My Mid-Year Resolutions

Do you still remember your New Year’s resolutions? You don’t. Am I right? The problem with such is that people remember them only until the first few weeks of the year. Months later, it is as if they have never made any. I’m making mine right now. I can’t call them New Year’s resolutions though because it is already June.  Instead, I’ll call them "my mid-year resolutions." I’m posting them here so that I’ll be obligated to fulfill them. Here are the things on my list.

1) Save money

2) Watch movies

3) Read books

4) Learn a sport

5) Be more sociable

6) Improve my English speaking skills

7) Play a musical instrument

8) Play video games

9) Keep this blog updated

10) Always be positive

Explanations and elaborations after the jump.

Save money

I have actually been saving money already, but for the last few months, I have made some impulse purchases. Also, some people borrowed money from me, and they still have not paid me back. I’m not really saving up for anything in particular, but I want to be financially ready in case anything comes up or when I finally decide to move out. I spend so much on food. That’s what I have to cut back on.

Watch movies

This is one of the first movies that I have to watch.

Watching movies is perhaps the best way to escape from reality, but watching in cinemas can be costly. I have to pay for the ticket and buy something to eat. To enjoy movies and at the same not go against my first goal, I’ll watch DVDs or download movies instead.

I waste more than two hours each day on the Internet (mostly browsing funny stuff). I realized that I could use that time to watch movies instead. I have already made a “Must See Movies Before I Die” list. I plan to watch at least two from that list every week.

Read books

I learned about this book from my students. This is on my list.

The only books I read are comic books by Filipino artists Pol Medina Jr. and Manix Abrera. The last real book I read is Coraline by Neil Gaiman, a Christmas gift two years ago. It is unusual for a writer not to be a book lover. Where will I get my inspiration, right? But that’s exactly why I don’t read books (except for the fact that I find reading boring). I am afraid that instead of being inspired, I may turn into a copycat. But hey! Most books on my list are fiction, and it’s not like I’ll be a fiction writer, so I guess I have nothing to worry about. I actually have an idea for a novel though. ;)

Learn a sport

I was never into sports. I was more of the studious type when I was younger. One thing I regret is not taking advantage of my height to play basketball. I would have made a great forward…not! I was always lampayatot. I can’t even dribble properly. I think it’s too late for me to learn how to play basketball, so I have a different sport in mind, one that does not involve dribbling or any balls for that matter. I’ll keep it a secret for now.

Be more sociable

Click image to zoom.

 It takes a long time for me to warm up when with a new group of people. I don’t know why. I consider myself a friendly person, but I come off as a snob for other people. I think they mistake my shyness for something else because I don’t talk too much. I do talk a lot in my head, but I have trouble getting words out of my mouth. This is related to the other thing I have to work on. Which is next on my list.

Improve my English speaking skills

It is ironic for someone with a master’s degree in communication (ahem, that’s me), to have poor communication skills. Yes, I can communicate, but I cannot speak as well as I can write (If I do write well in the first place). I have no problem with the vernacular; it’s English speaking I have trouble with. I have problem with my eps (Fs) and fees (Ps) for Pete’s sake! That must be because I don’t speak too much. Enrolling in John Robert Powers is expensive, so I’ll just remedy my situation by reading out loud. I hope it works.

Play a musical instrument

I want to learn how to play the piano to be able to play Claude Debussy’s Arabesque #1. However, the only musical instrument here in our house is a guitar. It’s my brother’s. He has not used it in years. He doesn’t even know how to play it. I’m not sure if it’s still in tune. I guess I’ll start with that first. I want to know if it’s really hard to teach old dogs new tricks.

Play video games

I'm playing the original Zelda game on my PSP through an emulator.

A friend asked me how I get to play with my handheld consoles. I told her that I don’t actually have the time to play with them. They’re just collecting dust in my drawer. I started playing 3 games about two months ago, and I’m not even halfway through finishing any of them. Perhaps playing video games is the only way for me to remain young at heart, so I’ll definitely keep on playing.

Keep this blog updated

Yeah right!

I edit essays written by Korean students as a living. My work requires little writing, and I’m afraid that I may forget how to do the only thing I’m good at. This blog is the only way for me to be able to write. Honestly, I started this blog to serve as my online portfolio, something to show to potential employers if I decide to pursue writing as a career (which is not in the near future). Thus, don’t expect to read about the night I got very drunk (because I don’t get drunk) or my indifference towards my neighbors (because I “love” my neighbors).

Always be positive

“It’s a crazy planets (sic),” allegedly wrote an 80s bold star on her suicide note. I’m beginning to realize how crazy the world truly is. People are not always nice to me, and I wish some situations could have gone better. But I won’t go cuckoo and kill myself. I learned to accept that the world is not fair. Still, sometimes, I can’t help myself from getting affected by silly, trivial things. I have to learn how to brush them off and continue living my life with a great smile on face. ;)

So will I be able to do all of these things? Definitely! It’s not as if they require miracles. I have actually started doing some of them, and when I start something, I make sure that I finish it (though it may take time). I'll keep you updated. :)

(Images here are not mine. They are just random photos from the Internet.)