Be It Resolved

So I'll have a bigger Christmas post up later, but I wanted to start out 2016 with a declaration of resolutions. They aren't anything fancy, but a set of (I hope) realistic goals to accomplish for 2016. Honestly, they're probably things I should be doing already, but making a spreadsheet might help me keep better track of myself.

1. Read one book per week

This is probably the one I'm most excited about it. Since Raptor-Son's arrival, I haven't been reading as much I as used to, which was still less than I'd like to. I read several books throughout 2015, and I usually have at least one book that I'm working on, but I really want to make a concerted effort to read more this year. Last year's highlight was Neurotribes by Steve Silberman, which was a fascinating exploration of the history and cultural role of autism, a topic I knew next to nothing about. I want to read more this year. 

2. Write one post per week

Again, this is something I should be doing anyway. I have no desire to become a professional blogger or anything, but I've enjoyed writing here over the last nine months. I want to do it more, and become better at it. I'm working on finding a voice, and hopefully becoming a clearer writer. One of the things that bothers me is that I think my writing has devolved since I've been a teacher, and I've heard this before. The more bad writing you tend to read, the worse your own writing becomes.  With any luck, purposefully setting aside the time to write more will result in more readable posts. 

3. Exercise three to five times per week 

Classic, I know, and I'm usually pretty good about running. I fell off through the autumn as I got sick, and Raptor-Son got sick, and holiday events popped up, but now I'm back on the wagon. Or off the wagon. Whichever one means you're doing the thing. In four months, I'll run the Cincinnati Flying Pig Half-Marathon, so I need to get back into training for that. It's a race I've run three times so far, and I was signed up for it last year. With the arrival of the Wee Man, I didn't have time to train, and so I downgraded to the 10k. It went fine, but when I went to get my packet, I really regretted not training for the Half. This year, no regrets. 

Anyway, this is going to be my 2016, I hope. 2015 was pretty rockin', so this next year has a lot to live up to. It's my favorite kind of year (presidential election,) and the Little Guy is getting bigger and even more fun to play with, so I'm optimistic. Good luck with your own resolutions, and have a great year!