It’s that time of year again – the time of year to make promises you can’t keep. Before getting around to my 2013 half-commitments I thought it might be interesting to look back on last year’s batch of best intentions and gauge the various successes and failures…
“Joe’s 2012 New Year’s Resolutions:
1. Sit down to a marathon viewing of the entire 1967 animated Spiderman series. I know, I know. I’ve been talking about this for ages but this year, I’m really going to do it!
–No, no I didn’t, although I certainly did think about doing it. A lot.
2. Finish that pilot script I’ve been kicking around, like, forever. I mean, seriously. I’ve been working on this particular pilot, on and off, for two years now – writing, rewriting, shelving, re-rewriting, shelving, re-re-rewriting. And shelving. Compare to my buddy Robert Cooper who joined a bunch of us for a dinner back in Toronto where we discussed a fellow friend’s unnervingly creepy experience in what some (ie. those two dudes from Ghost Hunters) would consider a haunted house. ”We should write a script based on this story,”Rob said at the time. Two months later, he had completed the script and was shopping it around. Okay, I know. Rob Cooper is possessed of superhuman writing abilities. Still, if he can knock off a feature in two months, I should be able to complete a pilot script in less than two years. No?
– Sadly, no. I did actually start work on it – only to get sidetracked by other projects: the miniseries, the horror script, those other pilots.
3. Complete research on that grand historical drama and, if all goes well, actually start writing the script.
– Nope. Again, I blame the distraction of the other projects…and the fact that I ultimately lost interest in this one.
4. Set up Dark Matter as a television series (or mini-series). The comic book launches January 11, 2012 (but you knew that already) and, while getting a television series up and running is a daunting challenge, we have the personnel and game plan in place to make it happen.
– More on this in the coming months.
5. Investigate the deepest, darkest recesses of my crawlspace and clear it out by getting rid of half the stuff that’s been sitting there, in boxes, since I moved in six years ago.
– This one was marginally successful. While I didn’t get rid of anywhere close to half the stuff in the crawlspace, I did manage to clear out enough to make room for new stuff.
6. I make this resolution every December 31st but, after my experience this year, I’m determined to see it through: When it comes to business, stop being so pleasant and accommodating to others and be more of an asshole (before they are).
– This one has proven far more difficult than I imagined. It pains me to admit that I fell back on my old, pleasant/accommodating ways again this year – and had it bit me in the ass yet again.
7. Dramatically improve my Japanese speaking and listening skills. You know what I hate? Meeting someone who has only been studying Japanese for mere months yet speaks and understands the language far better than I do. More language CD’s in the car, more grammar reviews, more anime watching and, as a last resort, maybe a second Japanese girlfriend to help me practice conversation.
– Dramatically? Not even close. On the bright side, I have picked up a few interesting expressions like “peko peko” (hungry) and “dondake” (which I’ve yet to figure out but never fails to delight native Japanese speakers when I toss it out).
8. Master the doggy gate at mom’s place.
– Impossible.
9. Wear my reading glasses in social situations to help cultivate a faux intellectual persona.
– Hell, I don’t even wear my reading glasses when I’m reading, much less out and about. Maybe with the right ascot…
10. E-NUN-CI-ATE!
– I remain as mumblesome as ever.
Hmmmm. Overall, not good. Not good at all. Let’s try and do better next year, shall we…
Joe’s 2013 New Year’s Resolutions:
1. Sit down to a marathon viewing of the entire 1967 animated Spiderman series. I know, I know. I’ve been talking about this for ages but this year, I’m really going to do it! Really! I may also include a Flintstones marathon as well!
2. Sell that horror script. And, failing that, put the wheels in motion to produce it myself. Come on, people! It’s a no-brainer!
3. Read more non-fiction. My attempt to get into the mystery genre has been a failure. I’ve read about a dozen highly recommended books and loved exactly none of them. I did, however, discover the works of Jon Ronson (who was recommended to me by fellow writer-producer-chef Robert Cooper) and loved exactly all three of his books I’ve read so far.
4. Produce one of two (maybe both!) shows poised to go in 2013.
5. Investigate the deepest, darkest recesses of my crawlspace and clear it out by shipping half my stuff to my sister in Montreal and letting her deal with it.
6. I make this resolution every December 31st but, after my experience this year, I’m determined to see it through: When it comes to business, stop being so pleasant and accommodating to others and be more of an asshole (before they are). I REALLY mean it this time!
7. Dramatically improve my Japanese speaking and listening skills. Or, at the very least, learn a few more colloquialisms to amuse my Japanese friends.
8. Get a little more techy. Seriously. I’m having trouble syncing my gadgets. How come season one of Homeland can play on my tiny laptop but not the big one?.
9. Wear my reading glasses while reading. It’s a start.
10. 20% more luboo-luboo (an Akemism for affection). This one was a personal request.
So, how’d you all do on this year’s resolutions? And, knowing this, what’s your game plan for 2013?
Hey Joe
Nice list. If you really want to succeed at it, I’d make it shorter.
My resolution last year was to live to this one! Just 10 hours to go. Wish me luck…
Next year, if I make it, I’m going to make the same resolution.
Elminster
I don’t make lists. They stress me. I have started trying to clean my office up so it does not look like an episode of Hoarders and get rid of the one thing that still ties me to my former profession: My endless “word” books of medical terminology. Looks like they are selling for about a penny on Amazon now. Recycle! Get my taxes done on time would be a second since I may owe this year. Grow my pet sitting business. Also, not to be so nice about my business. One client walked out on a $310 bill. I’ll give her until Jan 15 to pay and then I’ll have to go to small claims court to try to collect the money. She is a doctor; she can pay it. Because of that, I’ll have to rethink my payment approach. That is about it.
Well one resolution got a wrench temporarily thrown in it in that the television show I was writing a script for got canceled and the studio did it in the oh so ceremonious way of not telling anyone until there were two episodes left to film. The bright side however is that the thought of doing a spin-off or two is actually pretty good and getting a lot of ground swell so maybe not all hope is lost and I’ll tweak said script accordingly. Fingers crossed and making the sign of the cross over myself in hopefully helpful prayer.
The second resolution is working on the Stargate Atlantis Season Six website to get more stories out there. Book One is finished and up on the site along with a short synopsis of the story details for Book Two, Book Two’s prologue coming out this Friday.
So all in all, I think I’ve got resolutions that might actually stick this year. I think my key to victory is that there are so very few resolutions.
Don’t forget we’re also supposed to be having a Get Smart marathon at some stage! 🙂 Maybe when Cookie Monster has finished watching superhero movies.
A sad day here. We had Bella put to sleep a few hours ago. 🙁 Hardest thing I’ve ever had to do. But she hadn’t been eating and was getting weaker and weaker. After following what you went through with Max I knew that even if she perked up briefly it was only going to get worse so we decided not to wait until she was totally incapacitated. We had some final purrs from her on the bed this morning and that’s how I want to remember her.
@LineNoise I send my love and sympathies for your loss. I know at some point I will be in that position, to have to make that decision. My pets have died before I ever got to that place.
As for 8, download the VLC player on your big laptop. Good chance you resolve the problem before the new year! Lol good luck on the rest!
@Line Noise: So sorry to hear that. My thoughts go out to you and yours. There certainly seems to be a rash of that lately, sadly.
Joe, I wouldn’t stress out about your resolutions. You do what you can, and you shouldn’t worry about any arbitrary list. I kind of like pleasant, accommodating Joe! I can understand not wanting to be screwed over in business though, that sucks.
I don’t know what it is about the difference in languages, but I find it MUCH harder to pick up any Japanese phrases watching shows than I do Hindi from watching Bollywood movies. Maybe the grammar rules are that much different?
Yes, you do need to be more techy! 🙂
I’m not really making resolutions, but I do have a couple of goals for the new year. I’m going to try to get back into the shape I was in a few years ago when I did the Mt. Everest trek, since some friends convinced me to sign up for this: http://toughmudder.com/ which sounds very much *not* easy. I’ve got six months to get ready! I’ve got a workout plan ready to go, too! Also, I want to do some minor house renovations and some reclaiming of what, shall we say, has become “storage space”.
Heck, I’d be happy with just 1% more luboo-luboo in my life, but then again 1% of nothing…
Oh, and also, Happy New Year to everyone!
The extent of my resolve can be dangerous and I’ve learned it pays to be willing to give up.
Can I call them quests? The classic story of going after what you want but finding what you need instead seems to fit where I am in life better.
@Line Noise: So very sorry to hear the terrible news. Huge hugs to you.
Here, we’re waiting till 5 p.m. to call and see if we can get Lauren in the hospital and get this baby outta her! xo
Happy New Year, Joe! All the best to you and your family in 2013!
Stella
G’day Joe
@ Line Noise – so sorry about Bella. Always hard to make that decision. Hugs to you and yours.
Never make resolutions, never had never will. Just not my thing.
Happy New Year everyone. it is 2013 here. Hope this year will be better than last year, certainty cannot get any worse.
PBMom/Hilda — Speaking of being more techy… Hate that you were stuck with a no-payer! What about one of those new devices you attach to a smart phone, so people can swipe their credit or debit card and pay on the spot?
Deni, saying prayers for a safe delivery for Lauren & baby, tonight or tomorrow!
Gotta run. Happy New Year to Joe & Akemi, doggie kids, and the blog family!
@ForTheLoveofBeckett I do have one of those. She just gives me excuse after excuse. I’ll spare you the drama of it. But I would rather have a check because PayPal charges me 2.7% of the transaction and my prices are already rock bottom.
@Line Noise, Thinking of you:(
I’d like to wish all blog regulars and lurkers a very Happy New Year, May 2013 find you healthy, contented and prosperous
See you next year
X
@Line Noise:
Sorry to hear about Bella…you all are in our thoughts and prayers.
@Joe on New Year’s Resolutions:
I don’t have resolutions; I have projects. This year I finished the bathroom remodel, finished a number of other household projects, and finished a centerpiece, but I also started a Corvette restoration and I have a few things to wrap up on my airplane project before I put it in storage (I’m waiting for the kids to go off to college before I restart it.)
Happy New Year to everyone, and safe travels to you and Akemi as you all head back to Vancouver!
@Line Noise: So sorry about your Bella, it’s always a tough (yet kind) thing to do when our friends are suffering.
Is it possible to make resolutions for our pets? Such as no chewing anything ever? 🙂
Happy New Year to the Mallozzi blogger and blog followers!
Hi Joe:
For your mystery reading, I bet you didn’t read, “My Gun Has Bullets” by Lee Goldberg. I don’t care for mystery novels, but his are funny. He also is the author behind all the Monk books from the series of the same name.
“6. When it comes to business, stop being so pleasant and accommodating to others and be more of an asshole (before they are). I REALLY mean it this time!” – Oh, I hope not, Joe. Other people’s selfish behaviour is their problem. Please do not change who you are. We all love you just the way you are.
As for resolutions, I really don’t have any since I know that I do not have the will power to see them through for more than a week. However, I do try to improve myself on a daily basis. If I slip, I forgive myself, start again, and I just work harder the next day to achieve my goals.
Have a great 2013. Happy New Year.
Patricia
I’ll continue to cross fingers in the hope of something new “Stargate” related, I need my fix! I still delude myself to think that the whole SGU cancellation was just a big marketing ploy and SGU returns to TV when Destiny reaches the next galaxy in real-time 😛 (Yeah I know that won’t happen, But can’t blame me for keeping my hopes up)
Woohooo, finally some good news. Lauren’s going in at 7 a.m. for the induction, and the best part? My doctor will be attending! Will post when I can, but please keep those prayers coming for Lauren and baby! xoxo
@for the love of Beckett: Thank you, will FB you tomorrow at some point! xo
@Deni Saying prayers for a short labor and a healthy baby.
@LineNoise, so sorry for your loss. Lots of {{hugs}}
~~ Happy New Year to everyone. I figure I willbe in bed already when the ball drops. So safe journey to all who have ventured out this evening, and see you all next year.
~ best wishes Deni for Lauren and all.
@LineNoise – So sorry for your loss. ((hugs))
@Deni – Good luck on the birth. It just occurred to me why it was so hard to schedule the induction. People thinking ahead to 2012 tax deductions.
@deni, a new year’s grandbaby! How wonderful!
@linenoise, I am so sorry to hear about your lovely Bella.
We will hold you to resolution number 1. And assume it’s a given about resolution number 4, and that you will be sharing good news with us in the near future. As for number 5, if you are lucky enough to succeed, I will be more than happy to ship items for you to put into the crawlspace, so that you can repeat that resolution next year…
I do wish everyone a happy new year. The only resolution I will share here is to post daily here, instead of slipping back into lurker mode.
G’day Joe
@ Deni – Wonderful way to start the new year. A Grandson 🙂 Excellent!
Wish Lauren all the best and good luck.
@ Airelle, DP and Noellam: Thanks guys, can’t wait! xo
Happy New Year everybody!! I am praying for all of you, for a healthy, happy 2013. May all your goals and dreams come true. God bless you!
Happy New Year everyone!
“dondake”.. It probably means–
“..dinner’s on me…” or
“..I’m leaving everything in my crawlspace to you in my WILL..” or
“..sure. I’ll beat the snot out of that guy for you..”
or that it’s not a *real* word, but just something They threw out there to mess with the TOURISTS and other NON-Japanese Wannabees!
BTW, HAPPY NEW “MAYAN-BONUS” YEAR! 😀
Ponytail said it quite well….
@linenoise – sorry to hear.
Not in Hawaii, but if I were….Hauoli Makahiki Hou to y’all.
@Janet: Thank you so much!
Thanks for all the kind words and thoughts, guys. It helps.
@Deni, how very exciting for you, I can highly recommend grannyhood!! Can’t wait to see photos:)
Line Noise, so sorry about Bella.
Positive thoughts for a safe delivery of the baby and Lauren.
Happy New Year to everybody. Thanks for all your comments during 2012 and onto 2013.
Tu as oublié: ‘Venir à Paris!’ :p
Instead of a marathon of the Spider-Man cartoon, why not commit to watching one episode a day?
Hi Joe!
I’ve been lurking around here for a few months now and enjoy reading your posts each day. I thought however (being a new year and all) that it was about time I actually starting commenting back, since you take the time each day to share your various aspects of your life with us.
In answer to your question, I failed miserably when it came to 2012’s resolutions. I had the usual ‘lose weight/exercise more/do something to make the year truly memorable’ goals… but nothing really came of it. I started out with great intentions and then, like every year, dwindled into nothing.
I really need to find a job this year having had two years of unsuccessful hunting, just purely due to the economic climate and me being a young, graduate student compared to more experienced individuals out there who are more suited to the jobs. But that’s more a necessity than a resolution, so…
After giving it much thought, I decided I really want to achieve something this year, something important to me, and can be proud of when I look back in a years’ time. Therefore, my game plan for 2013 is to finish (and publish) my first book. I’ve been writing for years now (just for myself) and then I ventured in fanfiction for the first earlier this year. I was overwhelmed with the responses I received for my random thoughts, so this has encouraged me to take the next step and finish an ‘original’ work of fiction I’ve had on the back burner.
I’m also an amateur photographer, so I’ve vowed to take lots more pictures this year – anything and everything I find of interest really – and put a selection of them together in a yearbook come the end of 2013 and relive the memories. Sometimes a picture says a thousand words! 🙂
Lastly, I’m going to make sure my telescope is used this year, rather than collecting dust and leaves on the deck outside.
They maybe aren’t the most exciting or memorable goals, but they’re important to me and something I know I’ll enjoy, thus making them much easier to keep!
Wishing you and your family a safe and prosperous 2013!
Says hello to lurker @Jacqueline.
@Deni I’m pacing the rooms here.
@Jacqueline: how about scheduling some X-Files for hunting UFOs, meteor showers and stray comets? I love telescopes but I have no clear views of the night sky from my urban abode.
That all-in-black SG1 cast pic looks a lot like the Magic Mike poster. I bet Teal’c does a mean body roll.
I visited family for Christmas and caught a cold from the little ones second year in a row, another week of vacation wasted sick in bed. My only resolution is to buy a hazmat suit so I can hug the wee ones without catching their especially potent brand of the common cold.
Line Noise: I’m so sorry about Bella. It’s been a sad year for fuzzy loved ones.
PBMom: I hope you can get your money collected.
Deni: I’m praying all goes well for Lauren and Anakin.
Thanks Mr. M. for doing this blog. It brings together so many of us from different walks of life.
I got a smile out of your list of resolutions. I thought number ten would have brought out Das for sure! I hope she’s doing well and just too busy having fun/napping to bother with us.
I think all of us could work on number eight. The world is getting more techy and we’ve got to roll with it or get left behind. I’m lucky to have a techno geek hubby and son. They’ve got me covered with techno learning.
On number five, does your sister do eBay or something? We’ve got a ton of old board games I could probably sale but I bet hubby wouldn’t let me. He’s had most of them since he was a kid. (Dark Tower and etc)
I hadn’t thought about resolutions until I read yours. Mine will probably be to keep on moving. As I get older, more things are breaking down. Gotta keep ahead of whatever comes my way.
One bit of good news is the humane society I work at found homes for their TWO black kittens. They were starting to get into those geeky teenage weeks when they look less kittenish. Their chances of adoption were getting slimmer. Thank you God!
@Shiningwit, Tammy and PBMom: Thanks for the good wishes, means a lot! Things here are going sloooooow, but the real show begins later tonight. I’ll try to keep you all posted! So excited, can’t wait to see Anakin! xoxo
“dondake”… hehe. I don’t see much from Ikko these days, but depending on how you say it, I can see them being amused by it coming from you. ^^
And that last one through me off, until I realized you meant “rabu rabu”, which is how the kids here phonetically translate that expression.
I’m in Tokyo for New Years and am so glad that even with these short, yearly visits my super limited Japanese vocabulary comes back to me pretty quickly. Enough to understand directions, order food and shop. What more can a girl need? 😉
My resolution is to let go of things more often. I tend to feel like I’m getting behind a lot (on books, on blogs, on tv and movies, etc) and just need to realize there is far more distraction in this modern age than ever before, and it’s overwhelming how many choices we have for spending our precious time. So, I need to know when to cut my losses and realize I will not listen to all the podcasts I have in my itunes library, or watch complete series of dozens of shows. I’ll pick the ones that will interest me most and leave the rest. I’ll go mad otherwise!
AkeOme to you and Akemi chan!!!!