The time to think about your New Year's resolutions is now, at the end of the year. Think about what you wanted to accomplish and how far you came.
I wanted to get in shape. I did that, but my level of physical fitness has dropped off in the second half of the year.
I wanted to win the Higuchi award and / or become a DP. Half of that happened.
I wanted to get a substantial raise or job offer. That has not happened.
I decided I would become more expert in the oral interpretation of poetry. I accomplished this, or at least worked on its considerably.
I would finish my book What Lorca Knew. This did not happen, but I did write a lot. Toward the end of the year, the book shifted shapes on me. It will now be both harder and easier to finish it. Harder, because I have to reshape it and write more. Easier because I have a clearer sense of the direction I am going in.
So my goals for the next year: improve my living situation. Find a good place to live in Kansas. Live better (dress better, sleep better, eat better, be in better shape). Earn more money. Finish ADLB. (Another Damn Lorca book--that's my less than respectful nickname for my project). I want to learn to sing.
1 comment:
Dayum, we haven't even graduated yet or dealt with Christmas, and it is the New Year?! Talk about upping the ante!!!
OK:
1. Get comfortable tying the kayak onto the car by myself. This is goal #1. Major.
2. Pay down debt. Increasing income is the only way to do this. Figure out how. Court interpreting, posada, summer teaching, and #5, below, but really I should be brought in at by struggling colleges at high consulting fees to help them rework curricula and programs, I am a genius at this and they would love what I could do for them.
3. Keep negotiating at work. I am considering offering to teach 4/4 in exchange for certain concessions that even on 4/4 could net me more research time (believe it or not).
4. Visit California and Mexico. Negotiate with Mexicans. Call Brazil and Peru.
5. Remember to consider NEH seminars and summer library grants.
6. Research and teaching, we already know this. In the same vein really learn to run, and increase upper body strength for rowing and general purposes.
7. Be serious, have authority and be vigente. Be perfectionistic at ceramics and use this as a model for everything. I know perfectionism is supposed to be bad but I am ambitious by nature and I say, reach for the stars.
8. In the prison work, come on as in #7. Do not allow lawyers, or prisoners to run me. I am there to serve but I am also working for free so I will do as I see fit and be active, not just hide in phases when others want to use me to their purposes.
OK, that is a better list than I would come up with if I wrote my own post, because it is just a comment so the pressure is off.
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