I resolve

to keep these resolutions and try again next year.

When I was a tween, “keep this list of resolutions to try again next year” was a staple line I added to any list of resolutions, which I only ever wrote for class assignments over winter break. I think an adult must have laughed a little too hard the first time I said it, and then it was an easy out to fill in one of a usually specified number of predictions/ resolutions. That and predicting I would turn however old on my birthday.

While I’m really bad at resolutions, I really like making lists of things I want to do, so I was pretty tickled by the trend of new year’s bingo boards this year.

I did 24 (plus a free space) and broke them up into six types of things I’d like to do this year (and a secret 7th).

Take the world in
Simply, be part of the world. Let myself enjoy things. Let myself use things and see things to see them.
bingo spots: burn through an entire candle, try a new fruit or vegetable, see a hibiscus in bloom (hopefully the one I’ve been raising for the last 2 years), destroy something beautiful.

Learn new things
I think this explains itself.
bingo spots: read a book in German, find a new favorite book, learn a new card game, take a community education class (I’ve been distantly flirting with going back to college)

Write
I’m less concerned with the physical act of writing and more with sending it forth into the wide world.
bingo spots: find a publisher for my manuscript (I’m nearly through my last round of edits before I start querying it. Something I have never really done before and am frightened of), finish writing current novel wip, release a new zine, record a spoken word EP

Do more art for me
I’ve been having really complicated feelings with posting my art on social media lately, really with using social media in general. Not sure how to handle that, but in the meantime…
bingo spots: make a temporary art piece, finish my sketchbook, create an abstract art piece, paint in nature

Go places
My agoraphobia has been bad and it’s making me bored.
bingo spots: go to the coast, take a day trip by bus, explore a new nature park, visit Seattle

Love as a verb
Things I want to do with the esteemed Mx. Tinsley. Humorously, when we read our lists together, we had a few of the same squares.
bingo spots: cook a new recipe together, build tiny room kits, beat a videogame together, go to a museum together

And my “secret 7th”…

Be myself
This is a hard thing to quantify with goals, because what I miss most about myself is spontaneity and whim. Those are hard to plan ahead and have both been hit hard by the Looming Depression Beast that’s been sticking around and drooling on my head, thinking I’d be quite tasty to devour. I’ve done a few things toward this objective- went hunting for 4 leaf clovers; painted rocks to go hide in the park because I found a painted rock in the park, and it made my day; rolled 2 D20s to determine the price of a passion project commission I was going to do regardless…
bingo spot: drink tea (free space)

Cheers to a new year! May curiosity replace caution. May your tea always be warm and the butter never tear your toast. May your library holds arrive quickly; your feet stay dry on rainy days. May you be inundated with a million tiny joys. etc and so forth.