From Stan, the I’m-so-horny-I-need-to-land-on-your-head Harris’s hawk. I love you buddy, but no. Have some perching time in the warm room.
Do I have resolutions? No, no I do not.
Do I have things I want to accomplish this year?
Yes, yes I do.
More of this:
- More intentional yoga. This is an extension of last year, which has gone pretty well; I do 25-30 minutes of yoga, 5 days a week. This year I would like to continue with that, but create a practice more focused on strength and flexibility.
- Walking. I walk 1.5 – 2 miles a day, four or five days a week. I’d like to continue that, maybe commit to five days a week.
- Reading. I’m using the library (both for books and Libby) more now, which I’d like to continue, because… the library!
- Journaling and illustration. Another one of those things that I already do — but on a way-to-limited basis — I’d like to introduce more intentionality, and more sharing. I want to upgrade my rendering skills, and engage with more storytelling. Also, nature journaling.
- Work with birds. I’m in a weird situation with my volunteer gig right now, where I really only have one volunteer shift every other week. It involves feeding and watering all of the OLC’s animals (reptiles, mammals, insects, fish, amphibians, and raptors), so there’s no dedicated time to work with the birds (unless I turn it into a 4-5 hour shift). But, I would like to do more training with some of the birds (looking at Stan the Harris’s hawk, Arden the red-tail, and Basalt the saw-whet owl), so I’ll have to make time to pop in once a week. I have a membership to Avian Behavior International’s online programs, so that’s going to be my classroom.
- News from media not owned by billionaires. Right now I subscribe to The Guardian, The Philadelphia Inquirer, and a couple of newsletters. The Atlantic is my last wealth-owned holdout, and frankly, it’s on the bubble. I may resubscribe to my local newspaper, or a local independent media outlet, for news about my congressman.
- School. I want to do 12 units this year, and no summer classes.
Less of this:
- Cooking. Hear me out. I have been making full-on evening meals, 5 nights a week. It’s time-consuming to plan, shop for, and cook that much, that often. I’m not going to stop making food at home, or make food at home less often, but I’d like to create a rotation of about, say 10 dinners, that are simple and quick to make, and save more composed meals for special occasions, or for times when I’m itching to try something new.
- Social media. Egads. I post very little, but I spend too much time doomscrolling, and it’s not a healthy situation for me. Frankly, I’m not sure that most of us need to be that dialed in.
- Perfectionism. Do not let the perfect be the enemy of the good, and all that.
Carmen Yount 