December 18, 2007

Ten on Tuesday: New Year's Resolutions

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10 New Year's Resolutions
I am not that big on resolutions, preferring to opt for a more "continuous quality improvement" approach to my life. Resolutions tend to be of the "oh my god I need to make huge changes" variety that last a few weeks. I think my life is pretty good, and I just tinker with it here and there constantly to adjust it to current conditions. All that said, here are 10 things I resolve for 2008:

  1. Vote.
    I usually wait until election night to read the voter pamphlet, which means I'm voting on my mood. Instead, I resolve to read the pamphlet at least one day before I vote, hopefully more.
  2. Write.
    Whether they get published or not, I will write three new short stories in 2008. I managed only one in 2007 because work became overwhelming.
  3. Submit (#1)
    I have a number of completed stories and plan to write three new ones. I want to see them in print, so I need to submit them.
  4. Call.
    I am supremely awful at keeping in touch with friends and family. I resolve to call and write them more often.
  5. Stretch.
    I have suffered a series of nagging soccer injuries in the past year (yes, I'm getting old), so I resolve to stretch and warm up properly before soccer games and when I go to the gym.
  6. Get trained.
    Although I don't expect ever to be a uniformed Scout leader, my older boy is bridging to Boy Scouts this year, and I want to go on camping outings with them. That means I need to be trained. Even though I don't have time for it.
  7. Revise.
    The Gold Miner's Daughter first draft is complete. Now I need to revise it. Early reviews on the first draft are very positive.
  8. Submit (#2).
    Once revised, find an agent for Gold Miner's Daughter.
  9. Tell people I care about them.
    In the past 18 months I've lost three friends, and another person close to me is diagnosed with a terminal illness. None of us knows how much time we have left, and at the most recent memorial (a friend died suddenly, without warning) many people lamented not telling the guy how they felt about him and how much they liked him while he was around.
  10. Carpe Diem.
    Keeping in mind #9 above, I plan to worry less and enjoy more. (My friends might snicker because I already don't worry much and enjoy a lot, but the truth is that I hold back from doing some things I want to do, and I resolve to break that.)
So there it is. Not so very remarkable, huh? What are your resolutions?

9 comments:

Florinda said...

Great list - very detailed. It's interesting how many of this week's Ten on Tuesday players don't really make resolutions. I like your reference to the CQI approach - I may need to borrow that one. :-)

bluesugarpoet said...

I love your list. I might even be inspired to work on a list of my own, lol.

Especially, I like your approach to resolve *to do* stuff rather than *not* do stuff. Ch@ndy does that too. I think I'll hop on that train.

Anonymous said...

your number 9 is what will drive my 2008. i lost 3 people this year, my mom has cancer and my dad is going blind ...

reach out to them and make the step.

Unknown said...

#4 is a great idea!

If they aren't online, most of my friends only hear from me at Christmas, LOL.

Thanks for stopping by my blog! :-)

Ladytink_534 said...

You're right "Become more organized" is on alot of lists! Organizing sure is easier said than done though. Just as soon as I get something all clean and straight it gets messed right back up again!

m.o.M. said...

Indeed! Carpe Diem my friend.

Patois42 said...

I love your list. You're spot on especially with #9 and #10.

Anonymous said...

Indeed you are observant about the sleep problem among bloggers. I have seen a few bloggers who wrote in their profile about being unable to sleep etc.

Thanks for sharing your list.

Serena

oneluvgurl said...

I love your list and would love to read one of your stories. As for the question you left on my blog, I hate South Florida because it's very yuppie, very hot and humid, and very expensive. I have more reasons, but those are the top.

http://blog.mysocalledsite.com