Generally speaking, I try not to make a lot of dramatic resolutions at the end of the year. I’d rather set myself up for success, not failure. Sometimes I don’t even make resolutions.
With that in mind, this year’s resolutions I have are pretty simple.
- Read more.
- Write more.
- Play more games.
- Spend more time outside.
Read more
I read 34 books this year. 38 in 2014. 47 in 2013. That’s clearly going the wrong direction (and thank you Goodreads for helping me identify the skid). I’m too easily distracted by the phone and watching too much TV. That’s probably the main problem here. My goal for 2016: get back to at least my 2013 level (I bet I used to be even higher than this, so 2013 is a start). This might be tricky because I have an idea about reading some really long books this summer. So I should really pick up the pace of my reading ahead of time.
Write more
This year has entirely been focused on The Iron Harvest (coming January 26!) and the third book in The Lattice Trilogy. There was a gap of two and a half years between Book I and Book II, though, and I just can’t wait that long for Book III. It needs to have at least the first draft completed this year. I have many other projects I’m thinking of and I want to get to them, too! No set goal here. Just: more.
Play more games
This has been on my list before, and I’ve improved, but I’d like to step it up more. I love games. I want to play more. Maybe some more chess tournaments. Maybe some long games of Risk into the night.
Spend more time outside
I’m a park commissioner, and our kids love the park. So I spend a fair amount of time outside in the wonderful parks of Tacoma and the state parks around the Puget Sound. But I want more. This means being out more in iffy weather (with rain jackets and hoods) and also more hiking and walks. As of this fall, both our kids are finally walking, and I think that will make it easier. More time on the trails of Point Defiance or Swan Creek. More time in the foothills of the Cascades or the Olympics. More time on the rocky beaches of the Puget Sound.
I think those are pretty doable. Happy New Year to you all!