On resolutions

It's been a busy start of 2011 for me, but this time not the "UÆÆÆÆÆ - I've got so much to do I don't know where to start!" kind of busy the end of 2010 was, but more of a mellow version: "I've got a million things to fix but since I've been so busy lately I think I'll rather read a book".

Thus, my messy messy room back in my parents' house where I am staying for the time being (messy because it's been stuffed with the residue from my moving out of my Oslo-apartment) has continued to be messy. My empty empty suitcase has continued to be empty, even though my mother has nudged me (rather often) that I should start packing. The big things I've got under control - flights are booked, visa is in my passport, and there is a room awaiting me when I arrive in Tokyo. But all those small things - pre-travel purchases, packing, laundry (though, embarrassingly enough, my mother has taken charge of that department, so I can only happily [and guiltily] figure out which of my laundered clothes to fit into my suitcase when the time arrives.

If I've been so unburdened with work, however, then how do I justify not getting back to my blogging before now? Well, I have considered it. And then it fell into the "I'll get there, eventually" pile along with the tidying and the packing. Surely I could justify that I had other things to do right now. I have had other things to do, after all, and some of them I even did. Such as read through and give feedback on two friends' manuscripts. Such as dragging my butt to the dentist. Such as hosting a farewell-party of sorts with some of my friends, and planning a new one with some more of them. But the bottom line is that I haven't avoided blogging because I didn't have the time, it was because I didn't feel like it. The procrastination ghost has once again taken control over me (and I feel obliged to pay it respect for as long as I can - in less than two weeks I will be in the middle of adapting to a busy job in a busy city, after all).

I'm rambling. This post was supposed to be all about resolutions, and how I don't make any, since I tend to not keep them. I also dislike the idea that we only get once chance to make improvements in our lives each year. I imagine we'd soon discover that we wouldn't get much done. If you have only one deadline each year, it's a lot worse if you miss it.

However, despite my intentions, I find myself examining the records at the end of a year. 2010 has been an odd mix of accomplishments and failures on my part, and I would be very grateful if 2011 mostly consisted of the former. For that to happen, however, I need a plan. Thus resolutions are hard to avoid.

I have decided, since my goal is to have accomplishments rather than failures, to make them fairly easy to fulfill. Thus, here are my 2011 resolutions:

1) I will do [blank] that I have never done before.

2) I will strive to stop [blank], and begin [blank].

3) I will [blank] without [blank].

By filling in the blanks once I see what is actually possible to achieve, I can hardly fail. For instance, I have already fulfilled number one, since I have never blogged in January before...

Happy New Year!