New Year’s Resolutions: better late than never!
So, we’re about 2/3 of the way into January, and I only get into making some resolutions now. I think that shows you a bit of how hectic 2006 has been, but it’s, overall, a good kind of hectic.
Now, I’ve got a few things I’ve learned in the past year, that I want to act upon, so I can move forward with my life. And as cheesy as New Year’s Resolutions tend to be, I sort of figure that putting them out there in a public way might be a decent way to help me stick to them. Heck, maybe I can do some sort of public checklist on the sidebar somewhere to track the progress, and cross them off as I meet each one… there’s few things more satisfying than crossing things off a list. Well, until I can do something like that, here’s my current list. Please, feel free to comment, add support, and suggest other things I might want to add there. 
- Get at least two more Microsoft certifications this year. I don’t know where the future will take me, but, never having finished college, my tech certs are all I can count on to carry me through to wherever I may go. Need to keep getting those.
- Get weight back down to under 200. Not for looks (as no one can argue that I am one hot piece of ass), but for health. Yeah, I know that at 5′8″-ish my ideal weight is far below 200, but I’m currently pushing 240, and that can’t be good. So, getting back below 200 will be a good step forward. Also, my blood pressure and cholesterol are, thankfully, currently within normal parameters, but I’d like to keep them that way. Besides, if I ever hope to achieve my stated goal of Immortality, I’d better start taking better care of myself, no?
- Podcast at least once a month. For myself, if nothing else. It forces me to be slightly creative, it’s good stress relief (and, trust me, I need stress relief often with this job), and I really do love doing it. This is part of a general ‘find more me time’ resolution, really.
- Spend more quality time with my girlfriend. We do live together, so we do spend lots of regular old time together, but we don’t spend enough quality time together. Find things to do together, spend time, appreciate one another, and all that jazz. And, no, playing World of Warcraft together doesn’t count. Well… sometimes it counts.
- Take better care of my health. I’ve already started on this, since my last doctor’s visit was on the 10th, and I have another one on the 30th to deal with my ongoing thyroid issues (which are probably related to the weight gain and lack of energy). But in addition to that, I have to be more conscientious about taking my vitamins, cut down a bit on the fried foods, and do some basic working out, whether it be doing DDR (and keeping track of my DDR progress), or running, or whatever.
- Write, goddamit. Either here on the blog, or separately, or continue with Massively Multiplayer, but write. Stop just listening to shows like I Should be Writing and The Secrets, and just do it. Who cares if it’s crap? Your next stuff will be better.
- Slap my finances back into shape. Originally, this was going to be ‘Get out of debt.’, but with my girlfriend going back to school and the related expenses, that’s unlikely. However, I have two major debts that I’ve been slowly paying off for years, and I did the math and I’m 99.9% certain I can pay off both those debts this year, which will free up around $350 a month for me. And an extra $350 a month would make a huge difference in my life. Also, with the recent change in my work environment and status, I’m going to try to push towards earning more, and that involves being even more disciplined in my work (the irony of writing this sentence on my blog while I’m at a client’s office during work hours is not lost on me).
- Drink less soda, drink more.. other stuff. Tea, maybe? I really have to find ways to wean myself off of soda. It’s not the caffeine, it’s the carbonation. The thought of passing a kidney stone is not a pleasant one. Anybody got suggestions on stuff that I could drink more of that’s not soda (and, no, beer doesn’t count. Sure, it’s not soda, but a health drink it ain’t.) And finally…
- Spend a little less time in front of the computer. Yeah, I’m not asking for a miracle here, but, really, sometimes I just sit there in front of the computer clicking on web page links for no reason at all. Find something else to do: read a book, play a game (bonus points if it’s not a video game, extra bonus points if it’s a board game with other people, and finish the bottle if it’s one of those excellent german board games with other people), go and take a drive, whatever. It’ll be good for me.
Allright, I think that about covers it. Comments? Bring ‘em on.:)
January 18th, 2006 at 3:34 pm
Currently, I’m trying to substitute Coke with Brisk iced tea.
*shrugs*
Might be worth a try.
January 18th, 2006 at 4:03 pm
Y’know, I tried that Brisk stuff acouple of times, andit left my thoat feeling scratchy. But maybe they’ve changed the formula since I last tried it a couple years ago. At home I’m drinking more of the powdered Lipton ice tea stuff, and the occasional Heineken Dark Lager.
I gotta findsomething caffeinated without the carbonation, tho, ’cause it’s usually when the caffeine withdrawal headaches start kicking in late in the day that I reach for the ol’ Pepsi bottle. I could make coffee, but it’s just such a hassle to brew compared to just pouring a glass of soda. 
January 19th, 2006 at 7:34 am
I’m right there with you on the “less computer time” resolution. I can definitely help with the board games to help keep you away form the computer, all we need is more vic..I mean “friends”.
I have to lose weight for health reasons too, as the dr claims it’s what’s killing my menstrual cycle. 150 is too much for a five two frame. I have been sorta dieting for a week or two now and I’m doing better at planning meals and eating regularly, reducing portions and adding water, all good things. I do hate having to obssess about food so much. but maybe once I get used to it I won’t think about ti so much. I remember I felt overwhelemed when I learned to drive, but eventually all the details just come automatically.
Following through on school (I start TODAY!) will also be great as the MA will help me get a job I actually want to do.
The finances will get better too, but that’s just a fact, nto a resolution, as I have alreday started my plan and budget and I have done this before: it’s surprisingly easy.
I have also started on a housekeeping plan that is improving my home environment and stress levels. That’s going well too, and it’s still in full swing (has been since early, mid-December).
I would also like to get cracking with something beautiful and creative, but I strngly suspect I will have the same resolution next year. (Hence, the hatred of beautiful things…nothing like sour grapes to start the year.)
But, for the rest of it, GO US!!!!
January 19th, 2006 at 8:03 pm
New Year’s resolutions, huh?
Ain’t happening.
I mean, fuck: it’s way too late for me to learn Muay Thai, so why bother with anything else?
(You know Muay Thai, right? Yeah, that would be the Thai art of utterly destroying every last trace of your fool opponent via a pulverizing, brutal moveset involving knees and elbows. I saw it in action last Sunday in Ong Bak: The Thai Warrior, and that shit was ILL, my friend.)
January 2nd, 2007 at 1:03 pm
[...] So, another year gone, and what do we have to show for it? More than we expected, I’d say, but the way we got here was particularly *un*expected. Lots of things happened: I’ve gone back to school, I’m single again, two of my best friends in the world got married (more on that later!), and a whole lot more.. no need to rehash most of it, you can just look back over the blog and get the gist of it all. But as my good friend and house mate Monster asked me the other night, what about the traditional New Year’s resolutions? It’s that time of year again, time to look back on the previous year’s resolutions, see how we did, and make new ones (or maybe renew some of the old ones). So, let’s start with last year’s resolutions: [...]