new years eve

New Year’s Eve is one of my favorite holidays. It’s one of few that is solely a party. Even fewer that is a non-denominational party. Unlike St. Pattys Day for instance, you dont need to be ‘irish for a day’ to celebrate. Anyone can celebrate as themselves.

My New Years past typically involved intoxication of various alcoholic, psychedelic, and empathogenic substances while listening to loud music in a big room full of people, surrounded by my closest friends. This year it is me and my wife at home enjoying our morning coffees, going for a chilly winter walk, griddling ham reuben sandwiches for lunch, seeing a movie and cooking dinner at home afterwards. As I write this I’m watching over a dessert tart cool in the oven as we’re getting ready to leave for the movie. I intend on going for a trail run tomorrow morning to start off the New Year. I find all of this more exciting than anything else we could be doing tonight. I have never felt older, yet I don’t think I mind.

Resolutions

I typically have yearly resolutions that don’t change, like reading 12 books a year. This year I only read 18, compared to last years 62. For years ‘Quit smoking’ took the number one slot, and was finally accomplished in 2022. Without using the ResolutionBot from reddit to remind me about them I seem to have forgotten the ones I made from last year. I should have written them down. So this will now be where I keep track of that sort of thing. Though I remember one was to be a better, less selfish husband. And I know I did not accomplish this to my own level of expectation this year. We can start with where I left off.

• Be a better husband. Focus less on my interests and more on us and preparing for our future.
• House projects:
  • Build the library
  • Redo the kitchen cabinets
  • At least 1 BIG yard project
  • Declutter basement
  • Divide office
• Return to creative expression using photography and open source technology.
• Keep a better creative journal, document the world around me and inspiring media through writing, even the small things.
• Continue reading 12 books a year or 1 a month, but this time use each as inspiration for a work of art.
• Keep physical fitness in my sights:
  • Get back to running/hiking regularly. 1x a week, 4x a month minimum.
  • Run another trail race or two.
• Stop getting upset about my job and appreciate that I am able to do all of the above.

One of my favorite things to do is keep a media list of books and movies and tv shows. I normally forget to write down the tv shows and movies. Check out my 2025 media list as I fill it in from what I remember from this year. And keep an eye out for next years 2026 media list that I’ll update more regularly throughout the year next year.

Have a happy new year everyone!