On New Years

While I make them, I don't fixate on new year's resolutions as much as some other people. It's more because I'm reserved and very slow to adopt new ideas or latch myself to something, be that the need for personal growth or specific goals for the next 365 days. Despite my best efforts, though, I did make positive changes and have new experiences. Not all were perfectly aligned with my resolutions, but you never can quite predict what's in your future.

Here's my list for 2012, with a description of my success or failure after each:

Write one article (or something substantial) a month

I wrote these resolutions when writing articles for the front pages of Couch Athletics was still a semi-active pursuit. I didn't complete this one exactly. In fact, I don't know if I wrote any of the specific pieces I've long had in mind this year. My signature on the CA forums constantly reminded me of how far behind I was. This resolution was not enough motivation to get it done.

However, looking down the list of posts I've made this year on this blog, my total evens out pretty well. They aren't all perfectly structured, readable pieces that everyone can enjoy. In fact, many are not and quite the opposite. But quite a few are carefully constructed arguments about internal conflicts I've been having, assessments of new experiences in my life, and of course some regular old theistic debates.

And I've written long posts and comments and pieces all over the place, from Reddit to YouTube to Facebook to email. I've produced a lot. And so from this, I give it a somewhat successful.

Read the three books I bought in Iowa three years ago

Ugh, I still haven't. I made an effort to keep The Hitchhiker's Guide handy in my car for any time I'm waiting around, but I still haven't dug into it like I know I could, if I just made the time.

On the plus side, I've been reading the magazine Wired almost every morning since June, and it's been very enjoyable. I'm inundated as of late with Economist magazines that I don't have time for. And in the past two months I've been reading more articles and blog posts online, as well. So I'm learning cool things and keeping up-to-date, but none of that really counts for the true, original resolution.

Go out to more local events

In the strictest sense, I did this a few times. I went to see the Nerdist Podcast live in March. I went to DragonCon, which was one of the highlights of the year. And I saw Jonathan Coulton live.

But in the broader scope, I was really setting a goal for myself to get out more. And I did. While still in school, my roommates and I kept up a roughly-weekly trend of going out to eat. After graduation, I maintained attending a weekly trivia event with another group of friends. And when I felt that wasn't enough, I started asking people more often if they'd like to do things. Seeing movies, going out to eat, whatever! And it's been wonderful.

Do something for Spring Break for once

I'm going to go ahead and say I didn't do this one. The idea was to simply go on a vacation. Sometime. I didn't do it during Spring Break, for one because I didn't plan anything, but for another because I was surrounded by other obligations. Some were fun events like the Nerdist show or seeing Dawkins. But my interview traveling and job application process was right in there, too.

I've still only taken 2 vacation hours from work. Hell, I'm here on New Year's Eve. But with my newfound passion for the skeptical/scientific/atheistic/secular movement, I plan to attend more conferences and get out of the routine a bit more. Though it's crazy how long it's been since I've been to the beach. I'm just scared of planning something like that, just like I'm scared of planning something around my birthday.

Find a job

From where do you think I'm writing this? <_< >_>

(I had to look up HTML escape characters to get those faces right.)

This one was pretty obvious to pick, seeing as how I was graduating this year and stressing out about career fair and interviews. It's also quite binary; there's little grey area here. So far I'm happy at GTRI, but one of the fundamental questions that keeps coming up is if my hobbies or interests are to remain on the side or become a larger part of my life.

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There's a lot more I can say about this eventful year, but I'll keep it focused down to the topic at hand for now. What are my New Year's Resolutions for 2013? Let's see...

Volunteer my time more often

Form more and deeper relationships with people

Produce something creative each month

Break the routine with travel or vacation at least twice

Play a substantial amount of many games in my Steam library and from Humble Bundles

Move into my own living space

I'd love to hear yours! Share them with me if you'd like.

Oh! And I guess I should end with a song. How about one from the Apocalyptic Playlist I put together for 21 December?