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January 02, 2006
It's A New Year... Whatever That Means
As I sit here tonight in brand-new-iPod-with-noise-reduction-headphones-on-listening-to-Slaid Cleaves-induced complete ignorance of anything occuring around me, it strikes me that I should put my 2006 resolutions in writing. So here they are, a mix of the obvious and less so:
1) Live healthier. Even though I did lose some weight in 2005 (26 pounds at the best point, but I gained about 10 of that back), I still have a long way to go. But I finally am figuring out that the key isn't focusing on the weight, but just focusing on the lifestyle changes that tend to lead to the thinning. Diet changes (more permanent, I hope, this time than in 2005) and exercise become a priority this year -- not just a thing I want to do, but something I have to do. Hold me to it, crew.
2) Play a gig. I've mentioned before that Ethan has offered to take me into the studio here in New York and help me cut a vanity CD, putting me in front of a non-karaoke microphone for the first time since 1989. I may still take him up on it... but there's also another possibility. One of my card-playing buddies also played guitar in a band in his younger days, and after talking with other friends around the office, I've found two more guys who play both guitar and bass. So if we can find someone who can drum, we have ourselves a little band. Now, a bunch of office jockeys who play music is perfect at this stage -- guys who are playing just for fun don't have the expectations of oh, you know, seriousness that "current" musicians may well have. But we'd have a blast.
So I'm going to resolve to find someone in the company who drums, convince everyone to get together for some practices and jamming. And by the end of the year, I'd like for us to play one gig... nowhere fancy, nothing serious, but just find a little suburban place that's open for music. Just a one night show to invite friends to and to give us the thrill of being up in front of a crowd again. Who knows - we might even get some video or mp3 files out of it to share here?! So that's resolution #2: get the band together and get serious enough to gig once and not embarrass ourselves.
3) Finish in the top division in fantasy baseball I blogged a lot about our fantasy league in 2004; it was easy to do, because I won the league. But in 2005, I totally reversed it, finishing dead last out of 15 franchises. It was not only the first ever "first-to-worst" performance in league history, but it was just an historically ugly season all around. I can't resolve to win, per se -- too much relies on luck and injuries to be able to just say you're going to finish #1 -- but I can resolve that I am going to play much smarter this year, smart enough to have a team that stays competitive all year and finishes in the first division.
4) Finish a short story and get it published. Yeah, I say it every year. Well, I say I'm gonna finish the novel, and I never do. So I just am going to focus on a short story this year.
And that's them. Wish they were more exciting, but they are what they are. Merry New Year.
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Comments
I think those are great resolutions. You will post something if you play a gig, right? Because I will SO be there!
Posted by: jill at January 3, 2006 12:19 AM
Jill - that would rock! Thanks for the support... you KNOW I'll post about it if this starts to happen.
I should say, WHEN it starts.
Posted by: Curmudgeon at January 3, 2006 08:51 PM
I think your short story should be about a young man who blogs every waking moment of his life. From the minute he steps out of bed to the minute he rolls back in. He's got his blackberry or some sh*T so he can post to his heart's content. He blogs EVERYTHING. Toilet stuff, the bathroom, dates, women, activities with women. Like, minute by minute. It overtakes his life and then suddenly one day there is a wild storm and a black out and all of his information is LOST! FOREVER! and he freaks out!
and something else.
Posted by: thebeav at January 3, 2006 09:23 PM
thebeav, you can find all manner of stories like that on LiveJournal. Originality, that's what publishers want! ;)
Posted by: Linkmeister at January 4, 2006 04:24 PM
Mudge: As you picked up from our conversation yesterday, I don't dig playing much anymore. I do dig recording though. Tell you what, you get yourself a band, rehearse yourselves properly, get one tune really down pat and I'll record the tune in my stately studio, gratis. One day for tracking, one day for overdubs and mixing. I'll hand you a decently produced track which you could torture your friends with by year's end. Would be my pleasure bud.
Posted by: pemagnet at January 6, 2006 03:44 PM
