Farewell, 2017! Hello, 2018!

Every year at this time, like most people, I make resolutions and set goals which play out to varying degrees of success. The list is generally vague, though, including loose examples rather than objectively verifiable metrics. This year, I'm going to take a different approach.  I'm going to be specific. I'm going to include things I want to do on my calendar alongside my obligations. I'm going to share my progress with a few close friends. Maybe I'll even blog some updates along the way. (You may have noticed that I haven't been posting much of anything lately. Rather than bemoan the reasons for that, I'm going to focus on correcting them.)

Here is my refined list of goals for 2018:

Continue to improve my physical health.

• I will walk 1,000 miles as measured by the pedometer on my phone and Google Maps.
• I will improve my flexibility and balance through brief daily and longer monthly activities.
• I will monitor and chart the progress toward my ideal body weight.

Continue to improve my financial health.

• I will accumulate and protect the equivalent of six months' budget as a safety net for the turbulence during my inevitable job transition.

Read books that are not just for work or school.

• I don't know what kind of pace I can keep up for this, but I would like to average about one book a month by the end of the year. I'll keep a reading log and make use of GoodReads.

Play video games on a regular basis.

• I will take at least one brief video game break every week. I bet my son Avery will help me with this. I'll keep a game journal.

Raise my professional credentials.

• Eventually I want to upgrade my certifications, but my one and only goal for this year is to make substantial progress on my dissertation. I intend to complete a prototype by May.

Rather than work on a new game this year, rebuild my website.

• It's embarrassingly out of date and poorly designed. If I am to be taken seriously as a web technology professional, I need to redesign my website.

Reacquire and improve my musical ability.

• I have a list of nearly 30 songs that I intend to practice on a regular basis.  Every month I will practice at least one or two, and more if I have time.

Increase the frequency and regularity of contact with my friends.

• I'm not sure what's a reasonable metric for this, but it is a goal. If my loved ones see this, maybe they'll do their part, too.

Figure out what my next career move is going to be.

• Maybe I'll find a new job this year, or maybe the events of the year will present a new path, but no matter what happens, this will be the year that I take the first steps toward whatever comes next for me.

Have a great 2018, everyone!