Seth.how? Blog

Resolution Fulfilled

I am typically not a sincere celebrant of the New Year holiday. I have found it to be a particularly arbitrary way to choose an event, the rolling over of a calendar date's biggest category. To me, a larger digit's change is no more meaningful than an odometer showing many zeros at once for a fraction of a car ride. It is still only one day since my yesterday; midnight is just another hour. The tenth-mile wheel does not even pause as it passes its own zero.

I also have had little use for resolutions. As much as I have tried to follow this tradition, I have also internalized popular culture's mockery of people failing to follow a plan to change their behavior. On this ritual I have alternated: some times sincerely trying to change, some times doing nothing and guaranteeing failure, both in secret to avoid (observable) shame. It also seemed foolish to me to hold self-improvement as a once-per-year activity. If you stumble in your effort to quit smoking then waiting a year is a terrible idea. That is making the annual holiday an excuse to NOT change, regardless of whether it's done out of foolish hope for an unlikely outcome or fully-aware but pedantic, bad-faith sandbagging.

I feel differently this year. I think I can appreciate the rare moment, and commit to improvement, and not suffer the bad combination I described above. In fact, I think that contradiction is great! I think I honestly prefer to sincerely like New Year's Eve rather than to hold some vain, blasé disinterest. I look forward to sharing my resolutions and to having others' shared with me.

Writing by Hand

I am transcribing here to the best of my ability. Most, not all, small details of this writing are discussed in the following pages. But first I should point out that I have long held an affection for small blank booklets. I frequently wish to take quick notes, and having a portable writing implement and space to use it is a simple delight.

More than being joyful, having that tool to write helps me overcome inertia against writing at all. I love writing, I have many ways to go about doing it. I also have a modern busy life and loved ones - all pulling my attention in unpredictable ways. The ability to write any where, any time, and with minimal time to spin-up or commitment to keep pace, and without any penalty for interruption...that is truly invaluable.

The Best Day All Week

Best day yet. I woke at 2:30 EDT, knowing that my sleep schedule was decimated from sharing a room with three other loud sleepers since Tuesday, while also trying to squeeze in work activities in the downtime. But today being Saturday, there was no risk to failure other than missing some optional activities due to being tired. That was fine, so I felt great.

I took my work to the lobby (I had nothing better to do, after all), but the lobby continued its week of being awful for working. The hotel's coffee was available but not complementary at its in-lobby franchise coffee shop, but it was closed. So I went outside and sat on the sidewalk. I got more work done than I had the whole previous day.