's Resolutions. Here's the 2016 Edition:
1. Returning from last year- get that next tattoo: I've been sort of circling around this for awhile, but I've got an idea, I've got a design and I'm ready for a shot at tattoo redemption, as the last time around, it didn't go so well. (I sort of passed out and threw up a little- which beats passing out and pissing yourself I guess- but not by much.) I think the Missus might be getting that itch as well, so it's just a question of scraping up some dough and finding the time to do it.
2. Run a 5k: You gotta start somewhere, right? And they have inflatable, color, laser glow-stick 5k type things out there these days and why the hell not? If having a four year old has taught me anything, it's that, when they really want you to do something, they can be almost Jillian Michaels-like in their intensity and huffing after the Kiddo when he's begging me to do sprints at 'BLAZING SPEED' isn't exactly fun and just underlines how out of shape I am. Time (and I know I say this every year) to do something about it.
3. Get the next book done and start working on the one after that: This is actually going to happen. I'm already digging into my 'next book' and I'm going to get the sequel to The Prisoner and The Assassin wrapped and pushed out into the world hopefully by early spring. (Knock on wood- but it comes out in 2016 for sure!)
4. Learn to code: This will be interesting, but we'll see how it goes. I plan to start on Code Academy and see where it takes me-- if it's something I enjoy, it could potentially be a back pocket to other opportunities, career-wise, but it's a little too soon to make a call on that for sure.
5. Put my phone on a shelf somewhere when I'm at home: I'm really trying to make an effort at this, since I have my face in my phone too much as it is, but damn is it hard when Older Child wants to watch the same five episodes of Paw Patrol all the damn time and Younger Child just wants to eat and fall asleep in your arm. You sort of crave a moment of adult stimulation, even if it just a quick glance at your Twitter feed. This one is going to be haaaaaaaaard. But I'm finding when I spend less time looking at my phone and more time doing things with the Kiddo, the happier he tends to be. (Which makes sense.) So I gotta- if not break myself of this habit, at least get much better at it than I am now.
6. Lose 50 pounds: I'm sort of stuck between the 245-255 range of things these days. With great concentration and a modicum of effort I can get it down to 240, but I'd like to get it down further. My 'healthy weight, even though I think BMI is kind of dodgy and feel pretty okay with myself' is 180, which seems ridiculously skinny to me. But under 200 in a year? Seems reasonable.
7. Read more books! I've been bad about reading- or at least sporadic about it. I need to pick it back up again.
8. Team up with The Missus and figure out this whole 'making friends as adults' thing: I'm sort of convinced that there is a secret meeting that we missed out on somewhere, but between her schedule, my schedule and two kids, it's hard enough trying to hang out with the friends we do have, let alone making new ones- but people seem to do it somehow. God knows how.
9. Control my stress better: Yoga, meditation, exercise- I need something. I'll admit I wasn't perfect about it in times past, but I seem to be getting worse with the hurricane that is life. I need to find outlets for stress that work better than what I do now. Which is nothing.
10. Publish one piece of short fiction a month on Medium, just for the exposure: I've been working on a series for Medium (Parts One and Two here) and I really like it as a platform and if I have a writing goal for 2016, it's to get my short story game to where I think it should be- so, why not churn out some stories or resurrect old ones to put them out there for people to see.
But I know better. In reality, I'll probably greeting 2017 by looking back at this list and giving a hearty belly laugh at my foolish optimism- but you never know, right? This could actually be the year I fulfill some of my New Year's Resolutions. Here's the 2016 Edition:
1. Returning from last year- get that next tattoo: I've been sort of circling around this for awhile, but I've got an idea, I've got a design and I'm ready for a shot at tattoo redemption, as the last time around, it didn't go so well. (I sort of passed out and threw up a little- which beats passing out and pissing yourself I guess- but not by much.) I think the Missus might be getting that itch as well, so it's just a question of scraping up some dough and finding the time to do it.
2. Run a 5k: You gotta start somewhere, right? And they have inflatable, color, laser glow-stick 5k type things out there these days and why the hell not? If having a four year old has taught me anything, it's that, when they really want you to do something, they can be almost Jillian Michaels-like in their intensity and huffing after the Kiddo when he's begging me to do sprints at 'BLAZING SPEED' isn't exactly fun and just underlines how out of shape I am. Time (and I know I say this every year) to do something about it.
3. Get the next book done and start working on the one after that: This is actually going to happen. I'm already digging into my 'next book' and I'm going to get the sequel to The Prisoner and The Assassin wrapped and pushed out into the world hopefully by early spring. (Knock on wood- but it comes out in 2016 for sure!)
4. Learn to code: This will be interesting, but we'll see how it goes. I plan to start on Code Academy and see where it takes me-- if it's something I enjoy, it could potentially be a back pocket to other opportunities, career-wise, but it's a little too soon to make a call on that for sure.
5. Put my phone on a shelf somewhere when I'm at home: I'm really trying to make an effort at this, since I have my face in my phone too much as it is, but damn is it hard when Older Child wants to watch the same five episodes of Paw Patrol all the damn time and Younger Child just wants to eat and fall asleep in your arm. You sort of crave a moment of adult stimulation, even if it just a quick glance at your Twitter feed. This one is going to be haaaaaaaaard. But I'm finding when I spend less time looking at my phone and more time doing things with the Kiddo, the happier he tends to be. (Which makes sense.) So I gotta- if not break myself of this habit, at least get much better at it than I am now.
6. Lose 50 pounds: I'm sort of stuck between the 245-255 range of things these days. With great concentration and a modicum of effort I can get it down to 240, but I'd like to get it down further. My 'healthy weight, even though I think BMI is kind of dodgy and feel pretty okay with myself' is 180, which seems ridiculously skinny to me. But under 200 in a year? Seems reasonable.
7. Read more books! I've been bad about reading- or at least sporadic about it. I need to pick it back up again.
8. Team up with The Missus and figure out this whole 'making friends as adults' thing: I'm sort of convinced that there is a secret meeting that we missed out on somewhere, but between her schedule, my schedule and two kids, it's hard enough trying to hang out with the friends we do have, let alone making new ones- but people seem to do it somehow. God knows how.
9. Control my stress better: Yoga, meditation, exercise- I need something. I'll admit I wasn't perfect about it in times past, but I seem to be getting worse with the hurricane that is life. I need to find outlets for stress that work better than what I do now. Which is nothing.
10. Publish one piece of short fiction a month on Medium, just for the exposure: I've been working on a series for Medium (Parts One and Two here) and I really like it as a platform and if I have a writing goal for 2016, it's to get my short story game to where I think it should be- so, why not churn out some stories or resurrect old ones to put them out there for people to see.
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