skep

New year has always been a bit of a funny one for me. I've always wondered... what exactly are we celebrating? A change of number on the calendar? Nothing really happens! It's not like Christmas, where traditionally we exchange gifts and spend time with family, etc. Instead we go out at night and get absolutely shitfaced, cheer loudly when the clock ticks through midnight, send a load of text messages wishing a "Happy New Year" and then.... what? I don't get why we're celebrating, or at least not on that particular day, anyway. And "New Year's Resolutions". What the hell is the point in them? You make some "promises" to yourself that you always end up breaking, and for what? Because... it's a "New Year".

Only this year, I feel a little different.

2008 has been pretty good, all things considered. There's been some rough spots and difficult patches, sure, but there's been so many positive things too. Some things have changed that will have lasting effects, things will never be the same! My biggest regrets though have been my own fault. So much time has been wasted and opportunities missed and, while on balance I think it's been good, I can see room for improvement.

If you wanna make changes then you've gotta pick a moment to make that change, and I'm only now beginning to see the relevance of New Year and it's links to the turning of the planets. On December 22nd the sun reached it's lowest point in the sky and stayed there for three days, rising again on December 25th. The days are now getting longer!
Like most people, I'm not a fan of the winter. The long, dark days can be depressing and we need the sun. Now, for the next six months the days are all gonna be geting longer, so now is a time for optimism and hope! That dawning realization that things will be getting brighter from now on is enough to make me feel good about it all, so...

While I'm feeling good, why not make some resolutions?
So here we go....

1. By the middle of the year I must have made a substantial improvement in my ability to read, speak and understand Croatian. I've got a sort of plan as to how I'm going to study it and I'm determined to improve. I really need to be more confident in communicating when I'm out there!
2. Sort out my finances. They're out of control! It's not that we're in any serious trouble (we're not), I just don't know what's going on with it! It's so hard to keep track of, I don't want to end up in debt. Because I don't know what my situation is, it's hard to relax. I wanna feel more free.
3. See my nephews more regularly.
4. Get back to serious performing. I've always been a singer but since I left my band I've fallen out of love with performing because I started doing it for money, and therefore I had to play what the crowd wanted to hear rather than I want to play. I get fucking sick of that! I get an amazing feeling when I'm singing about subjects I'm passionate about so I need to start writing songs again and maybe, if I get the chance, start to jam with other musicians.
5. Successfully complete my University course.
6. Speak out more about what I feel is important. Don't hold my tongue so much in the face of ignorance and prejudice.
7. Spend more time with friends. I've been lazy and my social life has taken a severe beating. That has to change.

So there you go. Bring on the summer.