El Gaffney

Happy New Year

Or feliz ano nuevo, if only I could figure out how to do get that tilde over the n. Anyone know the shortcut in Wordpress? I probably have to get some “plugin” for a Spanish dictionary or something. I’ve got friends who know how to code and others learning code as part of their New Year’s resolution, and I’m trying to put a squiggly line over a letter. Oh boy. Ah, how about if copy it from the Internet? Oh snap…

Feliz año nuevo! (I’m not going back for an upside-down exclamation point. Sorry.)

But that’s not what this post is about. Well, it kind of is. I have been inspired by some blogging buddies to put some of my resolutions out there for critique, improvement, encouragement and/or to give others ideas since that’s what they’ve given me. Pay it forward. Man, that’s an emotional movie. Haley Joel Osment. Kevin Spacey. Helen Hunt and JBJ (as her alcoholic ex-husband).

Anyway, it’s great to be back from this…

Seriously, though, I’m feeling re-energized both professionally and personally and am excited for 2010. (I’m going with twenty-ten, by the way.) And, as I mentioned, have decided to post five resolutions that have been floating around my mind over the last couple of weeks.

1. Blog Once A Week – First things first, I poppa freaks all the blogging. Okay, stream of consciousness may be part of it (as you may have noticed reading up to this point), though I plan on censoring myself a bit to make sure I’m coherent and my posts are fun to read (or at least tolerable). Long story short, this blog is approaching it’s fourth b-day and I’ve never really had a plan for it nor have I forced myself to post on a weekly (even monthly basis). I’m pretty sure I need a full post to outline the first point, but I can confidently say I need to post more. I enjoy writing and sharing (thoughts, not food or toys). So here’s the start.

2. Get Five Mentors – Michael K. is definitely responsible for this one. He surrounds himself with smart people with diverse experiences and seems to be constantly tapping their brains. He is, and his plans are, better for it. Right, Mike? I’ve had the fortune of meeting and working with some incredible people at this point in my life and have lost touch with too many. I need to identify and reach out to a handful of them as well as (hopefully) reconnect and start conversing with them more regularly.

3. Wake Up Early to Work Out Twice A Week – Thanks go out to Kevin for this one. He’s trying to run a 5K and become an early riser. For years I’ve talked about working out in the mornings because (1) I sleep pretty late as it is, and (2) It’s hard to motivated to get to the gym after a long day of work. It hasn’t happened. So this year I’ve got even less excuses. I’ve got a partner (my girlfriend) and a gym/pool in my building. Tuesday’s yoga. Thursday’s swimming. Tomorrow is the first test.

4. Develop Three Skills – This is a work in progress as I cull a bunch of my initial thoughts into a shortlist. It can be learning to do something completely new (e.g., boxing or cooking) or growing/reviving a current (stagnant) ability (e.g., Spanish or dancing). (Yes, dancing.) If anyone has any suggestions in NYC for any of the four listed, I’m all ears.

5. Get Better at Managing Money – This is a big and scary one. And that’s why I didn’t put it into the “skills” list and give myself an out. I hate thinking about and talking about money. But I’ve reached a point in my life where my hate (and guilt) for disliking (being overwhelmed by) money has surpassed the hate of money. It’s debilitating. I’ve realized I need to take control of my personal finances ASAP. (Don’t worry I’m not in any financial trouble.) This is something I’m thinking about sharing what I learn (about everything from saving to investing) or creating a business around.

I finished with a less tangible one and want to add one more to the mix. It is to meet more bloggers in-person. A couple years ago, I was more committed to meeting online acquaintances offline and want to challenge myself to do step that up this year – even if it’s reconnecting with blogging friends. So please stop by and say hi. All the best in this new year.

Tags: new years, resolutions

Why Deal With New Year’s Eve?

Come out and get drunk the night before.

As Noah said (and the copy above suggests), it’s pretty simple. Be able to get in (for free), afford drinks, and find an open cab at the end of the night in New York City. It’s the New Year’s Eve-Eve Party without promoters’ names on the top of post-sized cards in Helvetica font…much to the dismay of Eric. I’ll be there, and so will these two clowns.

Tags: Friends, holidays, new years, nyc, party