I have spent the last few days ridding my house of nauseating Christmas cheer. The holidays are all fun and games in the outset, but there comes a point where the scale is tipped, and all those decorations begin to call to mind a tinsel and glitter infused bordello – or at least, what I imagine such an establishment might resemble. I’m not one to suffer clutter for long, so the purge was swift and exact.
Of course, now that the tree is gone, the nephews departed, and the NYE champagne hangover nursed, there is a question of what comes next.
I try to avoid New Year’s resolutions. Rash promises made in the heat of a self-loathing pity party aren’t normally destined for fulfillment. In my 41 years, I have only realized one true resolution – a weight loss of 50 lbs some seven years ago. I did keep it off, so maybe that should count double. Hmm…I digress. As I sit here on this cold January morning, sipping coffee and listening to Norah Jones shoot the moon, I have the itch to plot a path forward.
So, I asked myself this question: What do I want to accomplish in 2014?
I had to make a list.
- Write 2000 words per day, everyday.
- Finish Retribution rewrite #7 (or is it #8 now?!?) by spring break.
- Publish one kick ass blog entry per day.
- Submit a scene per week to the writing group for feedback – or a good laugh.
- Graduate.
- Conquer fitness boot camp and run a 5 K.
- Read two non-academic books per month.
- Learn to kayak.
- Take kick ass photographs from moving kayak without drowning.
- Learn to speak Italian.
- Attend the U.S. Open – it’ll be Federer’s come back season, I can feel it.
- Complete an outline for Summer of ’87.
- Complete a draft for Summer of ’87, and win NaNoWriMo doing it.
- Survive the holidays without committing a felony.
Too ambitious? Yeah. Who am I kidding? Federer isn’t going to stage a come back this season…or anything other season, for that matter.
As for the rest…well, as much as I’d like to say it’s doable, it’s obviously not. I have a life – work, family, school, outside obligations, nagging phobias. After a healthy dose of reality and little soul-searching, here is a more reasonable list:
- Write four days per week.
- Publish 3 blogs per week.
- Post a daily “photo of the day” on the blog.
- Complete a working draft of Retribution by summer.
- Graduate.
- Submit a scene per week to the writing group for feedback – or a good laugh.
- Read one non-academic book per month.
- Get within five feet of a kayak; take a kick ass photo of said kayak; post it on the blog.
- Attend the U.S. Open; cheer for Djorkovic.
- Consider validity of YA/coming of age concept novel Summer of ’87; participate in NaNoWriMo.
- Survive the holidays without committing a felony.
A decent compromise, I think; and one that has potential. It helps that for the first time since last spring, I am feeling creative and inspired – and open to interaction. The latter is always difficult for me, especially in this particular forum. I’m going to work on that.
Alright. Let’s get ‘er done.
Write on.
Of Bears and Boating 