Pickabar Blog

Ah, 2010. A year that should have been filled with jetpacks and robotic butlers, but which will instead be populated with the un- and underemployed and tea baggers. What can you do? I choose to buy records and go dancing.

2009 was not a great year for me. I don’t have very high hopes for 2010, but I do plan on increasing my batting average when it comes to accomplishing goals.

So, without further ado, my personal goals for 2010:

1. Run at least once a week. I failed at the “250 lbs” goal last year, so I’m changing it to this. I’ve been running three or four times a week since I recovered from my Achilles injury, but the bare minimum is one time a week. There’s no real good reason for me to go for weeks without exercise. Of course, once I run once in a week the second time almost takes care of itself. Getting exercise and eating right, and let’s be honest not over indulging in the vino, are really important for my mental and physical well being.
2. Start a new band. My punk band is going along ok, but I really would like to meet some folks who enjoy playing music as much as I do. I’d rather be playing music than doing almost anything else on any given night of the week. Playing once a week for 2 hours is kind of a tease. I need to work on my shyness and get the courage to put myself out there. This goal replaces my unfinished “play at an open mic” goal.
3. Get published by a (non-technical) commercial publication. This is another carryover. I consider myself first and foremost a writer, but I do almost no writing. That needs to change. So far, my only time being published was in a developer magazine.
4. Make at least one complete video or animation. I feel comfortable with my ability to make music at this point, but I don’t know the slightest thing about video, synching with music, or anything like that. That excites me.
5. Stay in touch with family. I’ve never been a big family man. As I get older, I realize that I’m wasting an incredibly valuable resource. My dad is a great thinker and writer who always has great advice. My uncle is my inspiration; living proof that you can do whatever you want as long as you don’t let other people set artificial limits on you. My brother is a really great R&B producer with a tender heart and lots of cute kids. He continued to reach out to me, even when I failed to reach back several times. Why would I not want to be in contact with these wonderful people who also just happen to love me? This is something I need to really work on.
6. Speak clearly and articulately. I’m a mumbler who talks fast when he gets excited. That’s a bad combination. I’ve started to realize more and more that no one really understands what I’m saying. Rather than make excuses or get frustrated with other people, I’m going to work on improving myself. That means speaking in a clear manner, in full sentences and with a confident voice. It also means taming the motormouth!
7. Get a job. It’s getting ridiculous at this point. My grandmother Nancy would have disowned me long ago. I need to be gainfully employed forthwith!

Sarah’s Dad is a renaissance man. He read my little winter poem and responded in the comments:

The Snow Is Also

The snow is also blanket to the seed,

out of sight but waiting to be born.

As is the name upon a stone,

no longer close but never far,

beneath the snow,

in each of us.

I took the liberty of titling it. Goals shortly.

By the way, David is also a painter. He painted the painting on the right behind him in this photo.

Spooky painting, I know.

He’s also one of the fathers of storm chasing. I’m serious. He even founded the first storm chasing magazine Storm Track. This is just a random sick drawing from the magazine.

He also took a photograph that was used for a stamp.

I could go on, but I won’t because I’m a little jealous. I think I need to make him a Wikipedia page.

You should come and hear me spin reggae, soul, punk and whatever else I feel like at Second Chance.

More details.

Yes, this is just an excuse for me to show off my new Flash skills.