First, let me wish everyone a happy new year. I sincerely wish all of you health and happiness for 2018. I am somewhat ambivalent about making new year's resolutions. My track record on the whole is spotty, which is precisely part of the problem; resolutions become flares for failure. On the other hand, I have had some success - complete and partial. Probably the biggest success was that I quite smoking on January 1, 1998. My mother had been living with lung cancer for some time, and I had reached an astonishing three packs a day. I was waking up every night hacking and I was generally not feeling very good. So, I remember sitting in the stairwell of our condo complex chain smoking into the wee hours of January 1st. And that was it. Sadly, my mother passed away exactly one year later on January 31st, which just highlights for me every year how important sticking to that new year's resolution was.
Also, way back in 2011, our daughter, Lena, begged us for a guitar for Christmas. So, we bought her one. Then, I started thinking that maybe I would like to learn guitar as well. So, I bought one for myself and signed us both up for lessons. After a couple of months of lessons I was simply unable to keep up so I ended up dropping out. But, every now and then I pick up the guitar and teach myself a little bit. I still can't play very much - learning Yankee Doodle was a big milestone for me - I do keep trying. Indeed, after five and a half years of lessons, my daughter had to stop because of competing demands with school and soccer so a buddy of mine and I took over her spot and are plunking away.
These and other successes keep me jotting down a few resolutions every year. Here are a few for the upcoming year:
More Balanced Thinking
The past year and a bit has been tough on the mental health front. For example, my immediate and extended family have faced a number of hardships, which have left their mark on me. While I cannot possibly gild these situations, I can at least meditate more on all the support and help we got from family, friends and neighbours. Instead of ruminating on all the bad, I can meditate more on the good - our daughter winning a significant academic award, getting accepted in a somewhat prestigious academic program, making her school vocal ensemble, me getting to take a two-week woodworking course with a very good friend only because of the generosity of many people in our lives. So, this year, I am going to do more of that meditation - not ignoring the bad, but more acknowledging the good. Hopefully, this will help me feel more, well, hopeful.
Being More Social
Depression and anxiety can be socially isolating. I seldom regret getting together with friends and family, so I am going to make more of an effort to do that this year.
Learning Guitar
I have practiced and played more guitar in the past two months than I probably have in the two years previous. Though progress is excruciatingly slow, I am determined to continue my training. I really want to become competent enough to strum a few songs, and admittedly so I can justify buying some more guitars.
Cutting Way Down on Sugar
Well, sugar seems to be about the worst thing we can consume - at least in the quantities we tend to consume it in. I used to not have a particularly sweet tooth, but then I quit another one of my self-destructive vice - drinking - and suddenly I began to LOVE sweets. Anyway, I hope to kick this habit too. Part of this will also be eating less and better.
Staying in Decent Shape
I just want to continue my running and maybe introduce a little strength training.
Blogging
I like writing. I want to get my blog back on track. I have a lot of projects I want to get done this year and this may be the opportunity to get it going again.
Well, I think that's enough for this year. All the best.
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