New Year's Resolutions

My goals for 2014:

1.  To make significant progress in the following areas of primary importance:

• Photoshop - Using and creating brushes, patterns and textures, mastering the various types of layers
• Playing Bass - 

1. Increase my repertoire by learning at least one new song each week 
2. Learn to play more jazz and jazz swing
3. Increase my use of the standup acoustic bass, 
4. Sing more with a band; sing while playing bass
5. Increase frequency of solo practice -- one hour each day, minimum.

2.  Blogging -  

• Blog more frequently, try for daily postings
• Stop trying to be friends with certain bloggers who just don't seem to like me; provide support and links to others who do; find new friends and allies in the blogosphere 
• Improve my blog content so that it appeals to more readers
• Back up my blog monthly, to avoid losing content should enemies try to shut me down

3.  Other Goals -

• To extricate myself from accounting and taxes so I can focus on more interesting pursuits
• To refurbish and restore my 1966 Volkswagen Bug
• To exercise more by taking a daily walk of two miles, slowly increasing the distance
• To lose another ten pounds (twenty if possible)
• To continue my studies of the French and Spanish languages, by reading more blogs, articles and even books in these languages.

Thoughts for the New Year 2012

This new year opens my mind to new possibilities, in a way that 2009, 2010 and 2011 did not.  The past three new years were all about Obama, socialism, economic depression and no hope for anything better.  The Obama economy is akin to surviving a tornado:  all you can do is hold on and wait for it to end.

Now there is the hope that 2012 will be the last year in office of a terrible president, and at long last we can begin to rebuild the economy.

Some personal resolutions for 2012:
1.  To improve my health, attitude and energy level, though diet and exercise.  Specifically, to drop 30 pounds.
2.  To increase my earnings.  In 2006, I earned $140,000 in W2 salary.  I earned less than $3,000 in 2011.    Realistically, I won't earn at my 2006 level anymore.  I would, however, like to earn $35,000 in 2012, just to pay personal expenses, buy new high tech toys and items to support my music endeavors.
3.  To continue learning Spanish.  I want to be fluent in this language within two years.  Specifically, to complete Spanish 1B and 2A in 2012 with an A grade in both.
4.  To greatly increase my skill in playing double bass (also called upright or string bass), specifically, in jazz swing, jazz standards and mellow jazz.  I want to learn/create bass lines for 50 standards from the Great American Songbook.
5.  To become good enough at singing to contribute vocally in band performances.  I am studying and practicing singing and have improved substantially since I began back in August.
6.  To finally reach one million hits on this blog.  I am now nearing 850,000 and expect to realize this goal by summer or before.

2010: The Sun Rises on a Brand New Year

2010:  I like the sound of that.  Two thousand ten.  It's a nice, round number.

A new year seems to stir the human soul with fresh possibilities.  It feels like opening all of the windows and letting a fresh breeze blow away the stale air.  Time to start anew.  I must not let my life continue in the same, well-worn rut.  Now is the time to think of new approaches, new strategies, new plans.  What has worked in the past, but no longer works, must be discarded and replaced.

The arenas that must be explored and changed are these:
1.  What I do for money (work and career) in this new and radically changed economy
2.  What I do for personal enrichment (e.g., music, writing, reading, Photoshop)
3.  Personal relationships:  how to improve and strengthen existing relationships with friends, allies and family.
4.  Where I live.  Do I stay where I am or should I move where there may be better opportunities?

January 1st is always a good day to take inventory of your life and plan for needed changes.