[ICB] I Firmly Resolve… 2010
Last year, Christina and I developed a blog meme that we called “Individually Collective Blogging” or ICB. We originally developed it in preparation for writing our Collective NaNovel for NaNoWriMo. And while collective noveling didn’t go as swimmingly as we had thought it would, collective blogging is still fantastic.
2010 should be a fun year of collective blogging. If you’re a new reader you can check out last year’s posts in the my ICB Archives and Christina’s ICB Archives.
This week’s topic: 2010 New Year’s Resolutions
Visit Christina’s blog to read about her 2010 New Year’s Resolutions: here.
Last year I vowed never to make another New Year’s Resolution ever again. I did this for the main reason that I have a tendency to make these fantastic resolutions that I’m completely unable to keep. Else I’ll do great for about a month and completely abandon them to my busy life. So, in 2009 I figured why bother?
This year I am taking a different approach. I think resolutions are important. Resolving to become a better person each year helps to establish growth, not stagnate. I’ve already made some specific resolutions regarding my endeavor to become a professional genealogist (a goal that’s part of my five year plan) and now I’m going to announce the rest of my resolutions.
First, I resolve to be in the best shape possible.
I have additional motivation for this particular resolution. On January 1st, Ciclismo Classico announced on their Facebook page that I was the winner of their Facebook contest. But not just any contest, I was the winner of a free trip from Ciclismo Classico! I’m still waiting to hear more about the details, but I’m very excited! My bike trainer is going to be getting a serious workout this winter!
I’m continuing my yoga classes with my favorite yoga teacher, and I’m hoping to add a bit of a home practice back in when I can.
There’s one final part to Resolution #1, but I can’t announce it yet… it’s a surprise. You’ll have to tune in next Friday for the details!
Second, I resolve to dedicate myself to my violin.
I’m constantly saying that perhaps, just perhaps, I could actually be better than just tolerable at the violin. Clearly if I practiced more I could get better. Presently, my iPhone pings me every day at 5:30pm and tells me that it’s time to practice the violin. And presently, every day at 5:30pm I click “ignore” and go about my business.
No more!
From now on, if I’m home or near my violin, practice is going to happen… even if it’s just for five or ten minutes.
Third, I resolve to be a better housekeeper.
It’s no secret… I’m a terrible housekeeper. I always have been. I read somewhere that creative people have a hard time making order out of their messes. I know that I can make order out of chaos because that’s what people pay me to do. But somehow when I come home at night the last thing I want to do is make order out of my chaos after I’ve done it for other people all day long.
This year, though, it’s gotta happen. And like the violin lessons if I can just put five or ten minutes into it a day, maybe it will come together eventually.
Fourth, I resolve to take the stairs more often.
Originally, the first incarnation of Resolution #4 was to take the elevator only once per day at work. So far that isn’t going so well. I’d like to make excuses, but I don’t think that any of them are good enough. I could say that it’s too cold, too early in the morning, too late at night, I caught a cold, I’ve got too many bags to carry. But the bottom line is I think I’m just lazy.
The really sad part is, I work on the second floor of my building. The second floor. Not the fifteenth or the twentieth or even the fifth, just the second.
Since I took a whole year off from resolutions I’m not going to overtax myself too much in 2010. I think that between my personal goals and my genealogical goals, I’ve got plenty of soul searching and self improvement to keep me plenty busy far longer than just a year. And since we’re eight days into the new year and I’ve completely dropped the ball on all of these, I think I’ll be lucky to succeed in just one, let alone all four.
