Ten Things to Do this 2010

I’m not really a fan of making New Year’s resolutions, but I realized it’s not that bad. In fact, it is a good practice. We often joke that New Year’s resolutions are not meant to be kept, but who said so? Did we simply resign to that belief, because we can’t keep ours? Or is it a personal challenge to discover a virtue that we need to work on ourselves: resolve?

So here’s my personal list of what I want to do this year:

1)    Write more.
I really love to write. But sadly, I didn’t give it much time for the past years. It’s been difficult trying to get the rust off my brain, and getting back into the habit.

I’ve given up a lot of times, actually. Maybe it was those countless days of writer’s block, or the lack of appreciation, or maybe I just don’t get the attention I wish I could have – these robbed me of the simple pleasure of expressing what my heart and mind contains.

I want to write more. I may not be the best writer the world can ever have, or I may not become popular in any way, but I will write – because it’s what I love to do.

2)    Read more.
I’m not talking about the news here: I’m talking about paper-printed novels. I realized that the decline in my appetite for writing has much to do with my laziness in reading.

I remember those days when I would devour (figure of speech) pocket books for weeks, only taking breaks for meals and the occasional call of nature. I could finish a thin paperback novel in just 3 to 4 hours, and a Tom Clancy/Stephen King novel would take me 1 to 2 days.

But don’t get me wrong: I will never waste my time on Twilight. NEVER.

3)    Sleep more.
Well, I actually should say “Sleep earlier” but I realized that my writing habit works best late at night. And really, it’s those crazy, witching-hour ideas (when my mind is trapped between wakefulness and dreamscape) that I personally love best.

I don’t know where people based those medical mumbo jumbo about correct time for sleep (since we all live in different time zones… I mean, ‘these glands work at XX hours, and these organs clean at XX hours…’ I mean I believe in biological clocks and all, but how do they fit in sync time into all of this. HUH.) But as for me, as long as I get enough sleep – that’s healthy enough for me.

4)    Smile more.
This is a personal advice I love to give to others, but fail to apply to myself most of the time. Well, I do have an arsenal of excuses on this one (like ‘being true to what you feel’, ‘an honest tear is better than a fake smile’, ‘a smiling dog bites’, and so on).

But yes, I need to smile more – because while we can’t choose to be happy, we can choose to be joyful. Just a single reason to smile is more than enough to overrule any number of alibis I can muster.

So, Kingdom of Smiles* – here I come!

5)    Go out more.
I literally need to go out. More. Inhale some urban pollution. Waste time at the mall. Walk around the city aimlessly. Why? Because I realized I’m spending too much time in the big world of Internet, yet missing out on the small world called life (but hey, Facebook is a form of lifestyle…)

Besides, I need the tan. Don’t wanna have an Edward-Cullen pale complexion. Urg.

6)    Listen more.
And this applies both to people and music.

Music: I am so out of touch with today’s music. Totally. Well, it’s really not my thing, but it’s kinda awkward when you make jokes based on popular songs from yesteryears. Songs from decades ago might be good material, but last year? Lame. Kinda figuring out the logic on that one, too. Maybe some other time.

People: While I do give enough time to hear out my friends’ personal book of lamentations, I don’t listen much to their little book of suggestions. So I’ll try to do that. Except when it comes to romance. OFF LIMITS: Stay out of my brain. And heart.

7)    Pray more.
I’ve been a Christian for most of teen life till now (don’t count, just read on). But I sheepishly admit that instead of growing deeper, I have grown more and more distant – by slowly losing that simple life of faith I used to have.

I often blame adulthood as the cause of this, but I know of people who despite the years have remained faithful, steadfast, and still dependent on Christ for everything. Everything.

And I complain each time I’m out of cash. Or when the wifi’s out.

Sometimes, God needs to pull out the connection (literally, figuratively, and digitally) for me to realize that the person I need to connect with the most is Him and Him alone.

8)    Save more.
Wait. What savings???

I’m not a thrifty person – that I am fully aware of. And since I am not getting younger, I need to really work on building my savings

(So help me, God).

9)    Exercise more.
I often excuse myself from this because I’m either too tired (lack of sleep) or too busy… But if I really want to get back to my old 132 lbs figure, I need some serious physical plan to shape up…

And that includes dieting from Facebook. And Plants versus Zombies.

But not MouseHunt! Hahaha!!!

10)    Remember more.
I hate to admit that for a person with mnemonic skills as mine, I forget a lot of important things.

Like, I am a Christian.

Like, I am a brother.

Like, I am a son.

Like, I am a friend.

The list goes on. And I hope that this entire year, I will remember more of these. And find time again to be who I am to all those people who care for me.

Happy 2010, everyone!