Writerly Type

I’m a fan of resolutions. I’m less a fan of the actual resolutions than I am of the mindset that it takes to make them. That’s the part that rocks — the hopefulness, the idealism, the moment in time when you think to yourself, “ok, let’s do it.” I’d like to see more moments like that throughout the year — but it is that mindset that makes it easy for me to participate in the new year ritual, even as I avoid the other typical end-of-the-year broohaha (I’m looking at you Xmas).

Would it surprise those of you that know me that I am, beneath my bitter, caustic shell, an eternal optimist? A realist, yes. But an optimist first. A real polly anna if the truth be told. Now, with that bit of sharing over with — it is another year, so here is another list:

1. Up my game. Sometimes a long run can’t be finished at your usual, leisurely pace. Sometimes to click off those final kilometres you have to push it. You have to speed up and get a cramp and risk running out of breath. Yeah. I’m so close to the end of my novel I can smell it. I feel like it’s time to up my focus, up my writing hours and just general push through the fucking sound barrier to get to the end.
2. Run, baby, run. Following on the brilliant running metaphor above, I’m going to don spandex more often in 2012. Three times a week should do it. Additional exercise isn’t written off either. Oh and to quote Woody Guthrie: eat better, wash teeth (if any). That’s two extra for you.
3. Ask questions. This one’s easy. Questions can take you places you never expected. Questions can make you smarter, much smarter than listening to your own voice all the time. The more questions you ask, the more you know, the more interested you seem, the more people like you. Asking people questions is also a good indicator of how interesting they are — the tipping point is how many questions does it take to elicit a question from the one being questioned? There’s a question for you.
4. Read, baby, read. Twenty-eleven was a slow book year. I read a lot of different stuff and a lot of it was very good, but my to-read list is getting way too long. Lunch hours at work are being turned over to book reading time. This will give me at least a half hour three days a week on top of my hour before bed to whittle that list down.
5. Go forth into the world. I’m a hermit, I admit it. But this year I’m going to say yes to going out (once in a while, see point #1). I’d like to start with a house party or dinner party or something like that but I don’t think I’m on many invite lists anymore — I just don’t accept invites often enough. Whatever I end up doing, it will be pushing this introvert’s buttons to be out in the world socializing. It just might save me from a future as a recluse complete with Howard Hughes-like beard and fingernails.
6. And finally, an extra, an easter egg, for those of you who have made it this far. In 2012 I will find a good red wine and I will drink it. This doesn’t sound like much, does it? I gave up alcohol a few years ago — due to complications after surgery, not because I was lush or anything (well, I probably was but that’s besides the point) —  The recent holidays saw me drink 2 glasses of wine in one sitting and no side effects. This bodes very well for 2012. Very well indeed.

Now, a question (see point #3): how do you feel about resolutions? But more importantly, do you have a favourite wine you’d like to recommend?