New Years resolutions
We’re posting Mahalo Daily’s Top 7 Resolutions (and How to Keep Them) video today, and it got me thinking about what my resolutions are. I don’t usually make them, because I always get way too unrealistic about what I want to accomplish. This year, I’m going to keep them well within my grasp. Without further ado, here they are:
1. Blog more – I’m only averaging about one post per week these days, and yes, it’s definitely a symptom of being too busy. But if I have enough time to log into WoW to check my auctions, then surely I can write up my thoughts to my blog more frequently. It’s all about time management!
2. Get to 70 – Speaking of WoW, I need to hit 70 before Wrath of the Lich King comes out. As of today, I’m 63, but there’s a lot to do between now and then (when “then” will be, we’re not entirely certain). I don’t want to be left out when all my guildies are doing the new stuff.
3. Be more physically active – Notice how I’m not saying “go on a diet” or “develop a 6-pack” like most resolutions? I just need to get out more, like going climbing or riding bikes. I don’t want to lose weight, I just want to be healthier and feel better about my body.
4. Start a Sword and Laser podcast – Tom and I have been talking about it for a while, but I really want to get going on a Sword and Laser show of some kind. I’m not even sure if it would be a video show (probably too time consuming) or just an audio podcast, but I do know that it would be a great way to foster discussion on the books we’re reading! Plus, having a podcast with Tom is fun.
5. Do more volunteering – We had a blast this weekend with Geeks Doing Good over at the SF Food Bank, but I’d like to get involved on a more regular basis. I think we’ll be doing more events in the future, so that’s a good place to start.
6. Get a thicker skin – I’m not going to post any links (don’t feed the trolls!) but people on the Internet can be (and this probably goes without saying) mean as all get-out. I think this Penny Arcade comic says it best. Basically, you gotta remember a few things when dealing with the haters: they are always the vocal minority, you’re not doing anything worthwhile if people don’t give you crap about it once in a while, and if they don’t have the balls to say it to your face (or at least in an email or comment that isn’t written in all caps) then it’s probably better to just ignore it. Morgan Webb recently said in an interview that she doesn’t read her own emails or forums, just because she can’t stand the attitude that people have. I never want to get to a point like that, because my discourse with my audience and community is too vital to what I do. Therefore, I just have to be really good at withstanding the nut cases!
That’s all I can come up with today, what are you planning on changing for the new year?
41 Responses to “New Years resolutions”
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V,
#6 hit me hard this year. Not because of my podcast’s fans at all, it’s that people that you call “friends” on the ‘net can still feel they can be jerks because you’re an “internet person”. Why do people think that people on the ‘net aren’t “real people”? 2007 showed me the dark side of a lot of people this year. I hope your 2008 is better. Happy New Year!
I want to get of the computer more and be more active in the Buzz Out loud Community.
Lose Some Weight Too.
This looks to be a reasonable set of resolutions. I think you’ll be successful in meeting them. The Sword and Laser podcast sounds like a great ideal. As for getting out and being active be sure to add a sub-resolution to do so with out injury. As for the nut cases its too bad they don’t make a cream for that.
Have a great New Year!
A sword and laser podcast would be great, audio only is just fine, thats how I listen to 99% of my podcasts already.
Great resolutions Veronica. I like #1 the best. I think by this time next year, there will be a WordPress plugin that automatically scans your brain for ideas and just posts them. I need that one.
Happy new year
I look forward to more Mahalo Daily videos.
Yeah, ditto on number 1. Lately it seems I’ve only been blogging about once or twice a month. I’m trying to up my own standard though by starting a vidcast (weekly?) and trying to blog daily.
And also finish my thesis…
Happy New Year, and I too look forward to the Mahalo Daily videos (just started watching them yesterday, nice work)
cheers
If you do a Sword & Laser podcast, I vote for audio as well. Like Jordan that is how I listen to almost all my podcasts.
I definitely need a thicker skin for my online relationships. I take them too much to heart. I can’t imagine being in your position.
Happy New Year
Yay! I’m adding number 4 to my list too! Podcasting with you is definitely fun and I miss it. I will also add number 3 to my list. I resolve for you to get more physically active. JK! LOL!
V.
All realistic goals. Number six being the most important, of course. Skin thickness needs to increase as you achieve more success because that’s when the trolls rear their collective glob noggins and spew their venom in increasing numbers.
Number one item would be excellent too. However, you will only become more busy in 2008 from what I’ve seen. That means you need a way to make blogging quicker and easier and thus more mobile. Checkout http://www.Utterz.com which is like an audio twitter. I got Justine hooked on to it and she looks it. You can call their number, leave a voice blog and it can automatically embed itself to your blog as well any other sites you belong to like Twitter, Tumblr, etc. You can link Flickr with Utterz as well.
Happy New Year & good luck with all your goals!
Pai
Oddly, some of my resolutions are similar to yours!
1) Do some heavy work on my blog. If I want to get into journalism at all, I need to get this blog underway. A lame WP theme and <1 post a week is not going to cut it.
2) Learn some more programming languages. HTML and BASIC are hrdly relevant today. Maybe JAVA, C+, or even actionscript for Flash will be nice.
3) Take some more interest in my physical wellbeing. A couple years of physical educationbeing one one form of exercise is not enough to de-nastify myself.
About #4
A podcast would be great but instead of a podcast an audio chat session would be good, if time consuming, as discussion often works well when talking about books and it is more closely linked to the traditional book club. It is the practicalities which are the problem although theoretically Skypecasts(https://skypecasts.skype.com/) would work.
Happy New Year everyone!
When I think about haters, I just imagine them trying to make a weekly or daily show that has to meet the expectations of a large audience, and I know that they simply do not have a frame of reference from which they can accurately criticize our work. So in that sense I start feeling a little bad for them, since they want to be heard so badly and only know how to shout. That goes for the commenters on YouTube all the way to the people who consider themselves the conscience and owners of the online video world.
Just doing something, like you do every day, is what sets you apart. You should never have to read anything that makes you feel bad, because you’re great and you care about what you do and what people say. That will always be enough.
The big one for me is to keep my new blog well fed with new posts. I’m aiming at a post every couple of days, which might be a challenge, but a good attainable one. Your #6… if nothing else, the net has taught us about the bravery of being out of range. Sadly, there are some people who never feel as tall as when they’re standing on someone else’s head.
Happy New Year Veronica!
My resolution is to have at least one skype conversation with you ha, I’m kidding, well sort of. Your number six makes me sad, I hate keyboard commandos. The funny thing is most of those haters wouldn’t have the spine to say the things they do in person. On the internet everyone has a voice, unfortunately most of those voices don’t have anything worthwhile to say.
1) Put down the computer more. Pick up my daughters more.
2) Thin out my feeds. There’s only so many hours in the day and half of my feeds are talking about the same thing.
3) Finally get an Xbox. This runs a bit counter to #1 but I think it would make me a better person.
4) Continue my quest to eat at every BBQ restaurant in my metro area.
5) File for a patent for my invention idea. Figure out the logistics of manufacturing it later.
Great list of New Years Resolutions Veronica, hope ya keep ‘em!
And Have a Happy and Safe New Year!
They all sound good, #5 is of course my favorite.
See ya next year!
V,
One thing that I would tell you that in the “girl around the internet” life you lead be sure that you budget time for the significant others in your life. I nearly lost my wife of 19 years (29 years together) about a month ago and she is still in hospital but recovering nicely. There is nothing like that to make you realize there are a lot more important things than blogging in your life.
Another thing is you have to have a sense of humor. Folks like you, the BOL crew and the TWIT network mix of fun and news were some of the things that helped me keep my sanity during a bad time and I thank you.
My new year’s resoloution is to wish the people I respect and admire a happy new year. Happy new year, V.
Happy New Year Veronica!
These resolutions are really excellent and achievable. All the best for Mahalo Daily in 2008!
Don’t worry too much about number 6.
One of the things the internet has revealed to me over the years is that there are a lot of hostile, negative people our there who want to try to hurt others at least verbally (hopefully only verbally) and the internet with its wide distribution, but relative anonymity, gives them this opportunity. These people love to post, but also love to pile on with one another. You see this over and over with the most innocuous websites, sooner or later one of these latently hostile types finds it and starts posting.
Separate this stuff from constructive criticism and ignore it. It’s not you, it’s anyone who can become a target.
does something like “figure out what to do with all the knowledge from watching all those hours of MIT videos, earn some money and get a social life” count? if so, thats at the top of my list, second is getting more into podcasts generally since i just started using one software that offers tons of podcasts which made me check out new ones and add those to the ones i already watch/listen to and its very much fun and also educational in some cases like hot for words… third would be get my own cat (taking care of someones for a month at the moment) and thats about it i guess. love the idea about the sword and laser podcast, if you do realise it, please put it up on the zune marketplace/itunes
V,
Regarding #6: I have always enjoyed you (first at CNET and now at Mahalo). You must have way many more fans than not. What comes through is your compassion and your love of life. And you have a great smile.
I always have this fantasy of seeing you up in SF (I’m down here in San Diego). Anyway, keep up the great work. I will watch every Mahalo video you do!
In regards to #6. If it helps, just remember for every mean nutcase, there’s plenty of more people who love you and your work.
I pledge to eat even more cheese in 2008 than I did in 2007. Hey. I try to make resolutions I can keep.
I agree that a Sword and Laser podcast would be awesome. Kind of East Meets West without the angsty-yet-lovable Roger Change.
I also plan to blog more with a focus on tech news.
Also, stay encouraged, Veronica! The vast majority of your listeners support and appreciate what you do.
WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO SAY?!!! HUH? YOU THINK YOU’RE ALL TUFF AND STUFF?? WANNAFIGHTABOUTIT?
Your’s in Truthyness,
George W. Bush
Oh, thanks for that link to the Morgan Webb interview… I wouldn’t have seen it otherwise.
Great list. Happy new year!
@#2: Don’t we all? Must… Grind… More…
@#3: ” ” ”
@gojeffrey: WHAT?! That was MY resolution this year! … And last year…
And the year before that…
Who said I had to come up with a new one?
Cheese rocks.
So does World of Warcraft…
Cheeseman out.
[...] Belmont recently thought of some New Year’s resolutions she felt would be firmly within reach. (If you remember, she was the lovely lady who interviewed [...]
I hope your guild mates are reading this will boost you a little so you’ll get to ding 70.
[...] Belmont recently thought of some New Year’s resolutions she felt would be firmly within reach. (If you remember, she was the lovely lady who interviewed [...]
1. Blog more – Mine is the same. I twitter like crazy, but don’t seem to ever update my blog. I need to do some reviews, and frankly work on the design of my blog.
2. Get to 70 – I’m trying to stay away from WoW as much as possible. I already waste too much time on other games (CoD4 lately) to sink my life away in WoW. Once I graduate I’ll lose myself in it.
3.Be more physically active – I also need to do the same. I’m not overweight, nor do I want to gain a ton of muscle, I just need to put some more activity in my life for my health and my sense of self. A bunch of twitterers are doing a 25 day exercise challenge through the rest of January and I’m going to join them. You should too!
6. Get a thicker skin – The haters can be a real chore, and I’m sorry to hear they’ve been getting you down. It always blows me away how people waste so much of their time proclaiming that they dislike something/someone so much. Just remember, those who harbor such hostility must have other issues in their own personal lives if they have to devote time to bringing others down. You’re a great personality on the internet, and offer some great humor, insight and reality to the party. Keep up the good work.
Glad to hear a podcast with Tom is possibly in the works – just got done listening to BOL’s Best of 2007 and hearing you and Tom (and Molly) really mixing it up together made me wish that you were back at BOL.
Give up on #3, V. You couldn’t possibly be more attractive. You looking to get higher than number one on that Violet Blue list? That shoulda given you a hint, yeah?
Scratch that. I read #3 again. It says “active,” but I read it as “Attractive.” Sometimes I’m such an A-hole…
How did last year’s resolutions pan out?
[...] I promise after this post we can all move on from the resolutions discussion, but a few people mentioned last year’s post, and wondered how well I stuck with them! Here they [...]
Love you the way you Veronica .. I REALLY miss you on BOL .. the Mahalo thing is good, but not my genre of entertainment .. I liked it better when you were a real nerd .. or at least reported as one
Did I say I miss you on BOL? I REALLY REALLY do!
Climbing is excellent! Do the bouldering thing… get outdoors… make your way to Joshua Tree in the spring and you will not be disappointed!!! GPS, digital snaps, no cell reception in the park… super-sweet!