Resolutions for 2017

Usually I check on my resolutions on the 31st of December and then write my new ones on the first of January, but with the last couple of days being so busy, I figured I’d write my resolutions blind today, and then check on 2016 tomorrow.

So, in no particular order:

Reading I don’t feel that I read as many books as I could have done last year. I read a lot of blogs, and newspaper articles, and sundry flotsam and jetsam in my RSS feed, but (if my Amazon purchase history is to be believed) I read 16 books in the year. I’d like to read at least one book per week, but that is a it of a silly goal, given how much exercise I’m going to be doing, and also because I’m reading one book every night anyway, but the literary value of Little Miss Naughty for 28 days on the trot is questionable. So I’d like to be reading a different book every week, and finish most of what I start.

Reviewing To keep track of this, I’m going to try to review every book I read, and put that all up here. But why stop at just books? This year, I’m going to review as many of the things that I use, eat, read or experience. Then at the end of the year I’ll have a huge mass of knowledge that will probably be massively inapplicable to anyone else, but will at least indicate to me some of the things I’ve done. Also, though I tried to structure this blog in 2016 with a bit more structure (ahem) I didn’t always stick to it. In 2017, every week is going to be a bit more like every other week (and not just with me whining about being tired).

Running I’m going to run a good, strong marathon at the end of March and train consistently for it, and then after the marathon I’m going to keep my running up (at a lower volume, of course) and beat my times at the Masters’ Athletic contest in September, or whenever it happens to be. And (let’s put numbers against it) I want to be getting under 20 minutes for a 5k regularly this year (certainly after the marathon is out of the way). La Serpiente or Destroyer should be getting at least one ride in the stroller at speed every month. (I did around 80 km in it in 2016, which is pretty good for a $50 investment.) To make sure I don’t fall apart, I’m (hopefully) going to start doing pilates on a regular basis (at lunchtimes) every week.

Swimming I’m going to learn to swim. Again.

Dancing The wife and I are going back to salsa lessons. In April, because the next three months for anything non-marathon related may be a trainwreck.

Parenting As much as possible, I want to be a constant presence in the girls’ life. To quantify that, I’m going to try to take La Serpiente to school every schoolday that I’m in Singapore this year (excepting medical emergencies or anything else cataclysmic). I’d like to be around for their swimming and music classes, but I’ll probably be at the office (“making food” as La Serpiente terms it) during the week.

Writing (bonus goal) – to try to get a first draft of Gap Year complete this year.

I’m also resolving to come back to this at the end of every quarter this year to assess progress, and add resolutions / finetune as necessary.

So, what are your resolutions? And what did I manage to do, and what did I think I would do, in 2016?