Hello, 2012!

Here we go again, into yet another year. 2012 smells much like 2011 did so far, and I will admit to being disappointed that we didn't wake up to fire in the sky or a heavenly chorus, or announcements that the world's financial and health issues have finally been solved, or some other great marker of great and universal change. Or a smaller, local change in my own personal universe, such as a lottery win, would have been nice too.

But anyway, this is my post about my resolutions for 2012. Before I get started, I'd love to hear about yours, so please post them in the comments (or post a link to wherever you may have posted them on your own blog).

1. Lose weight.
This is less specific than last year, largely because I fluffed it. If I reach this time next year with a little bit less of me to share around then I'll be happy*.

2. Learn to count to 12 in 12 languages.
I've been using similar excuses for not learning to speak another language to those that other people use for not improving their own understanding of maths and science issues. These include but are not limited to I have a blind spot for them, I'm never going to need to use them, I'm not as clever as you are in that field and other people have learnt it so I don't need to. This resolution has two aims:

1. I want to overcome my fear of learning things outside of my own experience base and comfort zone.
2. I want to show you (meaning anyone who ever takes an interest in this particular goal) that the excuses in italics above are just that: excuses. They are not reasons. They are utter and complete codswallop and if I can stop using them to excuse myself from learning about other languages, then you can stop using them to excuse yourself from learning about maths and science. Come up with better reasons, by all means, but expect me to kill them with fire if they're stupid.

3. Continue to develop the relationships that mean most to me, and waste less time on people who don't matter.

Life is short, and thunders by at speeds well in excess of R17**. We waste so much time doing pointless things, and one of the most pointless expenditures of time that I can see is spending it in the company of people who aren't worth it. The absolute worst waste of time are the people you spend time with out of some sense of duty rather than because you want to. I have a small, scattered, motley bunch of friends who I care about immensely, and I'm going to concentrate on them.

4. Read more.

I've downloaded buckets o' books for my Kindle this season, I've been sent a popular science book to review, and I've been given books, as usual, for Christmas. I'm going to read all of the buggers because, damnit, that's something I enjoy doing. It's a resolution because it falls by the wayside (like so many things) because of work.

* I don't include losing body parts in that.
** R17 is not a fixed velocity, but it is clearly far too fast. [Extra points for knowing the franchise...]