We're now a couple of days into 2010, and traditionally this is the time for reflection and resolutions. Really it is an arbitrary moment in time that we decide to honour this way, but we are a species that likes clean, arbitrary divisions. Species continue to confound our attempts to define them exactly, trying to name animals that are points along a continuum of evolutionary change. But I digress.
It is tradition, and who am I to buck tradition? I'm not feeling particularly in need of making any New Year's resolutions this year. Its not that I couldn't use any improvement (where would I start?) but I've actually done a fairly good job of taking better care of myself lately. I've lost a lot of weight. And although I've slipped in that area in the last little while, I'm still a lot lighter than I was this time last year, or even 3 months ago.
Strangely I'm not putting the slight weight came in the past couple of weeks down to holiday excess, but rather the regular exercise I've started. I know I use it to get back into some bad eating habits (I shouldn't eat this, but heck I've been working out…). Knowledge is power and I'm back on track.
So, no resolutions. I'm losing weight, getting fitter, flossing regularly, still a wiseass. Nope that's fine. But I do have a couple of goals for this year. On the writing front I will finish a second screenplay, and a one-person stage play – those are the goals. I've also got a photographic checklist in the works for the Birds of Arctic Bay. The intention is to have that done, but I need to get decent photos of a number of the birds from here.
And there in lies my main goals for this year (oh yeah get a job too). I'm hoping, now that I have more, um, free time, to get out more on the land this year. Coupled with that I plan to do a High Arctic Big Year, with a goal of forty-five species. With any luck, that will be accompanied by a number of decent photos. And continue with a left over goal from last year to find a rare bird that I believe should be found in the area (well is found, as my good friend found one this fall, but I want to find one or several).
So that's it. I'll add and remove goals along the way, as that is also part of our nature, or at least mine. But I seem to have more resolve to accomplish things lately, at least things that are halfway good for me. Resolve? Darn, how did these turn into resolutions?