New Year. New Me?

I suppose it’s inevitable that at some point I’d write a New Year’s Resolutions post. Here it is.

While American culture had a $#!t 2018, I actually had a pretty good year. It started rough but got progressively better. Now I’m looking for ways to build on those improvements. Here are some goals, both personal and professional, that I’d like to achieve in 2019. There is no particular order of priority here, just so’s ya know.

1. Actually meet or exceed my yearly reading goal. I’m currently at 9 out of the modestly realistic 20 book goal that I set for 2018. While it’s possible for me to reach as many as 11 books, there’s no way I’m getting close to the 20 I set for myself. So for 2019 I’ll set a goal of 14-16 and see if I can do it.*
2. Do real exercise 3 times a week. Again, a perfectly reasonable goal. We’ve invested in the right kind of equipment to help us, it’s really about managing our time in such a way to use it.
3. Cut alcohol and red meat by 50%. Seriously, y’all, I’m in my forties now and I can’t keep eating and drinking like I’m in my twenties, or even my thirties.
4. Visit a National Park I’ve not been to before. Living where we do it’s shameful that we’ve not better explored the many, many options available to us.
5. Complete 3 professional development courses. There’s a leadership certificate I can get through my university’s Continuing Education department and it’s silly that I don’t take better advantage of that resource.
6. Complete 2 Lynda.com courses. We also have access to Lynda.com. I need to put time in to really ANY of the hundreds of programs they offer.
7. Average 3 hours a week on professional reading. Related to the two above. Even if I’m not considered a “professional” librarian, I still need to act like it and stay up on the profession, as well as build my leadership and management skills.
8. Complete the Algebra unit at Khan Academy. This is just personal enrichment. I want to be better with math. I was always good in math classes. But it’s like a language, if you don’t use it you lose it.
9. Play pool at least once a month. Because, dammit, I just like it.
10. Build more furniture for our apartment. Because, dammit, we just like it and we’ve got some really cool ideas.

There. There’re ten good goals that are achievable for the next year. My wife and I have a really good life together, but there’s always room for improvement. We have other goals for the year that aren’t any of your business, but let’s just say that if we can get 1/3 of our goals done we can make 2019 OUR FREAKING YEAR.

I hope everyone has a safe New Year’s holiday. I’ll see you again after the Earth completes this ellipse around Sol.

Make it a good year.

*I actually did finish those two books, and gave up on a third, which puts my 2018 reading total to 12. As is my custom, my next reading goal will be the previous year’s accomplishment, plus five (n+5). If I get out my calculator and to the math…17! My goal for next year is 17 books.