Who Has Time For Resolutions???
The New Year has arrived and I'm not properly recovered from the last year to even acknowledge the new year's arrival.
I blogged twice in 2010 and in previous years I was blogging up to five days a week. It makes me think that rather than burn my candle at both ends, perhaps somewhere along the way I threw the entire box of candles straight into the fire.
Of the things I haven't done in 2010:
- Learn a musical instrument.
- Read a book that didn't have cardboard pages.
- Fence in a tournament.
- Get to fencing on time (Truthfully, I think I made class on time four times in 2010)
- Repair my fencing equipment.
- Claim a yard out of the wilderness my house sits in.
- Build a proper lab in the upstairs space.
- Spend more than 10 minutes at any given time in the upstairs space.
- Drive my car.
- Get my business started.
- Finish any of the three books I used to be writing
- Cook three consecutive dinners.
- Others I won't bore and/or offend you with.
I'm thinking I need to identify the things that I DO do, look at their advantages and disadvantages and drop something.
I'm not ditching my wife or my daughter. I've grown very fond of them both and would miss them if they were gone. Both are good influences on me keeping me sane and balanced. Thanks to Sara I sleep indoors every night in a place that stays a constant 70 degrees. Fiona keeps me focused on what is important, eating, sleeping, and being happy. Nope, they are both definitely staying.
My Job takes 40 hours of every week and pays me for about 25 to 35 of them. I could ditch that, but would lose the wife and the child in the process. So, I've got to keep doing that. I could get a job elsewhere, but no I can't. Not in this market. I've recently learned that I'm not even qualified to work an entry level position at my place of employment. That's sobering considering the level of work I'm doing over here. I think I'm going to sit quietly, do my work and tip toe quietly the heck out of here before someone notices that I am apparently completely unable to perform the duties I've been performing for these past 11 years.
My business agreement with my wife is that I can start any business I want to so long as it doesn't cost anything and it doesn't require a loan which would in any way possibly endanger our house or our credit. I can accept these terms. I've become accustomed to the roof and constant 70 degree lifestyle the roof provides. So I do odd jobs, pick up a little money here and there and save that to start my business- or buy groceries and gas if we run out of money near the end of the month. My small business savings is in the tens of dollars.
Fencing. Fencing has kept me happy and health for 16 years. It cost money to volunteer as a fencing coach but that is the model we created for our club and I believe in that model. I have friends there that I wouldn't ever see if it wasn't for tournaments. By not going to any tournaments in 2010 my finger has drifted far from the pulse of fencing in the state. My friends from other clubs have become people I keep up with via Facebook. USFA membership costs money, and it is enough to be something that has to be planned and budgeted for. There is no plan and no budget for the 2011 season (membership due August 1st). My equipment is broken, my gear is ill fitting, and I spend far too much time apologizing for the work I used to do but now can't/don't/won't do. Logically, this is the thing I should give up. The money I don't have to spend on it can be spent on the things I gotta have like gas, rice, fried chicken, electricity, and Fiona's daycare. Yes, there is no logical reason why I should keep this on.
I should just stop. Tell that to a smoker, alcoholic, drug addict, or FOX News fan. Addiction is a terrible thing. Worse, there are people who I really like and really enjoy spending time with that count on me to share my addiction with them twice a week. (It used to be three times a week, but I had to drop a day for wife/daughter/roof over head reasons). Maybe I could drop another night? *twitch* *twitch* I am afraid it is either cold turkey or not at all.
Just keep thinking of all the money I would save by not doing it. Just think of the time I would get back by not doing it. Try not to think of the really wonderful people I wouldn't see anymore. Try not to think of the source of exercise I would be losing. HAHAAHHAHHAHAA...I can't even remember the last time I put gear on. So I've got that going for me at least. I can trade driving an hour and ten minutes twice a week to stand there and "teach" with playing with my daughter two extra days a week.
I think I've made up my mind. Now all I have to do is jump. Its a long way down, and the shallow water looks awfully chilly. Are you sure this rope around my neck is going to keep me from hitting the ground? I always though bungee cords were stretchy.
My New Years Resolution for 2011 is...
