Tuesday, January 01, 2013

A Progress Report on 2012 And a Toast For 2013


Last January I started the new year off with a list of resolutions and a promise that I would return to them before the end of the year. As one of the resolutions was to become "a better, more interactive and more regular blogger", it is a good indication of my overall lack of success that I only managed to return to the list after the end of the year. Better late than never, however, so here is the progress report.

1. Become a fitter and healthier person ... : It would be nice to award myself a tick, but although I am not particularly fit nor robustly healthy, at least I am honest. Amy and I have walked less than in previous years (blame the rain) and I have managed to avoid practically all healthy vegetables for the full twelve months (blame the taste).
2. Complete the Great Novella of the 21st Century .... It is still not finished although it has now clocked up some 85,000 words. At the moment and unless I can get down to serious business in the bright dawn of the New Year, it looks like the "Great Nevella of the 21st Century"
3. Regularly chart my progress in the longest dog-walk ever ..... Total failure on this score as Amy and I have made little progress in our northerly trek up the West Coast of the USA. However, the Lad and I are busy planning a real-time trip to the West Coast which hopefully will take place this summer which will be some recompense for the lack of virtual movement (for me, if not for Amy).
4. Be a better, more interactive and more regular blogger ..... No further comment is necessary.
5. Waste less time ..... In retrospect, I am going to withdraw this resolution on the grounds that it was ill-conceived, deeply flawed, and counter-productive. After considerable thought, I have decided that wasting time is the very objective of my life. Therefore, at one minute past midnight on the 1st January 2013, I raise my glass of Milltown Brewery's "Maltissimo" and propose the toast "2013 - The Year Of Wasted Time"

15 comments:

  1. But you're sweeter than ever, right? :)

    Happy New Year, Alan! xo

    ReplyDelete
  2. I'm so glad you took back the "waste less time" resolution because I was just thinking of how I so much love wasting time and how it makes more sense than a lot of things people do. As for regular blogging, my motto is when the spirit moves me, I blog.

    So, here's to wasted time as I click that glass of Maltissimo with my glass of Cape Cod.
    Happy New Year's Alan!
    Linda

    ReplyDelete
  3. This is why I didn't make any resolutions last year - only the ones I could live up to. Eat more chocolate, sleep in later, etc., etc. It works! You should try it!

    Happy New Year my dear faraway friend!

    Love,
    Kat

    ReplyDelete
  4. Waste time? Never!!!! A life of leisure and sloth is definitely not a waste of time, but rather enjoying what's left of a life nearly ruined by working for a living. Come, Alan, we have time to make up. Have a seat and another beer, won't you?

    ReplyDelete
  5. here is to your New Year Resolution for 2013!~ May you be entirely successful wasting time! Love the photo..it speaks volumes:)

    ReplyDelete
  6. Well, at least you have a sense of humor about resolutions and didn't get all bent out of shape over their success.
    Happy New Year to you. Keep up the interesting posts you make. They are appreciated.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I'll toast that also.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Huh! What's the point of retirement if you can't waste time? Happy New Year, Alan!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Happy New Year, Alan! In the words of the song, 'Stay, just as you are...'

    ReplyDelete
  10. And a very happy and well wasted year may it be!

    Actually. 'well wasted' has a double meaning doesn't it - so raise your glass to that too!

    Kind regards

    Mark from the Bike Shed

    ReplyDelete
  11. Happy New Year. I find "wasting time" can be a good thing to do so long as I do it unstressfully, ie, by just chilling out. It creates space for ideas to pop out. If that's wasting time I should resolve to do more of it. The kind of time wasted dashing from pillar to post trying to do things in convoluted ways is definitely not good though.

    ReplyDelete
  12. I enjoy your blogs Alan, (I am a great believer in staying away from things that does not make you happy)!! So, great success is wished you this year in doing exactly when makes YOU happy! (Plus go out and get me another lovely print I can grace my walls with...thanks Alan for the literary lift you give us.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Happy New Year Alan! Regards from New England. :)

    ReplyDelete
  14. Happy New Year. As long as you share some of the time-wasting with us, I don't mind what you do!

    ReplyDelete
  15. at least you made resolutions. And I hope you resolve to stop by for a visit up north here in Oregon. We promise a vegetable-free environment. Happy New Year!

    ReplyDelete

11 March 2024 : Paper Hanging

  Some people read the paper, some try and understand the meaning of life, George II and Elvis Presley both died there .... and photographer...