I’ve been noodling this for the past couple of weeks. My “original” resolutions were to lose weight and get serious about writing my book, which has been stagnating pretty much forever (I write bits here and there, get dejected, and give up).
I realized those plans leave myself open to self-condemnation if (when) I fail to maintain my resolutions. So I’ve settled on one that I’m confident I can keep: in 2022 I will do something each day, every day, that is out of my comfort zone. Eating healthier, getting more exercise, writing more… all of those fit. But so does a myriad of other things. Maybe I’ll eat lunch with a pair of chopsticks. Maybe I’ll try to be more friendly to other staff around campus. Maybe I’ll take the long way home and enjoy the scenery more often. I’ll try to plan my days better and do something each day that expands my horizons a bit. Obviously it remains to be seen how successful I will be.
The amount of sugar I’ve been eating over the last weeks is worrying me, so I’m going to refrain from cookies and candy until Valentine’s Day.
And I’m getting myself back to the gym, assuming restrictions and case numbers allow. I’m getting boosted on January 5th, so probably I have to wait a few weeks before I’m allowed to join.
I keep a journal, and write my “goals” for the year at this time. Last year I had 7 main goals. My score was 2 completed, 2 partials, 2 impossible due to circumstances, and one I just never got around to.
So far, this year’s list is:
Continue progress on health goals (exercise, walking more, etc.). Some progress last year but other health problems intervened (couldn’t walk due to injury and other stuff). I lost only half the weight intended, but will complete that goal in 22.
Finish my 5 year household resilience/hardening project started in 2017. This is a long-term project began in response to climate-change and other threats, mostly hardening the house substantially against weather extremes, crime, and energy/supply interruptions. I’m almost finished but have a few loose ends to tie up (mostly minor stuff like insulation). When the last tool is put away, I may start a thread about this. It’s been a long process that was more difficult than expected.
Resume travel and exploration of the lower 48. I suspended this for obvious reasons, but I’m personally through with Covid. It’s pretty much over and I’ve shut off the news, put away my masks, bought new luggage, and am poring over maps. I will also spend a great deal more time out on the boat and exploring that way as well.
As a subset of the above goal, resume learning and improving my photography skills. This involves both the DSLR and my drone. It is my hope that getting out and traveling will present more opportunities for interesting photos.
This one’s still under consideration, but resume hunting and fishing again. I stopped for reasons I won’t bore everyone with, but think I might resume this. 90% probability on taking up fishing again, still on the fence about hunting. Also resume target shooting if ammo prices continue decreasing.
Last year I resolved to do something every day that would improve our home. It didn’t have to be a major project. A little organizing or de-cluttering was fine. I was working from home and doing something every day was easy at first. Then in June we were brought back to the office and I had less time to fulfill my resolution. As of today, I am officially retired, and expect to pick up on my resolution where I left off in June. Just the garage will keep me busy for quite some time.
And since I’ve retired, I resolve to get out of bed when the morning sun comes streaming through my window (as opposed to 6am), enjoy a leisurely cup of coffee without keeping an eye on the clock…
I don’t really do NY resolutions, but in the New Year I start eating healthier, watching calories, exercising more, and I cut out all alcohol for the month of January. You could say my resolution is to develop healthier habits, but I think of it more as a reset to a healthier lifestyle after a month or so of overindulging during the holidays.
Well, considering it’s been three years since I moved into my apartment and I still haven’t unpacked a crapload of stuff, it’s time to get a specific goal to get this fixed up. I’m not a hoarder, but the place sure looks like I am one, and a crazy cat lady to boot.
So, my specific resolution will be that every day, every single day, I will do something to unpack and clean my apartment. And it can’t be something like laundry or dishwashing, because those are maintenance chores. This daily task must be something to put the apartment in order.
Oh please non-existent god, let me keep this resolution.
I just finished printing and sticking labels in my datebook’s weekly weekend column from January to July. Each has 5 boxes to check for time spent writing that week, 1 box for a loathsome task (plus space to describe it), 1 for client record review as I move toward closing my practice, and 1 for freezer, meaning “defrost something and eat it, thus using an earthquake/COVID food item and making room for new ones.”
Week of 1/2-1/8:
Writing: Aiming for a full MS draft read-through, list sections to write, revise glaring infelicities.
Loathsome task: Clean downstairs bathroom baseboard and grout.
Client record: Review a closed record, revise the summary, and move the record to the “completed” file cabinet.
Freezer: Probably defrost frozen tofu for a miso soup.
I managed to lose a substantial (to me) amount of weight last year, inching me closer to my ideal BMI, and want to continue this year, though it is now harder to achieve and keep it off.
I also want to write another screenplay. I am averaging 1.5 every two years, one finished and one unfinished, and I’m due for another finished one. I have a themed list of movies to watch in January as my inspiration, so I think that will help get me motivated.
Well, today it begins. I changed out the sink in my kitchen for a bigger & better model yesterday and in the process learned that the shut-off valves are both leaking. They’re likely original to the house – 1967. So I need to figure out how to shut off the water to the entire house and then swap out the valves. I’m not a gung-ho DIY’er and I’m not one of those Tim Taylor-types with a garage full of tools so this is definitely out of my comfort zone.
When it’s done though I’ll have a huge single-basin sink that I can actually scrub dishes in. That makes it worth it.
My goal for 2022 is to compile all the materials I buy for each craft or DYI project together with a note explaining the project. I have a lot of great ideas and the short-term memory issues associated with ADHD, and therefore I have a ton of things I have no idea what I wanted them for, so this should help.
Well I managed to fix the valves. It took two trips to the hardware store and more time than it should have, but we now have a new sink, a new faucet, and new control vales under the sink. Definitely not something i was comfortable tackling, but I did it. ::puffs out chest, struts::
Get a job. Only this time, say “no” to contract jobs. Of course, I went down this road a couple of years ago and was laid off when the parent company decided to close our whole division…
