normally rattled off in the first week of the year, i decided none of my new years resolutions should be expected to take effect until the week that included the big new years party/rose bowl celebration type business was fully behind me.

so, in the first FULL week of 2008, time to look at last year’s resolutions and update them for the new one. i really like my — what are they, 9 categories? yes. so i’m keeping them all. but i think this year i need to be a bit more specific within each one so i can really say to myself, ‘yes, i am doing this,’ or ‘come on brian, you said you would do this and you totally did not.’

anyway, the list:

–be smart
last year: fell slightly short on my 1.5 book/month (18) goal again this year. i was close. we tried to start a small reading club discussion, but that fell apart after one book. i think my crossword habit even fell away. shame on you brian! i read almost all day every day at work though, and i do get a sense of increasing general wisdom somehow, so it can’t be all bad.

this year: hit that book goal for the first time in several years (that means if three weeks go by, better finish that damn book already). get back on the crosswords. talk about the books and films i see more often. easy.

–be social
last year: i declared, probably for the first time on paper, i really no longer felt the need to go out of my way to make new friends. i did want to make sure i didn’t get too settled down though just because i had a steady girlfriend and lots of buddies. for the most part i think it worked, i still had a lot of fun times. sure, moving in with her meant more nights at home, but they were really good nights so it’s okay. and i did make some new friends anyway, so check me out, it works better when i don’t try to hard.

this year: tough one. i’m so pleased with the circles i’m in, i don’t really need to work at this. i guess the one thing would be to stay in better touch with the friends that aren’t as close by.

–be active
last year: played very little volleyball last summer, my bike got stolen, but i did have a short spurt of tennis enthusiasm. perhaps i’ve gained a few pounds — my profile is slightly softer than it was, i’ll admit — but it’s not too late to escape pudgy status if i act now!

this year: act. NOW! i don’t have a scale so i can’t make a weight-loss goal (get a scale, you say? fah!), but i can commit to a goal of thrice-weekly activity of some kind, and accept the requisite guilt when i succumb to laziness. should get back into tennis too, that was fun.

–be adventurous
last year: wanted to go on a cool trip, and went to tokyo with jessica. did go to several new restaurants and other LA things. did not go on any exciting road trips. i did make the big jump of moving though, a year after i thought it would be a good idea, on the fluke of jessica needing to vacate her condo-converting apartment building. and it worked out great! that is one adventure i couldn’t be happier with.

this year: need to go snowboarding once. need to go on an overdue road trip (possibly in an RV to austin city limits or SXSW?). need to finally make my first trip to new york city. and otherwise keep hitting up yelp for new local adventures, but that’s basically a given.

–be better
last year: wanted to do well at work and i did. a promotion and a raise, at two separate points in the year. that’ll be hard to top no matter what i do. i think i’ve written more on the blog this year too, at least in spurts. and i’m getting more on top of my finances, so overall i think i’m proving fairly responsible and capable. go me.

this year: do a kickass job in my new role at work, shoot for another promotion, and put a big fat dent in my debt. not that lofty, but totally doable.

–be romantic:
last year: this will sound sickening, but every day since we’ve moved in together has been really sweet and effortlessly great.

this year: with things going so well, my main priority is to keep them going as well or better if that’s even possible. and i guess not get too into a routine where we aren’t excited about how lucky we are. (okay i’m going to stop sounding so lame now).

–be creative
last year: i wanted to try to do something outside of work in some sort of entrepreneurial endeavor just as an experiment, or try to create something original. umm, i didn’t really, despite having a few decent ideas that just never got started.

this year: honestly, something new, even if it’s small and hobbyish. i need to put one new thing out into the world this year. that’s my goal. perhaps easier said than done.

–be conscientious
last year: i wanted to smoke less, eat better, give more… well, i probably should have realized that everyone does and been a little more realistic.

this year: i promised to be done being a regular smoker this year, so, well, i’ll be working on that (if somewhat gradually), mostly because i don’t like that other people don’t like it. i would also like to be more generous and supportive of my friends and family. i’d say i should volunteer but i’m going to be honest with myself and say i’m just not at a volunteering point in my life. sorry orphans!

–TOP PRIORITY: DON’T SLOW DOWN.
last year: well, i definitely went to tons of parties and hosted my share of them as well. maybe i don’t stay up as late, but i do pack it in when i can. i’d say this is going well and i don’t forsee a drastic stall in my social calendar any time soon, so as far as fun goes, i’m all set.

this year: umm, keep up the good work?

alright, and it begins well. i’m blogging, i exercised, i was proactive about things at work today, and i’m making my girlfriend dinner. 2008 is going to be fucking excellent.