2009 Resolutions

After reviewing my 2008 Resolutions, I realized that a number of them were hard to quantify. And I love to quantify things. I look at things objectively, not subjectively. So this year my goals will be more concrete, more measurable. Here we go, in no particular order:

• Write 12 short stories (1 a month, if possible)
• Travel somewhere unique within the continental U.S. that I haven’t been before or anywhere outside of mainland U.S.
• Finish the novel
• Make at least $500 doing something that is not my regular job (probably via writing, but not via stripping)
• Increase regular readership on this blog to 100 people/day
• Do at least one spontaneous, impulsive act once a week (this does not include eating fried chicken for dinner when I didn’t plan on it)
• Write at least 12 handwritten letters that are not thank-you notes (I know, 12 seems like so few, but how many handwritten letters did you write last year?)
• Read more books than I did in 2008 (13)
• Make my employees feel truly valued on a weekly and monthly basis (how to quantify? Tough. But intentional acts displaying value are quantifiable)
• Learn one new specific, useful skill (stripping using fried chicken as a prop doesn’t count)
• Spend less on a monthly basis than I did in 2008
• Donate blood at least four times

Are there any websites that help you keep monitor and keep track of New Year’s resolutions?

Unrelated Note: The other day I posted a glowing review of the new movie Slumdog Millionaire. The movie is getting a lot of press for the Academy Awards. Why is that? Just because it’s a good movie, you say? Nope. It’s the opera scene in the middle of the film that makes it an Oscar contender, just like in Milk. Is the opera scene in Slumdog necessary? Aside from showing some kids stealing purses, absolutely not. As a viewer, you’re treated to about 30 seconds of alternating shots of some opera that the average moviegoer doesn’t know and the main character’s facial expression as he reacts to the opera. Important to furthering the story? Nope. Important for the film’s Oscar chances? Absolutely.