Looking back at 2019’s New Years Resolutions

Hey, it’s that time of year where I think about thinking things. So It’s probably a good time to see if I did anything with my resolutions for 2019.

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General Goals

1. Be Slower - I think (unsurprisingly) my results were mixed. The idea here was to focus my energy towards one thing at a time. I think I managed to do this moderately well when I wasn’t stressed. When I was stressed, I think I fell back to my old patterns.
2. Finish Things - Well, this still isn’t my strength. I did give a lecture on finishing things, which I did finish. I think I’ve generally gotten better at getting stuff done and especially doing things as soon as they come up so that they don’t land on my to-do list at all.
3. Be Comfortable - This one’s gonna be a long process. I spent a little time thinking the other day that I have an urge for “this to be done” so that I can be happy. Finding that way to seperate my mental state from everything else in the world is going to be some work.

Specific Goals

1. Finish the Thesis - Goddamnit :-D
   
   
   
   
   
2. Make Something Everyday - Uh, where the hell did 2019 go? I started strong, lost it a little in the middle and then have picked up a bit at the end. Taking a really motivating art class has helped for sure.
3. Finish a Project a Month - Uuuuh, where did 2019 go? I bombed this one pretty hard, but at least I have moved most of my projects along a little.
4. Enjoy Good Stuff - I think I did okay. Not great, but okay. I’ve read a ton this year and watched a lot of shows I’ve been interested in. I’ve played more games and enjoyed them.
5. See More things - I don’t know that I did this as well as I should have, but I definitely took myself on some little adventures and think I’ll have space for a lot more.

2019 was okay. It was a transitional year and the year in which I moved from being a guy who hadn’t finished his PhD to a guy who did finish his PhD. The bit where the world didn’t suddenly change around me was to be expected I guess, but I’m still trying to figure out how to be out on my own. It’s been easy for years to blame the PhD for the things I’m not happy with, but that’s a crutch I have to give up now, and more to the point, maybe turn it into a nice cane and use it to hook the world into where I want it.

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Tradition now dictates that these posts end with a dancing cat