New Year List

Happy New Year to those who read my blog.

I have been inspired to put up a list of my New Year's resolution. Not having made one in God-knows-how-many-years - it will be very short. I have to thank Pupu for this exercise. So Pupu, when you're reading this, many thanks (I had thought I was too old for this exercise...).

1. I have decided to stop being snooty and send in a paper for the sociological conference for this year, and if the paper gets accepted I'll present a paper within the section of Sociology of Education (including a bit about values, beliefs, and morals). Never done that before and I'm having a good time so far getting my notes in order and refreshing the most important bits before I start looking into what the sociologists have been saying.

2. I have decided not to do anything but laugh about the fact that the venue for the conference this year is in Las Vegas (one of the very, very few places that I'd very loudly said, I will never visit). This does require a point to itself. For if I manage to make it, there will be some poetic justice to it!

3. I am going to get my degree some time this year. Maybe it's the Concorde fallacy. But I've spent too long trying to get a mere degree and making it into a mountain. (That's what I'd done for my undergrad degree too - come to think of it!)

4. I'll also continue to write on the side, send something to the literary competitions this year around and not worry too much about whether it is grand or great enough; try and be sane in my responses towards things that cannot be changed and about things from my imagination, and try and change the bit that I can; brood & obsess less too but not stop thinking or reflecting; keep the sense of humour alive (with some help); laugh some; share some laughs; nurture my sense of empathy; be a little more disciplined and a little more organized and a little less lazy, a little less fearful, and give back something positive to the people and beings around - essentially be a bit "sharing, giving, and loving" - and especially towards those I claim to care for and love.

5. I'll also have fun while teaching in my last semester here at the university while also teaching to the best of my abilities.

6. I'll exercise and walk regularly instead of doing both in erratic starts and fits.

7. I'll save more than I do and get a proper job - however humble.

8. Talk with the few people I do and not complain too much; be a patient and mindful listener and thank God every day that they put up with me.

9. Hope and work towards seeing that the points on my list are being fulfilled bit by bit; dream a bit too and share some dreams!

10. I'll pray in earnestness, and with love.

There's my list at 35. I think I must have made my last list at least 20 years ago.

Happy New Year once again. Good luck, joy and peace.

P.S: Reading and listening to music don't appear on the list for more-or-less obvious (but not identical) reasons. I was reminded some days ago, from my old diary, about a poem that had caught my attention because I'd come across it in a book-chapter: Two Tramps in Mud Time by Robert Frost. Knowing my memory I'd very carefully written down the last four lines of the poem hoping that I'd reflect upon them at a later point. So maybe I'll try reading some more poems as well this year?...