The New Year is just Around the Corner

I've been finding myself online an absurd amount.  Instead of trying to curb my online time, I've just tried to make it more productive.  I look for memory and mind improvement websites (like http://www.khanacademy.org/ and http://www.knoword.org/) or writing exercises (http://oneword.com/ and http://www.onepageperday.com/) or simple do-it-youself fixes and recipes I can manage in Honduras.

I always think grandiose new year's resolutions are silly.  Thinking that the new year is some magical time to change our whole lives is unreasonable.  Most people embrace the joke that they won't even make it out of January with their resolution.  Failure is assumed at the start. 

Two and a half weeks ago I started my new year's resolution (since I'd figured it out already, I didn't see a reason to wait until the first.)  I'm going to spend the next 12-ish months in 6 week segments.  It takes the human mind 6 solid weeks to break and form a habit.  I am marking off on a calender each successful day, and Xing off each failed day for the first small 6 week goal.  Once 6 weeks are done, I shall move onto another small, manageable goal. (The first one is embarrassing, and I hope my dentist doesn't read this, but I'm finally getting into a rhythm of brushing my teeth twice a day, every day.  Next 6-weeks will be flossing.  And I have 10 weeks to figure out what comes next, but I'm starting up a list of small, daily changes I can work on.)

(This would have been the picture of the day)

This was going to be THE resolution, but then during a conversation about new year's resolutions I was introduced to Project 365.  I've really enjoyed learning a bit about photography during my time in Copan, and I think joining Project 365 for my other new year's resolution would be a lot of fun, insightful, and self-improving.  The project is to take one photo every single day for a year.  By default it improves photography skills, it helps you realize what things are most important to you, and it's a concise photo diary.  I'll be able to capture my 6 months in Central America and my first 6 months of my new, transitive life.  I also think this is the best year to do it because of the great change I'm about to go through.  I will be more aware of my surroundings at I leave Copan and when I return to the United States.

So, starting January 1st, I will be keeping a photo journal as well.
Enjoy the end of 2010!