As previously posted elsewhere, with small edits:
2008: 2+0+0+8=10...1+0=1...
One (1) is the beginning. If you see what I did above (and I apologize for throwing math at you), this year is perfect for beginnings. Time to start all over in any way you choose. Whatever you begin this year will be successful, because it is meant to be. And so it shall be...
I've spent the past year looking hard at myself, my choices, every little aspect of who I am, and compared it to who I want to be. And in doing so, I found changes that need to take place. Starting today, I embrace these changes and move closer to becoming a better version of myself.
What changes, you ask?
I'm not going to keep talking about what I'm going to do. Instead, I'm going to do it. When I'm not at work, and my social life isn't pulling me off in some direction, I'll work on writing. No more wasting hours on end online, because that time is better spent on creating the things I want to bring into the world. That's not to say I won't use the internet as a tool for keeping in touch with people near and far. I will. If you send me a message, I will respond; and if I see you on a messenger service, I'll say hello. But if I'm not communicating with someone, there's no need for me to be here. Better I go out (or stay in) and do something productive.
I'm also going to do more traveling this year. At the moment, the only scheduled trip is to Coachella, April 25-27. If you're going, send me a message and perhaps we can meet up. Other than that, I'm going to spend one entire week of vacation time somewhere else. I'm still debating on where and when, and fortunately I haven't been forced to choose dates yet. The rest of my (measly) vacation time will be spent on extended weekends so I can travel somewhere, even if I just hop in my car and take off sightseeing. I feel like my near-sighted vision is made worse by staying in town and doing the same things all the time. I need more.
And that means my concert-going ways are changing too. No more going to see bands I've seen multiple times that always do the same show anyway. First priority is seeing bands I've never seen, which is why I'm going to Van Halen this month (and pretending it's 1984), and The Fiery Furnaces next month. Coachella also provides that opportunity. Beyond bands I've never seen before I'll see the bands I consider unmissable whenever they play (they're all national, so that could be no more than once per year or album), and that's probably it, short of some unbelievable reunion or completely awesome tour that combines a few great bands into one package. (Also, the handful of local bands I'm into will be seen no more than once per year, unless they all play a show together at some point.)
What else? Oh yeah, the alcohol thing. My body's been letting me know that it doesn't appreciate it when I go out drinking. It doesn't mind if I have one or two drinks in a single night, but this past year I've been sick more often than not when I've drank. Since there's some alcohol that I enjoy the taste of (and a little buzzing in my head is always welcome), I'm not giving it up entirely. I'm just not going to partake in the all-night drinking festivities anymore. If you want to meet me for a drink, cool. If I'm at a party and alcohol is there, I'll have one or two drinks (if I want to) before I go. But that's it. If you can't respect this decision, I don't need ya around, and if you want to change my mind about it, don't waste your energies.
And there's other stuff, but you don't necessarily need to know about it. Besides, I think this is long enough already, don't you? So good-bye, 2007, aka the Year of Disappointment. Hello 2008, and all the possibilities you hold...
P.S.--Here's a pair of videos that serve as my inspiration for the new year:
A song to drive me:
And some words to guide me:
2008: 2+0+0+8=10...1+0=1...
One (1) is the beginning. If you see what I did above (and I apologize for throwing math at you), this year is perfect for beginnings. Time to start all over in any way you choose. Whatever you begin this year will be successful, because it is meant to be. And so it shall be...
I've spent the past year looking hard at myself, my choices, every little aspect of who I am, and compared it to who I want to be. And in doing so, I found changes that need to take place. Starting today, I embrace these changes and move closer to becoming a better version of myself.
What changes, you ask?
I'm not going to keep talking about what I'm going to do. Instead, I'm going to do it. When I'm not at work, and my social life isn't pulling me off in some direction, I'll work on writing. No more wasting hours on end online, because that time is better spent on creating the things I want to bring into the world. That's not to say I won't use the internet as a tool for keeping in touch with people near and far. I will. If you send me a message, I will respond; and if I see you on a messenger service, I'll say hello. But if I'm not communicating with someone, there's no need for me to be here. Better I go out (or stay in) and do something productive.
I'm also going to do more traveling this year. At the moment, the only scheduled trip is to Coachella, April 25-27. If you're going, send me a message and perhaps we can meet up. Other than that, I'm going to spend one entire week of vacation time somewhere else. I'm still debating on where and when, and fortunately I haven't been forced to choose dates yet. The rest of my (measly) vacation time will be spent on extended weekends so I can travel somewhere, even if I just hop in my car and take off sightseeing. I feel like my near-sighted vision is made worse by staying in town and doing the same things all the time. I need more.
And that means my concert-going ways are changing too. No more going to see bands I've seen multiple times that always do the same show anyway. First priority is seeing bands I've never seen, which is why I'm going to Van Halen this month (and pretending it's 1984), and The Fiery Furnaces next month. Coachella also provides that opportunity. Beyond bands I've never seen before I'll see the bands I consider unmissable whenever they play (they're all national, so that could be no more than once per year or album), and that's probably it, short of some unbelievable reunion or completely awesome tour that combines a few great bands into one package. (Also, the handful of local bands I'm into will be seen no more than once per year, unless they all play a show together at some point.)
What else? Oh yeah, the alcohol thing. My body's been letting me know that it doesn't appreciate it when I go out drinking. It doesn't mind if I have one or two drinks in a single night, but this past year I've been sick more often than not when I've drank. Since there's some alcohol that I enjoy the taste of (and a little buzzing in my head is always welcome), I'm not giving it up entirely. I'm just not going to partake in the all-night drinking festivities anymore. If you want to meet me for a drink, cool. If I'm at a party and alcohol is there, I'll have one or two drinks (if I want to) before I go. But that's it. If you can't respect this decision, I don't need ya around, and if you want to change my mind about it, don't waste your energies.
And there's other stuff, but you don't necessarily need to know about it. Besides, I think this is long enough already, don't you? So good-bye, 2007, aka the Year of Disappointment. Hello 2008, and all the possibilities you hold...
P.S.--Here's a pair of videos that serve as my inspiration for the new year:
A song to drive me:
And some words to guide me: