i think this will be my first time that im going to make a new year's resolution. Well, sort of new year's resolution. According to Answers.com/Wikipedia a New Year's Resolution is "a commitment that an individual makes to a project or a habit, often a lifestyle change that is generally interpreted as advantageous".
So how do i start? Well, there are three new year's text greetings that i decided to guide me in making my new year's resolution.
Ive received this one more than twice, maybe thrice. This is the original version from Neil Gaiman' online journal (because there's a little variation with the text messages i received):
May your coming year be filled with magic and dreams and good madness. I hope you read some fine books and kiss someone who thinks you're wonderful, and don't to forget make some art -- write or draw or build or sing or live as only you can. And I hope, somewhere in the next year, you surprise yourself. - Neil Gaiman
These are the other two text messages:
If you cannot be grateful for what you have received, then be thankful for what you have been spared. Life is short, live it. Love is rare, grab it. Anger is bad, dump it. Fear is awful, face it. Keep and cherish all memories that are sweet. Let us forget all hurt and grievances and start anew
Life is short, break the rules, forgive quickly, kiss slowly, love truly, laugh uncontrollably, and never regret anything that made you smile.
So what now? Well, now with the list.
1. A year filled with magic, dreams and good madness. Well, the magic part is a little tricky. Hmm. Is this an equivalent of being wished good luck? There is something magical with being extraordinarily lucky. ok, i dont think i would have control over that. As for dreams, well, i guess it can only be done by sleeping well. So does this mean, have good nights of sleep? That's manageable. ive never been a person that deprives myself of sleep. Now the last one, good madness, what does this mean? According to Professor Roy Porter, it might be a "sort of divine experience, a holy innocence" or an "indifference to worldly things like money" and through "the power of imagination, seeing things that others couldn't". Is this what Gaiman meant? Or is it simply having a healthy sense of insanity. Sanity, for me, is overrated anyway. So, after a long discussion, the first one on the list is simply, having a healthy dose of craziness from time to time.
2. Read some fine books. This is a little difficult. Even if i wanted to read books, i dont really have that much time. But its not impossible. ive done it last year, i think i was able to read 3-4 books. thats not much. but im in law school and sometimes, all the reading i have to do gets to be so tiring that i cant even enjoy a non-law book. But this year, im going to find time to read books other than those required in school. maybe read some encyclopedias. thats what i liked to read when i was a kid. and dictionaries. the first sci-fi novel i read was Madeleine L'Engle's "A Swiftly Tilting Planet" (i was a first year high school student and i insisted on reviewing a sci-fi novel instead of classic literature).
3. Kiss someone who thinks youre wonderful/Kiss slowly. Ok, im going to pass on this one. Maybe in next year's New Year's Resolution. So, instead of kiss, maybe show some form of affection? maybe not. how about, show some emotion. positive emotion. thats a bit acceptable, and realistic and less of a "giant leap" from being "emotionally dead"
4. Make some art. Draw, build or sing. Well, i stopped drawing when i was in highschool. I stopped singing (in public) the moment i got tired of nursery rhymes. So maybe i should buy a sketchpad and sign pen and just draw stuff. and maybe sing when im bored. ok, is this a new year's resolution? well, it said it involves a lifestyle change and lifestyle involves one's activities, so i guess this can be part of a new year's resolution. its not really just becoming more responsible. it could be shaping a more enjoyable life
5. Write. Well, this is what the blog is for. but the blog entries ive done since i started more than a year ago isnt really the kind of stuff i want to write. i wanted a thought-provoking blog (like philosophical or political blogs. or my observations on human behavior and society). but well, laziness and procrastination always gets in the way (and a sudden lack of confidence). i wanted to have a blog where i can use the stuff i learned in college and the stuff im learning right now. maybe i should try writing a radio drama or short stories.
7. Live as only you can. this is probably the hardest to do in the list. the thing is, i always exhibit self-restraint. and i cant just loosen up because im like a freak on a leash (do i dare let my mood swings take control?). but im going to try to find a way to at least do this one.
8. Surprise yourself. this one would be easy. ive already done it. when i started fixing my hair, im as surprised as everyone else. all i remember is that last december 30, i went out to buy shaving cream. i wasnt able to buy one. but bought some hair wax. why? i have no idea. since then, ive been using it to fix my hair. and people think its a new hairstyle when it really isnt. the way i comb my hair is the same and its been like that since highschool (brush up). it just so happens that it looks different when my hair dries up. when i put the hair wax, my hair just dries up a lot slower, so people get to see the "combed" version of my hair. and with hair wax, my hair is less messy. so its not really a new hairstyle. thats how i look after taking a shower. well, after combing my hair, fresh from the shower. and surprising myself is a bit easy since sometimes, i do things without thinking. like for example, the next thing i know, im in cubao! why i went there, i have no idea.
9. Be thankful. This is just a continuation of what i started more than a year ago. every night, im thankful for every single day that i receive, no matter how miserable i might feel about it. why? well, because misery is just what i feel but it wont change the fact that another day is still a blessing, a continuation to enjoy the gift of life. but of course, i try not to waste every day im given, regardless of what i feel. i try to live it and make it meaningful
10. Love is rare, grab it and love truly. According to Thomas Jay Oord (philosopher and theologian), to love is to "act intentionally, in sympathetic response to others (including God), to promote overall well-being". Love can be interpersonal (like friendship and kinship) or impersonal (love for animals, activities, country, material objects, etc). So, i think this love thing is manageable enough. its just liking something on a deeper and more meaningful level but not to the point that it would be considered as an addiction
11. Face one's fears. well, i try to do this every day whenever my law classes start. i started law school not fearing anything. my professor's cant hurt me. i make my grades, not them. well, thats not entirely true. and life in law school isnt that simple. the moment you start to realize where you are exactly as a law student and where you are heading and where you will be the moment youre done with the bar, holy crap, fear no longer seems to be just in one's head, it becomes as real as it possibly can. sort of. point is, back in college, fear wasnt a problem. maybe its part of growing old too. when youre a kid, you dont have as much fears or as concrete as the fears adults have. usually a kid's fear is just rooted from imagination. as for adults, it takes a rational form.
12. Cherish sweet memories. well, i always do. thats why i think 50 First Dates is a little tragic since Lucy cant form new memories. its like a part of her is already dead. "sweet" memories and memorable moments are one the things some people value so much and they try to hold on to it as long as they possibly can. its one the things that is hard to take away from a person.
13. Never regret anything...that made you smile. ok, what makes me smile? as for the regret part, i always try not to regret things i do.
14. Be nice to doctors. Well, i mentioned earlier that im going to add this in case i make a new year's resolution
15. Exercise. i sort of started last year, by walking home. but i did that in anticipation of the baguio trip so im in a better physical condition (and december is the most expensive month, so i was under the "tag-tipid" season, so more reason to walk home instead of commuting). ever since the classes started again, the only walking ive done so far is walking inside the mall. well, i always go to the mall. everyday actually, right after my last class. maybe i should commit to walking home.
16. Study harder. Ok, last semester's efforts wasnt good enough to take me out of the "hot seat". im one step closer to the edge and im about to break (linkin park). this might be my last chance to stay in law school so i better pull myself together. problem is, i have the tendency to "zone out". i might be in the library but sometimes, im not really reading, im just staring at the page. my mind is somewhere else. and sometimes, i read for about 10-15 minutes and then, i feel extremely sleepy and im the type who easily gives in to sleep. so, i better exert a lot more effort
17. have a sense of discipline. wake up early and not give in to sleep easily. try to finish stuff that ought to be finished or can be finished. dont procrastinate and being lazy is not an option. i think this is a year's worth of new year's resolution already in one item.
18. focus. simple enough. i easily get distracted or sometimes, i dont even try to focus. i let my mind stay cluttered while im talking with someone. thats rude. sure i pay attention but im not that mindful of my surroundings and sometimes stuff dont sink in. i really have a very short attention span.
19. be friendly or be nice. well, try to expressive of it anyway.
20. last but not the least, commit! and one way of doing this is trying to accomplish all of these.
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