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Resolutions

Let me start with the fact that I’ve only ever made 3 NYRs in my life, I think. When I was younger I thought it was dumb to do something because other people did them (“I’m not going to make a New Years Resolution, that’s so cliché”). When I got older I joined the “I don’t need some arbitrarily agreed on reason to start doing something new. I can do something whenever I want! I’m a free person!”

But sometimes you just do things because you should try everything in life at least once. This year I am not making just one NYR but several! Statistically speaking, my chances of following through with a NYR will be greatly higher if I just make more of them.

So here we go!

1. So I was thinking I will read 40 books by the end of the year. Now, I hadn’t actually thought about this until yesterday at work when someone suggested I go for the 52 books in 52 weeks challenge. That was when I actually realized the rate I would need to be reading in order for me to actually pull off this 40 books/1 year idea. Instead, by this day next year I will be finishing the last few pages of my 24th books. This puts me at 2 books a month. Still a challenge but a much more manageable one especially for me since I am a slow reader. Comic books will not count for this project but audiobooks will because it takes just as long to listen as it does to read in my head.

2. I am also going to actually follow through with a 365 project which will consist of  some daily record of my life be it a photo, writing, audio or video. I imagine the toughest part of this will be remembering to post something. I assume I will probably go camping at some point which will keep me from being able to post on exactly the day but every day will still be accounted for at the end of the year. I’ll probably post these here.

3. Only one new article of clothing may be bought per month.  I think this will be THE hardest of the resolutions. Mostly because I’m terrible at knowing what will actually be the most loved item in my closet until at least a 3-4 month residency. This is going to take some research and no more impulse buys or boredom shopping. I think the less clothes I buy, the more I can spend on one piece and that one piece better be f*ckin worth it.

The rest of the rules for 2011 are general guidelines for living that don’t exactly apply to just a year of amusing tricks (the resolutions above are probably not going to continue for more than the one year – though #3 probably should stick around for as long as possible). The other rules will be things like no more making excuses for not working out. No more making excuses about eating when not hungry, just make sure you’re actually hungry when you eat. Clean your room, once every two weeks at least. Pursue things that you’re actually interested in. General year round “spring cleaning”, pair down your material things, get rid of things that you never use.

no more of this

2011 is looking to start off pretty good, starting a 401K next week, still got a job, took care of my car, starting to make exercise a part of my regular life (well, not since before Christmas but I will be going back to Bikram yoga soon and I still have my gym membership), family is well, got an excellent boy.

Yays.

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My Name is __, and I’m a Shopaholic

I took a quiz this morning to see if I am a compulsive buyer…turns out I am. I really could have just told myself that but I just wanted to check by answering obvious questions on the internet.

“They” say that compulsive buying is a disorder and addiction much like alcoholism and smoking cigarettes. “They” say I am trying to fulfill a need – or something along the lines of trying to fix myself using methods that are “destructive.”

So what isn’t abnormal or “acceptable” behavior nowadays?

I wouldn’t say it’s uncontrollable but then again I suppose I’ve never tried to control it. I do feel the need to sell some of my things because I’ve been buying so much. Does that offset any addiction indicators? I would guess there are varying degrees of this disorder, I would say that I fall into having mild compulsive buying disorder.

That is actually a little depressing. It’s not enough that I am indecisive but as it turns out I am never any one thing completely. I’m not depressed enough to actually need medication for it (I don’t think so anyway). I’m not enough of a shopaholic to get myself into a lot of trouble – which isn’t really that bad of a thing I guess. I’m not Chinese enough, according to my mom – I don’t know what she wants me to do, maybe only speak to people in Chinese? Only wear traditional silk Chinese dresses? Tattoo “Chinese” across my forehead?

If I think about it too much it makes me sad to think that I am just mediocre at everything. Not substantial at anything enough to be recognized for it. Not even bad enough at anything to be recognized. Then I start to think “So what? Why should you be any one thing or any one but who you want to be?” And then I feel better. (see this is how I can tell I am not really suffering from depression)

Anyway, back to shopaholicism. I’m not in so deep that I can’t dig myself out. So I guess I just need to realize I am spending too much money and cut it the fuck out. Or I can make money in some other way to balance out the expenditures.

This is the part where I get a hot tip from a friend or relative about some kind of contest where the prize money is just the amount I need to “buy back the farm.” So, what’ll it be? Talent Show? Dog Show? Dodgeball championship? Special Olympics?