Resolutions wrap up
Major resolutions
1. Go to the gym three times a week
This lasted until about halfway through the year - around the time we had to move to Newcastle - and while I've started riding to work (reasonably regularly), I still don't think this quite counts as being kept. Better luck next year, I guess.
2. Drink less alcohol
I think I could count on my fingers the number of times I've actually been drunk this year, and even when I've had a few drinks socially, I have definitely cut down on the quantity. I've shifted to fewer, better quality drinks - craft beers and international brews. Yes, that makes me sound like a hipster douchebag, but on the upside at least I can chalk this resolution up as being kept.
3. Pay back the wedding by 30 June
You know what they say - better late than never. My half of the wedding was 'paid back' in September, the savings of which are now going towards our house deposit. You can read more of a recap back here.
4. Complete the 26 Fortnight (52 week) saving challenge
Done and dusted. I covered this not too long ago here, and made an Excel creation for anyone who wants to do the challenge next year.
5. Practice mindfulness
I have made a good start on my journey to mindfulness. I have covered the app I have used to guide me through the practice here and, more recently, my stats so far here. I think this resolution has made the most impact on my wellbeing this year; I believe it has made me more resilient and able to cope with changes throughout the year. I am looking forward to continuing the practice next year.
6. Be a better friend - remember birthdays, think of good gifts, enjoy your social life
I am not sure whether I have fulfilled this one or not - I hope I have. If I have been in touch with you throughout 2014, for a birthday or just catching up, I hope that I have made that moment with you enjoyable and special.
7. Get recording studio going, learn to use ProTools, keep up the good work with the band!
Most of this resolution didn't really get off the ground due to relocating to Newcastle. But on the positive side, I did keep up the good work with the band. My Canberran band Tortured got a bunch of stellar gigs this year, supporting a lot of great local and renowned international acts. While I can't possibly remember every gig we've played in 2014, among the highlights were sharing the stage with Carcass, Coroner, Sinister, Hypno5e, Psychrist and Cruciform, and tearing it up a East West Deathgrind Fest again this year. While I never expect that I'll make it big playing death metal, it's definitely rewarding to look back and appreciate some of those moments.
Minor resolutions
1. Music Tuesday and rudiments practice
A good idea that was slightly spoiled by moving back to Newcastle. On the plus side, I've started jamming with some good mates on a Tuesday night now - you can check out some of their work here.
2. Mind expansion Sunday
Another good idea, but I didn't stick to it too well. Here's some things I've put my mind to this year: Stuff You Should Know podcast episodes, re-learning statistical techniques, learning how to code in SAS, modern monetary theory, and trying to understand trends in technology and the internet. Next year, I think I'll try doing an online course on Coursera or something similar.
3. Writing this blog
This post will mark the 45th post of this year, and while I haven't quite made it to 52 posts or one post per week, I wasn't overly far behind. I had other posts in 'Draft', but I hadn't quite developed the ideas in them far enough to be happy with them. Again on the plus side, I've managed to stick to writing on a semi-regular basis now for twelve months, which is a lot further than I've got previously. Additionally, I'd say my writing style has developed somewhat by putting all these paragraphs in the cloud.
There's definitely something to be said about just sitting down and starting to write - I didn't much feel like writing today, but once I got going the words really started to flow. I enjoy writing and I'd like to do more of it, more often, though I think that next year I will give myself more time to develop my posts before publishing them. I often found myself rushed this year, trying to think of something to write each week, and because of that I feel that the posts I wrote ended up being very focused on myself. Hopefully with some extra time between posts, I can look outwards a little more.
4. Spring cleaning the house
Well, this one didn't get far now did it? Again, better luck next year.
5. Read 12 books this year
I actually got much further with this in 2014 than I thought I was going to: the grand total for 2014 was 17 books read. If you've been reading this blog throughout the year, I have posted a quick summary each time I had finished one or two, but here's my full reading list for the year:
- A New Spring - Robert Jordan
- The Eye Of The World - Robert Jordan
- Louder Than Hell - Jon Wiederhorn and Katherine Turman
- All three reviewed here.
- The Value of Nothing - Raj Patel
- The Great Hunt - Robert Jordan
- Both reviewed here.
- The Logic of Life - Tim Harford
- The Dragon Reborn - Robert Jordan
- Both reviewed here.
- Wyrd Sisters - Terry Pratchett
- Reviewed here.
- The Noticeably Stouter Book Of General Ignorance - John Lloyd and John Mitchinson
- Reviewed here.
- Pyramids - Terry Pratchett
- The Shadow Rising - Robert Jordan
- Both reviewed here.
- Guards! Guards! - Terry Pratchett
- Reviewed here.
- Eric - Terry Pratchett
- Reviewed here.
- The Fires of Heaven - Robert Jordan
- Mortality - Christopher Hitchens
- Both reviewed here.
- Battlers and Billionaires - Andrew Leigh
- Reviewed here.
- Lord of Chaos - Robert Jordan
- Reviewed here.
So all in all, this year's reading was pretty heavy on fantasy, with 11 of the 17 books written by either Robert Jordan or Terry Pratchett. The remaining six (non-fiction) books were a bit more of a mixed bag, though half of those were economics related (The Value of Nothing, The Logic of Life and Battlers and Billionaires). I think I'll keep a similar resolution for next year - 12 books is quite achievable, though I think I will try to aim for a little more balance between fiction and non-fiction.
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It's always refreshing to reflect on what you've done and how far you've come throughout the year; writing this post has given me some time to appreciate some of that. I have some ideas forming in my mind already about what my resolutions for 2015 will be. I hope you will join me again on that journey. But for now, I'm off to the Hunter Valley to bring in the new year - have a great 2015!
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