Hi Kayla,
New Year's resolutions are bullshit! But this year... I think I'm going to list some things... I'll mail these to everyone in my address book (all fucking 5 of them) and strive to fulfill/stick to them.
1.
write more. now, this may be a creative resolution or an academic resolution or journalistic... I've decided to create a blog and my intention is to use it to write
AT LEAST SOMETHING every day. I start a degree course (via open university) in Feb (english language and lit), which will "allow" me to write essays, assessments etc... but... you know what? I'm a good writer... I should write. so, academic and hopefully journalistic... I can fulfill these... creative?... I HOPE HOPE HOPE I can fulfill this... nothing has given me more pleasure in life (and I include sex, food, music and laughter in this) than writing something that I've felt is really worthwhile.
2.
take more photographs. I'm not an arrogant or particularly confident person but, as above, I believe I'm good at this. I've neglected photography. I can't promise, or resolve, to take a photo each day but I will try to take "some" photos each week. I've given you my new blog above (to check my progess) so here's my flickr address (keep tabs on me and chastise me if you want)
Futile Horn's Photos.
3.
do more with my guitar. I bought my first guitar aged 13/14 (after hearing "live forever" by oasis on top of the pops and realising that, unlike michael jackson and my sister's new kids on the block, oasis looked like me... therefore, I could do that!) from Argos. My dad took me. He thought I was a fucking moron. Spending all that money (£30 for a Hohner classical guitar) on something that will "never pay your bills".... I'm self taught. I had one or two lessons in school a few years previous to this but I couldn't deal with the dry lessons (bad teacher?) so I gave it up until britpop and oasis and 1994. I can play a fair number of riffs, songs and made up "fuck-a-bouty" tunes but... don't ask me the chords, notes, scales, keys... because I don't have a fucking clue. I think this has restricted me. I can go here:
http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/ and search for things I want to learn... I will try to learn more about this instrument that's been by my side for 15/16 years.
4.
work REALLY FUCKING HARD and do REALLY FUCKING WELL in this open university course , which starts in February 2009. I have a month to work myself up for this resolution...
5.
read more. I have bought "fuck loads" of books in the past year... of which I've read... oh... 2 or three... and one of the ones I did read was given to my by a workmate! I just... I have
One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich in my satchel. I bought it the day I read that Solzhenitsyn had died. He was always on my "list of writers to read" and this reminded me... so I bought it. It's a small book. size wise! It's a small book! I started to read it but... my concentration... I don't sleep well... my mind wanders... I entertain myself with silly noises, thoughts, ideas... other things get in the way... maybe I wank too much... point is, it's a small novel. I should have read it in a week! Months later, however... Number five with a bullet: read more! I'm going to start with a) the work for my first class, and b) the books in my bookcase that haven't even been opened yet... lazy!
that's it. I really don't think I can, or that I want to, change anything else about me. I'm a fairly decent sort of guy and... I think most changes happen as per experience, therefore, what the fuck's the point in "planning" a change? you live it and you change... hence my statement at the top that New Year's resolutions are bullshit.
Kayla, I'll keep an eye on you, if you keep an eye on me!
