convenience-store resolutions

[asakiyume]

(Which, one hopes, aren't resolutions of convenience...)

I went into a convenience store on January 1 to buy a bottle of red wine, and the guys at the counter and I had a round of happy-new-year wishes, and I said something like, "May it be a good one," and then one of the guys said,

"Yeah, my resolution this year is not to settle." Good resolution, I thought (though--because I'm constitutionally unable to keep from putting riders and qualifications on statements like this--I think "settling" is created in your own head. The same action can be settling, or not, depending on how you make up your mind to feel about it.)

"Mine is to do the hard things," I said. "Here's to success for both of us."

"Yeah!" he said.

----

So yeah, that's my amorphous, large-scale goal.

Slightly less amorphous than that is the goal to make significant progress on my new novel. I didn't do too well with that goal last year (didn't do much writing at all last year), but maybe this year will be better.

Even more fine-grained goal: utilize my library's free Mango Language account to learn Spanish. I've started on this! Maybe I should make the goal to do a lesson at least three times a week. What I can say so far that I didn't already know: Estoy bien.

I may also work up a running goal (meaning: a goal related to running) but I haven't got one yet.

Comments

[j-cheney.livejournal.com]

I'm working on a variation or that, which is more like "Don't multitask." That's basically a note to myself to not spend time doing things that I'm ok with dividing with something else. If I'm ok with dividing my attention between a and b, then perhaps I shouldn't be doing thing a or b at all.

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

That's an interesting way of looking at it! I'd always thought of it in terms of being sure to give each thing the attention it deserves (which I've felt like I'm not doing if I'm multitasking), or in terms of being present for people (i.e., don't be typing an LJ comment while my kids are talking to me)--but what I like about your way of framing it is that it makes you question the value of *both* activities.

[sovay]

So yeah, that's my amorphous, large-scale goal.

It sounds like a good one!

I have never made New Year's resolutions. Do you find them useful?

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

I only consciously made them for the first time last year. I have, in the past, made goals at random times of the year.

When I've articulated a very particular thing I want to do, like interview the guy who keeps pigeons, or go to East Timor, it *has* helped.

... Something like do the hard things, it's harder to tell with, but I'm hoping that articulating it will be a way of keeping it in mind.

[sartorias.livejournal.com]

Endorsing your goals with enthusiasm!

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

Thank you <3

[mount-oregano.livejournal.com]

I am learning Latin. Valeo. (Estoy bien.)

If you have questions about Spanish, just ask.

My goal is to finish all those projects I have underway.

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

And that's an excellent resolution--a difficult one to fulfill, but an excellent one.

[mnfaure.livejournal.com]

Re Valeo: I used to give English lessons to people who worked at a company called "Valeo" in France. Now, after all these many years, I finally know what Valeo means. Thanks. ;)

[mount-oregano.livejournal.com]

What did the company do?

[mount-oregano.livejournal.com]

What did the company do?

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

I don't know if it was the same company, but I think I've seen gas stations here with that name....

[mnfaure.livejournal.com]

Interesting. :D I wasn't teaching technical English, rather business English to sales staff, etc. My

[mnfaure.livejournal.com]

They manufacture spare parts for automobiles. :)

[yamamanama.livejournal.com]

My resolution was to fulfill a promise I make. Which, now that I think about it, is kind of a meta-resolution.

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

Heh, so it is. I like that.

(I know I'm behind on your entries. I'll probably come calling tomorrow)

[yamamanama.livejournal.com]

At the very least, check out the one I posted yesterday. There's some cool art.

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

Will do.

I thought of you this afternoon because I found myself voluntarily listening to opera. It was Der Fledermaus, but translated into English.

[yamamanama.livejournal.com]

Was it with the Metropolitan Opera?

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

Maybe? Probably? it was broadcasting over a local NPR affiliate.

[yamamanama.livejournal.com]

Ah.

Rose Polenzani's brother is a tenor in the Metropolitan Opera.

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

SYNCHRONICITY

[yamamanama.livejournal.com]

Also, I learned that Polenzani is pronounced like Poland, not like Pol Pot. Hmm, I wonder if Poland and Polenzani are etymologically related. I mean, there are Italians named Schiavoni or Schiavo or Albanesi or Albanese.

[osprey-archer.livejournal.com]

Good luck with your resolutions!

Re: the resolution to study Spanish, I think making it a resolution to use the program at least three times a week is a good one. It's easy to tell if you're fulfilling the resolution that way, whereas something like 'learn Spanish" is much more amorphous.

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

I agree; I think I will. And I think tonight will be one of the nights--once I answer LJ comments!

[bummble.livejournal.com]

I'm learning Spanish this year too!

Started a bit later than I'd planned (originally wanted to begin December last year) and the way the course is laid out is a bit more vague than I'd like, but I am still enjoying it.

The comment about making a measurable goal for it is really good!
I'd planned to complete one lesson per week (32 for a whole year, so there's some room for snafus etc) but I might switch that to doing at least half an hour at least four times a week.

It's part of a far larger plan to go travelling once I've run out of pets...

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

Hee, and your comment helped keep me on track--I think I need to make myself a strict schedule.

Traveling sounds excellent (though running out of pets sounds ... maybe a pet sitter is the answer?)

[bummble.livejournal.com]

Well - my two elderly cats died last year.
I still have a dog who is nearly 12 years old now and still going strong; she's a border collie, so probably has quite a few good years left!

But, like some people wait for their children to leave home before they start travelling around the world, I'm sort of waiting for the pets to 'leave the house'. ;-)
(have to work hard not to aquire new cats though!)

My dog is not the easiest person in the world, so apart from the odd weekend with my mother, not really suitable for a pet sitter.

Besides, I'm hoping to be away for months (probably volunteering somewhere, ecological farms etc), maybe more - and it would feel weird leaving a loved one behind that I can't communicate with.


I'm not in a hurry; not really ready yet at the moment anyway.
Still lots of yarn to knit here, lots of Spanish to learn, and, er, some money would come in handy, too. ;-)

Right, I finished one chapter of my Spanish book this afternoon; going to do a quick browse of the first couple of pages of the next one before I go to sleep!

[amaebi.livejournal.com]

You might want to consider using duolingo.com -- I and smart_ted and kayre use it, and we think it's pretty good. Though you might also check your local library system for Pimsleur courses-- I think it's valuable to use purely aural/oral aids, since I fear sticking to text. (And have a tendency that way.)

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

I may use Duolinguo! My daughter's using it for Spanish. But for right now I'm going to stick with Mango. I like it, so far.

[amaebi.livejournal.com]

Yay!

I am using it for Italian, and used it when I was relatively intensively batting up my Spanish. :D

[queenoftheskies.livejournal.com]

Quite awesome goals! (And I can't wait to read that novel.)

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

Ehh, well it may be a bit of a wait for the novel :-P

[queenoftheskies.livejournal.com]

But, it's a good goal for the year. :)

Without goals...

[mnfaure.livejournal.com]

May the New Year see you realizing all your goals and dreams in a way that fulfills you. :D

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

Thank you ♥ You too.

[c-maxx.livejournal.com]

Happy belated New Year, FF!

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

And to you too!