Happy New Year... I hate resolutions...

Yeah, I hate resolutions...  See one of my posts from a couple of years ago.  It's a detailed rant on resolutions.  I should probably read it again myself...

Anyways, even though I hate resolutions, I am going to resolve to do some things this year - and all of them are important, but not really measurable.  This is by design.  There is no 'measuring stick' or level that needs to be reached in order for these resolutions to be consider 'resolved'...they just need to happen in some fashion, the more the better...

Why am I doing this?  Because all these thoughts and motivations I have for these items have all been coming to me around the change of the yearly calendar.  May as well jump on the bandwagon, right?  Even if I have been doing some of these BEFORE the new year...

These resolutions are my own, but I am sure are shared by many.  There are many things that we are united in wanting to do.  We have the best intentions...but doesn't the saying go 'the road to Hell is paved with good intentions'?

I'm not saying we are all going to Hell...even though that is probably where all the fun is.  What I AM saying (or asking) is...why make resolutions that you may not achieve?   That 'Road to Hell' gets shorter and shorter with every resolution broken/cancelled/forwarded to the following year.  If your 'Franklin Planner of life' keeps getting stuff crossed out and never checked off then maybe you have to take a look at yourself and figure out what you REALLY want.  Be a wo/man of action and follow through.  All these resolutions I will do (barring injury) and will make good on.  I do many of these daily now, and it is good to have that sort of  'sense of completion' even without having a tangible goal.  I may have to think about doing them, but anything done long enough becomes a habit, and then you are off and running.

Actually, maybe they shouldn't be called 'resolutions'...maybe they should be referred to as '2015 Habits to be Formed'.  I think I like that....

So, here are the habits I'd like to form in 2015:

 - COOK MORE:  This one is multi level.  For those of you that know me well enough, you know there are few things I love doing:  Photography, traveling, anything guitar oriented...and COOKING.  I have had some of you dear readers over for lunch/dinner...mostly good, sometimes failed experiments, though.  Well, recently I realized how much I have missed doing this.  Not that I haven't done ANY cooking, it's just that I am getting inventive again and want to keep this enthusiasm going.

So, I got some GREAT kitchen items for Christmas (Honesuki knife, Molecular Gastronomy starter package, Nutri-Bullet, etc) and I am going to use them often.  The Molecular Gastronomy stuff is going to be  tough, I think, but it'll be cool...Making little gerbs of explosive flavor, adding foams to dishes...all very cool stuff.

I also just need to COOK MORE.  The more I cook, the better I eat and the better I look...therefore COOKING MORE.  Why does that last sentence feel like it came out of a culinary rap song?  Anyways, I digress...

 - WORKOUT MORE:  Ok, I guess this one needs to have a qualifier of some type.  I now work out 2-4 times a week and try to make many excuses not to do it.  Mostly, though, it's my balky back that gets in the way of me doing more.  But I KNOW what exercises I can do without hurting my back...so I WILL DO MORE OF THEM and get to 4x a week in the gym.  Get myself back to the 5+ gym-visits-a-week guy I was not even 2 years ago...and therefore strengthen my back!!!!

 - PAY DOWN DEBT:  This is something that I have been working on over the past 5 years with varying degrees of success and failure.  Part of this is the thing in me that says 'have fun, think about it later' that always gets me into some sort of trouble or awkward position.  I kinda don't care...I like that about me.  HOWEVER, that part of me needs to go on a vacation for a bit.  I'll be doing less frivolous spending and more bill-paying.  Got things I wanna do!!!

 - ELIMINATING NEGATIVE/STRESSFUL PEOPLE AND SITUATIONS:  I have found that my tolerance for nonsense and bullshit is reaching a red-zone rapidly.  Basically, I am tired of the people that always say they 'can't' do something, when it 's more that that WON'T do something.

Example:  Person has money issues, out of work, etc.  Person smokes a pack a day.  When the suggestion 'Hey why don't you stop smoking and you'll have almost $300 more a month' is put forth, the answer is some derivative of  'This is the only thing that keeps me sane' or 'I'm too stressed and can't quit now'.  Ok, then I hope you get kicked out of your apartment because you didn't pay your rent because you spent the money on cigarettes because you are a big dummy.  That type of person will be missing from my inner circle in 2015.  I don't need you dragging me down when I am trying to climb the ladder of life.  If I want stress, I can make one phone call and get ALL the stress I need...not hard to find - I seem to be a magnet.  So, goodbye to those that fall into this category.  If you aren't sure if you fit into this category and have a guilty conscience about it, ask me...I'll let you know.

 - SHOOT MORE SHOWS:  Man, I really want to do more photography this year.  I don't have all the equipment I want to have at this point, but what I have works great.  Really, it's just a cool hobby.  I make ZERO money from this, and I would LOVE to monetize it.  I may be able to if someone asks to see my stuff for a live album or magazine...but I also don't push the issue and force my will on anyone in the music biz.  I'm happy to shoot the shows and want to do more.  I am available for hire, but I don't do children's parties :-P  Anyway, more...more photography.

 - BE AT PEACE WITH WHO I AM BUT DRIVEN TO ALWAYS IMPROVE:  We all have something to work on.  No matter who you are, there is something that can be improved.  Now, I don't say that to bring down anyone or make drama.  It's simply the truth and I know I really need to improve myself.  One of the things I need to work on is to like 'me' more.  I'm not saying I hate myself and feel I am worth less than nothing.  Not even close.  I like who I am and what I have done, and am proud of it.  It's just that there are parts of me that I don't like - internal and external - and I beat myself up over it.  I just need to step back more and be more thankful for what I have, and what I want to improve will be improved if I REALLY want to.  All up to me.

 - BE GOOD:  I just want to be good - I want to be good at work, at home, to myself, to others.  I want to be good at all I do and leave it all 'on the field'.  I don't want to regret not finishing or completing things.  I want to be trustworthy and a good friend.  I want to be good.  This is a lifelong pursuit.  It's a tough one...but worth chasing, I think.

That about sums it all up, really. If you wish to share what habits you would like to create I'd love to hear them.  In any case, Happy New Year to all!  Catch you on the next entry :-)

 - M