How I did on my 2015 resolutions
Now is the time of year I look back on the resolutions I made at the beginning and see how well I held to them. A lot of people don't find resolutions helpful in anyway, but I always do, so I always make them. I don't always hold to them perfectly, but having goals gives me direction and motivation, and I prefer to set them in that way.
2015 was a better year than the previous. I had good things happen, I had steps forward made. There was less tragedy and depression for me personally, even though I became more worried about a lot of bad things in the larger world. Let's see how that reflected in the meeting of my goals.
1. Bring the Mrs. Hawking property to the next step. Not exactly sure what that is yet, but I hope to build some momentum from the Arisia producton, and I want to make the most of it. I think this property could really be something, and I am determined to make that happen.
Well, the show has been accepted for three performances, plus one more of the sequel. I think that counts. I'm not sure it's any better known or closer to making the kind of splash I want it to make, but it's something. Got to keep working on this one.
2. Keep writing new things. Specifically, I want to write both Base Instruments, the next Mrs. Hawking story, as well as the first sequel to Adonis.
While I did finish Base Instruments, and in my opinion it came out very well, I did a little less writing this year than I normally do. The first sequel to Adonis sadly did not happen. But because I know it was because I spent more time producing my work, plus having more serious professional commitments. I need to be okay with the idea that productive and generative phases come in waves.
3. Get my submission rate up. The only way I will see progress with my writing is if I get it out there. I may set a concrete goal for this, like, say, three to five submissions per week.
Well, I didn't get my play submission rate up, but I have branched out into pitching my screenwriting, which I think is what really I should be focusing on these days. And it's been to some encouraging results! So I'll call that fulfilling the spirit, if not the letter.
4. Keep up my fitness level, and improve it if I can. I always want to be stronger, faster, leaner, harder, more toned.
NAILED IT. I spent six months of this year on increasingly rigorous diet and exercise regimes, and with my current one, I am leaner, harder, and more toned than ever. I love it.
5. Get my finances in order. They have been off for over a year now, and putting on Mrs. Hawking hasn't helped. But as soon as that's finished, I need to get serious about it.
Finally managed this. It helped that I got two better-paying jobs and suddenly was making more money than I ever had been.
6. Get in the habit of reading books. Maybe another concrete goal would help? One book a week, something like that? I miss how much I used to read complete books, as opposed to only scripts and blog posts the way I do now.
Yeah, no. Not at all. The only complete new book I read this year was A Wrinkle in Time for my lit class, plus pieces of Sundiata: An Epic of Old Mali by D.T. Niane. I really hate that I've basically lost my ability to focus on long form and so have stopped reading any. I'm ashamed of that.
7. Maintain my important relationships. Love my father, my brother, and Bernie the way they deserve. Keep up with my friends and make them feel valued and cared for. I've been more hermited than usual lately, and I don't want to lose the people who are important to me.
Yes. I think I did this one okay, even with Bernie being away for all of this year.
8. I guess I will put keeping an eye to some sort of professional improvement. I'm notoriously bad at the job-finding process, but I think I need to improve my day job status in hopes of having some sort of financial security in addition to furthering my real, artistic work.
I did even better on this than I thought I would! I got two adjunct professor jobs, which were a real professional step up for me, one of which at a four-year university. I'm proud of that. This is a path I'd like to continue as long as I have to have a day job.
9. Keep working on being a kinder person, keeping my temper, and being less judgmental. Always until the day I die.
Keep on keepin' on.
10. Keep on learning to be hopeful. Always a struggle for me, but so necessary.
Actually I think I did better on this than I have before. It's not easy for me. But I kept mostly steady this year. That's something.
2015 was a better year than the previous. I had good things happen, I had steps forward made. There was less tragedy and depression for me personally, even though I became more worried about a lot of bad things in the larger world. Let's see how that reflected in the meeting of my goals.
1. Bring the Mrs. Hawking property to the next step. Not exactly sure what that is yet, but I hope to build some momentum from the Arisia producton, and I want to make the most of it. I think this property could really be something, and I am determined to make that happen.
Well, the show has been accepted for three performances, plus one more of the sequel. I think that counts. I'm not sure it's any better known or closer to making the kind of splash I want it to make, but it's something. Got to keep working on this one.
2. Keep writing new things. Specifically, I want to write both Base Instruments, the next Mrs. Hawking story, as well as the first sequel to Adonis.
While I did finish Base Instruments, and in my opinion it came out very well, I did a little less writing this year than I normally do. The first sequel to Adonis sadly did not happen. But because I know it was because I spent more time producing my work, plus having more serious professional commitments. I need to be okay with the idea that productive and generative phases come in waves.
3. Get my submission rate up. The only way I will see progress with my writing is if I get it out there. I may set a concrete goal for this, like, say, three to five submissions per week.
Well, I didn't get my play submission rate up, but I have branched out into pitching my screenwriting, which I think is what really I should be focusing on these days. And it's been to some encouraging results! So I'll call that fulfilling the spirit, if not the letter.
4. Keep up my fitness level, and improve it if I can. I always want to be stronger, faster, leaner, harder, more toned.
NAILED IT. I spent six months of this year on increasingly rigorous diet and exercise regimes, and with my current one, I am leaner, harder, and more toned than ever. I love it.
5. Get my finances in order. They have been off for over a year now, and putting on Mrs. Hawking hasn't helped. But as soon as that's finished, I need to get serious about it.
Finally managed this. It helped that I got two better-paying jobs and suddenly was making more money than I ever had been.
6. Get in the habit of reading books. Maybe another concrete goal would help? One book a week, something like that? I miss how much I used to read complete books, as opposed to only scripts and blog posts the way I do now.
Yeah, no. Not at all. The only complete new book I read this year was A Wrinkle in Time for my lit class, plus pieces of Sundiata: An Epic of Old Mali by D.T. Niane. I really hate that I've basically lost my ability to focus on long form and so have stopped reading any. I'm ashamed of that.
7. Maintain my important relationships. Love my father, my brother, and Bernie the way they deserve. Keep up with my friends and make them feel valued and cared for. I've been more hermited than usual lately, and I don't want to lose the people who are important to me.
Yes. I think I did this one okay, even with Bernie being away for all of this year.
8. I guess I will put keeping an eye to some sort of professional improvement. I'm notoriously bad at the job-finding process, but I think I need to improve my day job status in hopes of having some sort of financial security in addition to furthering my real, artistic work.
I did even better on this than I thought I would! I got two adjunct professor jobs, which were a real professional step up for me, one of which at a four-year university. I'm proud of that. This is a path I'd like to continue as long as I have to have a day job.
9. Keep working on being a kinder person, keeping my temper, and being less judgmental. Always until the day I die.
Keep on keepin' on.
10. Keep on learning to be hopeful. Always a struggle for me, but so necessary.
Actually I think I did better on this than I have before. It's not easy for me. But I kept mostly steady this year. That's something.