New Year's Resolutions

I have a confession to make: I'm so shit at keeping New Year's resolutions it's not even funny.

In recent years I've been so convinced that I'll just break them that I don't even bother to make them any more. However, since leaving uni I've decided on a few. I'm going to write them down here so I don't forget, and maybe make a point of checking back this time next year and see what I've stuck to.

To begin at the beginning:

Write.
After giving up on what I considered to be my Magnum Opus earlier this year it knocked me for six creatively. I'm starting to gather pace with more ideas but even now I keep thinking up something great then forgetting to write it down. I'm going to make a point of carrying more notebooks with me to write things down in, because there are times when it just can't wait till home.

Read.
As I've mentioned before, reading while at uni became a chore, so much so that I stopped doing it in my spare time, thus impeding my enjoyment of it. I took it back up in the summer, but I've been slow and slack on carrying on with it. I'm currently reading 'Ghostwritten' by David Mitchell. I don't know if it's because the book itself is not enjoyable (which would be sad; I've read three of his novels and enjoyed them) or if it's just because I'm lazy, but I've been slack on reading it of late. I need to gather pace and complete it, then read some more of the many books I've accumulated in the last year or so.

Get a new job.
As I've mentioned, The Paid Job was not what I envisioned my post-uni life as being. Of course, finding graduate work in this climate is hard. I'm still trying, and I'm still contemplating a post-grad too. I found a job that I'm pretty well qualified for...except for the fact that I can't drive. Which leads me to my next point.

Learn to drive.
I never did get my finger out with driving lessons when younger, and moving to the city only ground it completely to a halt. Since I now live in the part of the city with the best transport links this is even less required. However, one thing I've found with applying for jobs is that many of them seem to value a full clean drivers' licence over a degree. If this is the case I at least need to learn to drive, and then save up to buy myself a car. So...

Open a savings account.
Since I was about thirteen, I have only ever had that one bank account. Yes, it's currently overdrawn. So I'm thinking to open another in an effort to save up a little. I've never done that before. Pay in a little money a month to have if I need it. Plus, I could save up and buy a car if I keep the resolution about learning to drive. I could also save up and get a mortgage. Let's face it, it's about the same amount of money as renting but I'd be in ownership of the property and wouldn't have any rules. I could also save up and go on holiday.

Renew my passport.
But wait, I hear you cry. Your passport expired, didn't it? Well, yes - more than three years ago now. Again, I never renewed it as a student because I sure as hell wasn't going anywhere. But I think I'll need to try, even if it's just for a weekend in France or somewhere.

Spend less time online.
I'm a die-hard Facebook addict. Twitter I've cooled off with a little. Getting a smartphone has intensified this addiction. I need to discipline myself, and get more human interaction. I might try deleting the Facebook app off my phone at some point.

Get back into swimming.
Speaks for itself, now that I've discovered the pools closest to me. I also need to shed some weight, but more on that later.

Get back into playing music.
My poor old guitar! She's had so little exercise in recent years. I also forgot to mention that my pa got me a mandolin for Christmas. I used to play then stopped, but now that I own one I'll need to start again. And singing! Again, voice gets bugger all exercise these days beyond the shower or belting out to my iTunes.

Eat more healthily.
I've started, believe it or not. From time to time I can snack on fruit instead of chocolate. In addition I've discovered it's more economical to cook a dish then keep the other portions in plastic containers. Saves me buying a microwave meal for work. I need to eat less of those, also takeouts. I am way too fond of chippies.

Go to the dentist.
It pains me to admit it, but since moving to Glasgow I've not seen a dentist. I know, right? I need to register with one. Of course, now that I work full time I have to pay for it. Why oh why didn't I go as a student? Hi, dental bills...:(

Live a little.
Don't live to work, work to live. Make more time for friends, especially uni types. Just be a better person than I was the year before.



And that's all I have for just now, a good comprehensive list. I'll add more as I come up with them.