Oh No! It's the New Year's Resolutions Thread!

[firecat88]

My resolutions are as follows:

First, finish college. I have one more semester to go, one more *class* to go and then, come May, I'll be done. Thus, I will *not* do what I did last semester, I *will* do homework assignments as they are given to me, and I *will* (if applicable) read the chapters well before the tests.

The second, more important one, is a bit more complicated. Pretty much all of last year, I was in a not-so-good state physically (I was sick a lot. O.o More than usual) and emotionally (lotta ups and downs for various reasons). I'm fairly certain that the two of those are related, so I am going to endeavor to change myself for the better. I will continue to exercise and take my vitamins everyday, I will learn not to stress out about stuff so much, and I will begin meditating again.

Third, I will find some kind of creative outlet for those times when I do get stressed and emotions are high. I might join the chorus again, might start writing again (I haven't done any really serious writing since my poetry class a couple semesters ago), or take up knitting. My sister's going to teach me whilst she's in town this next week-and-a-half.

Fourth, I have several books in my 'To Read' pile that need tackling. Also, there are some books that I started reading and never finished (I'm lookin' at you Lord of the Rings trilogy and Phantom of the Opera) that I'm going to try to cross off my 'Books I Started and Never Finished' list.

Finally, I really need to spend more time watching my parents and learning how to cook from them. As of right now, the most complex thing I've semi-mastered is how to crack eggs without making too much of a mess (the two tricks are to crack the eggs on a flat surface and to have a paper towel between the egg and said flat surface).

[draggar]

Eating healthier (heh, don't we all say that?) but also also more environmental and ethical - learning where my food comes from and the conditions that the animals are kept.

While I do enjoy my job - I think it is time to move a few more rungs up the corporate ladder. My only concern is that the positions that are opening up now are the first to go when things get rough.

Be more active politically. While I have picked this up a little the past few months, I plan on really picking it up with matters that affect me. (I won't go into details since that would be fratching).

BUY A HOUSE ON MY OWN PROPERTY - no more HOAs or renting. Yeah, I know, I'm the VP of my HOA but it would be so nice to be able to do things w/o running it past the board members and then deal with the BS of other homeowners when it is approved.

[TheSHAD0W]

My New Years resolution is 600 dpi.

*runs away!*

[dragon_wings]

My official list of SHIT TO DO IN 2012! (as posted on Facebook):

To do:
+ Find a new job. Whether it's a new full time job, a second full time job (fuck me sideways), or a part time job (or a combination of the 3).
-preferable something not in retail/standing 8 hours a day
+ Go back to school. Part time or full time. NO LOANS. Grants if possible.
-philosiphy (sp?)
-religion
-advocacy (LGBT, animal, etc)
+ Find a new place.
-2 bedrooms if possible with a big living room
+ Get pierced
-eyebrow
-nose
-several more piercings in each ear
-lip (center of my bottom lip)
+ Get tatted
-Ankh (somewhere on my body)
-?

Completed:
N/A

[Redbeard]

Learn to speak Japanese. I've always wanted to and being an anime fan would love to be able to watch them without dubbing or subtitles

Be fat and love rum (Hey, I'm being honest here!) but be less fat as the year progresses and in better shape.

More naughtiness with the wife

Be out of debt 100% by December 1st 2012.

Get a car that won't break down after 2 months! AGGH! (I had 3 this past year.)

[Kanalah]

Make a dent in my fabric stash.

Work on more lower-priced items to sell at shows.

Get in more shows, particularly the $20/booth ones instead of the higher priced ones where no one buys anything.

Find time to relax and try to do something nice for myself at least once a month.

Try to keep in touch with people better.

[Jester]

Working out with your Tug-Toner™?

Hell yeah! You would be proud!

Find a special gal to get out of the dreaded friend zone with.

On that note, I have recently signed up to a matchmaker type website, and one of the very first responses I got, after a couple back and forths, she realized she recognized me from my years of doing magic here for kids, and specifically her kid, who apparently LOVES me. I can't figure out if this is a good thing, a bad thing, or an embarrassing thing, but it's probably a combination of all of the above, and something I kind of expected but am still surprised to be dealing with. Yeah, this is gonna be FUN!

This is the kind of shit that makes me wish the girl I met that had just moved to town had, in fact, been single. I mean, I know a lot of you are thinking, "Dude, her kid loves you, you're IN!", but what you're missing is, how the flying HELL do you live up to that kind of lofty expectation? I mean, I can be kind of an asshole at times, and Dating Jester is NOT the same guy as Magician Jester. Plus, to be blunt, I don't want to always be entertaining people's kids, especially if these are people I'd like to dating and/or banging. (I DID say I was being blunt.....)

1. Give up soda. All soda - anytime, anywhere, any kind. This one'll be tough. I really like soda, but at the same time I know after a while I won't miss it.

Not that easy, but if you need help and/or support, let me know. Gave up caffeine in 1990, only gave up soda a year or so ago, and have not been completely strict about that....but I have tried, and I drink far less soda than almost anyone I know. (Also far more Gatorade, but never said I was giving THAT up.)

4. Plan a wedding without turning int a Bridezilla.

Let me know if you have any questions about this. As a former wedding DJ, I may have some insight that others don't. Just a thought.

Also, there are some books that I started reading and never finished (I'm lookin' at you Lord of the Rings trilogy and Phantom of the Opera) that I'm going to try to cross off my 'Books I Started and Never Finished' list.

The Lord of the Rings is one of the greatest books I ever read. Sadly, The Silmarillion was completely unreadable for me, as Christopher Tolkien simply did not have the writing talent of his father, so him finishing what his father started simply didn't work for me.

As of right now, the most complex thing I've semi-mastered is how to crack eggs without making too much of a mess (the two tricks are to crack the eggs on a flat surface and to have a paper towel between the egg and said flat surface).

I respectfully disagree. Best way to crack them, in my opinion, is to use the edge of the skillet or mixing bowl to break them, creating a semi-clean break, which makes it easy to open them completely. This is the method I use, and the method I used when I was (at one point in my life) able to crack an egg open and empty its contents on to the cooking surface using just one hand, without getting any shell in the mix.

My New Years resolution is 600 dpi.

Funniest comment of the thread!

Be fat and love rum...

PM me if you need any help or advice with the rum. It does happen to be one of my areas of expertise.

[firecat88]

The Lord of the Rings is one of the greatest books I ever read. Sadly, The Silmarillion was completely unreadable for me, as Christopher Tolkien simply did not have the writing talent of his father, so him finishing what his father started simply didn't work for me.

That's what I've heard about Silmarillion. I've also heard that it reads less like an actual story and more like a compilation of historical documents and who-was-doing-what-at-such-and-such-time.

[Jester]

Pretty much, yeah. I mean, I LOVE The Lord of the Rings, and consider it the best book ever written, and one of my most prized literary possessions, along with my leatherbound copy of the five-part Hitchhiker's Guide trilogy. And I have tried twice to read The Silmarillion, and failed both times to get past Chapter 14, out of sheer BOREDOM. The book would LITERALLY put me to sleep. Damn shame J.R.R. never finished it himself. It might have been interesting if he had.

And if anyone thinks I am exaggerating the case, ask yourself this....ever read anything that Christopher Tolkien ever wrote?

[firecat88]

I didn't even know Christopher Tolkien wrote anything. XD Thus, nope, I haven't read any of his stuff. Of course, I haven't exactly finished Lord of the Rings either. I finished Fellowship, got about 1/4 into Two Towers, and went 'Eh...I'm bored. Moving on.'

[Ellain]

These are more goals than resolutions...

1) Keep going to the gym at least 2-3 times per week
2) Spawn a geekling
3) Make it to Dragon*Con
4) Learn photography, cooking, and/ or sewing

The first I am confidant I can do. The second I am afraid might get in the way of the third, which I am really excited about. The fourth, well, I like learning.

I could never get through the Silmarillion either. It was like trying to get through the tougher parts of the Bible. LOTR is on my list to read again soon, too.

[blas]

Make and save more money.

Shouldn't be too hard, I'm sure we'll have overtime available as needed, and moving back home in the late spring, I'll be saving $620 a month. Unless, I decide to spend what I would pay in rent on paying off my car sooner.

[Jester]

I didn't even know Christopher Tolkien wrote anything.

Don't know if he actually did or not. But he was the one that finished The Silmarillion from his father's notes, and, well, I think the results speak for themselves. And if they don't, I'll spell it out.

The Hobbit...brilliant children's story. Written by J.R.R. Tolkien.
The Lord of the Rings...brilliant fantasy story for adults. An all-time classic. Written by J.R.R. Tolkien.
The Silmarillion...the history of Middle Earth before the aforementioned stories. The background for them, if you will. Also a total snoozefest, bordering on unreadable. Written by Christopher Tolkien from J.R.R. Tolkien's notes and unfinished manuscript.

'Nuff said.

[Sakka]

Each time I've tried to read The Silmarillion, I have gotten between 5-10 pages in, and had to move on to something more interesting to keep out of falling into a coma ... Like reading current tax law, legislative minutes/records, etc. :P

Resolutions/goals; (no idea how many, if any, will be done)
Make/save more money.
Get my own place. Related to this, seriously cut down on the amount of stuff in my life/digitize what I can.
Improve my education.
Get into better shape.
Get into a non-ldr relationship/get out of the friend zone. (And burn this V Card.)

[Mishi]

- Finally get my drivers license.
- Keep walking Hailie most mornings instead of giving up midyear.
- Be a little more sociable.
- De-clutter the house and sort out all the paperwork.
- Experiment with sewing and cooking more often.