Do you have any resolutions for this new year? I don’t really specifically set out to find new resolutions at the start of the year. I much rather just start new habits any time of the year.
But in effort to capture some of the habits I’d like to be doing more, here’s my list for this year, at this moment. (in no particular order).
1. Keep a daily diary
This year I changed from doing a one-line diary to a longer-form daily diary. More details about this in yesterday’s blog post, “Do you keep a diary?“.
2. Blog more
Hopefully, keeping the daily diary will give me the extra material to make blog posts from.
3. Machine learning
I’d like to learn more about this. Sort of like Artificial Intelligence type stuff. Blog post coming.
4. Use all caps MORE
WHY NOT?. Seriously though, we can have completely silly resolutions on the list.
5. Learn how to write “joy of living” in hindi.
I wrote about this last year: Learning to write a phrase in Hindi“.
6. Change the themes on my blogs.
I’m using a very outdated theme, Canvas, on my websites. I need to use a more modern, supported theme.
In case you didn’t know, I do have multiple blogs:
- spudart.org: fun and creativity (theme is Canvas)
- mattmaldre.com: how to use media better (theme was Canvas, I quickly changed it to WordPress’ “Twenty Twenty” theme)
- 57hits.com: baseball (theme is Canvas)
- christiannotebook.com: Christian (theme is Canvas)
7. Every month draw a map of the world from memory
I’ve long had this goal, since at least 2009. This tweet from 2018 explains the resolution.
8. Make more art
Even if it’s really simple art like “What is your treasure?” series. Or it might involve machine learning. Or maybe origami.
9. Use pencils more
In the past couple years I’ve noticed that my projects involving pencils tend to be more gratifying.
- Baseball scorecards
- Webcomics drawn with a pencil (instead of just on the computer)
- Drawing ON a Picasso (why haven’t I blogged about this yet?)
- Graphite rubbings
- Marginalia
- Mazes
The one downfall of keeping my diary online in Evernote is that my physical paper notepad will take a hit.
I should make a resolution about using pencils more. I’m not sure what this means. Making art or writing. It could mean lots of things.
10. Go to the gym once a month
Sure, let’s throw a standard resolution like the gym in here. Once a month sounds pitiful, but considering in the past year I went to the gym two times total, once a month would be an improvement. Eventually, I’d like to up that goal to once a week.
11. Go to the Art Institute once a week
This really shows my priorities here that I have going to the Art Institute of Chicago once a week; but the gym gets only once a month. Since we moved from the Tribune Tower to the Prudential Center, I am now much closer to the world-class art museum. Literally, a walk through a park. That’s the only thing between me and the Tute. A park.
In 2019, I already had this resolution since September last year, and I’ve kept it pretty well. 16 visits over 16 weeks! (Thank you Swarm app for keeping track).
12. Don’t fall asleep on the Metra
I have a 45-minute train ride each way, every day. The Metra is so peaceful and quiet, that I often fall asleep. Such an inefficient use of time. If I’m sleeping, I should be sleeping in bed, not slouched down on a train.
20 years ago, my first job out of college, I did a similar commute from Chicago to Glen Ellyn. I would fall asleep on those train rides too—which was part of the reason why I moved to the north side and found a job in the city.
But now I find myself in the suburbs again (this time living there instead of working there). And I find myself sleeping on the train again.
There are so many other good things I could be doing on this train ride. Reading, writing, making art. I could even spend time on my laptop (since the Metra is a bunch safer than the CTA). I vow to rarely use my cell phone on the train. I’d rather be doing something else.
This resolution is directly tied to many of my other resolutions. I could be writing in my diary, using a pencil, and making art. Not sleeping on the train.
13. Read all the articles I save into Instapaper
Last year, I left some 200 articles unread. Now I’m printing out all the articles (4 pages on each side of paper), and I’ve already found that I am thinking more about what I’m reading. And I came across some interesting insight into being an introvert and social anxiety. All from writing marginalia with a pencil on the printout. At some point I’ll be blogging about that.
I don’t make New Year’s resolutions, I’m the same a** I’ve been since I was 16 lol! I did break through on my weight loss in 2019, but that had been an ongoing thing. The only things I told myself I had to do was track my weight (on Mondays) and act accordingly at dinner (salad if I gained or didn’t lose any weight) and pizza if I did … btw, thin crust pizza is surprisingly low in carbohydrates so it wasn’t really ‘cheating’