It’s that turnaround again – the old 2-5-1 or the 5-4-1 if you prefer. We’ll swing it around and start again in a few days time. Looking back, gig of the year was Alejandro Escovedo in Oxford (such great varied songs); so many great books but up there are “The 1000 Autumns of Jacob de Zoet” (David Mitchell) – “Silence” (Shusaku Endo) – “One hundred years of Solitude” (The Master). Films? “Lemontree” – about the Israel/ Palestine situation – very moving and thoughtful.
I finished a short term contract in May / had appendicitis in July (at my age – jeez !) (that slowed things down a bit) / travelled to New York in March and Italy in September. My annual inclination at this time of year is to look back on a time of frustration. If only I’d had more time or if only I’d planned better I would have completed / achieved …………………………(fill in any number of things). I am a compulsive “if only” ! Hence these often great feelings of frustration which then spawn New Years Resolutions which will keep the cycle going.
So, to combat this misery and to get the right level of endorphins flowing I will, at the suggestion of my wife, sit down and fill in an “achievement wall”. (Something the suits do, apparently.)
Try it. Positives only. The glass is half full. (Didn’t finish the work on the garden – but look at the “Before” and “After” shots – that’s a helluva lot of work done there.) You’ll be amazed at what you can find if you allow yourself the pleasure of a pat on the back. And then from that …….your New Years Resolutions.
They say feeling good about yourself and being positive helps you live longer. Well, I’m hoping for another 30 years at least, so next year, I will;
• Start painting and drawing again
• Get my music up on the web
• Complete at least 4 instruments for my new company webpage
• Drink less (gotta be a good thing)
• See more of my brothers/my parents and my kids
…………there will be others………damn, better get started.
That was the year that was………..
singlemaltmonkey 