In fairness, despite the snappy title, this January has not been too bad for new habits. I prefer the term ‘habits’ rather than ‘resolutions’. I normally attempt a few things at this time of year. A few years back I successfully reduced alcohol intake by measuring the habit over the course of a year, so I try to attempt other things in the same vein. For example, last year I wanted to write more and make more music. I managed a paltry 44 days of writing (at least 30 mins on each day) and 86 days of music (again, for at least 30 mins). Pretty lame. This year I aim to do better. I am convinced that it is the discipline of a habit, little and often, that makes me happiest, rather than intensive bursts followed by nothing.
This January has been partially successful on the habit front. I can objectively say that is harder to kick coffee than alcohol in my experience, at least in the time I was measuring it. I did unsuccessfully try to kick booze at various points over the years, so perhaps both are equally difficult. I find learning French on Duolingo quite easy to maintain as a habit, and ab crunches and weight lifts, but the creative stuff still goes to the wall first if the day is busy.
I have managed to write lots of lyrics this month, which has been a struggle for the last few years, so I am pleased with that progress. I hope to record vocals for a new album soon, and release it later in the year.
I had a trip to York earlier in the month for a PhD exam. It was very wet, which was a shame as I would have loved to have looked around a bit more extensively, but sadly it was not to be. I only had a few hours around a PhD that I examined, so there was not much opportunity to look around. I have a trip planned for Berlin in February, which will be fun.
READ: Soonish – Kelly and Zach Weinersmith, Your Screenplay Sucks – William M. Akers, The People’s Manifesto – Mark Thomas, Unlabel – Marc Ecko, Dreams and Nightmares– Bob McCabe, Telling Your Own Stories – Donald Davis. The Brain Is Wider Than The Sky – Bryan Appleyard, Dark Academia: How Universities Die – Peter Fleming
WATCHED: Girl, Interrupted, Ordet (1943), Another Round, The Irishman, Mission Impossible 3, Second Star On The Right And Straight On ‘Til Morning, Aftersun, The Last Days, Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation, Mission Impossible: Fallout, The Hateful Eight, How Much Wood Would A Woodchuck Chuck, Road to Perdition
