macguffolutions

Less than a month and I have reinvented myself in two of the most stereotypical ways: weight loss and New Years "macguffolutions."

Believe me, I'm rolling my eyes with you.

I have never been one for resolutions. I scoff when people say they're going to drop 100 pounds on January 1st, because they will naturally be the same weight on December 31st and making another weight loss promise to themselves for the next year (full disclosure: I'm the guy who used to eat pizza and watch My 600 Pound Life in grad school with my best friend Rachel, all while saying, "That ain't gonna be us, girl." And then I gained 100 pounds). 

I've been of the opinion that when you set resolutions, you're setting yourself up for failure because - at some point - you're just going to slip up and disappoint yourself and everyone else who knows about said resolution(s). I don't know where this attitude comes from because, in reality, all we ever do in life is set goals and try to attain them. What makes it different when it's stated outright at the start of a fresh new year? And why does it seem like it is less attainable than any other time of the year? Blame it on cynicism or pessimism or New Years Resolution burnout, but it definitely seems different than other times of the year - like the stakes are higher, somehow.

Well, it's the end of 2015 and a blog that's all about making resolutions. Most of the macguffins I have posted thus far are fairly long-term with no true measurable end (with the exception of weight loss, perhaps). It's time to change that, I think. These have a definitive start and end date, so I'm going to have to really focus on these in order to succeed.

Challenge accepted. Here are five macguffins for 2016.

1. Snail mail. That's right, I'm going to go old school like a peasant and rely on the United States Postal Service to deliver my messages. We're talking Thank You notes, Birthday cards, Christmas cards, sympathy cards, "get better soon" cards, "just because" letters, and maybe (just maybe) some monographed stationary. My Mom was always so good about sending cards to people for special occasions and it's a tradition I would really love to start for my new family. My goal is to actually sign up for a subscription box devoted entirely to stationary and greeting cards - I just need to find the right one for me (if you have suggestions, please let me know).
2. Read at least 50 (new) books. This goal is multifaceted. One, I need to read more. In grad school, all I did was read and write. However, it has been a while since I have seriously read for fun. Two, I think that getting into the worlds that others have created will only help me in my own pursuit to create my own worlds again. It's a habit I need to reform. Three, I own a lot of books that are in need of reading and I know Craig won't let me buy any more until I get serious about reading the ones I already have... Four, it'll give me a reason to spend money on a little reading nook in my office. Plus, audiobooks will give me something to look forward to when I commute to work every day.
3. Less negativity. It is really easy for me to get caught up in the negative aspects of a situation, a person, the future... I can and do appreciate cynicism, and I would label myself as a pessimist, but there is a difference between pessimism and cynicism and negativity. I'm challenging myself to reset my thought processes when I start going negative, especially when it comes to the people around me.
4. Set a budget and stick to it. This one is really challenging for me. I spend money like I've got it and I've basically already set myself up for failure in January on this one. It's not that Craig and I are living paycheck to paycheck. We are incredibly fortunate in that we don't have to do that. However, we do enjoy traveling, and that costs money. So here's to spending less of it now so we can enjoy it later.
5. *Gulp*. Send something off for publication. I have plenty of material that's just sitting here doing nothing. I may as well try to send something off somewhere for publication. 

Per usual, I'll be keeping myself honest and be tracking my progress with these five new macguffins over the next year. If I don't do all of these things before December 31st, 2016, I will personally scoff with all of you at my hypocrisy. 

Onward!