Resolutions

I don't usually make New Year's resolutions, but this time I think I'm going to, whether I plan to keep them or not. Just formulating them in my mind should be a help. This time around, I have a year and a half into social networking, and I've learned a few things, about the nature of the networking itself, and about me.

And as they say, there are some things that just have to change.

I'll add in the few usual ones. I need to exercise more. Not that my day job isn't abounding in physical activity, but it isn't directed toward any one kind of development. Just being on my feet a lot and moving around does little to condition my body for the occasional heavy lifting. I'm fifty now and lifting a few heavy boxes (over 50-60 lbs) shouldn't leave me with muscle aches for several days afterwards. I could just go ahead and resolve not to lift and throw things that are too heavy in the first place, but I really need the exercise, and I know I'd never stick to that one anyway.

With regard to the social networking, I absolutely must stop letting it get to me the way it does. I let myself get too close to other peoples' drama, and my feelings get involved. And the problem is, I don't know how much of the drama is actually real, or if it is mostly just there in my head. That is to say, usually the people I communicate with are not taking pains to be specific and make sure I have exactly the right picture in mind, that I fully appreciate the nuances of their situation. Rather, they're just blowing off steam, or they are depressed and need an ear, and like that. So it isn't their fault that I piece things together in a way that may be only partially true--what it looks like to me is in my mind. It's not like they're deliberately giving me puzzle pieces to fit together; I just do that. It's hard enough to get a clear picture of what things are really like "on the ground" for friends I see every day, let alone forming an accurate idea for people I've never met living 2000 miles away.

In addition, I've got to be more cognizant about what it is I am actually doing from moment to moment. For instance, if I spent more time writing instead of maintaining a virtual farm on FB that I barely care about, I'd feel much prouder of myself. That having been said, it is by this time clear that Concerta is no help to me in writing since when evening rolls around, it just gives me more energy to fritter away. Virtual farms, islands, cafes, and games are perfect for my near-zero evening attention span, so I have to work out some more useful middle ground.

Guess that's enough for now.