mccullochblog

2011 New Year's Resolutions

Watching my best friend, Ian, get married at the turn of the decade helped me resolve to try once again to make some big decisions and moderate change s in my own life in 2011.

Why not, eh? New Year’s Resolutions and all that.

Actually, looking back at last year's resolutions, I achieved 56% of my  pledges, so I think there’s plenty of grounds for optimism in crafting a new set.

Admittedly, I did not manage to make as much progress on my book as I would have liked, nor did I visit the Farallon Islands or Washington DC. And didn’t get to a 49ers game.

In my defense, I did secure TICKETS to a 49ers game but had to sell them when I went to Chicago to visit by brother instead. And we went to Seattle as a family, which sort of makes up for missing DC, right?

Yes, not organizing said best friend’s bachelor party BEFORE his wedding was a fairly major miss, but he has been quite open about having it later this year.He did, after all, get married after having three kids, so he’s not exactly a stickler for tradition.

Anyway, here we go then: a fistful of new resolutions for 2011.

1. I really really will finish half of my novel in 2011. Really.
2. I will organize Ian’s stag party before he celebrates his wedding anniversary.
3. I will find a smashing venue for my 40th birthday party (for 2012!)
4. Our little family will ride the Canadian Rockies train and go somewhere cool in France or Italy or (any suggestions?) when we go back to the UK for Emma’s sister’s wedding in October.
5. I will make plans to go to the Olympics in London in 2012.
6. I will get William a fish tank for his bedroom in honor of his fish-keeping granddad
7. I will get my US Citizenship application sorted
8. I will lose 10 lbs. (Only kidding.) 

What about you then? Any pledges for the new decade you’d like to share?

Why New Year's Resolutions Fail (but mine won't!)

 According to Britain's Guardian newspaper, 78 percent of New Year's resolutions fail. Apparently, the key to successful resolutions is to break them down into manageable steps to be achieved throughout the year, and to "(tell) friends about goals... and keep a diary of progress." 

Now if that doesn't sound like an invitation to blog, I don't know what does!

By the way, the Guardian wisely adds "if you are trying to lose weight, it's not enough to stick a picture of a model on your fridge and fantasize about being slimmer." Good to know.

Armed with this sage advice, I have compiled a fresh list of New Year's resolutions confident in the knowledge that I'll achieve more than the 60 percent I did of my 2009 New Year's Resolutions.  (For the record, the 2009 'successes' were the "support a charity" and "earn enough to feed my son" resolutions. The 50/50s were the "greener household" and "one new thing per month". The total failure was the "finish 5 chapters of my book".)

So...no "go to the gym" or "drink less" nonsense here...just some quality resolutions to live by in 2010.  Your turn!

New (or Updated) 2010 New Year's Resolutions

1. Stuff enough money under the mattress to feed the family while also fitting in vacations to Hawaii (spring), Italy (summer) and Ian's bachelor weekend (autumn).

2. Finish 12 (2007) 5 (2010 & 2009) chapters of my book, Statendam, and make them available here and find a literary agent who might help me get the thing published.

3. Try one new thing per month, starting with: (Feb) Enter the BBC Wildlife Travel Writing Awards, (March) Go Gray Whale Watching with the Oceanic Society (April) Attend SF Symphony's Chaplin Movie Performance (May) Visit the Farallon Islands (June) NASCAR in Sonoma! (July) Visit Florence, Italy (Sep) Finally get to a 49ers game...more to come!

4.  Find a baby-sitter for William. In nine months, Emma and I have spent ONE night apart from William, not counting when family have visited. Clearly, we won't have much chance of accomplishing (3) without some childcare! (recommendations welcomed!)

And...that'll just about do it for 2010, I think.

p.s. I know what you're thinking: "He's NEVER going to write that book!" (I did start it in 2005)...but 'manageable steps' is my motto this year along with "Monday night is writing night". Just you wait and see!