 |
| Ah, yes, toad cropper. It is good to set goals. photo by jon_a_ross via flickr |
I’m going to make New Year’s Resolutions this year. I know, I know, resolutions are typically stupid. We make grandiose promises to ourselves and lose track of them by mid-January. Because life.
Well, I don’t care. I’m doing it, anyway. Just watch me.
Because in 2014 there are things that really need to be done and I’ve got to have a plan of some kind and some sort of accountability. Is a blog that no one really reads accountability? I think it can be. It’s out there, after all, on the Tubes, for all of eternity–according to the the Internet Safety Police (Motto: Young girls, don’t do it! Don’t do it!)–like those drunken semi-nude photos you uploaded that time. You’ll never live past that, right?
Okay, so here are the goals for 2014. The first one is personal and I’ll try to get through it as quickly as possible, considering how verbose I tend to be. Because TMI.
Goal #1: Lose fifty pounds
It’s a rule! All New Year’s Resolutions have to start with a lose weight/go to the gym/get a six-pack and I don’t mean beer promise!
Seriously. Okay, I really don’t know how many pounds have to go; but many have to go. (I don’t weigh myself and absolutely promise never to do so again!) I won’t go into gory details, but I got fat this past year. And so here is the promise: I will continue to do Zumba as long as my feet hold out. And if they fail me, I will just have to take up cycling. There are no ifs, ands, or buts about it. I have no choice. So, there it is.
And I will continue to eat salads almost every day, and fruit nearly every day, and only a few dark chocolates most days. (Which doesn’t mean what it sounds like. It sounds like I’m saying that the only sweets I’ll be eating are a few dark chocolates most days. What it means is that the chocolate consumption that will be taking place will, for the most part, be contained to a few pieces of dark chocolate on most days. The other days, well, all I can say is, I’ll do my best. Trust me. There’s no friggin’ way I’m going to promise myself I won’t eat a brownie but once a month. It’s ridiculous to even contemplate. Why set oneself up for inevitable failure. Failure? What am I saying? I’d never even get started on such a promise in order to fail at it!)
That’s it. I promise myself. I HEREBY RESOLVE….
Goal #2: Finish and publish The Story Runner
When I’m away from this project I think it sucks artichokes. But when I read it, I really like it. I think it has great potential and I think I’m just afraid of the idea of a series. I feel trapped. Obligated…to keep the series going. But I like it! So, I must finish it. I won’t think about the second book, or third book, or any future books. I will just finish it and publish it.
Goal #3: Finish and publish The Kell Stone Prophecy Book Three by Dana Trantham
Nothing to say about that. Just do it.
Goal #4: Write The Long Walk Home by Dianna Dann
All I ask is a nearly ready to publish draft. Note to self: You can do it! Just remember how easy <choke> Camelia was to <cough> write. That’s right. No need to think about it. Just cut through that scar tissue once again, slice into the vein…see, you’ve done it before…and bleed all over the key board. Good girl.
Goal #4: Write JoJo’s Ghost by D.D. Charles
At least a first draft. How hard could it be? And this one will be fun!
Goal #5: Work full time
This time I mean it! I’m not joking! I’m seri–don’t you look at me like that, young lady!
In order to write/finish the above four books, I must write full time. No more being all artsy fartsy and sitting around feeling sorry for myself because I’m on a high/downer from just finishing or publishing a project. Just get back on the proverbial horse and get it done.
Goal #6: reevaluate
Once I get to the quarter year mark, I will stop and take a look at my progress. I’m betting I’ll be farther along than I estimate, if I really put #5 into practice. And reevaluate at every quarter mark after that.
So, think about it…If I can do four, I could probably do six. That should be our motto, people of the keyboard! If you can do four, you can do six!
If you can do twenty push-ups, you can do thirty.
If you can run two miles, you can run four.
If you can lose ten pounds, you can lose twenty.
If you can read thirty books, you can read forty.
And if you can write four books…! You can write SIX!
I’ll get back to you next year.