I Hereby Resolve

It's that time of year folks, when we all lay down plans for the new year before promptly "forgetting" about them a month later. I'm hoping that making mine public will force me to stick to them... but check back with me in February.

Get more active: I know, I know, isn’t this everyone’s resolution, even if it is most often tacked with the perennial favorite, “lose weight?” But I already have the daily gym run down, and barely grumble anymore over having to get up early to do it. I’m envisioning things that take me someplace else, even if that’s only to a different gym than I’m used to. The thing I absolutely want to start doing is kayaking. Hidden River Outfitters have tours on the Schuylkill where they supply the kayak and some basic instruction. I’m hoping they start that up in the spring so I don’t have to wait a year, but I could journey to one of their other events, too. Another option is hula hooping, which I’m told is all the rage these days. I actually have an adult-sized hula hoop called the SuperStar that’s been gathering more dust than I’d like. I haven’t gone bowling sans Wii in I don’t know how long. Then there’s rock/wall climbing. Why not? They do have a rope on you, right?

Get more arty: I’m amazed at how much public art there is in the city that I have no idea exists. There are the murals, of course, of which I’ve only seen a precious few, but then there’s things like a giant Trouble piece and masks embedded on the sides of buildings. Sounds like some spring afternoons to me. I’m also going to finally get around to trying Art After 5, courtesy of a brand spanking new membership to the Art Museum (somebody was keeping up with my hints).

Shut up my inner English major: I’m going to do it. Yes, I’ve said it before, and yes the times I have failed number many. But this time, this time I have a plan. I am going to read Ulysses. Honestly. I will accomplish this by signing up for the Rosenbach Museum’s Ulysses Reading Group. For some reason, perhaps Catholic schooling, I have this fear of not getting homework done, and hopefully that fear will keep me on the straight and narrow starting next fall. Guess I should start chapter 1 right about now…

Volunteer more: I talk a good game, but the truth is the extent of my volunteering over the past year has involved me sitting behind a computer doing research. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. But Phillyist adopted a family this holiday season, and when we went to drop off the gifts at HELP Philadelphia, I remembered how much I like working with people (my 9-to-5 now involves mostly sitting behind a computer doing research, too). So I’m gonna. I haven’t decided what exactly I want to do yet, and my inner librarian is starting to kick up a fuss, too, but I hereby resolve that it shall be done.