1 milli-blog - new year's resolutions - it's okay to start something that's doomed to fail
#update
parents:: milli-blog
daily note:: 2024-12-31
I've never done New Year's resolutions. "What's the point?" I'd tell myself (yes, it was one of those pretentious rhetorical questions). They always fail, no? (Damn, I can't stop doing it, can I?)
Another part of it was this feeling that I was above them. "I don't need New Year's resolutions to make myself better in the ways I'd like to be better."
And yet... here I am, making a New Year's resolution. Why? (Not a rhetorical question.)
- I've realized that it's okay to start something even if it's doomed to fail.
- Because most things are doomed to fail. Google was doomed to fail.
- Because statistically, in most areas worth-while, most things fail.
- But some things succeed
- Because even when things fail, there's something to learn from them.
- The American experiment was doomed to fail. It's on it's way there. But, even though we like to focus on the bad things (what with the bad news bias), it's done a lot of good. (1) In the sense of just making many people's lives better while it was thriving, and (2) teaching the world valuable lessons about the things to (and not to) do (such as using too many parenthesis in a blog post).
- Because most things are doomed to fail. Google was doomed to fail.
- There is something to having a discrete point in time to reflect and prioritize--really make a decision about what is important to me.
- Because making a New Year's resolution isn't just about "beating myself into shape." It's more about looking back on the shapes--square, dodecahedron, alligator, puddle--that I'e found myself in over the past year, and figuring out what is the shape I'd like to see myself in?
- Because making a good New Year's resolution requires taking the 144p images floating around in my head "better writer," "good music arranger," "better friend" and turning them into.
- Because making a New Year's resolution isn't just about "beating myself into shape." It's more about looking back on the shapes--square, dodecahedron, alligator, puddle--that I'e found myself in over the past year, and figuring out what is the shape I'd like to see myself in?
To start things off, my first new year's resolution is to start a "milli-blog," where for the first 4 entries, I will turn four topological descriptions of my resolutions into precise geometric ones.
Terms of the milli-blog
- I will spend at least 10 minutes and no more than 30 minutes on each blog post.
- For the first week, the upper limit is 20.
- Every day!
- Until I fail.
- Why milli- because it's just bigger than a microblog
Potential New Year's resolutions
- Arrange 2 pieces for acapella (and just generally do more arranging)
- Submit 2 short stories to literary magazines (and just generally write more)
- Stop using so many parenthesis and quotes
- Do at least one about research/academia
I'm excited for this!
More potential blog ideas
- On how to be first. Because if you're second to things it becomes less interesting/harder. Related:: don't be the best. be the only